Method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module, and assembly jig

Abstract

To easily manufacture a refrigerant flow path module.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module 10 having a plurality of laminated plates 21, 22 and having a refrigerant flow path 15 formed therein, comprises: a first step of holding a plurality of bolts 31 in a position perpendicular to a mounting surface 71a using an assembly jig 70 having a mounting surface 71a for laminating the plurality of plates 21, 22; a second step of laminating the plurality of plates 21, 22 on the mounting surface 71a while inserting the bolts 31 held by the assembly jig 70 into an insertion hole 16 formed in each plate 21, 22; and a third step of tightening a nut 32 on the tip of the bolt 31 protruding from the plurality of laminated plates 21, 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module and an assembly jig.

Background Art

[0002] In a refrigeration device including a refrigerant circuit that performs a vapor compression refrigeration cycle operation, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a plurality of refrigerant pipes through which refrigerant flows are integrated into one module (refrigerant flow path module) to reduce the size of the refrigerant circuit. This module is manufactured, for example, by brazing formed by overlapping a plurality of plates.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the refrigerant flow path module of Patent Document 1, if there is distortion such as warping in each plate, the gap between adjacent plates becomes larger than a predetermined value, and it may be difficult for the brazing material to penetrate the entire space between the plates, which may cause problems in manufacturing.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to facilitate the manufacture of a refrigerant flow path module.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) The present disclosure is A method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module having a plurality of stacked plates and having a refrigerant flow path formed therein, comprising: A first step of holding a plurality of bolts in a posture perpendicular to the mounting surface by an assembly jig having a mounting surface for stacking the plurality of plates, A second step involves stacking the multiple plates on the aforementioned mounting surface while inserting the bolts, held by the assembly jig, into the insertion holes formed in each of the plates, and The process includes a third step of tightening nuts onto the ends of the bolts that protrude from the stacked plates.

[0007] This configuration allows for minimizing distortion in each plate by fastening multiple plates together with bolts and nuts, maintaining a predetermined gap between adjacent plates, and facilitating the joining of plates. Furthermore, multiple plates can be easily aligned and stacked on the mounting surface using bolts held in place by an assembly jig.

[0008] (2) In the manufacturing method of (1) above, preferably the assembly jig has a holding portion for holding the head of the bolt, The retaining portion has a shape that engages with the head.

[0009] With this configuration, the retaining part can prevent the bolt from rotating when tightening the nut onto the bolt.

[0010] (3) In the manufacturing method of (1) or (2) above, preferably in the first step, the plurality of bolts held by the assembly jig include a first bolt and a second bolt having a greater protrusion length from the mounting surface than the first bolt.

[0011] With this configuration, the second bolt protrudes more from the mounting surface of the assembly jig than the first bolt, making it easier to insert into the plate's insertion hole. By first inserting the second bolt into each plate's insertion hole, it becomes easier to align the first bolt with the other insertion holes in each plate, making it easier to insert the first bolt into those other insertion holes.

[0012] (4) In the manufacturing method of (3) above, preferably the assembly jig has a plurality of holding parts that hold the heads of each bolt, Each of the aforementioned holding parts has a recess into which the head is inserted, The plurality of recesses include a first recess and a second recess that is shallower than the first recess.

[0013] With this configuration, by inserting multiple bolts of the same length into the first and second recesses, these multiple bolts can be made into first and second bolts with different protrusion lengths from the mounting surface.

[0014] (5) The present disclosure relates to an assembly jig for assembling a refrigerant flow path module having a plurality of stacked plates and having refrigerant flow paths formed inside, The system comprises a base material having a mounting surface on which the plurality of plates are stacked, and a plurality of holding parts that each hold a plurality of bolts for fastening the plurality of plates in a position perpendicular to the mounting surface.

[0015] According to the assembly jig with the above configuration, multiple plates can be easily aligned using bolts by inserting bolts held in the holding section into through holes formed in each plate and stacking them on the mounting surface. After stacking, tightening nuts on the ends of the bolts protruding from the stacked plates reduces the distortion of the multiple plates, maintains a predetermined gap between adjacent plates, and facilitates joining the plates together.

[0016] (6) In the assembly jig of (5) above, preferably, each holding part is formed in a shape that engages with the head of the bolt.

[0017] With this configuration, the retaining part can prevent the bolt from rotating when tightening the nut onto the bolt.

[0018] (7) In the assembly jig of (5) or (6) above, preferably each holding portion has a recess formed in the base material into which the head of the bolt is inserted. The plurality of recesses include a first recess and a second recess that is shallower than the first recess.

[0019] According to this configuration, the bolt inserted into the second recess projects more from the mounting surface of the assembly jig than the bolt inserted into the first recess, making it easier to insert into the insertion hole of the plate. First, by inserting the bolt inserted into the second recess into the insertion hole of each plate, it becomes easier to align the positions of the other bolts and the other insertion holes of each plate, and it becomes possible to easily insert the other bolts into the other insertion holes.

[0020] (8) In the assembly jig according to any one of (5) to (7) above, a recess is formed in the base material that exposes the surface on the base material side of the plate directly laminated on the mounting surface and opens in a direction along the surface.

