Method for manufacturing a heat exchanger and method for manufacturing an air conditioner

Abstract

To provide a heat exchanger which can discharge condensed water, and is easy in manufacturing, an air conditioner, a manufacturing method of the heat exchanger and a manufacturing method of the air conditioner.SOLUTION: A heat exchanger 1A comprises fins 30A which have crest portions 31 and trough portions 33, and whose waves which are aligned in one direction in an order of the crest portions 31, first connecting portions for connecting the crest portions 31 and the trough portions 33, and the trough portions 33, and formed into shapes which are obtained by bending plate-shaped bodies into aligned corrugated shapes in a plurality of pieces in one direction, and which exchange heat with peripheral air. At end parts in directions in which apexes 32 existing in the crest portions 31 and bottom parts 34 existing in the trough portions 33 of the fins 30A extend, the apexes 32 are located in one direction rather than the first connecting portions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure is fever The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an exchanger and a method for manufacturing an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] When a heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the air around the fins condenses, resulting in condensed water adhering to the fin surface. Some heat exchangers are designed to discharge condensed water along the fin surface to prevent the condensed water from freezing and increasing the airflow resistance of the fins due to the adhesion of condensed water.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a heat exchanger that includes fins formed in a corrugated shape with multiple waves consisting of a series of peaks and valleys, with the peaks and valleys of the waves oriented in a direction that is inclined relative to the vertical direction. The heat exchanger described in Patent Document 1 discharges condensed water by causing the adhering droplets of condensed water to flow along the inclined peaks and valleys. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-116095 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the heat exchanger described in Patent Document 1, the tube axes of the heat transfer tubes are oriented in a vertical direction. Meanwhile, the corrugated peaks and valleys of the fins are oriented in a direction inclined relative to the vertical direction. As a result, the corrugated peaks and valleys of the fins are inclined relative to the side surfaces of the heat transfer tubes. Therefore, when attempting to press the fins against the heat transfer tubes for brazing, the corrugated peaks and valleys of the fins may be inclined more than necessary relative to the side surfaces of the heat transfer tubes, resulting in insufficient joint strength. Furthermore, the fins may fall over from the side surfaces of the heat transfer tubes. Thus, the heat exchanger described in Patent Document 1 is not easy to manufacture.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a device that can discharge condensed water and is easy to manufacture. fever The object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an exchanger and a method for manufacturing an air conditioner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, a heat exchanger according to the present disclosure Manufacturing method teeth, A process of forming a fin by sandwiching a plate-like body between a pair of rollers having intermeshing corrugated blades and rotating the pair of rollers to bend the plate-like body into a corrugated shape having peaks and valleys, with multiple waves arranged in one direction in the order of peaks, first connecting portions connecting the peaks and valleys, and valleys. Equipped with. In the fin forming process, one end side of the pair of rollers in the axial direction processes one end of the plate-like body into a shape in which the top of the mountain portion is positioned in one direction from the first connecting portion. do. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the configuration of the present disclosure, The manufactured heat exchanger has At the ends of the fins in the direction in which the peaks of the peaks and the bottoms of the valleys extend, the peaks are located in one direction relative to the first connecting portion, so when condensed water adhering to the fins reaches the ends in the direction in which the peaks of the peaks and the bottoms of the valleys extend, the condensed water can be collected at the peaks and discharged. Furthermore, manufacturing is easy because it is only necessary to mold the ends in the direction in which the peaks of the peaks and the bottoms of the valleys extend into the above-mentioned shape. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a front view of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a fin included in a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a heat transfer tube included in a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure and a portion of a fin attached to the portion of the heat transfer tube; [Figure 5] (A) A cross-sectional view taken along the VA-VA cutting line shown in FIG. 4, (B) A cross-sectional view taken along the VB-VB cutting line shown in FIG. 4, and (C) A cross-sectional view taken along the VC-VC cutting line shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a front end portion of a fin and a heat transfer tube included in a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] Flowchart of a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fin forming device used in a fin forming step included in a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 1A is an enlarged perspective view showing the shape of a blade at one axial end of a roller included in a fin forming device used in a fin forming step of a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view showing the shape of a blade at the center of the roller in the axial direction; [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front view of a stack of heat transfer tubes and semi-finished fins that are assembled to a header in a core assembly step included in the method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] Front view of fins collapsed onto heat transfer tubes [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a rear view of a fin included in a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a front view of a fin included in a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing the shape of a blade at one axial end of a roller included in a fin forming device used in a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16](A) A conceptual diagram of a modified example of a fin forming device used in a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, (B) a cross-sectional view of a fin formed by a fin forming roller provided in the modified example of the fin forming device, (C) a cross-sectional view of a fin processed by a pitch-narrowing roller provided in the modified example of the fin forming device, and (D) a cross-sectional view of a fin processed by a pitch-widening roller provided in the modified example of the fin forming device. [Figure 17] Block diagram of an air conditioner according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of the fins included in the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] 10 is a cross-sectional view of another modified example of the fins included in the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of yet another modified example of the fins included in the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified example of the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another modified example of the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail. fever The manufacturing method of the heat exchanger and the manufacturing method of the air conditioner will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals. In the Cartesian coordinate system XYZ shown in the drawings, the direction in which the tube axes of the heat transfer tubes of the heat exchanger extend is the vertical direction, and the direction in which the heat transfer tubes are arranged is the horizontal direction. The vertical direction is the Z axis, the horizontal direction is the X axis, and the direction perpendicular to the Z axis and the X axis is the Y axis. This coordinate system will be referenced as appropriate in the following description.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) The heat exchanger according to the first embodiment has corrugated fins, each of which has a series of waves with adjacent peaks and valleys. In this heat exchanger, the peaks and valleys of the corrugated fins are oriented diagonally downward to facilitate the discharge of condensed water. First, the overall configuration of the heat exchanger will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger 1A according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the heat exchanger 1A. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a fin 30A included in the heat exchanger 1A. Note that the fin 30A is omitted from FIG. 1 for ease of understanding. Also, in FIG. 2, the shape of the fin 30A as viewed from the front is simplified to a zigzag shape in which a straight line is bent multiple times to the left and right. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the fin 30A taken in the front-rear direction, i.e., at the center in the Y direction.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the heat exchanger 1A includes headers 11 and 12 connected to external equipment and through which a refrigerant is supplied and discharged, a plurality of heat transfer tubes 20 connected to the headers 11 and 12 and through which the refrigerant flows, and fins 30A attached to the heat transfer tubes 20.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the headers 11 and 12 are formed in a cylindrical shape. Although not shown, the headers 11 and 12 are provided with connecting pipes for connection to external devices that supply and discharge the refrigerant. Furthermore, flow paths for distributing and collecting the refrigerant are formed inside the headers 11 and 12. As shown in Fig. 1, the headers 11 and 12 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction with their cylindrical axes oriented in the horizontal direction. A plurality of heat transfer tubes 20 are connected to the headers 11 and 12 to circulate the refrigerant between them.

