1. Field of the Invention

The field of the invention is that of air heaters, in particular of the evaporator type, for a motor vehicle.

More specifically, the invention relates to evaporators utilizing a phase change material.

2. Prior Art

In motor vehicles, it is customary to utilize an air conditioning device permitting the temperature of the interior of the vehicle to be regulated.

More specifically, these air conditioning devices utilize a heat exchanger, in particular an evaporator, such as that illustrated in Figure 1. A suchlike evaporator 1 comprises a heat exchange core formed by a stack of tubes 10 and spacers 11, positioned between two consecutive tubes 10 and permitting an exchange of heat between a flow of air passing through the core (and more specifically through the spacers) and a heat transfer fluid (such as a refrigerant liquid) circulating in the tubes 10.

For vehicles equipped with an automatic system for stopping the engine, in particular when the vehicle is stationary for brief periods, a function has been developed and makes it possible to maintain the cooling of the interior of the vehicle, when the engine of the vehicle is stopped and no longer drives the compressor for the circulation of the heat transfer fluid, thereby improving the comfort of the passengers of the motor vehicle.

In order to do this, the evaporator 1 utilizes a reservoir for phase change material 12 adapted to store cold when the engine of the motor vehicle is running, before returning the cold to the air passing through the evaporator 1 in such a way as to cool it, for a limited period, when the engine of the vehicle is stopped.

A heat exchanger 1 of this type, depicted partially in Figure 2, comprises a reservoir plate 120 which, after brazing to an external face of a tube 10 of the heat exchange core, forms a reservoir 12 filled with phase change material.

It should be noted that, in a conventional manner, the tube 10 is obtained by brazing two tube plates 101, 102, between which an internal spacer 103 is disposed (Figure The reservoir 12 for phase change material is thus in thermal contact with an external face of the tube 10, the reservoir being delimited by the reservoir plate 120 and an opposing surface corresponding to the external face of the tube 10.

The reservoir for phase change material comprises a filling tube 121 making it possible to inject a phase change material into the interior of the reservoir 12.

This filling tube 121 is obtained cutting a tube of great length produced by extrusion. It comprises, at a first extremity, an opening for the introduction of phase change material 1210 and, at a second extremity, a flattened portion 1211, of which the termination 1212 is closed by crimping. A lateral wall of the flattened portion 1211 of the filling tube 121, designed to be applied against the reservoir plate 120, is penetrated by at least one filling orifice 1213 provided in order to cooperate with at least one introduction orifice 122 arranged in the reservoir plate 120.

The assembly of the heat exchanger 1 takes place in the following manner.

Tube plates 101, 102 are attached two by two in order to form a stack of tubes 10, an internal spacer 103 being interposed, as the need arises, between the tube plates 101, 102 of a pair constituting a tube 10. Spacers 11 may be inserted into some of the spaces 13 situated between the tubes 10. Some of these spaces 13 alternatively house a reservoir 12 for phase change materials.

A filling tube 121 is positioned by an operator on the reservoir plate 120 of each reservoir 12 in such a way that its filling orifices 1213 communicate with the introduction orifices 122 of the corresponding reservoir plate 120. The filling tube 121 is attached securely to the corresponding reservoir plate 120, where necessary, by crimping.

A reservoir plate 120 associated with a filling tube 121 is positioned in each desired space 13 between two consecutive tubes 10 and is pressed against one of these tubes 10 in order to form a reservoir 12 for phase change material.

The constituent elements of the evaporator are held against one another by means of tooling provided for this purpose, before being placed in a furnace with a view to undergoing brazing, in the course of which they are attached to one another in a sealed manner.

The tube plates 101, 102 and the reservoir plates 120 are made from clad metal.

Their brazing does not require the addition of a filler metal, however, given that these plates are already coated.

In contrast, to the extent that the filling tubes 121 are obtained from an extruded tube, they are constituted by non-clad metal. The brazing of a filling tube 121 to the corresponding reservoir plate 120 thus requires the application of filler metal, for example in the form of a soldering paste which makes it possible, on the one hand, to ensure the mechanical connection of the filling tube 121 to the reservoir plate 120 and, on the other hand, to ensure that this connection is sealed in addition.

This addition of filler metal constitutes a supplementary and precise operation for the responsible operator, which assumes proficiency in terms of quantity and localization. This operation gives rise to an additional manufacturing cost, however.