[0021] According to this configuration, after fastening a plurality of plates laminated on the mounting surface with bolts and nuts, by inserting the operator's hand into the recess, it becomes possible to easily remove the entire laminated plates by hand from the mounting surface.

[0022] (9) In the assembly jig according to any one of (5) to (8) above, a space for arranging a connecting pipe connected to the plate directly laminated on the mounting surface is formed in the base material.

[0023] According to this configuration, the plate can be laminated on the mounting surface with the connecting pipe arranged in the space formed in the base material.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a refrigerant flow path module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a plan view of the refrigerant flow path module. [Figure 3] It is a front view (partial cross-sectional view) of the refrigerant flow path module. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged fastening portion of the plate by a fastening member. [Figure 5] It is a front view showing the refrigerant flow path module disassembled. [Figure 6]This is a perspective view showing an assembly jig. [Figure 7A] This is a perspective view illustrating the manufacturing procedure using an assembly jig. [Figure 7B] This is a perspective view illustrating the manufacturing procedure using an assembly jig. [Figure 8] This is a magnified perspective view of the holding part. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in Figure 7A. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view showing the assembly jig with the connecting pipe set in place. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view showing a hand inserted into the recess of the assembly jig. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view showing a magnified view of the holding part related to a modified example. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the holding portion related to a modified example. [Figure 14] This is a plan view showing the interior of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. [First Embodiment] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerant flow path module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a plan view of the refrigerant flow path module. Figure 3 is a front view (partially a cross-sectional view) of the refrigerant flow path module.

[0026] The refrigerant flow path module 10 of this embodiment is applied, for example, to an air conditioner equipped with a refrigerant circuit that performs vapor compression type refrigeration cycle operation. The refrigerant flow path module 10 is connected to equipment that constitutes the refrigeration circuit, such as a four-way switching valve, solenoid valve, compressor, accumulator, and oil separator.

[0027] The refrigerant flow path module 10 comprises a module body 11, a connecting pipe (joint pipe) 12, and a fastening member 13. A flow path 15 (see Figures 2 and 3) through which the refrigerant flows is formed inside the module body 11. The module body 11 has a plurality of plates 21 and 22. The plurality of plates 21 and 22 are stacked and joined together. Adjacent plates 21 and 22 are joined together by brazing. In this embodiment, the module body 11 is supported within the casing of an air conditioner, for example, with the direction in which the plurality of plates 21 and 22 are stacked oriented vertically or horizontally.

[0028] The plates 21 and 22 in this embodiment are made of stainless steel. For example, the plates 21 and 22 in this embodiment are made of SUS304L. The plates 21 and 22 have rectangular surfaces. In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the surface of the plates 21 and 22 (the normal direction of the plates 21 and 22), in other words, the direction in which the multiple plates 21 and 22 are stacked, is also referred to as the first direction Z. Two mutually orthogonal directions along the surface of the plates 21 and 22 (directions perpendicular to the first direction Z) are also referred to as the second direction X and the third direction Y. In this embodiment, the longer side of each plate 21 and 22 is arranged along the second direction X, and the shorter side is arranged along the third direction Y. The outer shape of the plates 21 and 22 is not limited to rectangles, and may be formed as squares, polygons other than quadrilaterals, or circles including ellipses and oblongs.

[0029] Multiple plates 21, 22 have rectangular surfaces of the same shape. Multiple plates 21, 22 have the same thickness (length in the first direction Z). However, multiple plates 21, 22 may have different rectangular shapes, for example, different lengths of the long side or short side, and may have different thicknesses.

[0030] The multiple plates 21, 22 include two end plates 21 positioned at both ends in the first direction Z, and an intermediate plate 22 positioned between the two end plates 21. The refrigerant flow path module 10 of this embodiment has three intermediate plates 22. The three intermediate plates 22 are stacked between the end plates 21 at both ends.

[0031] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each end plate 21 has a first opening 23 for attaching the connecting pipe 12. The first opening 23 penetrates the end plate 21 in a first direction Z. The first opening 23 is circular in shape.

[0032] Each intermediate plate 22 has a second opening 24 that forms a refrigerant flow path 15. The second opening 24 penetrates the intermediate plate 22 in the first direction Z. The second opening 24 is formed to be elongated in the second direction X or the third direction Y, or it is formed to be circular. The shape of the second opening 24 is not particularly limited and is set as appropriate according to the required form of the flow path 15.

[0033] The connecting pipe 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The connecting pipe 12 has a straight pipe axis. The outer and inner diameters of the connecting pipe 12 are constant. The connecting pipe 12 is made of a material mainly composed of copper, for example, copper (pure copper) or a copper alloy. The pipe axis of the connecting pipe 12 is positioned parallel to the first direction Z. Therefore, the pipe axis of the connecting pipe 12 and the plate surface of the end plate 21 are perpendicular. One end of the connecting pipe 12 in the direction of the pipe axis is inserted into a first opening 23 formed in the end plate 21. The outer circumferential surface of the connecting pipe 12 and the inner circumferential surface of the first opening 23 are joined by brazing. Note that "inner circumferential surface of the first opening 23" refers to the surface of the end plate 21 that constitutes the first opening 23.