[0015] Each heat transfer tube 20 is formed in a tubular shape to allow the refrigerant to flow, with its tube axis oriented in the vertical direction. The upper and lower ends of the heat transfer tubes 20 are inserted into insertion holes (not shown) in the cylindrical walls of the headers 11 and 12. As a result, when the refrigerant flows through the headers 11 and 12, the refrigerant circulates inside the heat transfer tubes 20.

[0016] Each heat transfer tube 20 is made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy, to facilitate the transfer of heat from the refrigerant flowing therethrough. Furthermore, the heat transfer tubes 20 are formed in the shape of flat tubes with a flat pipe cross section. Since the heat exchanger 1A is intended to exchange heat with air blown in the front-to-rear direction during use, the heat transfer tubes 20 are oriented such that the minor axis of the flat pipe cross section is oriented in the left-to-right direction and the major axis is oriented in the front-to-rear direction to reduce ventilation resistance. The heat transfer tubes 20 are arranged in the left-to-right direction at regular intervals. Fins 30A are sandwiched between the heat transfer tubes 20, as shown in FIG. 2 .

[0017] The fin 30A has a shape in which a plate-like body is bent into a corrugated shape in cross section to increase the contact area with the air and improve heat exchange performance with the air. Specifically, the fin 30A is formed from a metal plate with high thermal conductivity, for example, a metal plate made of the same material as the heat transfer tube 20. The fin 30A is formed by bending the metal plate into a corrugated shape in cross section, with peaks 31 and valleys 33 (see FIG. 3 ) arranged in one direction, i.e., the +Z direction, with multiple adjacent waves. In the fin 30A, the peaks 32 of the peaks 31 are angular, inverted U-shaped, and the bottoms 34 of the valleys 33 are angular, inverted U-shaped. The peaks 31 and valleys 33 are connected by linear connecting portions 35 in cross section. The fin 30A is brazed to the heat transfer tube 20 with the peaks 32 and bottoms 34 abutting against the heat transfer tube 20, as shown in FIG. 2 .

[0018] In recent years, the fins 30A having such a corrugated shape have tended to be manufactured with a smaller pitch P between the peaks 31 or valleys 33 to improve the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 1A. However, in the case of the fins 30A, reducing the pitch P may result in a larger rising angle θ of the fins 30A shown in FIG. 3 . That is, when waves rise from the corrugated bottom 34, the rising angle θ may become larger. For example, the angle θ may be close to perpendicular, more specifically, an angle between 85° and 90°.

[0019] When the fins 30A have such a near-vertical angle, if the fins 30A are used with the direction in which the peaks 31 or valleys 33 are aligned vertically, i.e., in the Z direction, condensed water may adhere to the surface of the fins 30A and be difficult to drain. When the fins 30A are used in this orientation, the plate surfaces of the connecting portions 35 of the fins 30A become nearly horizontal, causing condensed water droplets to remain on the plate surfaces of the connecting portions 35. In this case, the condensed water remaining on the plate surfaces of the connecting portions 35 may clog the spaces between the peaks 31 or the valleys 33 of the fins 30A. This may increase the ventilation resistance of the fins 30A. In particular, if the condensed water freezes, the ventilation resistance increases, reducing the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 1A.

[0020] Therefore, in heat exchanger 1A, in order to prevent a decrease in heat exchange performance, the corrugated peaks 31 and valleys 33 of fin 30A are oriented diagonally downward at the downwind ends of fin 30A where condensed water is likely to accumulate. Next, the detailed configuration of fin 30A will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6.

[0021] Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of a heat transfer tube 20 included in the heat exchanger 1A and a part of a fin 30A attached to the part of the heat transfer tube 20. Fig. 5(A) is a cross-sectional view taken along the VA-VA cutting line shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the VB-VB cutting line shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5(C) is a cross-sectional view taken along the VC-VC cutting line shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the front end of the fin 30A and the heat transfer tube 20.

[0022] In order to facilitate understanding, the rising angle of the fins 30A is shown to be gentler than the actual angle in Fig. 4. Also, in Fig. 6, the internal space of the heat transfer tube 20 is omitted.

[0023] Although not shown, a fan is installed on the rear side of the heat exchanger 1A, and heat is exchanged between the air blown by the fan and the internal refrigerant. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, wind W is blown onto the fins 30A from the rear side, i.e., the -Y side. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the peaks 31 and valleys 33 at the rear end and the center in the front-to-rear direction of the fins 30A, i.e., the windward end and the center in the airflow direction of the fins 30A, are oriented in the -X and +X directions, respectively. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 5C, at the front end of the fins 30A, i.e., the downwind end of the fins 30A, the peaks 31 and valleys 33 are oriented in the -X and -Z directions, and the +X and -Z directions. In other words, the peaks 31 and valleys 33 are oriented in the lower left and lower right directions.

