1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a heat exchanger. In particular, the present invention is directed toward a heat exchanger in which an insert positioned within a pipe of the heat exchanger is resiliently supported by an elastic support member.
2. Description of Related Art
A known heat exchanger, such as the heat exchanger described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H09-53867, includes a pair of header pipes. The header pipes communicate with each other via a plurality of tubes, and a plurality of fins are positioned between the tubes. A receiver is positioned adjacent to one of the header pipes. The receiver holds a desiccant unit, and the desiccant unit includes a desiccant. Specifically, the desiccant unit is suspended within the receiver via a cap threaded through an end of the receiver. A partitioning plate is positioned inside the receiver to form a tank area within the receiver.
In such known heat exchangers, the desiccant unit is suspended within the receiver by aligning the desiccant unit with the cap, and turning the cap in a predetermined direction to secure the desiccant unit to the receiver. To remove the desiccant unit from the receiver, e.g., in order to perform maintenance work on the desiccant unit, the cap is turned in a direction opposite the predetermined direction, and the desiccant unit is removed from the receiver.
During operation of such known heat exchangers, however, the heat exchanger vibrates. The vibration of the heat exchanger vibrates the desiccant unit, such that the desiccant unit may generate a predetermined amount of noise or may become damaged, or both.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a heat exchanger which overcomes these and other shortcomings of the related art. A technical advantage of the present invention is that when the heat exchanger vibrates, an amount of noise generated by the desiccant unit is less than the amount of noise generated by the vibration of the known heat exchangers. Another technical advantage of the present invention is that when the heat exchanger vibrates, the desiccant unit is less likely to be damaged.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a heat exchanger comprises a pipe having at least one opening formed therein, and an insert positioned within the pipe. The heat exchanger also comprises at least one cap member for sealing the at least one opening, and a support member for resiliently supporting the insert. Specifically, the support member is positioned between the insert and the at least one cap member.
Other objects, features, and advantage will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the needs satisfied thereby, and the objects, features, and advantages thereof, reference now is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention and their features and advantages may be understood by referring to
Referring to
In an embodiment of the present invention, the volume of subcool core 10 may be between about 5% and about 12% of the total volume of heat exchanger 1. Specifically, the volume of subcool core 10 may be selected, such that a cooling rate of heat exchanger 1 is optimized, and a pressure at a high-pressure side heat exchanger 1 is less than a predetermined pressure. Moreover, second header pipe 3 may comprise a header portion 3a connected to an inlet side of subcool core 10. Header portion 3a may form a liquid tank 11 for storing a liquid refrigerant. Specifically, the refrigerant from refrigerant condensing core 9 may be stored in tank 11, and then may flow into each of the second plurality of heat exchange tubes 4 of subcool core 10. An insert 14, e.g., a desiccant unit, may be positioned within second header pipe 3. Insert 14 may comprise a case 12 and a desiccant 13 positioned inside case 12. Insert 14 may comprise a plurality of holes 24 formed therethrough, and a strainer portion 25.
Referring to
In an embodiment of the present invention, an elastic protrusion 19, e.g., a protrusion manufactured from rubber, resin, or the like, may be fixed to first cap 17. For example, elastic protrusion 19 may be press fitted into an opening formed in first cap 17, such that a first portion of elastic protrusion 19 is positioned within the opening of first cap 17, and a second portion of elastic protrusion 19 is positioned outside the opening of first cap 17. The second portion of elastic protrusion 19 may engage insert 14, such that elastic protrusion 19 resiliently supports insert 14. In another embodiment of the present invention, the second portion of elastic protrusion 19 may be fixed to insert 14, such that the first portion of elastic protrusion 19 may move into and out of the opening of first cap 17.
Second header pipe 3 also may comprise an annular supporting plate 21 positioned within second header pipe 3. Annular supporting plate 21 may comprise an insert hole 20 formed therethrough. Moreover, a first portion of insert 14 may be positioned above annular supporting plate 21, a second portion of insert 14 may be positioned within insert hole 20, and a third portion of insert 14 may be positioned below annular supporting plate 21. Specifically, insert 14 also may comprise an annular flange 23 having an outer diameter which is greater than a diameter of insert hole 21, such that when annular flange 23 engages a lower surface 22 of annular supporting plate 21, annular flange 23 seals a gap formed between the second portion of insert 14 and a surface of insert hole 20. For example, annular flange 23 may be integrally formed with insert 14, or may be an annular member bonded to the outer surface of insert 14. Annular flange 23 also may be positioned below annular supporting plate 21, such that insert 14 is resiliently supported between annular supporting plate 21 and elastic protrusion 19. When insert 14 vibrates, e.g., when heat exchanger 1 vibrates, elastic protrusion 19 may compress and deform to absorb the vibrational motion of insert 14. Consequently, noise generated by the vibration of insert 14 may be reduced relative to the noise generated by the vibration of inserts in known heat exchangers, and insert 14 may not be damaged by such vibration. Moreover, when annular flange 23 engages annular supporting plate 21, annular flange 23 may prevent refrigerant from passing through insert hole 20 without first passing through strainer portion 25. Consequently, the heat exchange efficiency of heat exchanger 1 may be greater than the heat exchange efficiency of known heat exchangers.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
While the invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the preferred embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or from a practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and the described examples are consider exemplary only, with the true scope of the invention indicated by the following claims.
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