Heat exchanger

Abstract

To provide a heat exchanger having higher pressure tightness against the pressure of working fluid.SOLUTION: An oil cooler 1 as the heat exchanger cools working fluid. The oil cooler 1 includes: a first tank 11 and a second tank 12 capable of storing the working fluid; and tubes 21 having ends inserted into openings 13a formed in the first tank 11 and the second tank 12. The first tank 11 and the second tank 12 each have a support wall part 112a extending along the tube 21, around the opening 13a into which the tube 21 is inserted and joined. The support wall part 112a extends from a first bent part 112b bent so as to be protruded outward from each of the first tank 11 and the second tank 12 to the front end.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a heat exchanger including a pair of tanks and tubes inserted into openings formed in the tanks.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Patent Document 1, the tank has a cylindrical shape. Thus, even when the internal pressure in the tank is relatively large, the tank can withstand the internal pressure.

[0005] However, in a cylindrical tank, stress due to the internal pressure of the tank concentrates at the joint with the tube.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a heat exchanger with improved pressure resistance against the pressure of the working fluid.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present invention is a heat exchanger that cools a working fluid, a tank capable of accommodating the working fluid, and tubes whose ends are inserted into openings formed in the tank, and the tank has a support wall portion extending along the tube around the opening into which the tube is inserted and joined. The support wall portion extends from a first bent portion that bends so as to protrude outward from the tank toward the tip end.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a heat exchanger with improved pressure resistance against the pressure of a flowing fluid.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The dimensions of each member shown in these drawings may be different from the actual dimensions of each member for convenience of explanation.

[0011] In the description of the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the "left - right direction", "front - rear direction", and "up - down direction" are appropriately referred to. Here, the "up - down direction" is a direction including the "upward direction" and the "downward direction". The "front - rear direction" is a direction including the "front direction" and the "rear direction". The "left - right direction" is a direction including the "left direction" and the "right direction". In the figures described hereinafter, the symbol U indicates the upward direction. The symbol D indicates the downward direction. The symbol F indicates the front direction. The symbol B indicates the rear direction. The symbol L indicates the left direction. The symbol R indicates the right direction. Note that when the radiator is attached to the vehicle, these directions do not necessarily coincide with the respective directions set for the vehicle.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a front view of the oil cooler 1 according to the present embodiment. The oil cooler 1 is an example of a heat exchanger. The oil cooler 1 is connected to a hydraulic device (not shown) and is configured to cool the oil, which is the working fluid of the hydraulic device. The oil cooler 1 is used, for example, to cool the hydraulic device that operates the arm of a crane vehicle or an excavator.

[0013] The oil cooler 1 includes a tank 10 and a core portion 20.

[0014] The tank 10 is composed of a first tank 11 and a second tank 12. The first tank 11 and the second tank 12 are configured to be able to store the oil, which is the working fluid. The first tank 11 is provided on the upstream side of the path through which the oil flows with respect to the second tank 12.

[0015] The core portion 20 includes a plurality of tubes 21 and a plurality of fins 22. The tubes 21 are arranged so as to communicate with the inside of the first tank 11 and the inside of the second tank 12. The tubes 21 extend in the up - down direction. The ends of the tubes 21 are inserted into the openings 13a (see FIG. 3) formed in the first tank 11 and the second tank 12. The plurality of tubes 21 are arranged at regular intervals. The fins 22 are arranged in the gaps between the tubes 21.

[0016] The oil flows from inside the first tank 11 through the tube 21 into the second tank 12. When the oil passes through the tube 21, heat exchange occurs between the air outside the tube 21 and the oil inside the tube 21, and the oil is cooled. The fins 22 are configured to straighten the air passing between the tubes 21 so that the air flows toward the surface of the tube 21.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the II-II cross-section in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the connection portion between the tank 10 and the tube 21. Note that, hereinafter, only the first tank 11 will be described, but the second tank 12 has the same configuration as the first tank 11.

[0018] The first tank 11 includes a tank main body portion 111 and a tube connection portion 112. The tank main body portion 111 has a semi-cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction. The tube connection portion 112 is provided so as to close an opening that opens downward in the tank main body portion 111. The tube connection portion 112 defines a flow path C capable of accommodating the working fluid together with the tank main body portion 111, and an opening portion 13a into which the tube 21 is inserted is formed. The tank main body portion 111 and the tube connection portion 112 are joined by welding.