[0024] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the fin 30A as a whole has a shape in which the peak portion 31 has an upper plate-like portion 311 facing upward and a lower plate-like portion 312 facing downward, which are connected at a peak 32. The valley portion 33 has a shape in which the upper plate-like portion 331 facing upward and a lower plate-like portion 332 facing downward are connected at a bottom 34. The upper plate-like portion 311 of the peak portion 31 and the lower plate-like portion 332 of the valley portion 33 are connected at a connecting portion 34. 36 The lower plate-shaped portion 312 of the mountain portion 31 is connected to the upper plate-shaped portion 331 of the valley portion 33 adjacent thereto below by a connecting portion. 35 are connected by

[0025] The entire fin 30A has this shape. At the leeward end of the fin 30A, the upper plate-shaped portion 311 and the lower plate-shaped portion 312 of the peak portion 31 each extend obliquely downward to the left in a curved manner, specifically in an arc-like shape. The distance between the upper plate-shaped portion 311 and the lower plate-shaped portion 312 is constant. The upper plate-shaped portion 331 and the lower plate-shaped portion 332 of the valley portion 33 each extend obliquely downward to the right in a curved manner, specifically in an arc-like shape. The distance between the upper plate-shaped portion 331 and the lower plate-shaped portion 332 is also constant. The peak portion 31 and the valley portion 33 are so-called banana-shaped. Because the fin 30A has this shape, the peak 32 and the bottom 34 of the fin 30A are located below the connecting portions 35 and 36.

[0026] Here, the phrase "the top 32 or the bottom 34 is located below the connecting portion 35" means that a portion of the top 32 or the bottom 34 is located below the connecting portion 35. Specifically, this means that the end of the top 32 on the upper plate portion 311 side, more specifically, the end of the outer wall surface of the top 32 facing the outside of the corrugation, which is located on the upper plate portion 311 side, is located below the top surface of the connecting portion 35. Furthermore, this means that the end of the bottom 34 on the lower plate portion 332 side, more specifically, the end of the inner wall surface of the bottom 34 facing the inside of the corrugation, which is located on the lower plate portion 332 side, is located below the top surface of the connecting portion 35. Furthermore, the phrase "the top 32 or the bottom 34 is located below the connecting portion 36" means that a part of it is located below the connecting portion 36, and more specifically, it means that the end of the top 32 on the lower plate portion 312 side, more specifically, the end of the inner wall surface of the top 32 facing the inside of the corrugation, which is located on the lower plate portion 312 side, is located below the upper surface of the connecting portion 36. Furthermore, it means that the end of the bottom 34 on the upper plate portion 331 side, more specifically, the end of the outer wall surface of the bottom 34 facing the outside of the corrugation, which is located on the upper plate portion 331 side, is located below the upper surface of the connecting portion 36.

[0027] When condensed water adheres to the fin 30A, the condensed water tends to collect on the downwind side due to the airflow from a fan (not shown). However, as described above, the peaks 32 and bottoms 34 of the downwind end of the fin 30A are located below the connecting portions 35 and 36. As a result, when condensed water collects on the downwind end of the fin 30A, the condensed water flows down the connecting portions 35 and 36, the peaks 31, and the valleys 33 of the fin 30A, and into the peaks 32 and bottoms 34. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4 , the downwind end of the fin 30A, i.e., the +Y end, protrudes further toward the +Y side than the heat transfer tube 20. Therefore, the condensed water that flows into the peaks 32 and bottoms 34 flows directly in the -Z direction, i.e., downward, without reaching the heat transfer tube 20, i.e., without blocking the air passage. This allows condensed water to be easily discharged from the fin 30A in the heat exchanger 1A. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 1A due to condensed water.

[0028] 6 indicates the plate surface at the center of the fin 30A in the front-to-rear direction, as shown in FIG. 5(B). As is clear from the position of this solid line L, the plate surface of the peaks 31 and valleys 33 becomes lower from the center of the fin 30A in the front-to-rear direction toward the front end, i.e., the downwind end. As a result, condensed water easily flows in.

[0029] Next, a method for manufacturing the heat exchanger 1A will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0030] Fig. 7 is a flowchart of a manufacturing method for a heat exchanger 1A. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a fin forming apparatus 40 used in a fin forming step included in the manufacturing method for a heat exchanger 1A. Fig. 9(A) is an enlarged perspective view showing the shapes of blades 410 and 420 located at one end in the axial direction A of rollers 41 and 42 of the fin forming apparatus 40. Fig. 9(B) is an enlarged perspective view showing the shapes of blades 410 and 420 located at the center in the axial direction A of rollers 41 and 42. Fig. 10 is a front view of a stack 50 in which heat transfer tubes 20 and semi-finished fins 150 are stacked, and which is to be assembled to headers 11 and 12 in a core assembling step included in the manufacturing method for a heat exchanger 1A.

[0031] First, although not shown, the headers 11, 12 and the heat transfer tubes 20 are prepared in the above-described material, shape, and number. In parallel with the preparation of the heat transfer tubes 20, a fin forming step shown in Fig. 7 is performed to prepare the fins 30A in the above-described material, shape, and number (step S1).

[0032] The fin forming process uses a fin forming apparatus 40 shown in FIG. 8. In this fin forming apparatus 40, a pair of rollers 41 and 42 have a plurality of corrugated teeth, i.e., a plurality of blades 410 and 420, on their outer surfaces. The blades 410 and 420 are meshed with each other. As shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B), the blades 410 and 420 are trapezoidal in cross section. As shown in FIG. 9(A), at one end of the rollers 41 and 42 in the axial direction A, specifically at the +A end, the height H1 of the trapezoid in cross section is greater than the height H2 of the trapezoid in cross section of the blades 410 and 420 at the center of the axial direction A shown in FIG. 9(B). In other words, at the +A end of the rollers 41 and 42, the distance from the top to the bottom of the blades 410 and 420 is greater, whereas at the center of the axial direction A, the distance between the blades 410 and 420 is smaller.

[0033] In the fin-forming process, a strip-shaped metal sheet 100, e.g., an aluminum sheet, which is the material for the fin 30A, is inserted between a pair of rollers 41, 42 of the fin-forming device 40, and the rollers 41, 42 are rotated in opposite rotation directions R. As a result, the metal sheet 100 is formed into a corrugated shape in which the crest-to-bottom distance is large at the +A end of the axial direction A of the rollers 41, 42 and the crest-to-bottom distance is small in other parts of the rollers 41, 42. As a result, a corrugated fin is produced in which the crest-to-bottom distance is large only at one end and smaller in other parts. Hereinafter, this fin will be referred to as a semi-finished fin.

