HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A HEAT EXCHANGER

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger for a motor vehicle, comprising a heat exchanger block and at least one collection box with a tube plate. The heat exchanger block is made of a plurality of adjacent tubes and corrugated rib elements arranged between the tubes, and one of the end regions of the tubes is received in the tube plate of the collection box in a fluid-tight manner. The tube plate of the collection box is made of plastic and is injection molded onto the heat exchanger block. A spacer element through which the tubes are guided is arranged between the tube plate of the collection box and the heat exchanger block, and the corrugated rib elements are spaced from the tube plate of the collection box by the spacer. The invention further relates to a method for producing a heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for a motor vehicle, comprising a heat exchanger block and at least one collection box, wherein the heat exchanger block is made of a plurality of tubes adjacent to one another and corrugated fin elements arranged therebetween, and one of the end regions of the tubes is received in the tube plate of the collection box in a fluid-tight manner, wherein the tube plate of the collection box is made of plastic and is molded onto the heat exchanger block by injection molding, wherein a spacer element is arranged between the tube plate of the collection box and the heat exchanger block, through which the tubes are conducted, wherein the corrugated fin elements are spaced apart from the tube plate of the collection box by the spacer element.

2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube plate of the collection box is connected to a cover of the collection box to form the collection box.

3. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer element is formed by a perforated plate exhibiting openings that match the tubes in the heat exchanger block in such a manner that they project through the openings with an accurate fit.

4. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube plate of the collection box is injection-molded onto the heat exchanger block using a plastic injection-molding process.

5. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubes have at the end an at least partially circumferential groove and/or are surface-treated and/or coated at the end.

6. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger has two collection boxes, wherein the tubes each open out at the ends into one of the collection boxes and are connected in a fluid-tight manner thereto, wherein a spacer element is arranged between each of the collection boxes and the heat exchanger block.

7. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer element is coated with plastic on the side turned away from the heat exchanger block, which forms the tube plate of the collection box, wherein the tubes are connected to the injection-molded tube plate of the collection box in a substance-bonded and/or positive-locking manner.

8. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer element forms a reinforcement of the plate region of the collection box facing the heat exchanger block, wherein the spacer element is connected to the tube plate of the collection box in a positive-locking and/or substance-bonded manner.

9. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer element is soldered and/or welded and/or clamped and/or adhered to the tubes and/or the corrugated fin elements.

10. A method for producing a heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heat exchanger block is produced from a plurality of tubes adjacent to one another and corrugated fin elements arranged therebetween, wherein a spacer element is placed on the tubes at the ends and the tube plate of the collection box is injection-molded integrally to the heat exchanger block and/or the spacer element.

11. The method for producing a heat exchanger as claimed in claim 10, wherein the tubes penetrate the spacer element through precise openings formed in it and the corrugated fin elements are completely covered by the spacer element.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the tube plate of the collection box is injection-molded onto the tubes projecting through the spacer element, wherein the tube plate is connected to the projecting sections of the tubes and/or the spacer element in a substance-bonded and/or positive-locking manner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] In the following, the invention is explained in detail with the help of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through an end region of a heat exchanger block, wherein the tubes open out into a tube plate of the collection box injection-molded onto the heat exchanger block and a spacer element is arranged between the tube plate of the collection box and the corrugated fin elements, and

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a spacer element, as was used in FIG. 1 for the spacing of the tube plate of the collection box from the corrugated fin elements.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through a heat exchanger 1. The heat exchanger 1 has a heat exchanger block 7, which is formed by a plurality of tubes 2 and corrugated fin elements 3 arranged therebetween. The heat exchanger block 7 is conventional in design, the tubes 2 being arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another. In the gaps between the tubes 2, corrugated rib elements 3 are arranged and are in thermally conductive contact with the tubes 2.

[0040] The tubes 2 exhibit a longer extension than the corrugated fin elements 3, which is why the corrugated fin elements 3 project laterally from the heat exchanger block 7. A spacer element 4 is placed on the projecting tubes 2, which spacer element exhibits a plurality of openings 6. The tubes 2 project through the openings 6. The cross sections of the openings 6 are adapted to the cross sections of the tubes 2, as a result of which a play-free fit of the spacer element 4 on the tubes 2 is achieved. The spacer element 4 or else the openings 6 is/are adapted to the arrangement of the tubes 2 within the heat transmission block 7.

[0041] A collection box 5 with a tube plate 8 is attached to the spacer element 4, which is produced by an injection method. The tube plate 8 of the collection box 5 is injection-molded straight onto the heat exchanger block 7. The tube plate 8 of the collection box 5 is injection-molded around the sections of the tubes 2 projecting through the spacer element 4, as a result of which, depending on the configuration of the tubes 2, a positive-locking and/or substance-bonded connection is produced.

[0042] The spacer element 4 may likewise be spray-coated completely or partially with the plastic of the tube plate 8 of the collection box 5, as a result of which a positive-locking and/or substance-bonded connection is likewise produced. The spacer element 4 may either be fitted onto the tubes 2 of the heat exchanger block or connected to the tubes 2 and/or the corrugated fin elements 3. This may be achieved by, among other things, conventional joining techniques, such as welding or soldering.

[0043] The main purpose of the spacer element 4 is to prevent plastic from penetrating the region of the corrugated fin elements 3 during the injection-molding process, in which the collection box 5 or the tube plate 8 of the collection box 5 is configured, and causing damage to or obstruction of the corrugated fin elements 3 there. In this case, with a separate configuration of the tube plate 8, said tube plate can be joined to a cover to form the collection box 5.

[0044] The collection box 5 is depicted is a box-shaped body in FIG. 1 which receives the regions at the ends of the tubes 2 of the heat exchanger block 7. In alternative exemplary embodiments, the tube plate 8 of the collection box 5 and also the collection box 5 may also assume different shapes. In particular, the shape of the tube plate 8 and of the collection box 5 must be adapted to the planned application. The collection box 5 may be formed by a single section on the inside or be divided into several sections by partition walls which are co-produced during the injection-molding process.

[0045] A change in the shape of the collection box 5 and/or of the tube plate 8 may be achieved by simply influencing the tool used for injecting the plastic. By using a suitable tool and the spacer element 4, a functional heat exchanger 1 can be produced which, in particular, can be produced without damage to the heat exchanger block 7, putting the available installation space to the best possible use. Furthermore, time-consuming sealing work and additional sealing elements are not necessary, as the tube plate 8 of the collection box 5 is integrally formed. Through the use of suitable plastics, adequate and satisfactory durability can be achieved.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a spacer element 4. The spacer element 4 has a rectangular, plate-shaped form. Along the spacer element 4 are arranged several openings 6 which are used to guide through the end regions of the tubes 2. The openings 6 are, as already mentioned, adapted to the arrangement of the tubes 2 and have a cross section that corresponds to the outer diameter of the tubes 2 in such a manner that the smallest possible play is produced between the spacer element 4 and the tubes 2.

[0047] In FIG. 2, the corrugated fins 3 arranged behind the spacer element 4 are indicated by dotted lines 3. The spacer element 4 may be formed from the same material as the tubes 2 and the corrugated fins 3 or likewise from a plastic, like the tube plate 8 of the collection box 5, for example.

[0048] The exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 1 and 2 are exemplary and explain the basic idea underlying the invention. They do not exhibit a limiting character, particularly with regard to the shape, material choice and embodiment of the individual elements. The heat exchanger block 7, in particular, may be configured in a variety of ways deviating from the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in that the tubes and/or the corrugated fins are differently configured and the arrangement differs relative to one another.