[0034] The connecting pipe 12 may be formed in a shape in which the outer diameter and inner diameter change. For example, the outer diameter and inner diameter of the connecting pipe 12 may be enlarged or reduced at the other end in the pipe axis direction, opposite to the end that is inserted into the first opening 23.

[0035] The other end of the connecting pipe 12 is connected to, for example, refrigerant piping that constitutes the refrigerant circuit of an air conditioner. The other end of the connecting pipe 12 may also be directly connected to a port of an element component such as a valve that constitutes the refrigerant circuit.

[0036] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the fastening portion of the plate by the fastening member. The fastening member 13 fastens multiple plates 21 and 22 together. The fastening member 13 is made of stainless steel. For example, the fastening member 13 is made of SUS430. The fastening member 13 has a bolt 31 and a nut 32. The bolt 31 is, for example, a hexagonal bolt and has a shaft portion 31a and a head portion 31b. The shaft portion 31a is formed in a cylindrical shape. The head portion 31b is formed at one end of the shaft portion 31a in the longitudinal direction. The outer circumferential surface of the head portion 31b is formed in a hexagonal shape. A screw groove 31a1 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the end of the shaft portion 31a opposite to the head portion 31b.

[0037] The nut 32 is, for example, a hexagonal nut. The nut 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape. A thread groove 32a1 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the nut 32. The thread groove 32a1 of the nut 32 is engageable with the thread groove 31a1 of the bolt 31. The outer circumferential surface of the nut 32 is formed in a hexagonal shape. The nut 32 may also be a cap nut.

[0038] The module body 11 has a through hole 16 into which the shaft portion 31a of the bolt 31 is inserted. The through hole 16 penetrates each plate 21, 22 of the module body 11 in the first direction Z. The nut 32 is attached to the tip of the bolt 31 inserted into the through hole 16. The bolt 31 and the nut 32 are connected by engaging the thread groove 31a1 of the bolt 31 with the thread groove 32a1 of the nut 32. Multiple plates 21, 22 are sandwiched between the head 31b of the bolt 31 and the nut 32 and fastened so that they move closer to each other in the first direction Z.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, multiple fastening members 13 are attached to the module body 11. The multiple fastening members 13 are attached to a total of five locations: the four corners of the module body 11 and approximately in the center. However, the number and position of the fastening members 13 are not particularly limited and can be changed as appropriate.

[0040] (Method of manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module) Figure 5 is a front view showing the refrigerant flow path module in an exploded state. Multiple plates 21 and 22 that constitute the module body 11 are joined by brazing. A copper-containing brazing material, such as bronze brazing material, is used as the brazing material 17 for brazing the multiple plates 21 and 22. To manufacture the refrigerant flow path module 10, first, sheet-shaped brazing material 17 is placed between adjacent plates 21 and 22, and these are stacked. Through holes corresponding to the through holes 16 are formed in the sheet-shaped brazing material 17. Then, the shaft portion 31a of a bolt 31 is inserted into the through holes 16 of the stacked plates 21 and 22 and the brazing material 17, and a nut 32 is attached to the threaded groove 31a1 at the upper end of the shaft portion 31a, and the multiple plates 21 and 22 are fastened with the bolt 31 and nut 32. After that, the plates 21 and 22 fastened with the fastening member 13 are placed in a brazing furnace and heated. As a result, the brazing material 17 is melted, and the multiple plates 21 and 22 are joined together. As described above, brazed portions 17 (indicated by the same reference numeral as the brazing material 17) are provided between each of the multiple plates 21 and 22, as shown in Figure 4, by melting a sheet-like brazing material 17.

[0041] When brazing adjacent plates 21 and 22 together, a suitable small gap (e.g., 0.05 mm) is required to allow the brazing material 17 to penetrate between them. However, each plate 21 and 22 may experience distortion such as warping due to press working during the manufacturing process. This distortion can widen the gap between the plates 21 and 22, potentially preventing the brazing material 17 from penetrating properly. In this embodiment, since multiple plates 21 and 22 are fastened together with fastening members 13 before brazing, any distortion such as warping that occurs in each plate 21 and 22 can be corrected, and a small gap suitable for brazing can be formed between adjacent plates 21 and 22.

[0042] The fastening member 13 has a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion than each of the plates 21 and 22. For example, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the fastening member 13 is 0.5 to 0.8 times that of the plates 21 and 22. Therefore, when multiple plates 21 and 22 fastened together by the fastening member 13 are heated in a furnace, the plates 21 and 22 expand more than the fastening member 13. As a result, the fastening by the fastening member 13 becomes stronger, and the warping of the plates 21 and 22 can be corrected more effectively.