[0034] After the semi-finished fins are produced in the fin forming step, the core assembling step shown in FIG. 7 is carried out using the semi-finished fins (step S2).

[0035] In the core assembly process, the prepared heat transfer tubes 20 are arranged with their tube axes parallel to one another and their flat surfaces facing each other. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10 , semi-finished fins 150 are sandwiched between the heat transfer tubes 20 with the corrugated waves oriented in the axial direction of the heat transfer tubes 20 and with the peaks 31 and valleys 33 of the corrugations oriented toward the flat surfaces of the heat transfer tubes 20. This results in a stack 50 in which the heat transfer tubes 20 and the semi-finished fins 150 are alternately stacked. The assembled stack 50 is then compressed in the stacking direction. Specifically, pressure is applied from the directions indicated by arrows A1 and A2 to compress the heat transfer tubes 20 so that the gaps between them narrow. At this time, by applying a stronger compressive force to the side in the tube axis direction D1 than to the opposite side, the distance from the top to the bottom of the corrugations at one end is shortened to the same distance as the top to the bottom of the corrugations at the other portion, causing the plate surface forming the corrugations at one end from the top to the bottom to be curved upward in a convex shape, thereby forming the fin 30A having the shape described with reference to Figures 4 to 6.

[0036] Next, one end and the other end of the heat transfer tubes 20 of the laminate 50 compressed in the directions indicated by arrows A1 and A2 are inserted into the insertion holes 13 and 14 of the prepared headers 11 and 12, and the laminate 50 is assembled to the headers 11 and 12. This completes the assembly of the core. Thereafter, although not shown, the compressive force applied to the laminate 50 is adjusted, and in this state, a restraining jig is attached to the laminate 50 to maintain the compressed state of the laminate 50. This completes the core assembly process.

[0037] Following the core assembly process, a brazing process shown in Fig. 7 is carried out (step S3). Although not shown in detail, the heat transfer tubes 20 and fins 30A of the laminate 50 with the restraining jig attached, and the heat transfer tubes 20 and headers 11, 12 are brazed together. After brazing, the restraining jig is removed from the laminate 50. This completes the production of the heat exchanger 1A.

[0038] For example, the headers 11 and 12, heat transfer tubes 20, and fins 30A described above are formed from bracing sheets whose surfaces are covered with brazing material, and the headers 11 and 12, heat transfer tubes 20, and fins 30A are then used to assemble the core described above. Then, flux is applied to the assembled core. For example, a non-corrosive flux is applied. The core with the applied flux is then heated to melt the flux and remove the oxide film on the core surface. The core is then further heated to melt the brazing material, which penetrates into the gaps between each part, and then cooled. This completes the brazing of the core. As a result, the heat exchanger 1A is manufactured and completed.

[0039] As described above, in the manufacturing method of the heat exchanger 1A, the laminate 50 is compressed in the core assembly step (step S2). At this time, in the heat exchanger described in Patent Document 1, the peaks and valleys of the corrugations of the corrugated fins are inclined in the same direction, so that even a small compressive force may cause the fins to collapse onto the heat transfer tubes.

[0040] Fig. 11 is a front view of a fin 130 that has fallen onto a heat transfer tube 120. As shown in Fig. 11, for example, in the case of the heat exchanger configuration described in Patent Document 1, the peaks and valleys of the corrugations of the corrugated fin 130 may fall in the axial direction of the heat transfer tube 120. In this case, the peaks and bottoms of the corrugations of the fin 130 cannot form a sufficient contact area with the heat transfer tube 120, and a brazed portion of sufficient size cannot be formed. As a result, sufficient joint strength cannot be obtained.

[0041] In contrast, in the heat exchanger 1A, as shown in FIG. 6, the corrugated shape of the fins 30A has a wave-like shape that is curved upward in a convex manner only at the downwind end in cross section. As a result, the peaks 31 and valleys 33 of the fins 30A are less likely to collapse when compressed during the core assembly process (step S2) shown in FIG. 7. Furthermore, the peaks 32 and bottoms 34 contact the heat transfer tubes 20 over a sufficient contact area, allowing for the formation of sufficiently large brazed joints. As a result, the fins 30A and the heat transfer tubes 20 can be joined with sufficient strength. Furthermore, the heat exchanger 1A is easily manufactured because only the downwind end of the fins 30A needs to be shaped so that the peaks 31 and valleys 33 face downward.

[0042] The "downward" or "downward direction" in the first embodiment is an example of a "direction" in the present disclosure. The upper plate-shaped portion 311 and the lower plate-shaped portion 312 of the peak portion 31 are an example of a first plate-shaped portion and a second plate-shaped portion in the present disclosure. The upper plate-shaped portion 331 and the lower plate-shaped portion 332 of the valley portion 33 are an example of a third plate-shaped portion and a fourth plate-shaped portion in the present disclosure. The connecting portions 35 and 36 are an example of a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion in the present disclosure. The core assembly process is an example of a process of attaching the fins 30A to the heat transfer tubes 20 in the present disclosure.

[0043] As described above, in the heat exchanger 1A according to the first embodiment, at the ends of the corrugated fins 30A in the direction in which the crests 32 of the corrugated peaks 31 and the bottoms 34 of the corrugated valleys 33 extend, both the crests 32 of the crests 31 and the bottoms 34 of the valleys 33 are located below the connecting portions 35, 36 connecting the crests 31 and the valleys 33. Therefore, even if condensed water adheres to the fins 30A at the ends of the fins 30A in the direction in which the crests 32 of the crests 31 and the bottoms 34 of the valleys 33 extend, the condensed water can be collected at the crests 32 and the bottoms 34. Since the condensed water collects at the ends of the fins 30A, it falls from the ends and can be easily discharged from the fins 30A.