[0019] The tube connection portion 112 has a support wall portion 112a extending along the tube 21 around the opening portion 13a into which the tube 21 is inserted and joined. Here, the joint portion between the tube 21 and the opening portion 13a is referred to as a joint portion P1. The support wall portion 112a extends from a first bent portion 112b that bends so as to protrude outward from the first tank 11 toward the tip.

[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates an oil cooler 201 according to a comparative example. Unlike the oil cooler 1 in the present embodiment, the first tank 211 of the oil cooler 201 has a cylindrical shape. The tube 221 is directly inserted into and joined to the first tank 211.

[0021] Such an oil cooler 201 can also accommodate oil as the working fluid. However, when internal pressure acts on the working fluid contained in the first tank 211, a force acts to displace the lower surface of the tube 221 downward. This force concentrates at the joint P2 between the first tank 211 and the tube 221, and if excessive force is generated, the joint P2 is likely to break.

[0022] On the other hand, in the oil cooler 1 which is the heat exchanger of the present embodiment, a first bent portion 112b that bends so as to protrude outward from the first tank 11 is formed on the support wall portion 112a. Therefore, when the internal pressure of the first tank 11 acts, not only the joint P1 between the first tank 11 and the tube 21, but also the first bent portion 112b deforms so as to extend outward from the first tank 11. Since the internal pressure of the first tank 11 is also dispersed to the deformation of the first bent portion 112b, the force due to the internal pressure of the first tank 11 is less likely to concentrate on the joint P1 between the first tank 11 and the tube 21. Thereby, a heat exchanger with enhanced pressure resistance against the pressure of the working fluid can be provided.

[0023] Further, the heat exchanger of the present embodiment is the oil cooler 1. The working fluid of the oil cooler 1 is hydraulic oil, that is, oil, and the oil cooler 1 is connected to a hydraulic device. Since it is connected to a hydraulic device, for example, when the hydraulic device is a hydraulic cylinder, a large internal pressure acts on the working fluid when the hydraulic cylinder is contracted. The oil cooler 1 is subject to a large internal pressure in the first tank 11 and the second tank 12 as compared with a heat exchanger that only cools a fluid to which a relatively small constant pressure is applied, such as a radiator of a vehicle. The heat exchanger of the present disclosure is suitable for the oil cooler 1 which is a heat exchanger connected to a hydraulic device.

[0024] The tank main body portion 111 is preferably a cast part. Since the tank main body portion 111 is a cast part, the tank main body portion 111 can be manufactured as an integrally molded product. Thereby, the number of parts related to the tank main body portion 111 can be reduced, and the man-hours for manufacturing the heat exchanger can be reduced.

[0025] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first tank 11 and the second tank 12 are provided with a connection portion 113 for attaching the oil cooler 1 to the vehicle body. The tank main body portion 111 and the connection portion 113 for attaching the oil cooler 1 to the vehicle body are formed as an integral casting.

[0026] As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the connection portion 313 of the oil cooler 201 is a separate part from the first tank 211, it is necessary to join the first tank 211 and the connection portion 313 by operations such as welding. On the other hand, in the oil cooler 1 of the present embodiment, since the tank main body portion 111 and the connection portion 113 are integrally formed inseparably, the number of parts of the oil cooler 1 can be reduced, and the man-hours for manufacturing the oil cooler 1 can be reduced.

[0027] The first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112 form a convex curved surface in a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction in which the tube 21 extends. In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112 form a convex curved surface in the front-rear direction.

[0028] The welding portion 14 is provided at the most protruding position in the front-rear direction of the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112. The welding portion 14 is a portion that is generated when the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112 are joined by welding.

[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112 before welding. The welding of the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112 is performed by a welding torch T. In the welding of the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112, the portion traced by the tip T1 of the welding torch T is defined as a welding planned portion 14a. The welding planned portion 14a is a portion where the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112 come into contact with each other. By welding the welding planned portion 14a, the welding portion 14 is formed.

[0030] At this time, the planned welding portion 14a is provided so as to be at the most protruding position in the front-rear direction. For this reason, the tip portion T1 of the welding torch T is less likely to interfere with the surfaces of the tank main body portion 111 and the tube connection portion 112 other than the planned welding portion 14a, so the workability of welding the tank main body portion 111 and the tube connection portion 112 is improved.