The correct positioning of a filling tube 121 in relation to the corresponding reservoir plate 120 likewise calls for precision on the part of the responsible operator.

Furthermore, in the course of the displacement of the pre-assembled assembly of components in the furnace, the situation may arise in which a relative displacement takes place between the filling tube and its reservoir plate that may bring about a misalignment of the filling orifices 1213 and the introduction orifices 122 and, as a result, difficulties in subsequently injecting the phase change material into the reservoir 12.

In addition, the situation may arise in which the mechanical strength of the connection between the filling tube 121 and the corresponding reservoir plate 120 may be marginal, so that, in the course of filling with phase change material, a degradation of this connection may occur leading to a risk of leakage of phase change material.

3. Aims of the Invention

The invention has as its principal aim to provide an effective solution to at least some of these various problems.

In particular, according to at least one embodiment, one aim of the invention is to make available a technique permitting the optimization of the manufacture of a heat exchanger having a reservoir for phase change material.

In particular, the invention has as its aim, according to at least one embodiment, to make available a suchlike technique which makes it possible to simplify the manufacture of a heat exchanger having a reservoir for phase change material, and to reduce the cost thereof.

Another aim of the invention, according to at least one embodiment, is to make available a suchlike technique which makes it possible to improve the mechanical connection between the filling tube and the reservoir plate of a reservoir for phase change material. Another aim of the invention, according to at least one embodiment, is to make available a suchlike technique which makes it possible to improve the sealing of the mechanical connection between the filling tube and the reservoir plate of a reservoir for phase change material.

4. Description of the Invention

For this purpose, the invention proposes a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising a heat exchange core delimiting a circuit for the circulation of heat transfer fluid, said heat exchange core comprising at least one tube for the circulation of said heat transfer fluid, the heat exchanger comprising at least one reservoir for phase change material in thermal contact with an external face of said at least one tube, said reservoir being delimited by at least one reservoir plate penetrated by at least one introduction orifice for phase change material and an opposing surface, said reservoir comprising a filling tube comprising a lateral wall penetrated by at least one filling orifice cooperating with said at least one introduction orifice of said reservoir plate, said reservoir plate comprising a tab for retaining and closing off one extremity of said tube,

said method comprising:

a stage of helving of one extremity of said filling tube along said tab;

a stage of bringing said at least one filling orifice of said filling tube into communication with said at least one introduction orifice of said reservoir plate;

a stage of securing said filling tube to said reservoir plate by welding.

The principle of the invention thus involves pre-assembling the filling tube on the reservoir plate prior to brazing by introducing a tab that is integral with the reservoir plate into one extremity of the filling tube and by then bringing the introduction orifices and the filling orifices into communication.

The filling tube then constitutes, together with the reservoir plate, an assembly that is capable of being handled by an operator without the risk of the displacement of the filling tube in relation to the reservoir plate in order to guarantee that their correct position before welding is maintained.

After welding, in particular by brazing, the tab makes it possible to reinforce the mechanical connection between the tube and the reservoir plate. According to one possible characterizing feature, said stage of bringing said at least one filling orifice of said filling tube into communication with said at least one introduction orifice of said reservoir plate involves the introduction, into the interior of said at least one filling orifice, of a collar forming a projection on the surface of said reservoir plate around said at least one introduction orifice.

This makes it possible to improve the retention of the filling tube and of the reservoir plate after pre-assembly and to guarantee the correct alignment of the introduction orifices and filling orifices.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said stage of helving is followed by a stage of folding said tab until the lateral wall of said filling tube is supported against said reservoir plate.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said stages of folding and of bringing into communication take place essentially at the same time, said tab being configured in order, on completion of its folding, to bring said at least one filling orifice of said filling tube into communication with said at least one introduction orifice of said reservoir plate.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said stage of securing by welding is of a type without filler metal, said reservoir plate being made from clad metal and said filling tube being made from non-clad metal.

The need to apply filler metal in order to braze the filling tube onto the reservoir plate can be avoided in this way, the filler metal with which the latter is already coated making it possible to braze the filling tube. This makes it possible to simplify the manufacture of the exchanger.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said stage of helving involves introducing said tab into the interior of said filling tube for a length of at least one millimetre.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said stage of folding involves folding said tab back towards said reservoir plate essentially for 180°, preferentially essentially for 90°. According to one possible characterizing feature, a method according to the invention comprises a stage of application of said reservoir plate against the external surface of said tube of said heat exchange core, said external surface constituting said opposing surface.