[0044] Furthermore, the end of the fin 30A described above, in the direction in which the peaks 32 of the peak portions 31 and the bottoms 34 of the valley portions 33 extend, is located on the downwind side of the fin 30A. Condensed water blown by the wind tends to accumulate on the downwind side of the fin 30A. At the end where condensed water tends to accumulate, both the peaks 32 and the bottoms 34 are located below the connecting portions 35 and 36, so condensed water tends to collect more easily at the peaks 32 and the bottoms 34, resulting in high drainage efficiency.

[0045] In the heat exchanger 1A, condensed water can be easily discharged simply by forming the downwind ends of the fins 30A into a shape in which the tops 32 and bottoms 34 are in the positions described above. In this way, the heat exchanger 1A from which condensed water can be easily discharged can be easily manufactured.

[0046] Furthermore, in the heat exchanger 1A, the tops 32 and bottoms 34 are located below the connecting portions 35 and 36 only at the downwind ends of the fins 30A, so that the tops 32 and bottoms 34 can be in contact with the heat transfer tubes 20 over a sufficient area at portions of the fins 30A other than the downwind ends. As a result, the fins 30A and the heat transfer tubes 20 can be joined with sufficient strength.

[0047] (Variation) In the first embodiment, the left side of fin 30A, which is corrugated in the left-right direction, i.e., the -X side, is referred to as peak portion 31, and its -X end is referred to as peak 32. The right side of fin 30A, i.e., the +X side, is referred to as valley portion 33, and its +X end is referred to as bottom 34. However, this is for convenience of explanation, and peak portion 31 and valley portion 33 may be interchanged.

[0048] Furthermore, although the corrugations of the fins 30A undulate in the left-right direction, the direction in which the corrugations of the fins 30A undulate may be changed as long as the relative positional relationships of the components included in the heat exchanger 1A are maintained. For example, when air is blown from the left-right direction, the corrugations of the fins 30A may undulate in the front-back direction.

[0049] (Embodiment 2) In the first embodiment, the heat transfer tubes 20 are arranged in a single row. As a result of the single row of the heat transfer tubes 20, there is one set of headers 11, 12. However, in the heat exchanger 1A, the number of rows of the heat transfer tubes 20 and the number of sets of the headers 11, 12 are not limited. The number of rows of the heat transfer tubes 20 and the number of sets of the headers 11, 12 may be at least one.

[0050] A heat exchanger 1B according to the second embodiment includes heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 arranged in two rows. The configuration of the heat exchanger 1B will be described below with reference to Figures 12 to 15. In the second embodiment, the configuration different from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0051] Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of heat exchanger 1B according to embodiment 2. Fig. 13 is a rear view of fin 30B included in heat exchanger 1B. Fig. 14 is a front view of fin 30B. Fig. 15 is an enlarged perspective view showing the shapes of blades 410, 420 located at one end in the axial direction A of rollers 41, 42 included in fin forming device 40 used in the manufacturing method of heat exchanger 1B.

[0052] In order to facilitate understanding, Figure 12 shows only two sets of heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 and the fins 30B sandwiched between the heat transfer tubes 21 and 22, out of the multiple heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 and multiple fins 30B that the heat exchanger 1B has.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 12, the heat exchanger 1B includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes 21 arranged on the front side, a plurality of heat transfer tubes 22 arranged on the rear side, and fins 30B extending in the front-to-rear direction and passing between the heat transfer tubes 21 and between the heat transfer tubes 22.

[0054] Each of the heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 is formed from the same material and has the same size and shape as the heat transfer tube 20 described in the first embodiment. Like the heat transfer tube 20, the heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 are arranged in the left-right direction with their flat surfaces facing each other. Although not shown, headers 11 and 12 are arranged above and below each row of the heat transfer tubes 21 and 22, respectively, and are connected to the heat transfer tubes 21 and 22. A refrigerant can be supplied to the heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 from the headers 11 and 12, or a refrigerant can be discharged from the heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 to the headers 11 and 12.

[0055] In contrast, fin 30B, like fin 30A described in the first embodiment, is formed in a corrugated shape that undulates in the vertical direction. Unlike fin 30A, the top and bottom portions 32 and 34 of the corrugated shape of fin 30B are curved in cross section, specifically, parabolic in cross section. Fin 30B is longer in the front-to-rear direction than fin 30A and is sandwiched between both the heat transfer tubes 21 arranged on the front side and the heat transfer tubes 22 arranged on the rear side. Furthermore, multiple raised portions 37 are formed on the plate surface of fin 30B to facilitate airflow. Furthermore, through holes 38 are formed in three locations to facilitate the discharge of condensed water: (1) the center between the heat transfer tubes 21 in the horizontal direction; (2) the center between the rows of heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 in the vertical direction and at the center of fin 30B in the horizontal direction; and (3) the center between the heat transfer tubes 22 in the horizontal direction.

[0056] Like the heat exchanger 1A of the first embodiment, the heat exchanger 1B is used in an environment where air is blown from the rear side. Therefore, to efficiently discharge condensed water that tends to collect on the downwind side, the fins 30B have corrugated peaks 31 and valleys 33 oriented left and right at the rear end (i.e., the upwind end) shown in FIG. 13 , whereas the peaks 31 and valleys 33 at the front end (i.e., the downwind end) shown in FIG. 14 are curved downward toward their tips. Furthermore, the peaks 31 and valleys 33 are tapered toward their tips. As a result, the peaks 32 and bottoms 34 of the fins 30B are positioned lower than the connecting portions 35 connecting the peaks 31 and valleys 33 at the downwind end. As a result, the fins 30B can collect and discharge condensed water at the peaks 32 and bottoms 34.

