Connector and heat exchanger having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12510312-B2
Application number	US-202218564479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2022
Priority date	May 27, 2021
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A connector includes a tubular portion, a flange portion, and a first protruding portion. The tubular portion includes a first through hole and a first wall, the first wall is arranged around the first through hole, and the first wall includes a first end face that includes a first opening. The flange portion is located at an end of tubular portion in an axial direction. The flange portion includes a first side face arranged around the first wall, the flange portion further includes a second end face and a third end face which are arranged in the axial direction of the tubular portion. The first protruding portion is connected to the first wall, and the first protruding portion is located outside the first through hole in the axial direction of the tubular portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A connector, comprising:
a tubular portion comprising a first through hole and a first wall, the first wall being arranged around the first through hole, the first wall having a thickness in a radial direction of the first through hole, the first wall comprising a first end face, the first end face comprising a first opening; a flange portion positioned at an end of the tubular portion in an axial direction of the tubular portion and comprising a first side face, the first side face being arranged around the first wall, the flange portion further comprising a second end face and a third end face which are arranged along the axial direction of the tubular portion, wherein the second end face and the first wall intersect at a first side edge, the second end face and the first side face intersect at a second side edge, and a perimeter of the first side edge is smaller than a perimeter of the second side edge, wherein the third end face and a projection of the first wall intersect at a third side edge, the projection of the first wall being in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the tubular portion, the third end face and the first side face intersect at a fourth side edge, a perimeter of the third side edge is smaller than a perimeter of the fourth side edge, the third end face comprises a second hole, and the first through hole communicates the first opening with the second hole along the axial direction of the tubular portion; and a plurality of first protruding portions arranged along a circumferential direction of the first through hole, each first protruding portion being connected with the third end face and the first wall and positioned outside the first through hole in the axial direction of the tubular portion, each first protruding portion having a thickness in the radial direction of the first through hole, a maximum thickness of each of the plurality of first protruding portions being smaller than a minimum thickness of the first wall, wherein the plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the tubular portion is defined as a first plane, a projection of the flange portion on the first plane is ellipse or nearly elliptical, the thickness of the first wall is T, and a length of a short axis of the ellipse is not less than a sum of 4T and a diameter of the first through hole.

2 . A connector, comprising:
a tubular portion comprising a first through hole and a first wall, the first wall being arranged around the first through hole, the first wall having a thickness in a radial direction of the first through hole, the first wall comprising a first end face, the first end face comprising a first opening; a flange portion positioned at an end of the tubular portion in an axial direction of the tubular portion and comprising a first side face, the first side face being arranged around the first wall, the flange portion further comprising a second end face and a third end face which are arranged along the axial direction of the tubular portion, wherein the second end face and the first wall intersect at a first side edge, the second end face and the first side face intersect at a second side edge, and a perimeter of the first side edge is smaller than a perimeter of the second side edge, wherein the third end face and a projection of the first wall intersect at a third side edge, the projection of the first wall being in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the tubular portion, the third end face and the first side face intersect at a fourth side edge, a perimeter of the third side edge is smaller than a perimeter of the fourth side edge, the third end face comprises a second hole, and the first through hole communicates the first opening with the second hole along the axial direction of the tubular portion; and a circular ring portion comprising a circular ring wall connected with the third end face and the first wall, the circular ring portion being positioned outside the first through hole in the axial direction of the tubular portion, the circular ring portion comprising a second through hole penetrating through the circular ring wall in the axial direction of the tubular portion, wherein the second through hole is communicated and concentrically arranged with the first through hole, the circular ring portion has a thickness in the radial direction of the first through hole, and a maximum thickness of the circular ring portion is smaller than a minimum thickness of the first wall, wherein the plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the tubular portion is defined as a first plane, a projection of the flange portion on the first plane is ellipse or nearly elliptical, the thickness of the first wall is T, and a length of a short axis of the ellipse is not less than a sum of 4T and a diameter of the first through hole.

3 . The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the circular ring wall comprises a plurality of second protruding portions arranged along a circumferential direction of the first through hole, each second protruding portion being positioned at an end of the circular ring wall away from the flange portion.

4 . The connector according to claim 3 , wherein a hydraulic diameter of the second through hole is smaller than a hydraulic diameter of the first opening.

5 . The connector according to claim 2 , wherein at least one longitudinal section of the flange portion comprises a sector ring face, the at least one longitudinal section of the flange portion is parallel to the axial direction of the tubular portion, the sector ring face comprises at least two circular arcs, and the at least two circular arcs protrude towards the first end face in the axial direction of the tubular portion.

6 . The connector according to claim 2 , wherein a length of a long axis of the ellipse is more than twice the diameter of the first through hole.

7 . The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the first wall comprises a step portion positioned in the first through hole, the step portion protrudes from the first wall along the radial direction of the first through hole and extends along an axis direction of the first through hole, and a diameter of the first through hole at the step portion is smaller than a diameter of the first opening.

8 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
a connector according to claim 1 ; and a collecting tube, wherein the plurality of first protruding portions of the connector is inserted into the collecting tube, and the connector is communicated with the collecting tube.

9 . The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger is a microchannel heat exchanger, and each first protruding portion of the connector has a flared portion, and the flared portion is positioned in the collecting tube.

10 . The connector according to claim 1 , wherein at least one longitudinal section of the flange portion comprises a sector ring face, the at least one longitudinal section of the flange portion is parallel to the axial direction of the tubular portion, the sector ring face comprises at least two circular arcs, and the at least two circular arcs protrude towards the first end face in the axial direction of the tubular portion.

11 . The connector according to claim 10 , wherein a height of the sector ring face in the axial direction of the tubular portion is consistent.

12 . The connector according to claim 1 , wherein a length of a long axis of the ellipse is more than twice the diameter of the first through hole.

13 . The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall comprises a step portion positioned in the first through hole, the step portio

Assignees

• Sanhua Hangzhou Micro Channel Heat Exchanger Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shi Zhihao
• Gao Qiang
• Huang Xujiao
• Zhong Xiaoming

Classifications

• F28F9/12

  by flange-type connections · CPC title

• F16L23/032

  characterised by the shape or composition of the flanges · CPC title

• F25B2339/0442

  characterised by the mechanical fixation of the receiver to the header · CPC title

• F28F9/0246

  Arrangements for connecting header boxes with flow lines · CPC title

• F28F9/26 Primary

  Arrangements for connecting different sections of heat-exchange elements, e.g. of radiators (connecting different sections in water heaters F24H9/14 {, connecting headers with inlet or outlet fittings F28F9/0246}) · CPC title