Heat exchanger

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprises a pair of header tanks and a plurality of pipe members connecting the pair of header tanks in fluid communication. Each of the pipe member includes a pair of fin portions which diametrically project from an outer peripheral surface thereof. The fin portion extends along the longitudinal axis of the pipe member. The pipe member further includes a pair of limiting elements which are formed at a top and bottom end portions of the pipe member, respectively. One of the pair of limiting elements limits an insertion of the top end portion of the pipe member into a bottom portion of the upper header tank, so that no boundary contact line is created between the top end of the fin portions and the lower surface of the bottom portion of the upper header tank. Similarly, the other limiting element limits an insertion of the bottom end portion of the pipe member into a top portion of the lower header tank, so that no boundary contact line is created between the bottom end of the fin portion and the upper surface of the top portions of the lower header tank. As a result, the pipe members and the header tanks are finely brazed to each other.