[0057] The manufacturing method of heat exchanger 1B is the same as that of the first embodiment except that (1) in the fin-forming step, one end of rollers 41 and 42 in the axial direction A, i.e., the +A end shown in FIG. 8, is formed into a trapezoidal cross-section as shown in FIG. 15, and blades 410 and 420, each of which has a leg of the trapezoid curved into a convex arc facing away from the rotation direction R, are used to form curved peaks 31 and valleys 33 at the downwind end of fin 30B; (2) in the core-assembly step, heat transfer tubes 21 and 22 are arranged in two rows, fin 30B is sandwiched between the two rows of heat transfer tubes 21 and 22, and headers 11 and 12 are attached to the rows of heat transfer tubes 21 and 22, respectively; and (3) when compressing the sandwiched fin 30B in the core-assembly step, the plate surface of the downwind end of fin 30B is not curved convexly upward, as described in the first embodiment. Therefore, a detailed description of the manufacturing method will be omitted.

[0058] As described above, in the heat exchanger 1B according to the second embodiment, the heat transfer tubes 21, 22 are arranged in a plurality of rows, the fins 30B are sandwiched between the heat transfer tubes 21, 22 in each row, and the fins 30B have corrugated peaks 31 and valleys 33 facing diagonally downward at one end in the direction in which the rows are arranged. Therefore, when the fins 30B are arranged with one end facing downwind, condensed water that collects downwind can flow to the peaks 32 of the peaks 31 and the bottoms 34 of the valleys 33 and be discharged to the outside of the fins 30B.

[0059] Furthermore, the fins 30B have through holes 38 in the center in the front-to-rear direction between the rows of heat transfer tubes 21 and 22, which facilitates the discharge of condensed water. Furthermore, the fins 30B have through holes 38 in the center in the left-to-right direction between the heat transfer tubes 21 or between the heat transfer tubes 22, which facilitates the discharge of condensed water.

[0060] (Variation) The cut-and-raised portions 37 and the through-holes 38 described in the second embodiment are optional. Therefore, they may be omitted. The cut-and-raised portions 37 may be cut-outs. Naturally, the cut-and-raised portions 37, the through-holes 38, and the cut-outs may be formed in the fins 30A of the heat exchanger 1A according to the first embodiment.

[0061] In addition, in embodiment 2, the fin molding process included in the manufacturing method of heat exchanger 1B uses blades 410, 420 that are formed into a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape as shown in FIG. 15, and the legs of the trapezoidal cross-sectional shape are curved into a convex arc shape toward the opposite side of the rotation direction R. By using this fin molding process alone, the peak portions 31 and valley portions 33 shown in FIG. 14 are curved into a shape that points downward as they approach the tips. However, the shape of fin 30B may also be corrected by curving the plate surface of fin 30B by compressing fin 30B in the core assembly process described in embodiment 1.

[0062] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shapes of the blades 410 and 420 may be changed to a different cross-sectional shape of the desired fin 30B. For example, one end of the blades 410 and 420 in the axial direction A of the rollers 41 and 42 may be shaped by processing one end of the fin 30B into a shape in which the top portion 32 and the bottom portion 34 are positioned below the connecting portions 35 and 36, as described in the first embodiment. As a result, one end of the molded fin 30B may be shaped such that the top portion 32 and the bottom portion 34 are positioned below the connecting portions 35 and 36, as in the first embodiment. Alternatively, the one end of the blades 410 and 420 may be shaped by processing one end of the fin 30B into a shape in which only one of the top portion 32 and the bottom portion 34 is positioned below the connecting portion 35.

[0063] Furthermore, the semi-finished fin 151 may be formed using rollers 41, 42 provided with blades 410, 420 having the same cross-sectional shape as the cross-sectional shape of the fin 30B to be finally obtained but with a different pitch, and the fin 30B having the desired shape may be manufactured by expanding or reducing the corrugation pitch of the formed semi-finished fin 151. This is because such a manufacturing method makes it easier to manufacture fins 30B having complex shapes.

[0064] Next, with reference to FIGS. 16(A) to 16(D), a manufacturing method will be described using an example in which the fin 30B is manufactured using a modified fin forming apparatus 40.

[0065] Fig. 16(A) is a conceptual diagram of a modified example of the fin forming apparatus 40 used in the method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to embodiment 2. Fig. 16(B) is a cross-sectional view of a fin formed by a fin forming roller provided in the modified example of the fin forming apparatus 40. Fig. 16(C) is a cross-sectional view of a fin processed by a pitch-narrowing roller provided in the modified example of the fin forming apparatus 40. Fig. 16(D) is a cross-sectional view of a fin processed by a pitch-widening roller provided in the modified example of the fin forming apparatus 40.

[0066] As shown in Figures 16(A) to 16(D), a modified example of the fin forming device 40 includes: (1) fin forming rollers 43, 44 that are provided with blades having a fin cross-sectional shape with a corrugation pitch larger than that of the final desired fin 30B and that form a semi-finished fin 151; (2) pitch-reducing rollers 45, 46 that rotate slower than the fin forming rollers 43, 44 and can thereby reduce the corrugation pitch of the semi-finished fin 151 formed by the fin forming rollers 43, 44; and (3) pitch-widening roller 47 that orients the roller axis in the direction in which the semi-finished fin 152 with reduced corrugation pitch advances, and that comes into contact with the semi-finished fin 152 to widen the corrugation pitch and form a semi-finished fin 153 with a widened corrugation pitch. The fin 30B may be produced by supplying a strip-shaped metal plate 100 to a modified version of this fin forming apparatus 40, passing the metal plate 100 between fin forming rollers 43, 44 and pitch-tightening rollers 45, 46 in that order, and then bringing the metal plate 100 into contact with pitch-widening roller 47.

[0067] Note that the corrugation pitch of the semi-finished fin 151 may be adjusted by incorporating a leaf spring in place of the pitch-reducing rollers 45, 46 and the pitch-widening roller 47 into a modified version of the fin forming apparatus 40. Alternatively, the corrugation pitch of the semi-finished fin 151 may be adjusted by incorporating a leaf spring in addition to the pitch-reducing rollers 45, 46 and the pitch-widening roller 47 into a modified version of the fin forming apparatus 40. Furthermore, the rotational speeds of the pitch-reducing rollers 45, 46 and the pitch-widening roller 47 may be adjusted to adjust the traveling speed of the semi-finished fins 151, 152 and thereby adjust the corrugation pitch of the semi-finished fins 152, 153 to be formed.

