A heat exchanger includes multiple aluminum heat transfer tubes through which a heat medium flows, and multiple aluminum connection pipes brazed to end portions of the heat transfer tubes. A heat equalizing member formed of a heat conductor is disposed to be in contact with at least two of the connection pipes and be capable of transferring heat therebetween. A method for producing the heat exchanger includes brazing the heat transfer tubes to the connection pipes in a state where the heat equalizing member is in contact with the at least two of the connection pipes.

A method for forming a brazed joint between a first part having a first surface and a second part having a second surface may comprise applying at least two beads of braze filler at either of the first surface and the second surface, and assembling the first surface and the second surface to define a shiplap interface therebetween. The shiplap interface may terminate at a first terminus and a second terminus, and may include a first cavity and a second cavity. One of the beads of braze filler may be localized at the first cavity and the other may be localized at the second cavity. The method may further comprise melting each of the beads of braze filler to a braze liquid, and allowing the braze liquid to flow through the shiplap interface from the first cavity towards the first terminus, and from the second cavity towards the second terminus.

A method for forming a brazed joint between a first part having a first surface and a second part having a second surface may comprise applying at least two beads of braze filler at either of the first surface and the second surface, and assembling the first surface and the second surface to define a shiplap interface therebetween. The shiplap interface may terminate at a first terminus and a second terminus, and may include a first cavity and a second cavity. One of the beads of braze filler may be localized at the first cavity and the other may be localized at the second cavity. The method may further comprise melting each of the beads of braze filler to a braze liquid, and allowing the braze liquid to flow through the shiplap interface from the first cavity towards the first terminus, and from the second cavity towards the second terminus.

A refrigerant flow path module provided with a refrigerant flow path inside includes a first plate, a second plate that is overlapped on the first plate, a refrigerant pipe that contains copper and is attached to the first plate, a brazing material that contains copper and joins facing surfaces of the first plate and the second plate to each other, and a storage that stores the brazing material in excess.

A refrigerant flow path module provided with a refrigerant flow path inside includes a first plate, a second plate that is overlapped on the first plate, a refrigerant pipe that contains copper and is attached to the first plate, a brazing material that contains copper and joins facing surfaces of the first plate and the second plate to each other, and a storage that stores the brazing material in excess.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a joined component in which the overflow of brazing filler metal from the outer peripheral line of a joint boundary surface between a first member and a second member is suppressed, and a method for manufacturing the joined component. A joined component is obtained by joining, with brazing filler metal, a first member and a second member to each other at a joint boundary surface where the first member and the second member are in contact with each other, the joined component having a non-contact area that is provided on an inner side with respect to an outer peripheral line of the joint boundary surface and in which the first member and the second member are not in contact with each other. In the joined component, the first member has a retaining recess where the brazing filler metal that is melted when the first member and the second member are joined to each other is retained, the retaining recess providing the non-contact area. The molten brazing filler metal including some solidified part forms a brazing-filler-metal pool in the retaining recess.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a joined component in which the overflow of brazing filler metal from the outer peripheral line of a joint boundary surface between a first member and a second member is suppressed, and a method for manufacturing the joined component. A joined component is obtained by joining, with brazing filler metal, a first member and a second member to each other at a joint boundary surface where the first member and the second member are in contact with each other, the joined component having a non-contact area that is provided on an inner side with respect to an outer peripheral line of the joint boundary surface and in which the first member and the second member are not in contact with each other. In the joined component, the first member has a retaining recess where the brazing filler metal that is melted when the first member and the second member are joined to each other is retained, the retaining recess providing the non-contact area. The molten brazing filler metal including some solidified part forms a brazing-filler-metal pool in the retaining recess.

A plate is provided. The plate includes a steel substrate and a precoat having a layer of intermetallic alloy in contact with the substrate, topped by a layer of aluminum alloy. On at least one precoated face of the plate, an area situated at the periphery of the plate has the aluminum alloy layer removed. A part and a welded blank are also provided. Methods are also provided.

A method of fabricating a precoated steel plate is provided. The method includes coating a steel plate by dipping the steel plate in a molten bath to obtain a precoat upon the steel plate. The precoat consists of an intermetallic alloy layer and a metal alloy layer, the intermetallic alloy layer is topped by the metal alloy layer. On at least one face of the plate, the metal alloy layer is removed in an area at a periphery of the plate using a laser beam, while at least part of the intermetallic alloy layer is left in the area. The step of removing includes measuring a characteristic of the laser or an area where the metal alloy area is to be removed to obtain a measured value, comparing the measured value with a reference value and stopping a removal operation to leave the at least part of the intermetallic alloy in place as function of the comparing step. Additional methods are also provided.

A method of fabricating a precoated steel plate, the method including coating a steel plate by dipping the steel plate in a molten bath to obtain a precoat upon the steel plate, wherein the precoat includes an intermetallic alloy layer and a metal alloy layer. The intermetallic alloy layer is topped by the metal alloy layer. On at least one face of the plate, the metal alloy layer is removed in an area at a periphery of the plate using a laser beam, while leaving at least part of the intermetallic alloy layer in the area. The at least part of the intermetallic layer in the area has a thickness between 3 and 10 micrometers thick.