[0043] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing an assembly jig. Figures 7A and 7B are perspective views illustrating the manufacturing procedure using the assembly jig. The refrigerant flow path module 10 is temporarily assembled using the assembly jig 70 shown in Figure 6. The assembly jig 70 has a base material 71. The base material 71 is formed in the shape of a roughly rectangular plate. Figure 6 shows the base material 71 with the normal direction of the plate surface oriented parallel to the first direction Z, the long side of the base material 71 oriented parallel to the second direction X, and the short side oriented parallel to the third direction Y. The lengths of the long and short sides of the base material 71 are approximately the same as the lengths of the long and short sides of the plates 21 and 22 of the refrigerant flow path module 10.

[0044] One surface (upper surface) 71a of the base material 71 in the first direction (vertical direction) Z is designated as the mounting surface. This mounting surface 71a is used to stack multiple plates 21 and 22 on it. Recesses 71b are formed on the short sides of the base material 71, which are located on both sides in the second direction X. The recesses 71b open outwards in the second direction X. When the plate 21 is placed on the mounting surface 71a, these recesses 71b expose the base material 71 side (bottom surface) of the plate 21.

[0045] An opening 71c is formed inside the base material 71, penetrating the base material 71 in a first direction (vertical direction) Z. This opening 71c serves as a space for arranging the connecting pipe 12, which will be connected to the module body 11 as described later. In this embodiment, two openings 71c are formed in the base material 71. However, the position, number, and shape of the openings 71c can be appropriately changed depending on the arrangement of the connecting pipe 12. The space for arranging the connecting pipe 12 does not have to be an opening 71c penetrating the base material 71 in the first direction Z, but may be a recess with a closed bottom.

[0046] The mounting surface 71a of the base material 71 is provided with a holding portion 72 for holding the bolt 31 of the fastening member 13. Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the holding portion. In this embodiment, the holding portion 72 is composed of a recess 72a in which the head 31b of the bolt 31 is held. The inner circumferential surface of the recess 72a is formed in a hexagonal shape that conforms to the outer circumferential surface of the head 31b of the bolt 31. A hole 71d is formed at the bottom of the recess 72a, penetrating to the surface of the base material 71 opposite to the mounting surface 71a. The diameter of 71d is smaller than the diameter of the recess 72a.

[0047] In this embodiment, the same number of recesses 72a as the number of bolts 31 in the fastening member 13 of the refrigerant flow path module 10 are formed. The multiple recesses 72a are provided on the base material 71 in the same arrangement as the multiple bolts 31 of the refrigerant flow path module 10. The bolts 31 are held in place by inserting their heads 31b into the recesses 72a.

[0048] As shown in Figure 7A, the shaft portion 31a of the bolt 31 held in the recess 72a is in a position perpendicular to the mounting surface 71a of the base material 71. Since the inner circumferential surface of the recess 72a is formed in a hexagonal shape that fits the outer circumferential surface of the head 31b of the bolt 31, the six outer surfaces of the head 31b can contact the six inner circumferential surfaces of the recess 72a. In other words, the head 31b of the bolt 31 engages with the recess 72a. This prevents the bolt 31 from rotating.

[0049] Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the recess 72a does not necessarily have to fit the outer circumferential surface of the head 31b of the bolt 31; it is sufficient that it can engage with the head 31b. For example, the inner circumferential surface of the recess 72a only needs to have two surfaces that can contact two surfaces of the outer circumferential surface of the head 31b that are facing in opposite directions.

[0050] The preliminary assembly of the refrigerant flow path module 10 using the assembly jig 70 of this embodiment includes the following steps. (1) Setting process of assembly jig 70 (2) Holding process of the bolt 31 (3) Lamination process of plates 21 and 22 (4) Fastening process of plates 21 and 22 (5) Transfer process of refrigerant flow path module 10

[0051] In the setting process of (1), the base material 71 of the assembly jig 70 is placed on a workbench or the like, and the mounting surface 71a is positioned horizontally.

[0052] In the holding step of (2), as shown in Figure 7A, the heads 31b of the bolts 31 are inserted into each of the multiple recesses 72a of the assembly jig 70. This causes the shaft portion 31a of the bolts 31 to protrude upward from the mounting surface 71a.

[0053] In the lamination process of (3), first, the plate 21, which is positioned at one end in the lamination direction, is placed on the mounting surface 71a of the base material 71. Specifically, the plate 21 is placed on the mounting surface 71a while inserting the bolt 31 held in the recess 72a into the insertion hole 16 formed in the plate 21. At this time, the bolt 31 functions as a guide for the plate 21, positioning the plate 21 in the correct position on the mounting surface 71a.

[0054] Next, the connecting pipe 12 is inserted from above into the first opening 23 formed in the plate 21. The outer diameter of the connecting pipe 12 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the first opening 23. However, one end (upper end) 12a of the connecting pipe 12 is slightly widened radially outward, as shown in Figure 10, and is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the first opening 23. Therefore, the connecting pipe 12 inserted into the first opening 23 does not fall out of the first opening 23 but is held in the correct position. The connecting pipe 12 is then positioned in the opening 71c formed in the base material 71.

[0055] When inserting the connecting pipe 12 into the first opening 23, the ring brazing material 18 can be placed around the first opening 23 in advance, thereby setting the ring brazing material 18 between the end 12a of the connecting pipe 12 and the plate 21. This ring brazing material 18 allows the outer surface of the connecting pipe 12 and the inner surface of the first opening 23 to be joined.

