Heat exchanger, method for manufacturing heat exchanger, and outdoor unit

Abstract

The present disclosure provides: a heat exchanger that can easily drain condensed water; a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger; and an outdoor unit.　A heat exchanger according to the present disclosure comprises: a plurality of flat tubes that extend in the vertical direction and are disposed in parallel; and corrugated fins that are disposed between adjacent flat tubes. The corrugated fins include: non-exposed parts where the positions occupied by the corrugated fins in the ventilation direction overlap with the positions occupied by the flat tubes in the ventilation direction; and exposed parts that protrude farther in the ventilation direction than the flat tubes. Bent sections that are each bent toward an adjacent flat tube are formed in the exposed parts.

Description

Heat exchanger, manufacturing method of heat exchanger, and outdoor unit

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger, a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger, and an outdoor unit.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a heat exchanger that improves the drainage of corrugated fins. This heat exchanger has drainage slits formed as through-holes for draining water from the fins. Specifically, this heat exchanger includes corrugated fins in which through-hole-shaped drainage slits are formed within the longitudinal range of the flat tubes, and the horizontal end positions of the drainage slits differ between adjacent fins. Patent Document 2 discloses a heat exchanger that allows condensed water to smoothly drain away. This heat exchanger includes corrugated fins, a lower header pipe, and a drainage guide plate that contacts the drain pan. Specifically, this heat exchanger includes a drainage guide plate that contacts the corrugated fins, the upper end surface and side surfaces of the lower header pipe, and the bottom of the drain pan.

[0003] Patent No. 6734002

[0004] JP 2010-025462 A

[0005] A first object of the present disclosure is to provide a heat exchanger and an outdoor unit that allow condensed water to be easily drained, and a method for manufacturing the heat exchanger. A second object of the present disclosure is to provide a heat exchanger and an outdoor unit that allow condensed water to be easily drained.

[0006] This specification includes the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-047650 filed on March 25, 2024. A heat exchanger according to a first aspect that addresses a first problem of the present disclosure includes a plurality of flat tubes that extend in the vertical direction and are arranged in parallel, and corrugated fins that are arranged between adjacent flat tubes, wherein the corrugated fins have non-exposed portions whose positions in an airflow direction overlap with positions occupied by the flat tubes in the airflow direction, and exposed portions that protrude further than the flat tubes in the airflow direction, and the exposed portions have bent portions that are bent toward the adjacent flat tubes.

[0007] A heat exchanger according to a second aspect of the present disclosure, which addresses the first problem, comprises a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel and corrugated fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes, wherein the corrugated fins have a non-exposed portion whose position in the ventilation direction overlaps with the position occupied by the flat tubes in the ventilation direction, and an exposed portion that protrudes further than the flat tubes in the ventilation direction, and a slit formed in the exposed portion that allows the exposed portion to be bent toward the flat tubes.

[0008] A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to a third aspect of the present disclosure, which addresses the first problem of the present disclosure, includes the steps of fixing a corrugated fin having a slit formed therein between a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel, and bending the corrugated fin toward the flat tubes using the slit as a boundary to form a bent portion.

[0009] This specification includes the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-055709, filed on March 29, 2024. A heat exchanger according to a fourth aspect that addresses the second problem of the present disclosure is a heat exchanger that includes a plurality of flat tubes that are arranged in parallel at intervals from one another and extend in the vertical direction, fins that are arranged between adjacent flat tubes, and a lower header pipe that is connected to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes, and is installed on an installation section, and includes a water guide member between the installation section and the lower header pipe, and the water guide member has a protruding portion that protrudes above an upper surface of the lower header pipe.

[0010] An outdoor unit according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, which addresses the second problem, comprises a heat exchanger having a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel at intervals from each other and extending in the vertical direction, fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes, and a lower header pipe connected to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes, and an installation section in which the heat exchanger is installed, wherein the heat exchanger has a water-conducting member between the installation section and the lower header pipe, and the water-conducting member has a protruding portion that protrudes above the upper surface of the lower header pipe.

[0011] The heat exchanger according to the first aspect of the present disclosure can easily cause adhering condensed water to flow along the bent portion, thereby providing a heat exchanger that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0012] In the heat exchanger according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, the bent portion for draining condensed water can be formed simply by bending the exposed portion toward the flat tube at the slit as a boundary, thereby making it easier to provide a heat exchanger that facilitates drainage of condensed water.

[0013] The method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to the third aspect of the present disclosure can form a heat exchanger having a bent portion through a simple manufacturing process, thereby making it easier to provide a heat exchanger that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0014] In the heat exchanger according to the fourth aspect and the outdoor unit according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, condensed water adhering to the lower part of the heat exchanger can be guided to the water guide member and drained, making it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0015] 1 is an overall view of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the heat exchanger. FIG. 3 is a view showing a corrugated fin as seen from the front. FIG. 4 is a side view of the heat exchanger as seen from the right. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a corrugated fin according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a plan view of a pressed metal plate according to a third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger at the end of an assembly process according to the third embodiment.

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed description of already well-known matters or redundant description of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Note that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0017] First, we will describe embodiments 1 to 3 that address the first problem of the present disclosure. (Knowledge, etc., that formed the basis of the present disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the heat exchangers according to the first and second aspects and the manufacturing method of the heat exchanger according to the third aspect, heat exchangers with corrugated fins were known in the heat exchanger technical field. Such heat exchangers had a problem in that condensed water adhering to the corrugated fins was prone to accumulate and not be drained, depending on the orientation of the heat exchanger. To address this issue, a technology was proposed in which drainage slits were formed as through-holes in the corrugated fins and condensed water was drained through the drainage slits. Another technology was proposed in which a drainage guide plate was provided in the heat exchanger in contact with the corrugated fins, the lower header pipe, and the drain pan, and condensed water was drained through the drainage guide plate. However, the inventors discovered a problem with providing drainage slits: because the horizontal surface area of ​​the corrugated fins is larger than the diameter of the drainage slits, surface tension acts more strongly on the condensed water than gravity, making it more likely to accumulate on the corrugated fins. The inventors also discovered a problem with providing drainage guide plates: the number of parts in the heat exchanger increases, which can lead to increased material costs, parts management costs, and manufacturing costs, as well as reduced productivity. The inventors have therefore come up with the subject matter of the present disclosure to solve these problems. The present disclosure provides a heat exchanger that facilitates condensed water drainage and a method for manufacturing such a heat exchanger.

[0018] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, embodiment 1 that addresses the first problem will be described with reference to the drawings. [1-1. Configuration] [1-1-1. Overall configuration of heat exchanger] Fig. 1 is an overall view of heat exchanger 1 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of heat exchanger 1. In Figs. 1 to 9, X in the drawings indicates the right direction, Y indicates the forward direction, and Z indicates the vertically upward direction. Heat exchanger 1 is used, for example, in the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, and exchanges heat between the internal refrigerant and outside air.

[0019] The heat exchanger 1 has a plurality of flat tubes 10 arranged parallel to one another along the vertical direction. The flat tubes 10 are tubes with a flat cross-sectional shape in a horizontal cross section and have a plurality of microchannels inside. The plurality of flat tubes 10 are oriented such that the longitudinal directions and lateral directions of each cross-sectional shape are parallel to one another. Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the plurality of flat tubes 10 in the horizontal cross section will be referred to as the first direction, and the lateral direction will be referred to as the second direction. The plurality of flat tubes 10 are arranged with their positions aligned in the first direction. The plurality of flat tubes 10 are also arranged side by side along the second direction. In this embodiment, the first direction is the front-to-rear direction, and the second direction is the left-to-right direction.

[0020] The upper ends of the multiple flat tubes 10 are connected to an upper header pipe 11. The lower ends of the multiple flat tubes 10 are connected to a lower header pipe 13. Each header pipe 11, 13 is a hollow pipe connected to a refrigerant piping of an air conditioner or the like. In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 1 is connected to a refrigeration circuit of the air conditioner or the like so that it can function at least as an evaporator. When the heat exchanger 1 functions as an evaporator, the lower header pipe 13 is upstream of the flat tubes 10 in the refrigerant flow, and the upper header pipe 11 is downstream of the flat tubes 10.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the corrugated fins 30 as seen from the front. The heat exchanger 1 is provided with the corrugated fins 30. The corrugated fins 30 are made of a metal sheet having high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum. The corrugated fins 30 are formed by repeatedly bending the metal sheet into a wave shape, and have a plurality of fins 31 arranged in the vertical direction. The plurality of fins 31 are connected to each other via bent portions 33. The corrugated fins 30 are arranged between adjacent flat tubes 10, with each bent portion 33 in contact with the flat tube 10. The corrugated fins 30 are fixed to the flat tubes 10 by brazing or the like.

[0022] The fins 31 of the corrugated fins 30 are arranged with gaps between them above and below. Therefore, the heat exchanger 1 is configured to allow ventilation through the spaces between the fins 31. In this specification, the direction parallel to the direction in which air passes through the heat exchanger 1 is referred to as the ventilation direction. The ventilation direction is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the horizontal cross section of the flat tubes 10, i.e., the first direction. In this embodiment, the ventilation direction is the front-to-rear direction.