[0068] Naturally, a modified example of the fin forming device 40 may include only the fin forming rollers 43 and 44. This is because the fins 30B can also be manufactured using such a device.

[0069] (Embodiment 3) The heat exchangers 1A and 1B according to the first and second embodiments may be used in an air conditioner. The third embodiment is an air conditioner including the heat exchanger 1A according to the first embodiment.

[0070] An air conditioner according to the third embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 17. In the third embodiment, the configuration that differs from the first and second embodiments will be mainly described.

[0071] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an air conditioner 2 according to the third embodiment.

[0072] 17, the air conditioner 2 includes a compressor 3, a fan 4, and a heat exchanger 1A. The compressor 3, the fan 4, and the heat exchanger 1A are incorporated into a housing 7 of the outdoor unit together with components such as an accumulator 5 and a four-way valve 6.

[0073] The compressor 3 is connected to the heat exchanger 1A, the accumulator 5, and the four-way valve 6, and forms a refrigerant circuit for circulating the refrigerant.

[0074] On the other hand, the fan 4 blows air to the heat exchanger 1A. It is located on the rear side of the heat exchanger 1A in the first embodiment. As a result, the fan 4 blows air in a direction from the rear to the front of the heat exchanger 1A. The heat exchanger 1A then exchanges heat between the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit and the blown air. As a result, the air conditioner 2 performs air conditioning.

[0075] In this air conditioning, condensed water may adhere to the fins 30A of the heat exchanger 1A, increasing ventilation resistance and reducing the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 1A. However, as described in the first embodiment, the heat exchanger 1A discharges condensed water with high efficiency from the downwind ends of the fins 30A. As a result, in the air conditioner 2, the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 1A is less likely to deteriorate. This also prevents a reduction in air conditioning performance, i.e., heating and cooling performance.

[0076] The air conditioner 2 is manufactured by preparing various parts such as the heat exchanger 1A, compressor 3, fan 4, accumulator 5, and four-way valve 6, forming a refrigerant circuit, and assembling them into the housing 7 of the outdoor unit.

[0077] In manufacturing the air conditioner 2, it is desirable to position the fan 4 on the rear side of the fin 30A referred to in the first embodiment. Specifically, it is desirable to position the heat exchanger 1A and the fan 4 so that the rear end of the fin 30A faces the blades of the fan 4, allowing the fan 4 to blow air from the rear of the fin 30A to the front. At the front end of the fin 30A, the corrugated peaks 31 and valleys 33 of the fin 30A face diagonally downward. With this positioning, when the air conditioner 2 is operating, the front end of the fin 30A faces downwind, allowing condensed water to collect at the front end and to be discharged efficiently from the diagonally downward-facing peaks 31 and valleys 33.

[0078] As described above, the air conditioner 2 according to embodiment 3 includes the heat exchanger 1A according to embodiment 1, so the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 1A is less likely to deteriorate, and the heating and cooling performance is also less likely to deteriorate. As a result, the air conditioner 2 can maintain high heating and cooling performance.

[0079] The above relates to the embodiments of the present disclosure. fever The manufacturing method of the exchangers 1A and 1B and the manufacturing method of the air conditioner 2 have been described. ,heat Manufacturing method of exchangers 1A and 1B and a manufacturing method for the air conditioner 2 is not limited to this.

[0080] For example, in the first and second embodiments, both the peaks 31 and valleys 33 of the corrugated fins 30A and 30B of the heat exchangers 1A and 1B face obliquely downward at the leeward end of the fins. However, the fins 30A and 30B are not limited to this. The fins 30A and 30B only need to have the peaks 32 of the peaks 31 and the bottoms 34 of the valleys 33 at the end in the direction in which they extend, positioned in one direction relative to the connecting portions 35 and 36 connecting the peaks 32 and the valleys 33. Alternatively, the fins 30A and 30B only need to have the bottoms 34 at the end in the direction in which the peaks 32 of the peaks 31 and the bottoms 34 of the valleys 33 extend, positioned in one direction relative to the connecting portions 35 and 36. Therefore, only one of the peaks 31 and the valleys 33 may face downward, or the connecting portions 35 and 36 may be positioned upward, resulting in the peaks 31 and the valleys 33 being positioned downward.

[0081] Here, the one direction is preferably the direction in which gravity acts, for example, downward. Also, the end in the direction in which the peaks 32 of the peaks 31 and the bottoms 34 of the valleys 33 extend is preferably the end on the downwind side.

[0082] As mentioned above, the top 32 or bottom 34 being located below the connecting portions 35, 36 means that a portion of the top 32 or bottom 34 is located below the connecting portions 35, 36. More specifically, this means that a portion of the inner wall of the top 32 or bottom 34 facing the inside of the corrugation is located below the connecting portions 35, 36.

[0083] Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of the fin 30A included in the heat exchanger 1A according to embodiment 1. Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of another modified example of the fin 30A. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of yet another modified example of the fin 30A.

[0084] 18, the fin 30A may have corrugated peaks 31 and valleys 33, with only the valleys 33 facing downward, more specifically, with only the valleys 33 tilting downward, so that only the bottoms 34 of the peaks 32 and bottoms 34 are positioned lower than the connecting portions 35 and 36. This is because condensed water can still be collected at the bottoms 34 and drained.

[0085] In this case, the valley portions 33 face downward linearly, but may be curved to face downward. Also, although not shown, the fin 30A may have a configuration in which, contrary to the configuration in Figure 18, only the top portion 32 of the top portion 32 and bottom portion 34 is positioned lower than the connecting portions 35 and 36.

[0086] 19, in the fin 30A, the connecting portions 35, 36 connecting the peak portion 31 and the valley portion 33 and the adjacent portions adjacent thereto may protrude upward in a triangular shape in cross section. The connecting portions 35, 36 may be positioned upward, so that both the peak portion 32 and the bottom portion 34 are positioned lower than the connecting portions 35, 36. The connecting portions 35, 36 and the adjacent portions adjacent thereto may protrude in a curved shape, more specifically, in an arc shape in cross section, as shown in FIG. 20. In other words, they may protrude in a dimple shape. These configurations also allow condensed water to be collected at the peak portion 32 and the bottom portion 34 and drained.

