A method for expanding an end of a pipe made of plastics having shape memory with the aid of an expander tool having a tool head having an expansion member arranged to be insertable inside the end of the pipe. The method includes steps of measuring the temperature of the pipe to be expanded, adjusting at least one of the expansion control parameters of the tool head on the basis the measured temperature of the pipe, and expanding the end of the pipe utilizing the adjusted expansion control parameter of the tool head. The expander tool includes a temperature sensor for measuring temperature of the pipe to be expanded and/or ambient temperature, and an electronic control unit for adjusting at least one of the expansion control parameters of the tool head on the basis the measured temperature value.

The present invention provides manufacturing method of a heat exchanger that, even if the position of a tube opening portion of a tube of a heat exchanger for which tube expansion is conducted, varies depending on the type of a heat exchanger, a mechanism adjusting the stop position of a flare plate as well as any complicated adjusting work therefor are not necessary and a heat exchanger in which flares in the same shape and in constant certain depth are formed at an opening portion of a tube of various kinds of heat exchangers having different total lengths in the longitudinal direction, and a device for a heat exchanger manufacturing method, and an air conditioner and/or outdoor unit thereof equipped with a heat exchanger manufactured using said manufacturing method.

The present invention provides manufacturing method of a heat exchanger that, even if the position of a tube opening portion of a tube of a heat exchanger for which tube expansion is conducted, varies depending on the type of a heat exchanger, a mechanism adjusting the stop position of a flare plate as well as any complicated adjusting work therefor are not necessary and a heat exchanger in which flares in the same shape and in constant certain depth are formed at an opening portion of a tube of various kinds of heat exchangers having different total lengths in the longitudinal direction, and a device for a heat exchanger manufacturing method, and an air conditioner and/or outdoor unit thereof equipped with a heat exchanger manufactured using said manufacturing method.

The present invention provides manufacturing method of a heat exchanger that, even if the position of a tube opening portion of a tube of a heat exchanger for which tube expansion is conducted, varies depending on the type of a heat exchanger, a mechanism adjusting the stop position of a flare plate as well as any complicated adjusting work therefor are not necessary and a heat exchanger in which flares in the same shape and in constant certain depth are formed at an opening portion of a tube of various kinds of heat exchangers having different total lengths in the longitudinal direction, and a device for a heat exchanger manufacturing method, and an air conditioner and/or outdoor unit thereof equipped with a heat exchanger manufactured using said manufacturing method.

The present invention provides manufacturing method of a heat exchanger that, even if the position of a tube opening portion of a tube of a heat exchanger for which tube expansion is conducted, varies depending on the type of a heat exchanger, a mechanism adjusting the stop position of a flare plate as well as any complicated adjusting work therefor are not necessary and a heat exchanger in which flares in the same shape and in constant certain depth are formed at an opening portion of a tube of various kinds of heat exchangers having different total lengths in the longitudinal direction, and a device for a heat exchanger manufacturing method, and an air conditioner and/or outdoor unit thereof equipped with a heat exchanger manufactured using said manufacturing method.

A vehicle structural member includes an elongate hollow member having an integrated structure, and supporting members joined to the elongate hollow member. The elongate hollow member includes: a first portion that includes a first pipe, a second pipe disposed outside the first pipe and extending along the first pipe, and a connection portion extending along the first pipe and the second pipe, formed integrally with the first pipe and the second pipe, and connecting the first pipe and the second pipe; and a second portion that includes the first pipe continuing from the first portion, and does not include the second pipe.

An expansion tool includes a housing, a collar rotatably coupled to the housing, the collar including a plurality of slots, a plurality of jaws, each jaw having a projection received in a corresponding one of the plurality of slots such that the jaws are coupled for co-rotation with the collar, a mandrel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position, the mandrel engageable with the jaws to expand the jaws in response to movement of the mandrel to the extended position, and a cone received within the plurality of jaws and engageable with inner surfaces of the plurality of jaws. The mandrel is configured to engage the cone to move the cone with the mandrel to expand the jaws as the mandrel moves toward the extended position, and a rotation mechanism is configured to incrementally rotate the collar.

An expansion tool includes a housing, a collar rotatably coupled to the housing, the collar including a plurality of slots, a plurality of jaws, each jaw having a projection received in a corresponding one of the plurality of slots such that the jaws are coupled for co-rotation with the collar, a mandrel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position, the mandrel engageable with the jaws to expand the jaws in response to movement of the mandrel to the extended position, and a cone received within the plurality of jaws and engageable with inner surfaces of the plurality of jaws. The mandrel is configured to engage the cone to move the cone with the mandrel to expand the jaws as the mandrel moves toward the extended position, and a rotation mechanism is configured to incrementally rotate the collar.

A joined body includes a tubular first member, and a second member including a plate-shaped wall portion in which a through-hole is formed, the first member being inserted into the through-hole. The collar member is interposed between the first member and the second member in at least a part of the hole peripheral wall of the through-hole. The first member and the second member are joined by expanding the first member at a portion corresponding to the through-hole.

A method for joining members according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: providing a bumper stay including two integrated pipe portions extending in an identical direction, the bumper stay including a recess provided between the pipe portions being adjacent to each other, the recess extending in a longitudinal direction of the pipe portions from end surfaces of the pipe portions, a part of the recess serving as a locking portion, and a bumper beam including a rear inclined wall formed with two hole portions into which the pipe portions of the bumper stay are insertable respectively; inserting the bumper stay into the hole portions of the bumper beam until the locking portion abuts on the rear inclined wall; and pipe-expanding an insertion portion of the bumper stay into the bumper beam to join the insertion portion to the bumper beam by press-fitting.