[0023] Each fin 31 has a non-exposed portion 35. The non-exposed portion 35 is a portion of the fin 31 whose position in the ventilation direction overlaps with the position of the flat tube 10 in the ventilation direction. The non-exposed portion 35 is configured in a generally horizontal plate shape. In this embodiment, the metal sheet constituting the corrugated fin 30 is bent in a triangular wave shape, and two adjacent non-exposed portions 35 form a generally V-shape when viewed along the ventilation direction. That is, in this embodiment, the non-exposed portion 35 is configured in a plate shape that is slightly inclined from the horizontal plane. Furthermore, in this embodiment, each fin 31 is formed in a wave-like bent shape in the ventilation direction.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a side view of the heat exchanger 1 as viewed from the right, showing the lower portion 2 and upper portion 3 of the heat exchanger 1. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , the corrugated fins 30 are provided with exposed portions 37. The exposed portions 37 are portions of the fins 31 whose positions in the airflow direction do not overlap with the positions of the flat tubes 10 in the airflow direction. In other words, the exposed portions 37 are portions of each fin 31 of the corrugated fins 30 that protrude beyond the flat tubes 10 in the airflow direction. In this embodiment, the exposed portions 37 are provided on both sides of the non-exposed portions 35 in the airflow direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the exposed portions 37 are provided on the fins 31 of the corrugated fins 30 located in the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1. On the other hand, the fins 31 of the corrugated fins 30 located in the upper portion 3 of the heat exchanger 1 do not have the exposed portions 37, but only have the non-exposed portions 35.

[0025] 4 , in the ventilation direction, the dimension L1 of each exposed portion 37 is smaller than the dimension L2 of the non-exposed portion 35. In other words, in the ventilation direction, the dimension L1 of each exposed portion 37 is smaller than the dimension L2 of the flat tube 10. In this embodiment, in the ventilation direction, the dimension L1 of each exposed portion 37 is equal to or smaller than half the dimension L2 of the non-exposed portion 35.

[0026] 2 and 3, the exposed portion 37 of each fin 31 is formed with a bending start portion 38 and a bending portion 39. The bending start portion 38 is connected to the non-exposed portion 35 and is a portion that protrudes in the air blowing direction. In this embodiment, the bending start portion 38 is formed at both ends of the exposed portion 37 in the second direction. The bending start portion 38 corresponds to the "starting point of the bending portion" in this embodiment.

[0027] The bent portions 39 are formed by bending a portion of the exposed portion 37 closer to the center than the bent starting point 38, starting from the bent starting point 38, in a direction that forms a crease along the ventilation direction. In other words, the bent portions 39 are portions of the exposed portion 37 that are bent from the bent starting point 38 toward the flat tube 10 adjacent to the bent starting point 38. The bent portions 39 are not directly connected to the non-exposed portion 35, but are indirectly connected to the non-exposed portion 35 via the bent starting point 38. In this embodiment, each bent portion 39 is bent downward from the bent starting point 38. In this embodiment, two bent portions 39 are formed for one exposed portion 37, each bent starting from two bent starting points 38.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3 , when viewed along the ventilation direction, the bent portions 39 of this embodiment are inclined more toward the vertical direction than the non-exposed portions 35. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the length L3 of each bent portion 39 when viewed along the ventilation direction is greater than the maximum vertical distance D1 between adjacent non-exposed portions 35. Furthermore, in this embodiment, each bent portion 39 is bent to a large angle along the vertical direction. Therefore, each bent portion 39 is close to the bent portion 39 formed in the exposed portion 37 located one level below. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4 , the lowest bent portion 39 of the corrugated fin 30 is close to the lower header pipe 13. In this specification, the phrase "a subject is close to an object" means that the subject is in contact with the object, or that the subject is close enough to the object that water flowing along the subject toward the object flows directly onto the object without dripping.

[0029] [1-2. Operation and Function] The operation and function of the heat exchanger 1 configured as above when it functions as an evaporator will be described below.

[0030] When the heat exchanger 1 functions as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows from a refrigerant piping outside the heat exchanger 1 into the lower header pipe 13. The refrigerant that flows into the lower header pipe 13 flows into the flat tubes 10 and flows upward inside the flat tubes 10. At this time, air passes through the heat exchanger 1 in one of the ventilation directions, for example, by driving a fan outside the heat exchanger 1. The refrigerant in the flat tubes 10 receives heat from the air passing through the heat exchanger 1 via the corrugated fins 30 and the flat tubes 10. The refrigerant then flows out through the upper header pipe 11 into the refrigerant piping outside the heat exchanger 1.

[0031] That is, when the heat exchanger 1 functions as an evaporator, the air passing through the heat exchanger 1 is cooled. Therefore, when the heat exchanger 1 functions as an evaporator, condensed water adheres to various parts of the heat exchanger 1. The condensed water adhering to the heat exchanger 1 is drained downward mainly by gravity. However, each fin 31 of the corrugated fins 30 has a generally horizontal, plate-shaped non-exposed portion 35. Therefore, in conventional corrugated fin heat exchangers, condensed water is easily held in the non-exposed portion 35 by surface tension and tends to accumulate on the corrugated fins 30.

[0032] In contrast, the heat exchanger 1 of the present embodiment has exposed portions 37 that protrude further than the flat tubes 10 in the airflow direction, and the exposed portions 37 have bent portions 39 that are bent toward the flat tubes 10. Therefore, condensed water held in the non-exposed portions 35 by surface tension is easily guided toward the bent portions 39 by the surface tension acting between the bent portions 39 and the non-exposed portions 35. Because the bent portions 39 have a greater vertical inclination than the non-exposed portions 35, the condensed water guided to the bent portions 39 is more likely to flow downward due to the action of gravity.

[0033] In this embodiment, the length L3 of the bent portions 39 as viewed along the ventilation direction is greater than the maximum vertical distance D1 between adjacent non-exposed portions 35. Therefore, the bent portions 39 are close to the bent portions 39 formed on the fin 31 one level below, making it easier for condensed water to flow smoothly downward along the bent portions 39. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lowest bent portion 39 is close to the lower header pipe 13, so that condensed water that flows downward along the bent portions 39 easily flows directly onto the outer surface of the lower header pipe 13.

[0034] In this embodiment, the exposed portion 37 and the folded portion 39 are provided on each fin 31 of the corrugated fins 30 located in the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1. Because water is retained in the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1 due to the surface tension of the upper surface of the lower header pipe 13, condensed water is more likely to accumulate in the lower portion 2 than in the upper portion 3 of the heat exchanger 1. When the heat exchanger 1 functions as an evaporator, refrigerant flows into the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1, making the lower portion 2 particularly susceptible to temperature drops and condensation. Furthermore, condensed water generated in the upper portion 3 of the heat exchanger 1 may flow into the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1. In other words, this embodiment facilitates drainage of condensed water from each fin 31 located in the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1, which is more likely to accumulate condensed water than the upper portion 3 of the heat exchanger 1.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 are provided on both sides of the non-exposed portion 35 in the ventilation direction, i.e., on both the upwind side and the downwind side in the ventilation direction. Note that the upwind side in the ventilation direction is the upstream side of the flow of air passing through the heat exchanger 1 along the ventilation direction, and the downwind side is the downstream side.

[0036] Condensed water adhering to the non-exposed portion 35 is likely to flow to the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 located on the leeward side of the non-exposed portion 35 due to the air flow. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water through the bent portion 39 located on the leeward side of the non-exposed portion 35. Furthermore, in the heat exchanger 1, the windward ends of the flat tubes 10 are particularly susceptible to frost, and frost that forms in this area may grow and block the windward ends of the corrugated fins 30, thereby impeding the flow of air through the heat exchanger 1. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 located on the windward side of the non-exposed portion 35 are provided near the windward ends of the flat tubes 10. The exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 have a higher temperature than the flat tubes 10, making it easier to suppress frost growth. That is, in this embodiment, the bent portion 39 on the leeward side of the non-exposed portion 35 improves the drainage of condensed water, and the exposed portion 37 and bent portion 39 on the windward side make it easier to suppress a decrease in the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 1 due to frost formation.

[0037] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the heat exchanger 1 includes a plurality of flat tubes 10 extending in the vertical direction and arranged in parallel, and corrugated fins 30 arranged between adjacent flat tubes 10, the corrugated fins 30 having non-exposed portions 35 whose positions in the ventilation direction overlap with the positions occupied by the flat tubes 10 in the ventilation direction, and exposed portions 37 that protrude further than the flat tubes 10 in the ventilation direction, and the exposed portions 37 have bent portions 39 that are bent toward the adjacent flat tubes 10. This makes it easier for condensed water adhering to the heat exchanger 1 to flow along the bent portions 39. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger 1 that makes it easy to drain condensed water.

