Manufacturing method for cooling device

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method for a cooling device that can contribute to simplifying manufacturing of the cooling device.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method for a cooling device (1) according to one embodiment described in the disclosure comprises: a step in which two aluminum plate materials on which a first recessed part and a second recessed part that is smaller in depth than the first recessed part are formed are arranged to oppose to each other, a bottom part of the first recessed part and a bottom part of the second recessed part are butted to each other and the bottom part of the first recessed part and the bottom part of the second recessed part are laser-welded from the either aluminum plate material of the two aluminum plate materials; and a step in which heat is inputted to the first recessed part or the second recessed part from the either aluminum plate material in order to correct warpage of the laser-welded two aluminum plate materials.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a cooling device. For example, it relates to a method for manufacturing a cooling device having a refrigerant flow path by butt-welding the bottoms of recesses extending in a uniaxial direction in two aluminum plates and then performing laser welding.

Background Art

[0002] For example, when manufacturing a cooling device having a refrigerant flow path, two aluminum plates may be laser-welded. However, warping occurs in the two aluminum plates due to thermal contraction of the laser-welded portion.

[0003] Therefore, the manufacturing method of Patent Document 1 corrects the warping of the two laser-welded aluminum plates by reversing the two laser-welded aluminum plates and applying heat to the portion facing the laser-welded portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The applicant of the present application has found the following problems. The manufacturing method of Patent Document 1 has the problem that in order to correct the warping of the two laser-welded aluminum plates, it is necessary to reverse the two aluminum plates, making the manufacturing of the cooling device complicated.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of such problems, and realizes a method for manufacturing a cooling device that contributes to simplifying the manufacturing of the cooling device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A method for manufacturing a cooling device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a cooling device having a refrigerant flow path by butt-welding the bottoms of recesses extending in a uniaxial direction in two aluminum plates, wherein two aluminum plates having a first recess and a second recess shallower in depth than the first recess are arranged to face each other, the bottoms of the first recess and the second recess are butted together, and a step of laser-welding the bottoms of the first recess and the second recess from the side of one of the two aluminum plates; a step of heating the first recess or the second recess from the side of one of the aluminum plates in order to correct the warpage of the two laser-welded aluminum plates; and is provided with.

[0008] In the above-described method for manufacturing a cooling device, it is preferable that the first recess and the second recess are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other alternately.

[0009] In the above-described method for manufacturing a cooling device, when the two laser-welded aluminum plates are warped convexly toward the side of one of the aluminum plates after the laser welding, it is preferable to heat the second recess, and when the two laser-welded aluminum plates are warped convexly toward the side of the other aluminum plate after the laser welding, it is preferable to heat the first recess.

[0010] In the above-described method for manufacturing a cooling device, it is preferable that the thickness of the other aluminum plate in the two aluminum plates is equal to or greater than the thickness of one of the aluminum plates.

[0011] In the above-described method for manufacturing a cooling device, it is preferable to heat a portion where the influence of heat input to the two aluminum plates is small with respect to the bottom of the first recess in the first recess or the bottom of the second recess in the second recess.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] According to the present disclosure, a manufacturing method of a cooling device that contributes to simplifying the manufacturing of the cooling device can be realized.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, specific embodiments to which the present disclosure is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. Also, for clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings are simplified as appropriate. Here, in the following explanation, for clarity of explanation, a three-dimensional (XYZ) coordinate system is used for the explanation.

[0015] <Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 is a view of a part of the cooling device manufactured by the manufacturing method of the cooling device of the present embodiment as seen from the +Z axis side. FIG. 2 is a YZ cross-sectional view of a part of the cooling device manufactured by the manufacturing method of the cooling device of the present embodiment.

[0016] The manufacturing method of the cooling device according to the present embodiment (hereinafter, may be simply abbreviated as the manufacturing method) manufactures the cooling device 1. Although details will be described later, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the Z-axis - side portion (i.e., the bottom) of the recess 2a extending in the X-axis direction in the first aluminum plate material 2 and the Z-axis + side portion (i.e., the bottom) of the recess 3a extending in the X-axis direction in the second aluminum plate material 3 are abutted and laser welded to form a flow path 4 for a refrigerant (for example, LLC (Long Life Coolant), etc.).

[0017] In FIG. 1, the welded portion 5 is shown by a virtual line. Also, in FIG. 2, in order to clarify the shapes of the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3, the welded portion 5 and the like are omitted.