According to one possible characterizing feature, a method according to the invention comprises a stage of obtaining said reservoir plate and said tab by sheet chasing of a single sheet.

The tab may constitute an extension of said reservoir plate forming a projection on its periphery.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said stage of obtaining comprises a phase of cutting said tab into said reservoir plate, said tab extending in a plane essentially parallel to said plate and offset to the exterior thereof.

The tab is then formed in the wall of the reservoir plate, which makes it possible to reduce the necessary quantity of material.

The invention also relates to a heat exchanger comprising a heat exchange core delimiting a circuit for the circulation of heat transfer fluid, said heat exchange core comprising at least one tube for the circulation of said heat transfer fluid, said heat exchanger comprising at least one reservoir for phase change material in thermal contact with an external face of said at least one tube, said reservoir being delimited by at least one reservoir plate penetrated by at least one introduction orifice for phase change material and an opposing surface, said reservoir comprising a filling tube comprising a lateral wall supported against said reservoir plate, said lateral wall being penetrated by at least one filling orifice cooperating with said at least one introduction orifice of said reservoir plate.

According to the invention, said reservoir plate comprises a tab for retaining and closing off of said tube, said tab being at least in part inserted into the interior of said filling tube from one extremity thereof.

According to one possible characterizing feature, the length of introduction of said tab into said filling tube is at least equal to 1 millimetre. According to one possible characterizing feature, said filling tube comprises, at a first extremity, a filling orifice and, at a second extremity, an opening, said tab being introduced through said opening.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said at least one filling orifice houses a collar forming a projection on the surface of said reservoir plate around said at least one introduction orifice.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said tab is arranged in the mass of said reservoir plate.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said tab is folded back in the interior of said filling tube and extends essentially parallel to said reservoir plate.

According to one possible characterizing feature, said reservoir for phase change material is delimited by the reservoir plate attached to at least one tube of said heat exchange core, the opposing surface being formed by the external face of said at least one first tube.

5. List of Figures

Other characterizing features and advantages of the invention will become evident from a perusal of the following description of particular embodiments, which is given by way of a simple illustrative and non-exhaustive example, and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 depicts a partial view of a heat exchanger according to the prior art in perspective;

Figure 2 depicts a view in transverse section of a tube associated with a reservoir for phase change material and with an external spacer of the exchanger in Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 depict detailed views in perspective of the connection between the filling tube and the reservoir plate of a reservoir for phase change material according to the prior art;

Figure 5 depicts a partial view of a heat exchanger according to the invention in perspective;

Figure 6 depicts a partial exploded view of the exchanger in Figure 5;

Figure 7 depicts a view in transverse section of a tube associated with a reservoir for phase change material and with an external spacer of the exchanger in Figure 5;

Figure 8 depicts a detailed view of the tab of a reservoir plate before folding according to the invention;

Figures 9 to 14 depict detailed views of the connection between a filling tube and a reservoir plate according to the invention;

Figures 15 to 17 depict a variant of a reservoir plate having a cut-out tab;

Figure 18 depicts an example of a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger according to the invention.

6. Description of Particular Embodiments

6.1. Heat Exchanger

An evaporator according to the invention is proposed in connection with Figures 5 to 17.

The illustrative embodiment described below is an evaporator intended for the thermal exchange between a flow of air and a refrigerant fluid, in particular for a device for air conditioning the interior of a motor vehicle.

It is obvious that the invention also covers a condenser, a radiator or any other air heater, irrespective of the fluid passing through it.

The evaporator 5 according to the invention conventionally comprises a heat exchange core formed by a stack of tubes 51 and external spacers 52, with or without louvers, positioned between two consecutive tubes 51 and making it possible to increase the thermal exchange surface between the flow of air passing through the core and the heat transfer fluid (such as a refrigerant liquid) circulating in the tubes 51.

One or more external spacers 52 are each replaced by a reservoir for phase change material 53 which is adapted to store cold when the engine of the motor vehicle is running, before returning the cold, for a limited period, to the air passing through the evaporator when the engine of the vehicle is stopped.

A suchlike reservoir for phase change material, formed by at least one reservoir plate 530, is described in more detail below.

A suchlike core is partially represented in Figure 5, in which four tubes 51, two external spacers 52 and a reservoir for phase change material 53 are represented.