[0087] The configurations shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 may be combined with the first and second embodiments and the configuration shown in FIG.

[0088] 19 and 20, a water-repellent layer may be provided on the upper surface of the upwardly protruding portion. This water-repellent layer may be achieved by applying and heating flux in the brazing process described in the first embodiment. By providing such a water-repellent layer, even if condensed water adheres to the upwardly protruding portion, the condensed water can be allowed to flow downward and be discharged from both the top portion 32 and the bottom portion 34. Naturally, a water-repellent layer may also be provided on the upper surface side of the fins 30A and 30B of the first and second embodiments.

[0089] 19 and 20, in which connecting portion 35 and its adjacent portion protrude upward, is an example of a first protrusion as defined in the present disclosure. Also, in which connecting portion 36 and its adjacent portion protrude upward, is an example of a second protrusion as defined in the present disclosure.

[0090] Furthermore, only at the downwind ends of the fins 30A, 30B of the heat exchangers 1A, 1B, both the corrugated peaks 31 and valleys 33 are oriented obliquely downward. However, the fins 30A, 30B are not limited to this. Such corrugated peaks 31 and valleys 33 need only be formed at the ends in the direction in which the peaks 32 of the peaks 31 and the bottoms 34 of the valleys 33 extend, and preferably at the ends located on the downwind side. Therefore, the above-described shapes may be formed at both the downwind end and the upwind end.

[0091] The end portion refers to a portion including the end face, for example, a portion that is approximately several percent of the width of the fins 30A and 30B in the airflow direction from the end face.

[0092] In the first and second embodiments, the width of the fins 30A, 30B in the front-to-rear direction is greater than the width of the heat transfer tube 20 in the front-to-rear direction, and as a result, the fins 30A, 30B protrude further forward, i.e., downwind, than the heat transfer tubes 20, 21. However, the arrangement of the fins 30A, 30B is not limited to this. In the heat exchangers 1A, 1B, the relative positional relationship of the fins 30A, 30B to the heat transfer tubes 20, 21 is arbitrary.

[0093] Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a modified example of the heat exchanger 1A according to embodiment 1. Fig. 22 is a perspective view of another modified example of the heat exchanger 1A.

[0094] 21, the width of the fin 30A in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., the width in the Y direction, may be the same as the width of the heat transfer tube 20 in the Y direction, and the +Y face of the fin 30A may be aligned in the Y direction with the +Y face of the heat transfer tube 20. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 22, the width of the fin 30A in the Y direction may be smaller than the width of the heat transfer tube 20 in the Y direction, and the +Y face of the fin 30A may be located on the -Y side of the +Y face of the heat transfer tube 20. This is because, even in such a configuration, condensed water can be discharged from the +Y end of the fin 30A, i.e., the end on the downwind side. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1A, 1B heat exchanger, 2 air conditioner, 3 compressor, 4 fan, 5 accumulator, 6 four-way valve, 7 housing, 11, 12 header, 13, 14 insertion hole, 20-22 heat transfer tube, 30A, 30B fin, 31 peak portion, 32 top portion, 33 valley portion, 34 bottom portion, 35, 36 connection portion, 37 cut-out, 38 through hole, 40 fin forming device, 41, 42 roller, 43, 44 fin forming roller, 45, 46 pitch narrowing roller, 47 pitch widening roller, 50 laminate, 100 metal plate, 120 heat transfer tube, 130 fin, 150-153 semi-finished fin, 311 upper plate-shaped portion, 312 lower plate-shaped portion, 331 upper plate-shaped portion, 332 Lower plate part, 410,420 blade, A axial direction, A1,A2 arrow, D1 pipe axial direction, H1,H2 height, L solid line, P pitch, R rotation direction, W wind, θ angle.

Claims

1. a step of sandwiching a plate-like body between a pair of rollers having intermeshing corrugated blades, and rotating the pair of rollers to bend the plate-like body into a corrugated shape having peaks and valleys, with a plurality of waves arranged in one direction in the order of the peaks, first connecting portions connecting the peaks and valleys, and the valleys, thereby forming a fin; In the fin forming step, one end side of the pair of rollers in the axial direction processes one end of the plate-like body into a shape in which a top of the mountain portion is positioned in the one direction relative to the first connection portion. A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger.

2. a step of sandwiching a plate-like body between a pair of rollers having intermeshing corrugated blades, and rotating the pair of rollers to bend the plate-like body into a corrugated shape having peaks and valleys, with a plurality of waves arranged in one direction in the order of the peaks, first connecting portions connecting the peaks and valleys, and the valleys, thereby forming a fin; a step of attaching the fins, which are oriented in the one direction, to a plurality of heat transfer tubes whose tube axes are oriented parallel to one another, by sandwiching the fins between the plurality of heat transfer tubes whose tube axes extend; Equipped with In the step of forming the fin, the engagement of one end of the pair of rollers is made deeper than the engagement of the other end, so that the distance from the top of the peak to the bottom of the valley at one end of the fin, which is in the direction in which the tops of the peaks and the bottoms of the valleys extend, is greater than the distance from the top to the bottom at the other end, In the step of attaching the fins to the heat transfer tubes, the fins sandwiched between the heat transfer tubes are compressed in a direction in which the tube axes of the heat transfer tubes approach each other, thereby bending the one end of the fin more than the other end, and positioning the apex of the one end in the one direction relative to the first connection portion. A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger.

3. After the step of forming the fin, a step of enlarging or reducing the wave pitch of the formed fin is included. A method for manufacturing the heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a step of assembling the heat exchanger manufactured by the method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to claim 2 and a fan for blowing air to the heat exchanger into a housing, In the step of assembling the heat exchanger and the fan to the housing, the blades of the fan are arranged to face the other end of the fins, so that the fan can blow air from the other end of the fins to the one end. A method for manufacturing an air conditioner.

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