[0018] Here, the first aluminum plate material 2 is, for example, a press-formed product of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and as shown in FIG. 2, it includes a first recess 2b and a second recess 2c as the recess 2a. The first recess 2b extends in the X-axis direction and has a substantially inverted isosceles trapezoidal shape that is concave on the Z-axis - side when viewed from the X-axis direction.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the second recess 2c is adjacent in the Y-axis direction to the first recess 2b via a connecting portion 2d, and the first recess 2b and the second recess 2c are alternately arranged and continuous in the Y-axis direction. And the second recess 2c extends in the X-axis direction and has a substantially inverted isosceles trapezoidal shape that is concave on the Z-axis - side when viewed from the X-axis direction.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the width dimension W2 in the Y-axis direction of the second recess 2c is substantially equal to the width dimension W1 in the Y-axis direction of the first recess 2b. And the depth D2 in the Z-axis direction of the second recess 2c is shallower than the depth D1 in the Z-axis direction of the first recess 2b. That is, the first recess 2b and the second recess 2c have substantially the same shape but different depths in the Z-axis direction.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting portion 2d is arranged substantially parallel to the XY plane, and connects the end portion on the +Y axis side of the first concave portion 2b and the end portion on the -Y axis side of the second concave portion 2c, or the end portion on the -Y axis side of the first concave portion 2b and the end portion on the +Y axis side of the second concave portion 2c.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the second aluminum plate material 3 has a shape substantially equal to the shape obtained by inverting the second aluminum plate material 3 around the Y axis with the arrangement of the first concave portion 2b and the second concave portion 2c in the Y-axis direction in the first aluminum plate material 2 reversed. Therefore, although detailed description will be provided later, it includes the first concave portion 3b and the second concave portion 3c, which are the concave portions 3a, and the connecting portion 3d.

[0023] At this time, although detailed functions will be described later, as shown in FIG. 2, the thickness (i.e., plate thickness) T2 of the second aluminum plate material 3 in the Z-axis direction is preferably equal to or greater than the thickness T1 of the first aluminum plate material 2 in the Z-axis direction.

[0024] Next, the manufacturing method flow of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the laser welding process in the manufacturing method of the cooling device of the present embodiment. In the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, first, as shown in FIG. 3, the portion 2b1 on the -Z axis side of the first concave portion 2b of the above-described first aluminum plate material 2 and the portion 3c1 on the +Z axis side of the second concave portion 3c of the second aluminum plate material 3 are butted together.

[0025] At the same time, as shown in FIG. 3, the portion 2c1 on the -Z axis side of the second concave portion 2c of the first aluminum plate material 2 and the portion 3b1 on the +Z axis side of the first concave portion 3b of the second aluminum plate material 3 are butted together.

[0026] Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the portion 2b1 on the -Z axis side of the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate material 2 and the portion 3c1 on the +Z axis side of the second concave portion 3c of the second aluminum plate material 3 are laser welded from the +Z axis side to form a first welded portion 5a on the +Z axis side with respect to the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3.

[0027] Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the Z-axis - side portion 2c1 of the second recess 2c of the first aluminum plate 2 and the Z-axis + side portion 3b1 of the first recess 3b of the second aluminum plate 3 are laser welded from the Z-axis + side to form a second weld portion 5b on the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3.

[0028] Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3, a flow path 4 is formed using a cavity formed by the first recess 2b, the connecting portion 2d, and the second recess 2c of the first aluminum plate 2, and the first recess 3b, the connecting portion 3d, and the second recess 3c of the second aluminum plate 3.

[0029] Here, the relationship between the depth of the recesses of the two aluminum plates and the warpage after laser welding of the two aluminum plates will be described. FIG. 4(a) is a diagram for explaining the weld portion and the like of the two aluminum plates, FIG. 4(b) is an enlarged view of the IVB portion of FIG. 4(a), and FIG. 4(c) is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the depth of the recess and the warpage.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), a third aluminum plate 11 having recesses 11a with a depth H3 in the Z-axis direction arranged at substantially equal intervals in the Y-axis direction and a fourth aluminum plate 12 having recesses 12a with a depth H4 in the Z-axis direction arranged at substantially equal intervals in the Y-axis direction are arranged to face each other. The Z-axis - side portion of the recess 11a of the third aluminum plate 11 and the Z-axis + side portion of the recess 12a of the fourth aluminum plate 12 are butted against each other, and a weld portion 13 is formed by laser welding from the side of the third aluminum plate 11.

