Heat exchanger

Claim 2

A heat exchanger for a refrigeration circuit including a plurality of fluid tubes aligned in a parallel relationship with each other, corrugated fins disposed between said fluid tubes, and a header portion connected with each end of said fluid tubes, said header portions including plate members having a plurality of holes for inserting said ends of said fluid tubes therein and cup-shaped members disposed in sealing contact on end surfaces of said plate members to cover the ends of said fluid tubes wherein the fluid tubes are grouped into a plurality of sections, each section containing a plurality of the fluid tubes, and wherein at least one of said sections protrudes transversely outward with respect to the at least one other section of fluid tubes such that said heat exchanger has a step-like profile as seen in end view from at least one of said header portions.

Claim 3

A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of heat exchange tubes each defining a longitudinal axis, a flow path extending generally along said longitudinal axis for the passage of a heat medium therethrough, and a pair of open ends, said heat exchange tubes being arranged in a parallel relationship in a direction along said longitudinal axes, wherein the tubes are grouped into a plurality of sections, each section containing a plurality of the tubes, at least one of the sections being positioned such that the longitudinal axes of its tubes are substantially equally laterally offset from the longitudinal axes of other of said heat exchange tubes; and a pair of header portions, each said header portion being attached to one of said open ends of each of said heat exchange tubes, each said header portion including a plate member defining a plurality of openings for receiving said ends of said heat exchange tubes and at least one cover sealingly engaged with said plate member to define a cavity therebetween in communication with said open ends of said tubes; wherein said heat exchanger has a step-like profile as seen in end view from at least one of said header portions.

Claim 4

A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of heat exchange tubes each defining a longitudinal axis, a flow path extending generally along said longitudinal axis for the passage of a heat medium therethrough, and a pair of open ends, said heat exchange tubes being arranged in a parallel relationship in a direction along said longitudinal axes, wherein the tubes are grouped into a plurality of sections, each section containing a plurality of the tubes, at least one of the sections being positioned such that the longitudinal axes of its tubes are substantially equally laterally offset from the longitudinal axes of other of said heat exchange tubes; and a pair of header portions, each said header portion being attached to one of said open ends of each of said heat exchange tubes, each said header portion including a plate member defining a plurality of openings for receiving said ends of said heat exchange tubes and at least one cover sealingly engaged with said plate member to define a cavity therebetween in communication with said open ends of said tubes; wherein said heat exchanger has a step-like profile as seen in end view from at least one of said header portions.

Claim 5

The heat exchanger of claim 2 wherein one of said header portions includes a plurality of covers which are attached to said plate to thereby form separate cavities in communication with the open ends of said heat exchange tubes.

Claim 6

The heat exchanger of claim 3 wherein the other of said header portions includes a number of covers which is one less than the number of covers in said one header portion.

Claim 7

A heat exchanger having a pair of sides and comprising: a plurality of heat exchange tubes each defining a flow path for receiving a heat medium therethrough, each tube having a pair of side edges which collectively define the sides of said heat exchanger, and a pair of open ends, said heat exchange tubes being arranged in a parallel relationship, wherein the tubes are grouped into a plurality of sections, each section containing a plurality of the tubes, and wherein in at least one of the sections all of the tubes of the at least one section have the same corresponding side edges substantially equally offset from the corresponding side edges of other of said sections; and a pair of header portions, each said header portion being attached to one of said open ends of each of said heat exchange tubes, each said header portion including a plate member defining a plurality of openings for receiving said ends of said heat exchange tubes and at least one cover sealingly engaged with said plate member to define a cavity therebetween in communication with said open ends of said tubes; wherein said heat exchanger has a step-like profile as seen in end view from at least one of said header portions.

Claim 8

A heat exchanger having a pair of sides and comprising: a plurality of heat exchange tubes each defining a flow path for receiving a heat medium therethrough, each tube having a pair of side edges which collectively define the sides of said heat exchanger, and a pair of open ends, said heat exchange tubes being arranged in a parallel relationship, wherein the tubes are grouped into a plurality of sections, each section containing a plurality of the tubes, and wherein in at least one of the sections all of the tubes of the at least one section have the same corresponding side edges substantially equally offset from the corresponding side edges of other of said sections; and a pair of header portions, each said header portion being attached to one of said open ends of each of said heat exchange tubes, each said header portion including a plate member defining a plurality of openings for receiving said ends of said heat exchange tubes and at least one cover sealingly engaged with said plate member to define a cavity therebetween in communication with said open ends of said tubes; wherein said heat exchanger has a step-like profile as seen in end view from at least one of said header portions.