It will be appreciated, of course, that the heat exchange core of the evaporator 5 may be constituted by a plurality of tubes 51 that are stacked in parallel with external spacers 52 in a longitudinal direction of stacking. Figure 6 depicts a partial exploded view of the evaporator 5 in Figure 5.

In this Figure 6, the depicted part of the core of the evaporator 5 comprises:

two tubes 51 intended for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid;

a reservoir plate 530 disposed between the two tubes 51 and attached to the latter, forming a reservoir 53 for the storage of a phase change material; and two external spacers 52 for the passage of a flow of air to be cooled through the heat exchange core of the evaporator 1.

As depicted in Figure 7, which is a view in transverse section of a tube 51 on which a reservoir plate 530 is assembled, each tube 51 comprises two tube plates 510, 511 that are chased and brazed one to the other, between which an internal spacer 512 adopting the form of a corrugated sheet may be disposed.

More specifically, the plates 510, 511 are chased in such a way as to form, after assembly, two adjacent conduits 513, 514.

The plates 510, 511 and the internal spacer 512 are configured to be assembled between them in a sealed manner in order to form a plurality of channels 515 in each of the conduits 512, 514, in the interior of which there circulates a heat transfer fluid, which is a refrigerant fluid in this case.

A reservoir plate 530 is configured to be assembled in a sealed manner on an external face of the tube 51 in such a way as to form a reservoir 53 for the storage of a phase change material.

Although this is not depicted in Figure 7, because it is a partial view of the evaporator 5, the reservoir plate 530 is attached to another tube 51 situated above the reservoir plate 530.

In this embodiment, the reservoir 53 is formed by a reservoir plate 530 and by an opposing surface, which in this case is constituted by an external face of a tube 51.

Thus, the phase change material stored in the reservoir 53 is in direct contact with the external face of the tube 51, which facilitates and improves the thermal exchanges between the heat transfer fluid circulating in the tube 51 and the phase change material stored in the reservoir 53.

In the portion of the heat exchange core depicted in Figure 6, each tube 51 comprises two external faces intended to be oriented towards a reservoir plate 530 and an external spacer 52 respectively.

Each tube 51 comprises, in addition, two internal faces facing towards one another, and opposite the external faces, between which the internal spacer 512 is disposed.

The reservoir plate 530 exhibits an open face, of which the periphery, or the perimeter, 5301 is intended to come into contact with the external face of the tube 51.

The face of the reservoir plate 530 opposite the open face exhibits a plurality of bosses 5309 which are distributed on the assembly of the reservoir plate 530.

The bosses 5309 of the reservoir plate 530 coupled to a first tube 51 are tangent to or flush with the external face of an adjacent second tube 51. Air passages are thus delimited on the exterior of the reservoir 53 for phase change material in order for a flow of air to be able to circulate between the reservoir plate 530 and the external face of the second tube 51 adjacent to the heat exchange core of the evaporator 5. This makes it possible to optimize the thermal exchanges between the evaporator 5 and the air which passes through it.

The reservoir 53 conventionally comprises a filling tube 8. This filling tube 8 comprises a filling opening 81 on a first extremity 80. The first extremity 80 is extended by a second flattened extremity 82.

The second flattened extremity 82 comprises a lateral wall 83 intended to be applied against the reservoir plate 530. This lateral wall 83 is penetrated by at least one, in this particular case two, filling orifices 84. The second flattened extremity 82 is terminated by an opening 85.

The reservoir plate 530 is penetrated by at least one, in this particular case two, introduction orifices 5303. It comprises a tab 5302 for closing off and retaining the second extremity 82 of the filling tube 80, in this particular case its opening 85.

When the evaporator is assembled, the tab 5302 is housed at least in part in the interior of the second extremity 82 of the filling tube 8 from the opening 85 thereof. The one or more filling orifices 84 of the filling tube 8 then communicate with the one or more introduction orifices 5303 of the reservoir plate, the number of filling orifices being equal to the number of introduction orifices.

The tab 5302 is formed in the mass of the reservoir plate 530. In other words, the tab and the reservoir plate form only a single component.

The tab extends essentially in the extension of the one or more introduction orifices 5303.

The tab 5302 constitutes an extension of the reservoir plate 530. It forms a projection on its periphery and is folded back in part essentially perpendicularly to the plane of the reservoir plate and then essentially parallel to this plane towards the interior of the reservoir plate and in a manner remote therefrom in order for it to be introduced into the second extremity 82 of the filling tube via the opening 85.

