Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger comprising: a core portion including a plurality of tubes; a pair of header tanks communicating with the tubes; and a pair of inserts arranged substantially parallel to the length of the tubes, and in such a manner as to contact the core portion at the ends of the core portion to transfer the heat from the core portion, and having the ends thereof supported on the header tanks; wherein a stress absorber to absorb the stress generated along the length of each insert is formed in the insert; wherein the stress absorber is formed over each insert from the upstream side to the downstream side in the air flow; and wherein the stress absorber is arranged in such a manner that the most upstream end and the most downstream end thereof in the air flow are not superposed, one on the other, along the direction of air flow.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 11 / 484,519 filed on Jul. 11, 2006, claiming priority of Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2006-281454 filed Oct. 16, 2006, 2006-157725 filed Jun. 6, 2006 and 2005-202807 filed Jul. 12, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates to a heat exchanger or, in particular, to a heat exchanger effectively applicable to a multiflow radiator for cooling the cooling water of the internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] The conventional multiflow radiator includes a core portion having a plurality of tubes,-a header tank communicating with the plurality of the tubes and an insert arranged at the end of the core portion for reinforcing the core portion. Also, the header tank is configured of a core plate coupled with the tubes and a tank body providing an internal space of t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] In view of this fact, the object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger in which the thermal distortion is reduced while, at the same time, the pressure resistance performance is secured.

Problems solved by technology

The difference in the amount of thermal expansion between the tubes and the insert is liable to generate thermal stress due to thermal distortion at the root (coupling) between the core plate and the tubes adjacent to the insert.

A repeated change in temperature and hence a repeated change in thermal stress poses the problem that the tubes in the neighborhood of the root may be broken.

In the anti-thermal distortion structure proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-325783, however, the notch of the insert reduces the strength to hold the tubes.

As a result, the portion of the tube adjacent to the notch is deformed by expansion and may break.

The anti-thermal distortion structure proposed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-237197 also poses a similar problem to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-325783 due to the fact that the tube holding strength of the expansion of the insert is reduced.

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