[0038] As in the present embodiment, in the heat exchanger 1, the bent portions 39 may be configured to be more inclined vertically than the non-exposed portions 35. This makes it easier for condensed water adhering to the heat exchanger 1 to flow along the bent portions 39. Therefore, it is possible to provide a heat exchanger 1 that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0039] As in this embodiment, the length L3 of the bent portion 39 may be equal to or greater than the distance D1 between adjacent non-exposed portions 35 of the corrugated fin 30 in the vertical direction. This allows condensed water flowing along the bent portion 39 to easily flow to the next bent portion 39 below. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger 1 that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0040] As in the present embodiment, the dimension of the exposed portion 37 in the airflow direction in the heat exchanger 1 may be configured to be half or less of the dimension of the flat tubes 10 in the airflow direction. This prevents the corrugated fins 30 from becoming too large. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger 1 that easily drains condensed water while keeping manufacturing costs down. In particular, in this embodiment, drainage performance is improved without providing new parts to the heat exchanger 1. This prevents an increase in the number of parts in the heat exchanger 1, and prevents increases in material costs, parts management costs, and manufacturing costs, as well as decreases in productivity.

[0041] As in the present embodiment, the lowest bent portion 39 of the corrugated fin 30 may be configured to be close to the lower header pipe 13. This allows the condensed water that flows along the lowest bent portion 39 to easily flow along the lower header pipe 13. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger 1 that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0042] As in the present embodiment, the bent portions 39 may be provided in the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1, where drainage capacity is particularly required, via the bent portions 39. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger 1 that easily drains condensed water. In particular, in this embodiment, the fins 31 of the corrugated fins 30 located in the upper portion 3 of the heat exchanger 1 do not have the exposed portions 37 and bent portions 39. This allows the exposed portions 37 and bent portions 39 to be provided only in the lower portion 2 of the heat exchanger 1, where drainage performance is particularly important, making it easier to ensure the necessary drainage performance while minimizing the increase in size of the corrugated fins 30.

[0043] As in the present embodiment, the heat exchanger 1 may be configured such that the exposed portion 37 is provided on the upwind side of the non-exposed portion 35 in the airflow direction. This can delay frost formation on the upwind side of the heat exchanger 1, making it less likely that the air passage of the heat exchanger 1 will be blocked. This makes it easier to suppress a decrease in the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 1. In particular, in this embodiment, the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 are provided on the downwind side as well as the upwind side of the non-exposed portion 35. This makes it easier to delay frost formation on the heat exchanger 1 by the exposed portion 37 on the upwind side, and makes it easier to improve drainage performance by the exposed portion 37 on the downwind side.

[0044] Second Embodiment Hereinafter, a second embodiment that addresses the first problem will be described with reference to the drawings. Only differences from the first embodiment will be described below, and a description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0045] [2-1. Configuration] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a corrugated fin 130 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger 101 according to embodiment 2, showing the heat exchanger 101 cut along a horizontal cross section.

[0046] The heat exchanger 101 according to the second embodiment has corrugated fins 130 that are different from the corrugated fins 30 according to the first embodiment. The non-exposed portions 135 of the corrugated fins 130 according to the second embodiment are each formed in a substantially flat plate shape.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 6, in the second embodiment, the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 are provided only on the front side of the non-exposed portion 135 in the ventilation direction. In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 101 is disposed in a position where air blown by a blower or the like passes through from the rear to the front. That is, in the second embodiment, the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 are provided only on the downwind side of the non-exposed portion 135 in the ventilation direction. In other words, the heat exchanger 101 is disposed in a position where the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 are located on the downwind side of the non-exposed portion 135 in the ventilation direction.

[0048] The corrugated fin 130 has ribs 136 formed thereon that protrude upward from the upper surface of the non-exposed portion 135. The ribs 136 extend in the non-exposed portion 135 toward the bending start portion 38. The ribs 136 correspond to an example of a "water guide portion" in this embodiment.

[0049] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 6. In Figure 7, a horizontal plane H is indicated by a virtual line. As shown in Figure 7, in the corrugated fin 130, each non-exposed portion 135 is inclined so that the front side, where the exposed portions 37 and the bent portions 39 are provided, is positioned downward. In other words, the non-exposed portion 135 is inclined so that the downwind side in the airflow direction is positioned downward.

[0050] [2-2. Operation and Function] The non-exposed portion 135 is inclined downward on the side where the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 are provided. Therefore, if condensed water adheres to the exposed portion 135, the condensed water tends to flow due to gravity toward the bent portion 39 on the downwind side.

[0051] In addition, the condensed water adhering to the non-exposed portion 135 is also carried toward the downwind side in the ventilation direction by the air passing through the heat exchanger 101 in the ventilation direction. As described above, the exposed portion 37 and the bent portion 39 are formed on the downwind side of the non-exposed portion 135 in the ventilation direction, so the condensed water can easily reach the bent portion 39.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a rib 136 extending toward the bending start point 38 is formed on the upper surface of the non-exposed portion 135. Therefore, when condensed water flows along the non-exposed portion 135, the condensed water is more likely to flow along the rib 136 toward the bending start point 38. Therefore, the condensed water is more likely to reach the bending portion 39.

[0053] Condensed water that reaches the bent portion 39 is easily drained, as in the first embodiment.

[0054] [2-3. Effects, etc.] As in the present embodiment, the heat exchanger 101 may be configured such that the corrugated fins 130 are provided with ribs 136 that guide condensed water toward the bending starting points 38, which are the starting points of the bending portions 39. This makes it easier for condensed water adhering to the corrugated fins 130 to flow toward the bending portions 39 together with the air flow. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger 101 that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0055] As in the present embodiment, the non-exposed portion 135 may be configured to be inclined in the direction of airflow so that the side where the exposed portion 37 is provided is positioned downward. This makes it easier for condensed water adhering to the corrugated fins 130 to flow to the bent portion 39 by the action of gravity. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger 101 that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0056] As in the present embodiment, the exposed portion 37 may be provided only on the downwind side of the non-exposed portion 135 in the airflow direction. This makes it possible to prevent the corrugated fins 130 from becoming too large, while making it easier to direct condensed water toward the bent portion 39 by utilizing the air flow passing through the heat exchanger 101. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger 101 that allows condensed water to be easily drained while reducing manufacturing costs.

[0057] Third Embodiment Hereinafter, a third embodiment that addresses the first problem will be described with reference to the drawings. In the third embodiment, a method for manufacturing the heat exchangers 1 and 101 will be described using the heat exchanger 101 according to the second embodiment as an example. The method for manufacturing the heat exchanger 101 includes a fin manufacturing process, an assembly process, and a bent portion forming process.

[0058] 3-1. Manufacturing Method FIG. 8 is a plan view of the pressed metal sheet 230. In FIG. 8, the reference numerals of the parts of the corrugated fin 130 corresponding to the parts of the metal sheet 230 are indicated by phantom lines. The fin manufacturing process is a process of processing the metal sheet 230 to manufacture the corrugated fin 330. In the fin manufacturing process, slits 239 are formed in the flat metal sheet 230. The slits 239 are formed, for example, by pressing the metal sheet 230. The slits 239 are formed at positions corresponding to the exposed portions 37 of the corrugated fin 130. In this embodiment, the slits 239 have a first linear portion 239a extending along the airflow direction and a second linear portion 239b extending in a direction perpendicular to the airflow direction, i.e., the second direction. One end of the first linear portion 239a extends to the end of the exposed portion 37 in the airflow direction. The second linear portion 239b branches into two at the other end of the first linear portion 239a, i.e., the slit 239 has a T-shape.

[0059] Furthermore, ribs 136 (not shown) are formed on the flat metal sheet 230 by press working or the like. After the slits 239 and ribs 136 are formed, the metal sheet 230 is bent into a wave shape to form the corrugated fin 330. This completes the fin manufacturing process. However, the corrugated fin 330 manufactured by this fin manufacturing process differs from the corrugated fin 130 of the second embodiment only in that the bent portions 39 are not formed and the slits 239 are formed.

[0060] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger 301 at the end of the assembly process, showing a cross section corresponding to FIG. 6 . In the assembly process, the flat tubes 10 and the corrugated fins 330 manufactured in the fin manufacturing process are assembled to form the heat exchanger 301. In the assembly process, the corrugated fins 330 are arranged between adjacent flat tubes 10 arranged in parallel, and the corrugated fins 330 are fixed to the flat tubes 10. The corrugated fins 330 are fixed to the flat tubes 10 by brazing, for example. In the assembly process, the upper header pipe 11 and the lower header pipe 13 are connected to both ends of the flat tubes 10 arranged in parallel. The heat exchanger 301 assembled upon completion of the assembly process differs from the heat exchanger 101 of the second embodiment only in that the bent portions 39 are not formed and the slits 239 are formed in the exposed portions 37.

[0061] The bent portion forming process is a process of forming bent portions 39 in the heat exchanger 301 assembled in the assembly process to produce the heat exchanger 101 of the second embodiment. That is, in the bent portion forming process, the bent portions 39 are formed by bending a part of the exposed portion 37 of each corrugated fin 330 along the slits 239. In the bent portion forming process, for example, the bent portions 39 may be formed by pressing each tooth of a comb having a tooth-like structure against each exposed portion 37 from above. By forming the bent portions 39 in each exposed portion 37, the corrugated fin 330 is processed into the corrugated fin 130 of the second embodiment, and the heat exchanger 301 is processed into the heat exchanger 101 of the second embodiment. This completes the bent portion forming process, completing the manufacture of the heat exchanger 101 described in the second embodiment.