[0056] In the example shown in Figure 10, the connecting pipe 12 is held in the appropriate position relative to the plate 21 by the expanded end 12a, but the connecting pipe 12 may also be held by the base material 71. If the connecting pipe 12 cannot be inserted into the first opening 23 from above, such as when the lower end of the connecting pipe 12 is enlarged in diameter, the connecting pipe 12 can be set in the opening 71c of the base material 71 in advance before placing the plate 21 on the mounting surface 71a.

[0057] Next, as shown in Figure 7A, the sheet brace 17 is placed on the plate 21 which is placed on the mounting surface 71a. At this time, the bolts 31 are also inserted into the insertion holes formed in the sheet brace 17. Subsequently, the other plates 22, 21 and the sheet brace 17 are stacked sequentially on the mounting surface 71a in the same manner. Since the multiple plates 21, 22 are stacked while inserting the bolts 31 into the insertion holes 16, the bolts 31 are used to align them with one another.

[0058] As shown in Figure 7B, when all the plates 21 and 22 are stacked on the mounting surface 71a, the tip of the bolt 31 protrudes from the uppermost plate 21. In the fastening step (4), a nut 32 is attached to the tip of this bolt 31, and the multiple plates 21 and 22 are fastened together with the bolt 31 and nut 32. At this time, the head 31b of the bolt 31 engages with the recess 72a, preventing the bolt 31 from rotating, so the nut 32 can be easily tightened onto the bolt 31.

[0059] As shown in Figure 7B, a connecting pipe 12 is inserted into the first opening 23 of the upper plate 21. This connecting pipe 12 can be held in the appropriate position, for example, by supporting its lower end with the lower plate 22, or by hooking a projection on its outer surface onto the upper surface of the plate 21.

[0060] In the transfer process of (5), first, the temporarily assembled refrigerant flow path module 10 is removed from the assembly jig 70. The bottom plate 21 of the refrigerant flow path module 10 has its lower surface exposed by a recess 71b in the base material 71. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, a hand can be inserted into the recess 71b to grasp the stacked plates 21 and 22, and the refrigerant flow path module 10 can be easily removed from the base material 71.

[0061] Next, the refrigerant flow path module 10, which has been removed from the assembly jig 70, is transferred to a brazing furnace. Then, the plates 21, 22 and the connecting pipe 12 are brazed (furnace brazing) inside the furnace.

[0062] As described above, in order to stack plates 21 and 22 on the mounting surface 71a of the base material 71, it is necessary to insert bolts 31 into the insertion holes 16 of each plate 21 and 22. However, aligning all the insertion holes 16 of each plate 21 and 22 with all the bolts 31 and inserting all the bolts 31 into the insertion holes 16 simultaneously is an extremely complicated task. Therefore, the assembly jig 70 of this embodiment improves assembly workability by allowing multiple bolts 31 to be inserted into the insertion holes 16 in stages (in two stages), as will be explained below.

[0063] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in Figure 7A. As shown in Figures 7A and 9, the plurality of recesses 72a provided in the base material 71 of the assembly jig 70 include a first recess 72a1 and a second recess 72a2. In the first direction Z, the depth d2 of the second recess 72a2 is smaller than the depth d1 of the first recess 72a1. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7A, the two recesses 72a located at both ends of one diagonal of the base material 71 are designated as the second recesses 72a2, and the other recesses 72a are designated as the first recesses 72a1. Therefore, the two second recesses 72a2 are the two recesses 72a that are furthest apart from the plurality of recesses 72a.

[0064] As shown in Figure 9, all of the bolts 31 are identical, and the length L1 of the shaft portion 31a of all of the bolts 31 is also the same. Since the second recess 72a2 is formed to be shallower than the first recess 72a1, the amount of protrusion h2 of the bolt 31B (hereinafter also referred to as "second bolt 31B") held in the second recess 72a2 from the mounting surface 71a is greater than the amount of protrusion h1 of the bolt 31A (hereinafter also referred to as "first bolt 31A") held in the first recess 72a1 from the mounting surface 71a.

[0065] Therefore, when stacking the plates 21 and 22 on the mounting surface 71a of the base material 71, the tip of the second bolt 31B is first inserted into the insertion hole 16. Once the tip of the second bolt 31B is inserted into the insertion hole 16, the plates 21 and 22 are aligned to the appropriate position relative to the base material 71, and the other insertion holes 16 are aligned with the first bolt 31A. Consequently, the first bolt 31A can then be easily inserted into the other insertion holes 16, improving assembly workability.

[0066] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of the holding part related to the modified example. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the holding part related to the modified example. The retaining portion 72 in this modified example has a recess 72a and a protrusion 72b provided within the recess 72a. On the other hand, the bolt 31 has a cylindrical head 31b, and a hexagonal hole 31c is formed on the end face of the head 31b. The recess 72a of the retaining portion 72 is formed in a cylindrical shape that fits the head 31b of the bolt 31. The protrusion 72b of the retaining portion 72 is formed in a hexagonal prism shape that fits the hexagonal hole 31c of the head 31b. Therefore, it is possible to insert the head 31b of the bolt 31 into the recess 72a and insert the protrusion 72b into the hexagonal hole 31c of the bolt 31, thereby engaging the hexagonal hole 31c and the protrusion 72b.