[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 5, at the end of the first tank 11 in the left-right direction (the front direction and the depth direction in FIG. 5), the contact portion between the tank main body portion 111 and the tube connection portion 112 is the planned welding portion 14a.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112 before welding. The welding torch T is displaced so as to trace not only the planned welding portion 14a in the front-rear direction in the first tank 11 and the tube connection portion 112 but also the planned welding portion 14a in the left-right direction. That is, at the end of the first tank 11 in the left-right direction, the tank main body portion 111 and the tube connection portion 112 are directly welded.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, in the case of the tubular first tank 211, parts for closing both ends of the first tank 211 are required, so the number of parts constituting the first tank 211 increases, and the man-hours for manufacturing the oil cooler 1 increase. On the other hand, at the end of the first tank 211 in the oil cooler 1 of the present embodiment, since the tank main body portion 111 and the tube connection portion 112 are directly welded, parts for closing the flow path C of the first tank 11 are unnecessary. Thereby, the number of parts related to the tank main body portion 111 can be reduced, and the man-hours for manufacturing the oil cooler 1 can be reduced.

[0034] Returning to FIG. 3, it is desirable that the tube 21 does not protrude into the flow path C. Further, it is desirable that the surface defining the flow path C in the tube connection portion 112 is formed to be substantially flush.

[0035] For example, in an oil cooler 201 including a cylindrical first tank 211 as illustrated in FIG. 4, the tube 221 is disposed so as to protrude into a flow path defined by the inner wall surface of the first tank 211. For this reason, the tube 221 becomes a factor that inhibits the flow of a working fluid such as oil.

[0036] Further, in order for the tube 21 to be disposed so as not to protrude into the flow path defined by the inner wall surface of the first tank 211, it is conceivable that the surface of the first tank into which the tube is inserted is formed to be substantially flush. However, in this method, compared with the cylindrical first tank 211, stress due to the internal pressure of the first tank is more concentrated on the surface of the tube and the surface of the first tank into which the tube is inserted.

[0037] On the other hand, in the oil cooler 1 according to the present embodiment, the tube 21 does not protrude into the flow path C. Thereby, it becomes difficult for the tube 21 to obstruct the flow of the oil in the first tank 11. Further, in the oil cooler 1 according to the present embodiment, due to the deformation of the first bent portion 112b, it is possible to suppress the excessive concentration of the stress due to the internal pressure of the first tank 11 on the surface of the tube 21 and the surface of the tube 21 into which the tube is inserted at the tube connection portion.

[0038] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, it is desirable that a second bent portion 112c is formed in the support wall portion 112a of the tube connection portion 112. The first bent portion 112b to the second bent portion 112c extend in the left - right direction which is a direction away from the tube 21. The support wall portion 112a changes the extending direction with the second bent portion 112c as a boundary. In the second bent portion 112c, the support wall portion 112a is bent from the direction away from the tube 21 (front - rear direction) toward the direction toward the first tank 11 (up - down direction).

[0039] The support wall portion 112a is formed with not only the first bent portion 112b but also the second bent portion 112c. Therefore, when the internal pressure of the first tank 11 increases, not only the joint portion P1 between the first tank 11 and the tube 21 and the first bent portion 112b but also the second bent portion 112c deforms so as to extend outward from the first tank 11. Since the internal pressure of the first tank 11 is also dispersed to the deformation of the second bent portion 112c, the force due to the internal pressure of the first tank 11 is less likely to concentrate on the joint portion P1 between the first tank 11 and the tube 21. Thereby, the oil cooler 1 with enhanced pressure resistance against the pressure of the oil as the working fluid can be provided.

[0040] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the tip of the support wall portion 112a. As illustrated in FIG. 7, an inclined surface 112a1 that extends outward from the first tank 11 is formed on the inner wall surface at the tip of the support wall portion 112a so as to guide the tube 21 to the opening 13a.

[0041] When the tube 21 is inserted into the opening 13a, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the center A1 of the opening 13a and the center A2 of the tube 21 may be displaced. Even if the tube 21 is inserted into the opening 13a in this state, when the tube 21 abuts against the inclined surface 112a1, the tube 21 is guided along the inner wall surface of the support wall portion 112a. Thereby, the workability of the operation of inserting the tube 21 is improved, and the assembly of the oil cooler 1 becomes easy.

[0042] The present invention has been described based on the embodiments. Each of the above embodiments is an example of the present disclosure, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be freely modified, improved, etc. as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, numerical values, form, number, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary as long as the present invention can be implemented, and are not limited.