[0062] [3-2. Effects, etc.] As described above, the heat exchanger 301 described in this embodiment includes a plurality of flat tubes 10 arranged in parallel and corrugated fins 330 arranged between adjacent flat tubes 10. The corrugated fins 330 have non-exposed portions 135 whose positions in the ventilation direction overlap with the positions occupied by the flat tubes 10 in the ventilation direction, and exposed portions 37 that protrude further than the flat tubes 10 in the ventilation direction. The exposed portions 37 have slits 239 that allow the exposed portions 37 to bend toward the flat tubes 10. As a result, the bent portions 39 for draining condensed water can be formed simply by bending a portion of the exposed portion 37 toward the flat tubes 10 using the slits 239 as a boundary. This makes it easier to provide a heat exchanger 101 that facilitates drainage of condensed water. In particular, in this embodiment, the slits 239 are T-shaped. Therefore, when a part of the exposed portion 37 is bent toward the flat tube 10 with the slit 239 as a boundary, two bent portions 39 can be formed in the exposed portion 37. This makes it easier to provide a heat exchanger 101 that allows condensed water to be drained more easily.

[0063] The manufacturing method of the heat exchanger 101 in this embodiment includes the steps of fixing the corrugated fins 330, each having a slit 239 formed therein, between a plurality of flat tubes 10 arranged in parallel, and bending a portion of the corrugated fin 330 toward the flat tube 10 using the slit 239 as a boundary to form a bent portion 39. This allows a heat exchanger having a bent portion to be formed using a simple manufacturing process. This makes it easy to provide a heat exchanger that easily drains condensed water.

[0064] (Other Embodiments) As described above, embodiments 1 to 3 have been described as examples of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to these, and can also be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine the components described in embodiments 1 to 3 above to create new embodiments. Therefore, other embodiments will be described below as examples.

[0065] In the first to third embodiments, the corrugated fins 30, 130, and 330 are bent in a triangular wave shape, and two adjacent non-exposed portions 35, 135 form a substantially V-shape when viewed along the airflow direction. However, this is merely an example. The corrugated fins 30, 130, and 330 may have substantially horizontal, plate-like non-exposed portions 35, 135. Therefore, the corrugated fins 30, 130, and 330 may be formed in any shape, such as a rectangular wave shape.

[0066] In the third embodiment, the slits 239 are described as being T-shaped, but this is merely an example. The slits 239 are not limited to being T-shaped as long as they allow a portion of the exposed portion 37 to be bent toward 10. For example, the slits 239 may be L-shaped, and in the bent portion forming step, substantially the entire exposed portion 37 may be bent along the slit 239 to form one bent portion 39. In other words, the number of bent portions 39 provided in each exposed portion 37 is not limited to two as in the first and second embodiments, and may be one.

[0067] In the second embodiment, the rib 136 protruding upward from the non-exposed portion 135 has been described as an example of a "water conducting portion," but this is merely an example. The "water conducting portion" may be any portion that guides water from the non-exposed portion 135 to the bending starting point portion 38 and makes it easy for the water to flow to the bending portion 39. For example, the "water conducting portion" may be a slit that extends toward the bending starting point portion 38.

[0068] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0069] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described, addressing the second problem of the present disclosure. (Knowledge underlying the present disclosure) At the time the inventors conceived the heat exchanger according to the fourth aspect and the outdoor unit according to the fifth aspect, a configuration in which corrugated fins were provided between multiple flat tubes arranged vertically had been proposed in the heat exchanger technical field. However, when a heat exchanger with such a configuration was used as an evaporator, condensed water generated in the heat exchanger was trapped in the corrugated fins due to surface tension, which could lead to a decrease in heat exchanger performance due to blockage of the air flow path and a risk of refrigerant leakage due to corrosion. To address this issue, a technology was proposed in which drainage slits were formed in the corrugated fins between the flat tubes. Another technology was proposed in which a drainage guide plate was provided in the heat exchanger, which contacted the corrugated fins, the upper end surface and side surfaces of the lower header pipe, and the bottom of the drain pan. However, even if drainage slits are formed in the corrugated fins, there is a concern that condensed water may originate from the header pipe connected to the lower end of the flat tubes and be trapped in the lower corrugated fins. Furthermore, if drainage guide plates are provided in the heat exchanger, they must be incorporated during the heat exchanger's manufacturing process, which reduces productivity and raises concerns about performance degradation due to the drainage guide plates reducing the heat exchange efficiency of the corrugated fins. The inventors discovered these issues and have come to the conclusion that solving them constitutes the subject of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a heat exchanger and outdoor unit that facilitates condensed water drainage.

[0070] (Fourth Embodiment) Hereinafter, the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. [4-1. Configuration] [4-1-1. Overall Configuration] Fig. 10 is a refrigeration circuit diagram of an outdoor unit 401 of an air conditioner according to the fourth embodiment. The outdoor unit 401 is a device of the air conditioner that is mainly installed outdoors. As shown in Fig. 10, the outdoor unit 401 includes a compressor 402, a four-way valve 403, an expansion valve 404, and the like. The outdoor unit 401 also includes a heat exchanger 410. The heat exchanger 410 exchanges heat between the refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit of the air conditioner and outside air. The outdoor unit 401 is provided with a blower 405 that flows outside air through the heat exchanger 410 to promote heat exchange in the heat exchanger 410. In this embodiment, the air conditioner can switch between heating operation and cooling operation by switching the flow path of the four-way valve 403, and the heat exchanger 410 can also function as an evaporator.

[0071] 11 is a front view schematically showing a heat exchanger 410 according to embodiment 4. In the following figures, X indicates the left direction, Y indicates the front direction, and Z indicates the vertically upward direction.

[0072] 11 , heat exchanger 410 is placed on drain pan 406 provided inside the housing of outdoor unit 401. Drain pan 406 is a tray-shaped member that receives condensed water generated in heat exchanger 410. Drain pan 406 is formed with a drain port and the like for draining the condensed water. Drain pan 406 is an example of an "installation portion" in the present disclosure.

[0073] The heat exchanger 410 has a plurality of flat tubes 411 arranged parallel to one another in the vertical direction. The flat tubes 411 are tubes with a flat cross-sectional shape in a horizontal cross section and have a plurality of microchannels inside. The plurality of flat tubes 411 are oriented such that the longitudinal directions and lateral directions of the respective cross-sectional shapes are parallel to one another. In this embodiment, the plurality of flat tubes 411 are oriented such that the longitudinal directions of the plurality of flat tubes 411 in a horizontal cross section are parallel to the front-to-rear direction and the lateral directions are parallel to the left-to-right direction. The plurality of flat tubes 411 are also aligned in the front-to-rear direction and arranged at equal intervals along the left-to-right direction. Hereinafter, the direction in which the plurality of flat tubes 411 are arranged is referred to as the effective length direction. That is, in this embodiment, the effective length direction is the left-to-right direction.

[0074] The upper ends of the flat tubes 411 are connected to an upper header pipe 412. The lower ends of the flat tubes 411 are connected to a lower header pipe 413. Each header pipe 412, 413 is a hollow pipe connected to a refrigerant piping of the outdoor unit 401 and extends in the effective length direction. In the present embodiment, the heat exchanger 410 is provided with one header pipe each 412, 413. When the heat exchanger 410 functions as an evaporator, the lower header pipe 413 is upstream of the flat tubes 411 in the refrigerant flow, and the upper header pipe 412 is downstream of the flat tubes 411. The flat tubes 411, the upper header pipe 412, and the lower header pipe 413 are made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum.

[0075] The heat exchanger 410 is provided with corrugated fins 414. The corrugated fins 414 are formed from a metal sheet that is bent in a wave-like shape and has multiple generally horizontal surfaces aligned vertically. The metal sheet that forms the corrugated fins 414 is made of a metal sheet with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum. The corrugated fins 414 are disposed between adjacent flat tubes 411 in contact with the flat tubes 411 and are fixed to the flat tubes 411 by brazing or the like. The heat exchanger 410 is configured to allow ventilation in the front-to-rear direction through the gaps between the flat tubes 411 and the corrugated fins 414. Hereinafter, the direction in which ventilation is possible in the heat exchanger 410 is referred to as the ventilation direction. That is, in this embodiment, the ventilation direction is the front-to-rear direction. In the present embodiment, heat exchanger 410 and blower 405 are mounted in such a manner that, when blower 405 is operating, the front side is on the downwind side in the direction of airflow and the rear side is on the upwind side in the direction of airflow. Corrugated fins 414 are an example of a "fin" in the present disclosure.

[0076] 11, the heat exchanger 410 has a water guide member 430. The water guide member 430 is a member provided between the lower header pipe 413 and the drain pan 406. In this embodiment, the water guide member 430 is made of resin.

[0077] Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the water guide member 430. Fig. 13 is a front view of the water guide member 430. The water guide member 430 has a base portion 450 that contacts the drain pan 406 from above, and a protruding portion 440 that protrudes upward from the base portion 450.