[0067] Therefore, the holding portion 72 can hold the bolt 31, and the holding portion 72 can also prevent the bolt 31 from rotating.

[0068] [Air conditioner configuration] Figure 14 is a plan view showing the interior of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 14 shows the outdoor unit 51 of a separate-type air conditioner 1, which is divided into an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The refrigerant flow path module 10 described above is provided in this outdoor unit 51.

[0069] As shown in Figure 14, the outdoor unit 51 has a casing 60, which houses components constituting the refrigerant circuit, such as a compressor 40, an accumulator 41, an outdoor heat exchanger 43, and an oil separator 46, as well as an electrical component unit 61. The casing 60 is formed in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. The casing 60 has a bottom plate 63, support columns 64, a top plate (not shown), a front plate 66, etc. The bottom plate 63 and the top plate are formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The support columns 64 are long members with a roughly L-shaped cross-section that are long in the vertical direction, and are attached to the four corners of the bottom plate 63 and the top plate.

[0070] A maintenance opening 60a is formed on the front of the casing 60. The opening 60a is closed by a front plate (front side plate) 66. By removing this front plate 66 from the casing 60, maintenance and replacement of parts inside the casing 60 can be performed through the opening 60a.

[0071] Components such as the compressor 40, accumulator 41, outdoor heat exchanger 43, and oil separator 46 are mounted on the bottom plate 63 of the casing 60. The outdoor heat exchanger 43 is positioned on three sides of the casing 60, specifically the left side, right side, and rear side of the casing 60, corresponding to (opposing) them. A gas header 43e is provided at one end of the outdoor heat exchanger 43, and a liquid header 43f is provided at the other end. Intake ports 60b for taking in outside air are formed on the left side, right side, and rear side of the casing 60, respectively.

[0072] The outdoor unit 51 is configured to take in air from the intake 60b of the casing 60 by driving a fan (not shown), perform heat exchange between the air and the outdoor heat exchanger 43, and then blow the air upward from the top of the casing 60.

[0073] The compressor 40 is located near the front of the casing 60, approximately in the center in the left-right direction Y. The electrical components unit 61 is located near the front of the casing 60, adjacent to the right side of the compressor 40. An accumulator 41 is located behind the compressor 40. An oil separator 46 is located to the left of the accumulator 41. The electrical components unit 61 includes a controller 61a that controls the operation of the compressor 40, valves, fans, etc.

[0074] The outdoor unit 51 is equipped with the refrigerant flow path module 10 described above. This refrigerant flow path module 10 constitutes part of the flow path of the refrigerant piping that connects components of the refrigerant circuit, such as the compressor 40, accumulator 41, flow path switching valve, outdoor heat exchanger 43, expansion valve, oil separator 46, and shut-off valves 39a and 39b.

[0075] The refrigerant flow path module 10 is located to the left of the compressor 40 and accumulator 41 (on one side of the third direction Y). The refrigerant flow path module 10 is located in front of the oil separator 46 (on one side of the second direction X). In this embodiment, the refrigerant flow path module 10 is supported within the casing 60 with the plate surfaces of the plates 21 and 22 (see Figure 1) that constitute the module body 11 in a horizontal position. For example, the refrigerant flow path module 10 is supported by refrigerant piping 52 to 55 via refrigerant circuit components 39a, 40, 41, etc., which are fixed within the casing 60.

[0076] [Effects of the Embodiment] (1) In the above embodiment, a method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module 10 having a plurality of stacked plates 21, 22 and having a refrigerant flow path 15 formed inside is disclosed. This manufacturing method includes a first step of holding a plurality of bolts 31 in a position perpendicular to the mounting surface 71a using an assembly jig 70 having a mounting surface 71a for stacking a plurality of plates 21, 22; a second step of stacking the plurality of plates 21, 22 on the mounting surface 71a while inserting the bolts 31 held by the assembly jig 70 into insertion holes 16 formed in each plate 21, 22; and a third step of tightening nuts 32 on the tips of the bolts 31 protruding from the stacked plurality of plates 21, 22. By fastening the plurality of plates 21, 22 with bolts 31 and nuts 32 in this way, distortion such as warping of each plate 21, 22 can be reduced. As a result, the gap between adjacent plates 21, 22 can be kept fixed, and the plates 21, 22 can be easily joined together. Furthermore, the bolts 31 held by the assembly jig 70 allow multiple plates 21 and 22 to be easily aligned and stacked on the mounting surface 71a.

[0077] (2) In the manufacturing method of the above embodiment, the assembly jig 70 has a holding portion 72 that holds the head 31b of the bolt 31, and the holding portion 72 has a shape that engages with the head 31b. Therefore, when tightening the nut 32 onto the bolt 31, the holding portion 72 can prevent the bolt 31 from rotating.