[0031] At this time, the depth H3 of the recess 11a of the third aluminum plate 11 and the depth H4 of the recess 12a of the fourth aluminum plate 12 were respectively changed, and the third aluminum plate 11 and the fourth aluminum plate 12 were laser welded.

[0032] As a result, as shown in Fig. 4(c), as the depth H3 of the concave portion 11a of the third aluminum plate 11 becomes shallower than the depth H4 of the concave portion 12a of the fourth aluminum plate 12, the deformation amount (i.e., the warping amount) of the third aluminum plate 11 and the fourth aluminum plate 12 after laser welding that warps convexly on the Z-axis - side increases.

[0033] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 4(c), as the depth H3 of the concave portion 11a of the third aluminum plate 11 becomes deeper than the depth H4 of the concave portion 12a of the fourth aluminum plate 12, the deformation amount of the third aluminum plate 11 and the fourth aluminum plate 12 after laser welding that warps convexly on the Z-axis + side increases.

[0034] This is because the warping direction is determined according to the height position in the Z-axis direction of the heat input portion when the third aluminum plate 11 and the fourth aluminum plate 12 are laser welded. That is, when the depth H3 of the concave portion 11a of the third aluminum plate 11 is shallower than the depth H4 of the concave portion 12a of the fourth aluminum plate 12 and heat is input to the portion on the Z-axis + side of the abutted third aluminum plate 11 and fourth aluminum plate 12, since the portion on the Z-axis + side thermally contracts, it warps convexly on the Z-axis - side.

[0035] On the other hand, when the depth H3 of the concave portion 11a of the third aluminum plate 11 is deeper than the depth H4 of the concave portion 12a of the fourth aluminum plate 12 and heat is input to the portion on the Z-axis - side of the abutted third aluminum plate 11 and fourth aluminum plate 12, since the portion on the Z-axis - side thermally contracts, it warps convexly on the Z-axis + side.

[0036] Therefore, in the present embodiment, by utilizing the above characteristics, the heat input portion to the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 after laser welding is changed according to the warping direction when the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 are laser welded.

[0037] Return the description to the manufacturing method. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the heat input process in the manufacturing method of the cooling device according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, for example, the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 are set in advance to warp convexly on the Z-axis - side after laser welding.

[0038] Since the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 after laser welding are warped convexly on the Z-axis - side, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, heat is input from the Z-axis + side to the portion 2b1 on the Z-axis - side of the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate 2 by the laser welding apparatus used for laser welding the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3, and the portion 2b1 on the Z-axis - side is melted.

[0039] Thereby, the portion on the Z-axis - side of the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 after laser welding is heat-input and the portion on the Z-axis - side thermally contracts, and the convex warpage of the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 on the Z-axis - side can be corrected.

[0040] At this time, the melted portion 6 of the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate 2 may be at a position shifted in the Y-axis direction with respect to the first welded portion 5a between the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3.

[0041] Note that when heat is input to the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate 2, as shown in FIG. 5, not only the portion 2b1 on the Z-axis - side of the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate 2 but also the portion 3c1 on the Z-axis + side of the second concave portion 3c of the second aluminum plate 3 may be melted.

[0042] However, when the melted portion 6 of the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate 2 and the second concave portion 3c of the second aluminum plate 3 reaches the end on the Z-axis - side of the second aluminum plate 3, refrigerant leakage occurs, which is not preferable.

[0043] In this embodiment, since the thickness T2 of the second aluminum plate material 3 in the Z-axis direction is equal to or greater than the thickness T1 of the first aluminum plate material 2 in the Z-axis direction, it is possible to suppress the molten portion 6 of the first recess 2b of the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second recess 3c of the second aluminum plate material 3 from reaching the end portion on the Z-axis side of the second aluminum plate material 3.

[0044] Here, the warping direction when the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3 are laser welded can be changed according to, for example, the difference in depth between the first recess 2b of the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second recess 3c of the second aluminum plate material 3, and the difference in the number of each combination, etc.

[0045] At this time, since the amount of change can also be adjusted in advance in the same manner as the warping direction when the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3 are laser welded, by adjusting the heat input amount according to the amount of change, the warping of the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3 after laser welding can be accurately corrected.

[0046] Thus, the manufacturing method of the cooling device 1 of this embodiment heats the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3 from the +Z side, which is the same side as the side where the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3 are laser welded, with the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3 in between, so that the warping of the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3 after laser welding can be corrected.