[0078] The base portion 450 has a flat lower surface 451 that faces downward. The lower surface 451 comes into contact with the drain pan 406 from above. The lower surface 451 has a flow path forming portion 452 that is a recess facing upward. The flow path forming portion 452 penetrates the base portion 450 in the effective length direction.

[0079] The protruding portion 440 has a curved portion 441 formed thereon that is connected to the base portion 450. The curved portion 441 extends upward from the base portion 450. The protruding portion 440 has a tip portion 443 formed thereon that extends upward from the upper end of the curved portion 441.

[0080] 13 , in this embodiment, the dimension W1 of the protrusion 440 in the effective length direction is equal to or less than the distance between adjacent flat tubes 411, i.e., equal to or less than the dimension of the corrugated fin 414 in the effective length direction. Furthermore, the dimension W2 of the base 450 in the effective length direction is greater than the dimension W1. Specifically, the dimension W2 is equal to the distance between the centers of adjacent flat tubes 411.

[0081] The tip portion 443 has a shape in which the width in the effective length direction decreases toward the tip 444 located at the upper end. In this embodiment, the tip portion 443 has a substantially triangular shape when viewed along the ventilation direction.

[0082] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in Figure 13, showing the water guide member 430 in a cross section perpendicular to the effective length direction. As shown in Figure 14, the curved portion 441 curves along the outer surface of the lower header pipe 413. In this embodiment, the lower header pipe 413 has a circular cross section, so the curved portion 441 curves along an arc shape. Furthermore, an inner surface 441a of the curved portion 441 contacts the lower header pipe 413. The inner surface 441a is the surface of the curved portion 441 that faces the lower header pipe 413.

[0083] The lower end of the inner surface 441a is connected to a first upper surface 453 of the base portion 450. The first upper surface 453 faces upward and is located below the lower header pipe 413. The first upper surface 453 curves along the lower header pipe 413 and comes into contact with the lower header pipe 413.

[0084] The inner surface 441a and the first upper surface 453 contact an area over half or more of the outer periphery of the lower header pipe 413 when viewed along the effective length direction. Therefore, the base portion 450 and the protruding portion 440 fit into the lower header pipe 413. In the present embodiment, the water guide member 430 is detachably attached to the lower header pipe 413 by fitting the base portion 450 and the protruding portion 440 into the lower header pipe 413. Furthermore, because the base portion 450 contacts the drain pan 406 from above, the water guide member 430 can support the lower header pipe 413 and the entire heat exchanger 410 by means of the base portion 450.

[0085] 15 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the lower header pipe 413 in the heat exchanger 410. As shown in Fig. 14 and Fig. 15 , the tip portions 443 are inserted between adjacent flat tubes 411. In the present embodiment, the corrugated fins 414 do not protrude from the flat tubes 411 in the airflow direction, and therefore, by inserting the protruding portions 440 between the adjacent flat tubes 411, the tip portions 443 are brought closer to the corrugated fins 414.

[0086] 14 , the tip 443 extends above the upper surface 413 a of the lower header pipe 413. Therefore, the tip 443 is located near the corrugated fin 414. In this specification, the term “near” means that two objects are in contact with each other, or that two objects are spaced apart but are close enough that water droplets on one object come into contact with the other object.

[0087] More specifically, the tip portion 443 extends above the lower end of the corrugated fin 414. In addition, the tip portion 443 is located on the downwind side of the corrugated fin 414 in the airflow direction. Specifically, the first surface 443a of the tip portion 443 contacts the downwind end of the corrugated fin 414 from the downwind side.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 11 , the heat exchanger 410 is provided with multiple types of water guide members 430, each with a different length of its distal end 443 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, two types of water guide members 430 are provided. Hereinafter, only when distinguishing between these, the one with the longer distal end 443 will be referred to as water guide member 430a and the one with the shorter distal end 443 will be referred to as water guide member 430b. As shown in FIG. 11 , the water guide member 430a is provided near the center of the heat exchanger 410 in the effective length direction, and the water guide member 430b is provided further outward than the water guide member 430b. In other words, the water guide member 430b is farther from the center of the heat exchanger 410 than the water guide member 430a in the effective length direction. Therefore, the protrusions 440 near the center of the heat exchanger 410 in the effective length direction extend higher than the protrusions 440 located outside the protrusions 440 near the center.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 14 , a first water guide groove 445 is formed in the curved portion 441. The first water guide groove 445 is a groove that extends vertically along the inner surface 441a. The first water guide groove 445 also extends to the upper end of the first surface 443a of the tip portion 443. The first surface 443a is a surface that extends upward from the upper end of the inner surface 441a and faces the upwind side in the ventilation direction. The inner surface 441a and the first surface 443a in this embodiment correspond to the "surface of the protrusion" in this disclosure. The first water guide groove 445 in this embodiment corresponds to the "water guide groove" in this disclosure.

[0090] The lower end of the first water guide groove 445 is connected to the first drain groove 454. The first drain groove 454 is a groove that extends in the ventilation direction along the first upper surface 453 in the base portion 450. The base portion 450 also has a first drain hole 455 formed therein. The first drain hole 455 penetrates the base portion 450 in the vertical direction, with an upper end opening to the first upper surface 453 and a lower end opening to the flow path forming portion 452. In detail, the upper end of the base portion 450 is connected to the first drain groove 454 in the first upper surface 453. The first drain groove 454 in this embodiment corresponds to the "drain groove" in this disclosure. The first drain hole 455 in this embodiment corresponds to the "drain hole" in this disclosure.

[0091] Furthermore, a second water guide groove 447 is formed on the outer surface 441b of the protrusion 440, which is the surface opposite the inner surface 441a. The second water guide groove 447 is a groove that extends vertically along the outer surface 441b. The second water guide groove 447 also extends to the upper end of the second surface 443b of the tip portion 443. The second surface 443b is a surface that extends upward from the upper end of the outer surface 441b and faces the downwind side in the ventilation direction. The outer surface 441b and the second surface 443b in this embodiment correspond to the "surface of the protrusion" in this disclosure. The second water guide groove 447 in this embodiment corresponds to the "water guide groove" in this disclosure.

[0092] The lower end of the second water guide groove 447 connects to the second drain groove 457. The second drain groove 457 is a groove that extends in the ventilation direction along the second upper surface 456 of the base portion 450. The second upper surface 456 is an upper surface that extends from the lower end of the outer surface 441b toward the downwind side in the ventilation direction. A damming portion 459 that rises upward is formed on the downwind end of the second upper surface 456. The damming portion 459 blocks condensed water flowing on the second upper surface 456 or the second drain groove 457, preventing it from flowing downwind.

[0093] Further, a second drain hole 458 is formed in the base portion 450. The second drain hole 458 penetrates the base portion 450 in the up-down direction, with its upper end opening to the second upper surface 456 and its lower end opening to the flow path forming portion 452. More specifically, the upper end of the second drain hole 458 is connected to the second drain groove 457. That is, the second drain hole 458 is located on the outer side of the curve of the curved portion 441. In other words, the second drain hole 458 is formed at a position opposite the lower header pipe 413 across the curved portion 441. The second drain groove 457 in this embodiment corresponds to the "drain groove" in this disclosure. The second drain hole 458 in this embodiment corresponds to the "drain hole" in this disclosure.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 14 , a drainage flow path S is formed between the water guide member 430 and the drain pan 406. More specifically, the drainage flow path S is a space that is capable of passing through in the effective length direction, and is surrounded by the inner surface of the flow path forming portion 452 from above and from both sides in the airflow direction, and is surrounded by the drain pan 406 from below. The flow path forming portion 452 is formed below a first upper surface 453 that contacts the lower surface 413b of the lower header pipe 413. Therefore, the upper end of the drainage flow path S is located below the lower surface 413b of the lower header pipe 413. The drain holes 455, 458 described above also connect the drain grooves 454, 457 to the drainage flow path S.

[0095] 15, in this embodiment, the plurality of water guide members 430 attached to the heat exchanger 410 are arranged in the effective length direction with their bases 450 in close contact with each other. Therefore, the drainage flow paths S formed between each water guide member 430 and the drain pan 406 are connected in the effective length direction, and water flowing through the drainage flow paths S is less likely to leak between the water guide members 430.

[0096] [4-2. Operation] The operation of the outdoor unit 401 and heat exchanger 410 configured as described above will be described below. When an air conditioner having the outdoor unit 401 performs heating operation, the heat exchanger 410 provided in the outdoor unit 401 functions as an evaporator. When the heat exchanger 410 functions as an evaporator, the outside air is cooled by the heat exchanger 410, and condensation water is produced in the heat exchanger 410.

[0097] Condensed water adhering to the heat exchanger 410 is drained into the drain pan 406 below, mainly due to gravity. However, because the corrugated fins 414 have a shape with many substantially horizontal surfaces, the condensed water may accumulate on the corrugated fins 414 due to surface tension. In particular, near the lower ends of the corrugated fins 414, the condensed water tends to accumulate on the corrugated fins 414, originating from the lower header pipe 413. In addition, in the effective length direction, the condensed water tends to accumulate particularly near the center of the heat exchanger 410.

[0098] In contrast, in this embodiment, the condensed water adhering to the corrugated fins 414 is guided downward by the water guide member 430 attached to the lower header pipe 413 , making it easier to drain into the drain pan 406 .