[0078] (3) In the manufacturing method of the above embodiment, in the first step, the plurality of bolts 31 held by the assembly jig 70 include a first bolt 31A and a second bolt 31B which has a greater protrusion length from the mounting surface 71a than the first bolt 31A. Therefore, it is easier to insert the second bolt 31B, which protrudes more from the mounting surface 71a of the assembly jig 70 than the first bolt 31A, into the insertion holes 16 of the plates 21 and 22. By first inserting the second bolt 31B into the insertion holes 16 of each plate 21 and 22, it becomes easier to align the position of the first bolt 31A with the other insertion holes 16 of each plate 21 and 22, and it becomes easier to insert the first bolt 31A into the other insertion holes 16.

[0079] (4) In the manufacturing method of the above embodiment, the assembly jig 70 has a plurality of holding parts 72 that hold the head 31b of each bolt 31, and each holding part 72 has a recess 72a into which the head 31b is inserted. The plurality of recesses 72a include a first recess 72a1 and a second recess 72a2 that is shallower than the first recess 72a1. Therefore, by inserting a plurality of bolts 31 of the same length into the first recess 72a1 and the second recess 72a2, these bolts 31 can be made into first bolts 31A and second bolts 31B with different protruding lengths from the mounting surface 71a, as described in (3) above.

[0080] (5) In the above embodiment, an assembly jig 70 is disclosed for assembling a refrigerant flow path module 10 having a plurality of stacked plates 21, 22 and a refrigerant flow path 15 formed inside. The assembly jig 70 comprises a base material 71 having a mounting surface 71a on which the plurality of plates 21, 22 are stacked, and a plurality of holding parts 72 that each hold a plurality of bolts 31 for fastening the plurality of plates 21, 22 in a position perpendicular to the mounting surface 71a. The plurality of plates 21, 22 can be aligned with each other by stacking the plurality of plates 21, 22 on the mounting surface 71a while inserting the bolts 31 held by the holding parts 72 into the insertion holes 16 formed in each plate 21, 22. After stacking, distortion such as warping of each plate 21, 22 can be reduced by tightening nuts 32 on the tips of the bolts 31 protruding from the stacked plates 21, 22. Therefore, the gap between adjacent plates 21 and 22 can be kept constant, making it easier to join the plates 21 and 22 together.

[0081] (6) In the assembly jig 70 of the above embodiment, each holding part 72 has a shape that engages with the head 31b of the bolt 31. Therefore, when tightening the nut 32 onto the bolt 31, the holding part 72 can prevent the bolt 31 from rotating.

[0082] (7) In the assembly jig 70 of the above embodiment, each holding part 72 has a recess 72a formed in the base material 71 into which the head 31b of the bolt 31 is inserted, and the plurality of recesses 72a include a first recess 72a1 and a second recess 72a2 which is shallower than the first recess 72a1. Therefore, when bolts 31 of the same length are inserted into the first recess 72a1 and the second recess 72a2, the bolt 31B inserted into the second recess 72a2 protrudes more from the mounting surface 71a of the assembly jig 70 than the bolt 31A inserted into the first recess 72a1, making it easier to insert into the insertion holes 16 of the plates 21 and 22. First, by inserting the bolt 31B inserted into the second recess 72a2 into the insertion hole 16 of each plate 21, 22, the other bolts 31A are aligned with the other insertion holes 16 of each plate 21, 22, making it easier to insert the other bolts 31 into the other insertion holes 16.

[0083] (8) In the assembly jig 70 of the above embodiment, a recess 71b is formed in the base material 71 that exposes the surface of the plate 21 that is directly laminated on the mounting surface 71a on the base material 71 side and opens in a direction along that surface. Therefore, after fastening the multiple plates 21 and 22 laminated on the mounting surface 71a with bolts 31 and nuts 32, the worker can insert their hand into the recess 71b to easily remove the laminated plates 21 and 22 from the mounting surface 71a by hand.

[0084] (9) In the assembly jig 70 of the above embodiment, a space 71c is formed in the base material 71 for arranging connecting pipes (joint pipes) 12 that are connected to the plates 21 which are directly stacked on the mounting surface 71a. Therefore, with the connecting pipes 12 placed in the space 71c formed in the base material 71, the plates 21 and 22 can be stacked on the mounting surface 71a.

[0085] This disclosure is not limited to the examples given above, but is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims, as shown in the claims.

[0086] For example, the number of plates 21 and 22 constituting the refrigerant flow path module 10 is not limited to the above embodiment; the refrigerant flow path module 10 only needs to include at least two plates.

[0087] In the above embodiment, two second recesses 72a2 constituting the holding portion 72 were provided, but one or three or more may be provided. However, by providing two second recesses 72a2, it is possible to ensure ease of insertion of the second bolt 31B held in the second recesses 72a2 into the insertion holes 16 of each plate 21, 22, while also ensuring the alignment of the plates 21, 22 with respect to the base material 71 and the alignment of the other insertion holes 16 with respect to the other first bolts 31A.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the two furthest apart recesses 72a were used as the two second recesses 72a2, but the embodiment is not limited to this. However, by using the two furthest apart recesses 72a as the second recesses 72a2, it is possible to reliably align the plates 21 and 22 with respect to the base material 71, and to align the other insertion holes 16 with respect to the other first bolts 31A, when the second bolts 31B held in the second recesses 72a2 are inserted into the insertion holes 16 of each plate 21 and 22.