Claim 9

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein said at least one section is positioned relative to said other of the sections so that both of the side edges of each tube of the at least one section are offset from the corresponding side edges of said other of said sections.

Claim 10

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein said at least one section has at least one tube with a wider construction relative to said other of said sections so that only one of said side edges of the at least one tube is offset from the corresponding side edges of said other of said sections.

Claim 11

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein one of said header portions includes a plurality of covers which are attached to said plate to thereby form separate cavities in communication with the open ends of said heat exchange tubes.

Claim 12

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein the other of said header portions includes at least one cover which is one less than the number of covers in said one header portion.

Claim 13

A heat exchanger having a pair of sides and comprising: a plurality of heat exchange tubes each defining a flow path for receiving a heat medium therethrough, a pair of side edges which collectively define the sides of said heat exchanger, and a pair of open ends, said heat exchange tubes being arranged in a parallel relationship, and at least one of said tubes having at least one of its side edges offset from the corresponding side edges of other of said heat exchange tubes; and a pair of header portions, each said header portion being attached to one of said open ends of each of said heat exchange tubes, each said header portion including a plate member defining a plurality of openings for receiving said ends of said heat exchange tubes and at least one cover sealingly engaged with said plate member to define a cavity therebetween in communication with said open ends of said tubes, wherein said at least one tube has a wider construction relative to said other of said heat exchange tubes so that only one of said edges of said at least one tube is offset from the corresponding side edges of said other of said heat exchange tubes.

Claim 14

A heat exchanger having a pair of sides and comprising: a plurality of heat exchange tubes each defining a flow path for receiving a heat medium therethrough, a pair of side edges which collectively define the sides of said heat exchanger, and a pair of open ends, said heat exchange tubes being arranged in a parallel relationship, and at least one of said tubes having at least one of its side edges offset from the corresponding side edges of other of said heat exchange tubes; and a pair of header portions, each said header portion being attached to one of said open ends of each of said heat exchange tubes, each said header portion including a plate member defining a plurality of openings for receiving said ends of said heat exchange tubes and at least one cover sealingly engaged with said plate member to define a cavity therebetween in communication with said open ends of said tubes, wherein said at least one tube has a wider construction relative to said other of said heat exchange tubes so that only one of said edges of said at least one tube is offset from the corresponding side edges of said other of said heat exchange tubes.

Claim 15

A heat exchanger for a refrigeration circuit including a plurality of fluid tubes aligned in a parallel relationship with each other, corrugated fins disposed between said fluid tubes, and a header portion connected with each end of said fluid tubes, said header portions including plate members having a plurality of holes for inserting said ends of said fluid tubes therein and cup-shaped members disposed in sealing contact on end surfaces of said plate members to cover the ends of said fluid tubes wherein the fluid tubes are grouped into a plurality of sections, each section containing a plurality of the fluid tubes, and wherein at least one of said sections protrudes transversely outward with respect to the at least one other section of fluid tubes wherein one of said header portions has at least two cup-shaped members and the other one of said header portions has one less cup-shaped member than the first mentioned header portion, so that the flow of the fluid makes at least one U-turn in at least one of said header portions.

Claim 16

A heat exchanger for a refrigeration circuit including a plurality of fluid tubes aligned in a parallel relationship with each other, corrugated fins disposed between said fluid tubes, and a header portion connected with each end of said fluid tubes, said header portions including plate members having a plurality of holes for inserting said ends of said fluid tubes therein and cup-shaped members disposed in sealing contact on end surfaces of said plate members to cover the ends of said fluid tubes wherein the fluid tubes are grouped into a plurality of sections, each section containing a plurality of the fluid tubes, and wherein at least one of said sections protrudes transversely outward with respect to the at least one other section of fluid tubes wherein one of said header portions has at least two cup-shaped members and the other one of said header portions has one less cup-shaped member than the first mentioned header portion, so that the flow of the fluid makes at least one U-turn in at least one of said header portions.