[0099] Condensed water adhering near the lower ends of the corrugated fins 414 flows to the tip portions 443 that contact the corrugated fins 414. Because the tip portions 443 are located on the downwind side of the corrugated fins 414, condensed water blown by the air blown by the blower 405 easily flows to the tip portions 443. In addition, near the center of the heat exchanger 410 in the effective length direction, a water guide member 430a having a tip portion 443 that protrudes to a higher position is provided, making it easier for condensed water near the center of the heat exchanger 410, where it is particularly likely to accumulate, to flow to the tip portions 443.

[0100] The condensed water that has flowed to the tip 443 flows downward along the surfaces 441a, 441b, 443a, and 443b of the protruding portion 440, due to the action of gravity, toward the upper surfaces 453 and 456 of the base portion 450. At this time, the condensed water tends to flow smoothly through the water guide grooves 445 and 447 formed in the protruding portion 440.

[0101] The condensed water that has flowed onto each upper surface 453, 456 flows along the upper surfaces 453, 456 into each drain hole 455, 458. At this time, the condensed water tends to flow smoothly through each drain groove 454, 457 to each drain hole 455, 458. The condensed water flows into the drain flow path S through each drain hole 455, 458.

[0102] The condensed water that has flowed into the drainage flow path S flows through the drainage flow path S and then flows into the drain outlet of the drain pan 406, and is then drained to the outside of the outdoor unit 401. At this time, because the upper end of the drainage flow path S is located below the lower surface 413b of the lower header pipe 413, the condensed water flowing through the drainage flow path S is unlikely to come into contact with the lower header pipe 413 and the flat tubes 411.

[0103] [4-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in the present embodiment, heat exchanger 410 may include a plurality of flat tubes 411 arranged in parallel at intervals and extending in the vertical direction, corrugated fins 414 arranged between adjacent flat tubes 411, and a lower header pipe 413 connected to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes 411. The heat exchanger 410 may be installed on drain pan 406, have a water guide member 430 between drain pan 406 and lower header pipe 413, and have a protrusion 440 that protrudes above an upper surface 413a of the lower header pipe 413. This allows condensed water adhering to the lower part of heat exchanger 410 to be guided to water guide member 430 and drained. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water from heat exchanger 410. In particular, in this embodiment, the water guide members 430 are provided in the same number as the corrugated fins 414 between the flat tubes 411, making it easier to drain condensed water that accumulates below all of the corrugated fins 414.

[0104] As in the present embodiment, the water guide member 430 may be attached to the lower header pipe 413, and the heat exchanger 410 may be installed on the drain pan 406 with the water guide member 430 in contact with the drain pan 406 from above. This allows the water guide member 430 to also be used as a support member that supports the heat exchanger 410 on the drain pan 406. This simplifies the configuration of the heat exchanger 410. In particular, in the present embodiment, the water guide member 430 is configured to be detachable from the lower header pipe 413 by fitting, and therefore can be easily attached to the lower header pipe 413.

[0105] As in the present embodiment, the water guide member 430 may be configured such that water guide grooves 445, 447 extending along the surfaces 441a, 441b, 443a, 443b of the protrusion 440 are formed on the surfaces 441a, 441b, 443a, 443b. This allows condensed water that trickles down the surfaces 441a, 441b, 443a, 443b of the protrusion 440 to flow smoothly. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger 410. In particular, in the present embodiment, the water guide grooves 445, 447 are formed on the surfaces on both sides of the protrusion 440 in the airflow direction, which makes it easier to drain condensed water.

[0106] As in the present embodiment, the protruding portion 440 may have a curved portion 441 extending vertically along the lower header pipe 413, the water guide member 430 may have a base portion 450 formed therein that is connected to the curved portion 441 and contacts the drain pan 406 from above, and the base portion 450 may have a second drain hole 458 formed therethrough at a position outside the curved portion 441. As a result, the base portion 450 formed to the outside of the curved portion 441 stabilizes the installation of the heat exchanger 410 relative to the drain pan 406, while allowing condensed water that has flowed into the base portion 450 to be drained. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger 410.

[0107] As in the present embodiment, the base portion 450 may be configured to have a second drain groove 457 extending toward the second drain hole 458. This allows the condensed water that has flowed into the base portion 450 to flow efficiently into the second drain hole 458. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger 410. In particular, in the present embodiment, the dam portion 459 can prevent the condensed water flowing in the second drain groove 457 from flowing downwind from the second upper surface 456, making it less likely that the condensed water will leak.

[0108] As in the present embodiment, the water guide member 430 may be configured to have first drainage holes 455 formed below the lower header pipe 413 and penetrating the water guide member 430. This allows condensation water adhering to the lower header pipe 413 to be drained through the first drainage holes 455. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger 410. In particular, in the present embodiment, the upper ends of the first drainage holes 455 are connected to the first drainage grooves 454 formed in the first upper surface 453, making it easier to guide condensation water adhering to the lower header pipe 413 to the first drainage holes 455.

[0109] As in the present embodiment, the water guide member 430 may be configured to form a drainage flow path S between itself and the drain pan 406, and the lower ends of the drainage holes 455, 458 may open to the drainage flow path S. This allows condensed water that has flowed through the drainage holes 455, 458 to flow into the drainage flow path S. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger 410. In particular, in the present embodiment, the drainage flow paths S formed in adjacent water guide members 430 are connected to each other in the effective length direction, so that the drainage flow path S can guide condensed water over a long distance, making it easier to drain the condensed water from the drain pan 406.

[0110] As in the present embodiment, the upper end of the drainage flow path S may be configured to be located below the lower surface 413b of the lower header pipe 413. This makes it less likely that condensed water flowing through the drainage flow path S will come into contact with the lower header pipe 413 and the flat tubes 411. This improves the corrosion resistance of the lower header pipe 413 and the flat tubes 411.

[0111] As in the present embodiment, the protrusions 440 may be configured to come into contact with the corrugated fins 414. This allows condensed water adhering to the corrugated fins 414 to easily flow toward the protrusions 440. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger 410.

[0112] As in the present embodiment, the heat exchanger 410 may be configured such that a plurality of protrusions 440 are arranged in the effective length direction, and the protrusions 440 near the center of the heat exchanger 410 in the effective length direction extend higher than the protrusions 440 located outside the protrusions 440 near the center. This configuration facilitates drainage of condensed water, particularly near the center of the heat exchanger 410 in the effective length direction, where condensed water is likely to accumulate. This facilitates drainage of condensed water evenly throughout the heat exchanger 410. In particular, in the present embodiment, the protrusions 440 of the water guide members 430a near the center of the heat exchanger 410 have long tip portions 443 that contact the corrugated fins 414, making it easier to guide condensed water from the corrugated fins 414 to the water guide members 430a.

[0113] As in the present embodiment, the protrusions 440 may be configured to be inserted between adjacent flat tubes 411. This makes it easier to bring the protrusions 440 closer to the corrugated fins 414, making it easier for condensed water adhering to the corrugated fins 414 to flow toward the protrusions 440. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger 410. In particular, in the present embodiment, the protrusions 440 are inserted between all of the adjacent flat tubes 411, making it easier to drain condensed water from each corrugated fin 414.

[0114] As in the present embodiment, the tip 443 of the protrusion 440 may be configured to have a shape in which the width dimension along the effective length direction decreases toward the tip 444. This makes it easier to insert the protrusion 440 between adjacent flat tubes 411.

[0115] As in the present embodiment, the water guide member 430 may be made of a resin material, which can improve the corrosion resistance of the lower header pipe 413, the flat tubes 411, and the water guide member 430.

[0116] As in the present embodiment, the protrusions 440 may be configured to be located on the downwind side of the corrugated fins 414. This allows the condensed water that has flowed to the downwind side of the corrugated fins 414 to be drained by the water guide members 430. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger 410.

[0117] In this embodiment, the outdoor unit 401 includes a heat exchanger 410 having a plurality of flat tubes 411 arranged in parallel at intervals and extending in the vertical direction, corrugated fins 414 arranged between adjacent flat tubes 411, and a lower header pipe 413 connected to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes 411; and a drain pan 406 in which the heat exchanger 410 is installed. The heat exchanger 410 includes a water guide member 430 between the drain pan 406 and the lower header pipe 413, and the water guide member 430 has a protrusion 440 that protrudes above an upper surface 413a of the lower header pipe 413. This allows condensed water adhering to the lower part of the heat exchanger 410 to be guided to the water guide member 430 and drained. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger 410.

[0118] (Other Embodiments) As described above, the fourth embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can also be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine the components described in the fourth embodiment above to create new embodiments. Therefore, other embodiments will be described below as examples.

[0119] In the fourth embodiment, the water guide member 430 is described as being made of resin, but this is merely an example. For example, the water guide member 430 may be made of a metal such as aluminum. In particular, the water guide member 430 may be made of a material that is more base in potential than the lower header pipe 413 and the flat tubes 411. This can improve the corrosion resistance of the lower header pipe 413 and the flat tubes 411.