[0047] Therefore, the manufacturing method of the cooling device 1 of this embodiment does not require inverting the two aluminum plate materials after laser welding to correct the warping of the two aluminum plate materials as in the manufacturing method of Patent Document 1, and can contribute to the simplification of the manufacturing of the cooling device 1. Moreover, the inverting device can be omitted, and the reduction of the manufacturing cost and the shortening of the manufacturing line of the cooling device 1 can be realized.

[0048] Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 are set in advance to warp convexly to the Z-axis - side after laser welding. However, when the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 are set to warp convexly to the Z-axis + side after laser welding, it is preferable to heat the second concave portion 2c of the first aluminum plate 2 from the Z-axis + side to melt the second concave portion 2c.

[0049] <Embodiment 2> FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining the heat input step in the manufacturing method of the cooling device according to the present embodiment. In the manufacturing method of the cooling device 1 of the first embodiment, for example, heat is input to the portion 2b1 on the Z-axis - side of the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate 2. However, the heat input to the portion 2b1 on the Z-axis - side has a high correction response to the warpage of the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3, and the heat input effect is large. Therefore, it may be difficult to control the correction of the warpage of the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3.

[0050] Therefore, with respect to the heat input effect on the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 when heat is input to the portion 2b1 on the Z-axis - side of the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate 2, a portion with a small heat input effect on the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, it is preferable to input heat to the corner portion 2b2 or the inclined portion 2b3 arranged on the Z-axis + side with respect to the portion 2b1 on the Z-axis - side of the first concave portion 2b of the first aluminum plate 2. Thereby, the controllability of correcting the warpage of the first aluminum plate 2 and the second aluminum plate 3 can be improved.

[0051] The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist.

[0052] For example, in the first aluminum plate material 2 of the above embodiment, the first recessed portions 2b and the second recessed portions 2c are arranged adjacent to each other alternately, but they may be arranged randomly. Similarly, in the second aluminum plate material 3 of the above embodiment, the first recessed portions 3b and the second recessed portions 3c are arranged adjacent to each other alternately, but they may be arranged randomly.

[0053] For example, in the above embodiment, heat is input into the first recessed portion 2b of the first aluminum plate material 2 from the +Z axis side by the laser welding apparatus used for laser welding the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3. However, it is not limited to the laser welding apparatus, and it is sufficient if heat can be input to correct the warpage of the first aluminum plate material 2 and the second aluminum plate material 3 after laser welding.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0054] 1 Cooling device 2 First aluminum plate material 2a Recessed portion 2b First recessed portion, 2b1 Portion of the first recessed portion on the -Z axis side, 2b2 Corner portion of the first recessed portion, 2b3 Inclined portion of the first recessed portion 2c Second recessed portion, 2c1 Portion of the second recessed portion on the -Z axis side 2d Connecting portion 3 Second aluminum plate material 3a Recessed portion 3b First recessed portion, 3b1 Portion of the first recessed portion on the +Z axis side 3c Second recessed portion, 3c1 Portion of the second recessed portion on the +Z axis side 3d Connecting portion 4 Flow path 5 Welded portion, 5a First welded portion, 5b Second welded portion 6 Molten portion

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a cooling device having a refrigerant flow path by laser welding with the bottoms of recesses extending in a uniaxial direction in two aluminum plates butted against each other, comprising: arranging two aluminum plates, in which a first recess and a second recess shallower in depth than the first recess are formed, so as to face each other, butting the bottom of the first recess against the bottom of the second recess, and laser-welding the bottom of the first recess and the bottom of the second recess from the side of one of the two aluminum plates; heating the first recess or the second recess from the side of one of the two aluminum plates to correct the warpage of the two laser-welded aluminum plates; A method for manufacturing a cooling device, comprising the above steps.

2. The method for manufacturing a cooling device according to Claim 1, wherein the first recess and the second recess are arranged adjacent to each other alternately.

3. The method for manufacturing a cooling device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein when the two laser-welded aluminum plates warp convexly to the side of one of the two aluminum plates after the laser welding, heat is applied to the second recess, and when the two laser-welded aluminum plates warp convexly to the side of the other aluminum plate after the laser welding, heat is applied to the first recess.

4. The method for manufacturing a cooling device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the thickness of the other aluminum plate of the two aluminum plates is equal to or greater than the thickness of one of the two aluminum plates.

5. The method for manufacturing a cooling device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein heat is applied to a portion where the influence of heat input to the two aluminum plates is small on the bottom of the first recess in the first recess or the bottom of the second recess in the second recess.

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