[0089] In the manufacturing method of the refrigerant flow path module 10, the multiple bolts 31 that fasten the multiple plates 21, 22 may include two or more types of bolts with different lengths. In this case, even if the multiple recesses 72a constituting the holding portion 72 are of the same depth, the amount of protrusion of the multiple bolts 31 from the mounting surface 71a can be made different. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 10: Refrigerant flow path module 12: Connecting pipe 15: Flow path 16: Through hole 21: End plate 22: Intermediate plate 31: Bolt 31A: First bolt 31B: Second bolt 31b:Head 32: Nut 70: Assembly jig 71: Base material 71a: Mounting surface 71b: recess 71c: Opening (space) 72: Holding part 72a: Recess 72a1: First recess 72a2: Second recess

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module (10) having a plurality of stacked plates (21, 22) and having a refrigerant flow path (15) formed inside, In the first step, an assembly jig (70) having a mounting surface (71a) for stacking the aforementioned multiple plates (21, 22) is used to hold a plurality of bolts (31) in a position perpendicular to the aforementioned mounting surface (71a), The second step involves stacking the multiple plates (21, 22) on the aforementioned mounting surface (71a) while inserting the bolts (31) held by the assembly jig (70) into the insertion holes (16) formed in each of the plates (21, 22), and A method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module, comprising a third step of tightening nuts (32) onto the tips of bolts (31) that protrude from the stacked plurality of plates (21, 22).

2. The assembly jig (70) has a holding portion (72) that holds the head (31a) of the bolt (31), The method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion (72) has a shape that engages with the head portion (31a).

3. A method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the first step, the plurality of bolts (31) held by the assembly jig (70) include a first bolt (31A) and a second bolt (31B) having a greater protrusion length from the mounting surface (71a) than the first bolt (31A).

4. The assembly jig (70) has a plurality of holding parts (72) that hold the heads (31a) of each bolt (31), Each of the aforementioned holding parts (72) has a recess (72a) into which the head (31a) is inserted, A method for manufacturing a refrigerant flow path module according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of recesses (72a) include a first recess (72a1) and a second recess (72a2) that is shallower than the first recess (72a1).

5. An assembly jig for assembling a refrigerant flow path module (10) having a plurality of stacked plates (21, 22) and having a refrigerant flow path (15) formed inside, The invention comprises a base material (71) having a mounting surface (71a) on which the plurality of plates (21, 22) are stacked, and a plurality of holding parts (72) that each hold a plurality of bolts (31) for fastening the plurality of plates (21, 22) in a position perpendicular to the mounting surface (71a), An assembly jig for a refrigerant flow path module, wherein each of the holding parts (72) is formed in a shape that engages with the head (31a) of the bolt (31).

6. An assembly jig for assembling a refrigerant flow path module (10) having a plurality of stacked plates (21, 22) and having a refrigerant flow path (15) formed inside, The invention comprises a base material (71) having a mounting surface (71a) on which the plurality of plates (21, 22) are stacked, and a plurality of holding parts (72) that each hold a plurality of bolts (31) for fastening the plurality of plates (21, 22) in a position perpendicular to the mounting surface (71a), Each of the holding portions (72) has a recess (72a) formed in the base material (71) into which the head (31a) of the bolt (31) is inserted. An assembly jig for a refrigerant flow path module, wherein a plurality of recesses (72a) include a first recess (72a1) and a second recess (72a2) that is shallower than the first recess (72a1).

7. An assembly jig for assembling a refrigerant flow path module (10) having a plurality of stacked plates (21, 22) and having a refrigerant flow path (15) formed inside, The invention comprises a base material (71) having a mounting surface (71a) on which the plurality of plates (21, 22) are stacked, and a plurality of holding parts (72) that each hold a plurality of bolts (31) for fastening the plurality of plates (21, 22) in a position perpendicular to the mounting surface (71a), An assembly jig for a refrigerant flow path module, wherein the surface of the plate (21) that is directly laminated on the mounting surface (71a) is exposed on the base material (71) side, and a recess (71b) is formed in the base material (71) that opens in a direction along that surface.

8. An assembly jig for assembling a refrigerant flow path module (10) having a plurality of stacked plates (21, 22) and having a refrigerant flow path (15) formed inside, The invention comprises a base material (71) having a mounting surface (71a) on which the plurality of plates (21, 22) are stacked, and a plurality of holding parts (72) that each hold a plurality of bolts (31) for fastening the plurality of plates (21, 22) in a position perpendicular to the mounting surface (71a), An assembly jig for a refrigerant flow path module, wherein a space (71c) for arranging a connecting pipe (12) that is connected to the plate (21) which is directly laminated on the mounting surface (71a) is formed in the base material (71).

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