[0120] In the fourth embodiment, the heat exchanger 410 is described as being provided with one lower header pipe 413, but this is merely an example. The heat exchanger 410 may be provided with a plurality of lower header pipes 413. Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the lower header pipe 413 according to a modified example, showing a cross section perpendicular to the effective length direction.

[0121] A heat exchanger 410 according to the modified example is provided with two lower header pipes 413 aligned in the direction of airflow. A water guide member 430 is attached to each of the two lower header pipes 413. The water guide member 430 attached to one lower header pipe 413 and the water guide member 430 attached to the other header pipe 413 are disposed symmetrically in the direction of airflow. That is, the protruding portion 440 of the water guide member 430 attached to one lower header pipe 413 is located on the downwind side of the corrugated fins 414, and the water guide member 430 attached to the other lower header pipe 413 is located on the upwind side of the corrugated fins 414.

[0122] That is, as in the modified example, the heat exchanger 410 may have a plurality of lower header pipes 413, and the water guide member 430 may be attached to each of the lower header pipes 413. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger 410 having a plurality of lower header pipes 413.

[0123] In the fourth embodiment, the water guide member 430 is described as being detachable from the lower header pipe 413, but this is just one example. For example, the water guide member 430 may be fixed to the lower header pipe 413 by brazing or the like.

[0124] In the fourth embodiment, it has been described that one water guide member 430 has one protrusion 440, but this is merely an example. For example, the water guide member may be a single member formed by connecting any number of water guide members 430 according to the fourth embodiment in the effective length direction. In this case, one water guide member has a plurality of protrusions 440.

[0125] In the fourth embodiment, it has been described that the protrusions 440 are inserted between all of the adjacent flat tubes 411, but this is just an example. It is sufficient that one or more protrusions 440 are provided, and they do not have to be inserted between the adjacent flat tubes 411.

[0126] In the fourth embodiment, it has been described that the tip end 443 of the protrusion 440 contacts the corrugated fin 414, but this is just an example. It is sufficient that the protrusion 440 is close to the corrugated fin 414.

[0127] In the fourth embodiment, it has been described that the outdoor unit 401 is provided in an air conditioner and the heat exchanger 410 is mounted on the drain pan 406, but this is merely an example. The outdoor unit 401 may be provided in an apparatus that uses at least the heat exchanger 410 as an evaporator and utilizes a refrigeration cycle. For example, the outdoor unit 401 may be the outdoor unit of a heat pump water heater or the like. Furthermore, the heat exchanger 410 may be mounted on a part of the outdoor unit 401 other than the drain pan 406.

[0128] In the fourth embodiment, it has been described that the corrugated fins 414 are provided between the adjacent flat tubes 411, but this is just one example. Fins other than the corrugated fins 414 may be provided between the adjacent flat tubes 411.

[0129] In embodiment 4, it has been explained that two types of water-guiding members 430a, 430b having different lengths of tip portion 443 are provided, but this is just one example, and the configuration may also include three or more types of water-guiding members 430 having different lengths of tip portion 443.

[0130] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0131] (Additional Notes) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following technology. (Technology 1) A heat exchanger including a plurality of flat tubes extending in the vertical direction and arranged in parallel, and corrugated fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes, wherein the corrugated fins have non-exposed portions whose positions in the ventilation direction overlap with the positions of the flat tubes in the ventilation direction, and exposed portions that protrude further than the flat tubes in the ventilation direction, and wherein the exposed portions have bent portions that are bent toward the adjacent flat tubes. This makes it easier for condensed water adhering to the heat exchanger to flow along the bent portions. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger that makes it easy to drain condensed water.

[0132] (Technology 2) The heat exchanger according to Technology 1, characterized in that the bent portion is inclined more vertically than the non-exposed portion. This makes it easier for condensed water adhering to the heat exchanger to flow along the bent portion. Therefore, it is possible to provide a heat exchanger that makes it easier to drain condensed water.

[0133] (Technology 3) The heat exchanger according to Technology 1 or 2, characterized in that the length of the bent portion is equal to or greater than the distance between adjacent unexposed portions of the corrugated fin in the vertical direction. This allows condensed water flowing along the bent portion to easily flow directly to the bent portion one level below. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0134] (Technology 4) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 1 to 3, wherein the dimension of the exposed portion in the airflow direction is equal to or less than half the dimension of the flat tube in the airflow direction. This prevents the corrugated fins from becoming too large. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger that can easily drain condensed water while reducing manufacturing costs.

[0135] (Technology 5) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 1 to 4, wherein the corrugated fins are provided with water guides that guide condensed water toward the start points of the bends. This makes it easier for condensed water adhering to the corrugated fins to flow toward the bends. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0136] (Technology 6) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 1 to 5, wherein the non-exposed portion is inclined in the direction of the airflow so that the side where the exposed portion is provided is positioned downward. This makes it easier for condensed water adhering to the corrugated fins to flow to the bent portions. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger that makes it easy to drain condensed water.

[0137] (Technology 7) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 1 to 6, wherein the exposed portion is provided only on the downwind side of the non-exposed portion in the airflow direction. This makes it possible to prevent the corrugated fins from becoming too large and to facilitate the flow of condensed water toward the bent portion by utilizing the air flow passing through the heat exchanger. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger that allows condensed water to be easily drained while reducing manufacturing costs.

[0138] (Technology 8) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 1 to 7, wherein the bent portion of the lowest tier of the corrugated fin is located close to a header pipe. This allows condensed water that flows along the bent portion of the lowest tier to easily flow down the header pipe. This makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0139] (Technology 9) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 1 to 8, wherein the bent portion is provided in the lower portion of the heat exchanger. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the lower portion of the heat exchanger, which is particularly required to have a high drainage capacity, through the bent portion. Therefore, it is possible to provide a heat exchanger that makes it easier to drain condensed water.

[0140] (Technology 10) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 1 to 6 or 8 to 9, wherein the exposed portion is provided on the windward side of the non-exposed portion in the airflow direction. This delays frost formation on the windward side of the heat exchanger, making it less likely that the airflow path of the heat exchanger will be blocked. This makes it easier to suppress a decrease in heat exchange efficiency in the heat exchanger.

[0141] (Technology 11) A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel; and corrugated fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes, wherein the corrugated fins have non-exposed portions whose positions in the ventilation direction overlap with the positions of the flat tubes in the ventilation direction; and exposed portions that protrude beyond the flat tubes in the ventilation direction, wherein slits are formed in the exposed portions that allow the exposed portions to bend toward the flat tubes. This allows a bent portion for draining condensed water to be formed simply by bending the exposed portions toward the flat tubes using the slits as a boundary. This makes it easier to provide a heat exchanger that facilitates drainage of condensed water.

[0142] (Technology 12) A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger includes the steps of: fixing a corrugated fin with a slit between a plurality of parallel-arranged flat tubes; and bending the corrugated fin toward the flat tubes at the slit to form a bent portion. This allows for the manufacture of a heat exchanger with a bent portion through a simple manufacturing process. This makes it easier to provide a heat exchanger that allows condensed water to be easily drained.

[0143] (Technology 13) A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel at intervals and extending in the vertical direction, fins disposed between adjacent flat tubes, and a lower header pipe connected to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes, the heat exchanger being installed on an installation section, the heat exchanger further comprising a water guide member between the installation section and the lower header pipe, the water guide member having a protrusion that protrudes above the upper surface of the lower header pipe. This allows condensed water adhering to the lower part of the heat exchanger to be guided to the water guide member and drained. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0144] (Technology 14) The heat exchanger according to Technology 13, wherein the water guide member is attached to the lower header pipe, and the heat exchanger is installed on the installation section with the water guide member in contact with the installation section from above. This allows the water guide member to be used as a support member for supporting the heat exchanger on the installation section, thereby simplifying the configuration of the heat exchanger.

[0145] (Technology 15) The heat exchanger according to Technology 13 or 14, wherein the surface of the protrusion is formed with a water guide groove extending along the surface. This allows condensed water running along the surface of the protrusion to flow smoothly, making it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0146] (Technology 16) A heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 13 to 15, wherein the protruding portion has a curved portion extending vertically along the lower header pipe, the water guide member has a base portion formed on the water guide member that is connected to the curved portion and contacts the installation portion from above, and the base portion has drainage holes formed on the outside of the curved portion that penetrate the base portion. This allows condensed water that has flowed onto the base portion to be drained while stabilizing the installation of the heat exchanger on the installation portion using the base portion that is formed to the outside of the curved portion. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0147] (Technology 17) The heat exchanger according to Technology 16, wherein the base portion has a drain groove extending toward the drain hole. This allows condensed water that has flowed into the base portion to flow efficiently into the drain hole. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0148] (Technology 18) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 13 to 17, wherein the water guide member has a drain hole formed below the lower header pipe that passes through the water guide member. This allows condensed water adhering to the lower header pipe to be drained through the drain hole, making it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0149] (Technology 19) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 16 to 18, wherein the water guide member forms a drainage flow path between the water guide member and the installation portion, and the lower end of the drainage hole opens into the drainage flow path. This allows condensed water that has flowed through the drainage hole to flow into the drainage flow path, making it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0150] (Technology 20) A heat exchanger according to Technology 19, wherein the upper end of the drainage flow path is located below the lower surface of the lower header pipe. This makes it difficult for condensed water flowing through the drainage flow path to come into contact with the lower header pipe and the flat tubes. This improves the corrosion resistance of the lower header pipe and the flat tubes.