[0043] In the present embodiment, the oil cooler 1 has been exemplified and described as an example of the heat exchanger. However, the present invention is also applicable to a heat exchanger that cools a hydraulic oil, that is, a working fluid other than oil.

[0044] The configurations listed below also constitute a part of the present disclosure. (1): A heat exchanger for cooling a working fluid, comprising a tank capable of accommodating the working fluid, and a tube with an end inserted into an opening formed in the tank, wherein the tank has a support wall portion extending along the tube around the opening into which the tube is inserted and joined, and the support wall portion extends from a first bent portion that bends so as to protrude outward from the tank toward the tip, the heat exchanger. (2): The working fluid is hydraulic oil, and is connected to a hydraulic device to cool the hydraulic oil, the heat exchanger according to claim 1. (3): The tank comprises a tank main body portion capable of accommodating the working fluid, and a tube connection portion that defines a flow path capable of accommodating the working fluid together with the tank main body portion and in which the opening into which the tube is inserted is formed, the heat exchanger according to (1) or (2). (4): The tank main body portion and the tube connection portion are joined by welding, the heat exchanger according to (3). (5): The tank main body portion is a cast part, the heat exchanger according to (3) or (4). (6): The tank main body portion and a connection portion for attaching the heat exchanger to a vehicle body are formed as an integral casting, the heat exchanger according to (5). (7): The tank main body portion and the tube connection portion form a convex curved surface in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the tube extends, and a welded portion is provided at the most protruding position in that direction, The heat exchanger according to any one of (3) to (6). (8): At the end of the tank, the tank main body portion and the tube connection portion are directly welded. The heat exchanger according to any one of (3) to (7). (9): The tube does not protrude into the flow path. The heat exchanger according to any one of (3) to (8). (10): The support wall portion has a second bent portion formed. From the first bent portion to the second bent portion, it extends in a direction away from the tube. At the second bent portion, the support wall portion is bent in a direction from a direction away from the tube toward the tank. The heat exchanger according to any one of (1) to (9). (11): On the inner wall surface at the tip of the support wall portion, an inclined surface that expands toward the outside of the tank is formed so as to guide the tube to the opening. The heat exchanger according to any one of (1) to (10).

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0045] 1,201 Oil cooler 10 Tank 11,211 First tank 12 Second tank 13a Opening 14 Welded portion 14a Weld planned portion 20 Core portion 21,221 Tube 22 Fin 111 Tank main body portion 112 Tube connection portion 112a Support wall portion 112a1 Inclined surface 112b First bent portion 112c Second bent portion 113,313 Connection portion C flow path P1, P2 joint T welding torch T1 tip

Claims

Claim 1 A heat exchanger for cooling a working fluid, comprising: a tank capable of accommodating the working fluid; a tube having an end inserted into an opening formed in the tank, wherein the tank has a support wall portion extending along the tube around the opening into which the tube is inserted and joined; the support wall portion extends from a first bent portion that bends so as to protrude outward from the tank toward the tip, the heat exchanger. Claim 2 The working fluid is hydraulic oil, and is connected to a hydraulic device to cool the hydraulic oil, the heat exchanger according to claim 1. Claim 3 The tank includes: a tank main body portion capable of accommodating the working fluid; a tube connection portion that defines a flow path capable of accommodating the working fluid together with the tank main body portion and in which the opening into which the tube is inserted is formed, the heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2. Claim 4 The tank main body portion and the tube connection portion are joined by welding, the heat exchanger according to claim 3. Claim 5 The tank main body portion is a cast part, the heat exchanger according to claim 3. Claim 6 The tank main body portion and a connection portion for attaching the heat exchanger to a vehicle body are formed as an integral casting, the heat exchanger according to claim 5. Claim 7 The tank main body portion and the tube connection portion form a convex curved surface in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the tube extends, and a welded portion is provided at the most protruding position in the direction, the heat exchanger according to claim 3. Claim 8 At an end of the tank, the tank main body portion and the tube connection portion are directly welded, the heat exchanger according to claim 3. Claim 9 The tube does not protrude into the flow path, the heat exchanger according to claim 3. Claim 10 A second bent portion is formed in the support wall portion, the first bent portion to the second bent portion extend in a direction away from the tube, at the second bent portion, the support wall portion bends from a direction away from the tube toward the tank, the heat exchanger according to claim 1. Claim 11 An inclined surface that expands outward from the tank is formed on an inner wall surface at the tip of the support wall portion so as to guide the tube to the opening, the heat exchanger according to claim 1.

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