[0151] (Technology 21) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 13 to 20, wherein the protrusions are in contact with the fins. This allows condensed water adhering to the fins to easily flow along the protrusions, making it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0152] (Technology 22) The heat exchanger according to any one of Techniques 13 to 21, wherein the plurality of protrusions are arranged in the effective length direction, and the protrusions near the center of the heat exchanger in the effective length direction extend higher than the protrusions located outside the protrusions near the center. This makes it easier to drain condensed water, particularly near the center of the effective length direction of the heat exchanger where condensed water is likely to accumulate. This makes it easier to drain condensed water evenly from the entire heat exchanger.

[0153] (Technology 23) The heat exchanger according to any one of Techniques 13 to 22, wherein the protrusions are inserted between adjacent flat tubes. This makes it easier to bring the protrusions closer to the fins, making it easier for condensed water adhering to the fins to flow toward the protrusions. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0154] (Technology 24) A heat exchanger according to any one of Techniques 13 to 23, wherein the tip of the protrusion has a shape in which the width dimension along the effective length direction decreases toward the tip. This makes it easier to insert the protrusion between adjacent flat tubes.

[0155] (Technology 25) A heat exchanger according to any one of Techniques 13 to 24, wherein the water guide member is made of a material that is electrically less noble than the lower header pipe and the flat tubes. This allows the water guide member to be used as a corrosion inhibitor for the lower header pipe and the flat tubes, thereby improving the corrosion resistance of the lower header pipe and the flat tubes.

[0156] (Technology 26) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 13 to 24, wherein the water guide member is made of a resin material. This can improve the corrosion resistance of the lower header pipe, the flat tubes, and the water guide member.

[0157] (Technology 27) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 13 to 26, which has a plurality of the lower header pipes, and the water guide member is attached to each of the lower header pipes. This makes it easier to drain condensed water in a heat exchanger having a plurality of lower header pipes.

[0158] (Technology 28) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technologies 13 to 27, wherein the protrusion is located on the downwind side of the fin. This allows condensed water that has flowed to the downwind side of the fin to be drained by the water guide member. This makes it easier to drain condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0159] (Technology 29) An outdoor unit including a heat exchanger having a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel at intervals and extending in the vertical direction, fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes, and a lower header pipe connected to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes, and an installation section in which the heat exchanger is installed, the heat exchanger having a water guide member between the installation section and the lower header pipe, the water guide member having a protrusion that protrudes above the upper surface of the lower header pipe. This allows condensed water adhering to the lower part of the heat exchanger to be guided to the water guide member and drained. This makes it easier to drain the condensed water from the heat exchanger.

[0160] The heat exchangers according to the first and second aspects of the present disclosure and the manufacturing method of the heat exchanger according to the third aspect of the present disclosure are applicable to heat exchangers and manufacturing methods of heat exchangers, specifically to heat exchangers that function as evaporators in the refrigeration cycles of air conditioners, refrigerators, etc., and manufacturing methods thereof.

[0161] The heat exchanger according to the fourth aspect and the outdoor unit according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure are applicable to heat exchangers and outdoor units, specifically, to heat exchangers that function as at least an evaporator, and to outdoor units of devices that use a refrigeration cycle, such as air conditioners or heat pump water heaters.

[0162] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Heat exchanger 2 Lower part 3 Upper part 10 Flat tube 11 Upper header pipe 13 Lower header pipe 30 Corrugated fin 31 Fin 33 Bent part 35 Non-exposed part 37 Exposed part 38 Bending starting point part (starting point of bending part) 39 Bent part 101 Heat exchanger 130 Corrugated fin 135 Non-exposed part 136 Rib 230 Sheet metal 239 Slit 239a First straight part 239b Second straight part 301 Heat exchanger 330 Corrugated fin D1 Spacing H Horizontal plane L1 Dimension L2 Dimension L3 Length 401 Outdoor unit 402 Compressor 403 Four-way valve 404 Expansion valve 405 Blower 406 Drain pan (installation part) 410 Heat exchanger 411 Flat tube 412 Upper header pipe 413 Lower header pipe 413a Upper surface 413b Lower surface 414 Corrugated fin (fin) 430, 430a, 430b Water guide member 440 Protruding portion 441 Curved portion 441a Inner surface (surface of protruding portion) 441b Outer surface (surface of protruding portion) 443 Tip portion 443a First surface (surface of protruding portion) 443b Second surface (surface of protruding portion) 444 Tip 445 First water guide groove (water guide groove) 447 Second water guide groove (water guide groove) 450 Base portion 451 Lower surface 452 Flow path forming portion 453 First upper surface 454 First drain groove (drain groove) 455 First drain hole (drain hole) 456 Second upper surface 457 Second drainage ditch (drainage ditch) 458 Second drainage hole (drainage hole) 459 Weir part

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of flat tubes extending in a vertical direction and arranged in parallel; and corrugated fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes, wherein the corrugated fins have non-exposed portions whose positions in the ventilation direction overlap with those of the flat tubes in the ventilation direction; and exposed portions that protrude further than the flat tubes in the ventilation direction, and wherein the exposed portions have bent portions that are bent toward the adjacent flat tubes.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the bent portion is inclined more vertically than the non-exposed portion.

3. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the bent portion is equal to or greater than the distance between adjacent non-exposed portions of the corrugated fin in the vertical direction.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the dimension of the exposed portion in the airflow direction is equal to or less than half the dimension of the flat tube in the airflow direction.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the corrugated fins are provided with water guide sections that guide condensed water toward the starting points of the bent sections.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the non-exposed portion is inclined in a direction in which the side on which the exposed portion is provided is positioned downward in the direction of ventilation.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the exposed portion is provided only on the downwind side of the non-exposed portion in the direction of the airflow.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the bent portion at the lowest stage of the corrugated fin is adjacent to a header pipe.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the bent portion is provided at a lower portion of the heat exchanger.

10. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the exposed portion is provided on the windward side of the non-exposed portion in the direction of airflow.

11. A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel; and corrugated fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes, wherein the corrugated fins have non-exposed portions whose positions in the ventilation direction overlap with the positions of the flat tubes in the ventilation direction; and exposed portions that protrude further than the flat tubes in the ventilation direction, and wherein slits are formed in the exposed portions to enable the exposed portions to be bent toward the flat tubes.

12. A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger, comprising: a step of fixing a corrugated fin having a slit formed therein between a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel; and a step of bending the corrugated fin toward the flat tubes using the slit as a boundary to form a bent portion.

13. A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel at intervals from one another and extending in the vertical direction; fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes; and a lower header pipe connected to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes, the heat exchanger being installed on an installation section, wherein a water-conducting member is provided between the installation section and the lower header pipe, and the water-conducting member has a protruding portion that protrudes above the upper surface of the lower header pipe.

14. The heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the water guide member is attached to the lower header pipe, and the heat exchanger is installed on the installation section with the water guide member in contact with the installation section from above.

15. The heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the surface of the protrusion is formed with a water guide groove extending along the surface.

16. A heat exchanger as described in claim 13, wherein the protrusion has a curved portion extending vertically along the lower header pipe, the water guide member has a base portion formed thereon that is connected to the curved portion and contacts the installation portion from above, and the base portion has a drainage hole formed therein at a position outside the curved portion that passes through the base portion.

17. The heat exchanger according to claim 16, wherein the base portion is formed with a drain groove extending toward the drain hole.

18. A heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the water guide member has a drain hole formed below the lower header pipe that passes through the water guide member.

19. A heat exchanger according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the water guide member forms a drainage flow path between itself and the installation portion, and the lower end of the drainage hole opens into the drainage flow path.

20. A heat exchanger according to claim 19, wherein the upper end of the drainage flow path is located below the lower surface of the lower header pipe.

21. The heat exchanger of claim 13, wherein the protrusions contact the fins.

22. A heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of the protrusions are arranged side by side in the effective length direction, and the protrusions near the center of the heat exchanger in the effective length direction extend higher than the protrusions located outside the protrusions near the center.

23. The heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the protrusions are inserted between adjacent flat tubes.

24. A heat exchanger according to claim 23, wherein the tip of the protrusion has a shape in which the width dimension along the effective length direction decreases toward the tip.

25. A heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the water guide member is made of a material that is electrically less noble than the lower header pipe and the flat tubes.

26. The heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the water guide member is made of a resin material.

27. A heat exchanger according to claim 13, comprising a plurality of said lower header pipes, each of said lower header pipes being fitted with said water guide member.

28. The heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the protrusion is located on the downwind side of the fin.

29. An outdoor unit comprising: a heat exchanger having a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel at intervals from each other and extending in the vertical direction, fins arranged between adjacent flat tubes, and a lower header pipe connected to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes; and an installation section in which the heat exchanger is installed, wherein the heat exchanger has a water-conducting member between the installation section and the lower header pipe, and the water-conducting member has a protruding section that protrudes above the upper surface of the lower header pipe.

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