The dimensions of the tab 5302 are selected in a manner such that:

the filling tube 8 may be helved along the latter by introducing the extremity of the tab 5302 into it from the opening 85,

when the lateral wall 83 of the filling tube 8 is supported against the reservoir plate 530, the one or more filling orifices 84 communicate with the one or more introduction orifices 5303,

and that, after brazing of the assembly, the junction between the filling tube 8 and the reservoir plate 530 is sealed.

The tab 5302 then closes off the opening 85 of the extremity of the filling tube and retains the latter in position.

The reservoir plate 530 comprises a recessed reservation 5305 in order to house the flattened extremity 82 of the filling tube 8 in such a way that, when the filling tube 8 is secured to the reservoir plate 530, its lateral wall 86 facing towards the exterior of the reservoir plate 530 is essentially flush with the external wall thereof.

In the variant depicted in Figures 15 to 17, the tab 5302 does not form a projection on the periphery of the reservoir plate 530. It extends in a plane essentially parallel to the plane of the reservoir plate and in a manner in which it is offset towards the exterior thereof, and it results from a cut-out arranged in the reservoir plate 530 leading to the formation of a hole 5304 in the reservoir plate 530. In this case, the tab is not constituted by an increase in the material on the periphery of the reservoir plate 530. Rather, it is configured as a part of the wall of the reservoir plate 530. This utilization thus makes it possible to reduce the quantity of material used in order to produce a reservoir plate and its tab, and in the process to reduce the cost of the material necessary for the manufacture of the evaporator.

The tab 5302 is introduced into the interior of the filling tube 8 for a distance of at least one millimetre. It forms essentially an "L" having a first wing 5302 _χ substantially parallel to the plane of the reservoir plate 530 and introduced at least in part into the filling tube 8, and a second wing 5302 ₂ essentially perpendicular to the first 5302i. These two wings are linked together by a folding zone 5306. The tab 5302 makes it possible to close off of the opening 85 at the second extremity 82 of the filling tube 8 and to hold it in position more securely and in so doing to prevent the disassociation of the filling tube 8 and the reservoir plate 530 and the occurrence of a leak at their junction.

The tube plates 510, 511, the reservoir plates 530, the external spacers 53 and the filling tubes 8 are made from metal, for example an alloy of aluminium or some other metal.

These elements, apart from the filling tubes 8, are made from clad metal. In other words, they are coated with a filler metal necessary for their assembly by brazing.

The filling tubes 8 are preferentially made from non-clad metal. This is the case in particular when they are produced at least in part by extrusion.

After filling of a reservoir for phase change material, the filling opening 81 is closed off by means of a cap 9.

As will be appreciated more clearly from the following description of a method of manufacturing an evaporator according to the invention, all the elements which make up the evaporator are attached to one another in a sealed manner by brazing.

6.2. Method of Manufacture

The manufacture of an evaporator according to the invention clearly comprises a preliminary stage 190 of gathering together the assembly of its constituent elements, in particular tube plates 510, 511, internal spacers 512, external spacers 52, reservoir plates 530, filling tubes 8.

A reservoir plate 530 and its tab 5302 are obtained by the sheet chasing of a single sheet of clad metal in such a way that they form a single one-piece component.

After sheet chasing, the tab together with the principal plane of the reservoir plate preferentially forms an angle that is essentially equal to 90°. It may, however, form an angle of 180° or less, or even an angle of less than 90°, together with the latter.

The tab 5302 comprises a folding zone, for example a mechanically weaker folding line 5306, in order to facilitate its folding, as will become clearer below.

This folding zone 5306 is arranged at a distance from the supporting surface 5307 of the reservoir plate 530, against which the lateral wall 83 of the filling tube 8 is supported. This distance is selected in such a way that, when the tab is folded back essentially parallel to the reservoir plate 530 and is situated in the interior of the extremity of the filling tube 8, the lateral wall 83 thereof is in contact with the supporting surface 5307.

In the embodiment in which the tab does not form a projection on the periphery of the reservoir plate, but results from a cut-out in the wall thereof, this phase of cutting out the tab may be performed in the course of the sheet chasing operation.

The reservoir plate comprises a collar 5308 around each introduction orifice 5303, which forms a projection at the surface of the supporting surface 5307.

A filling tube 8 is obtained from a metallic tube produced "by the kilometre" by extrusion. The method of extrusion does not permit clad metals to be worked. The filling tubes are accordingly made from non-clad metal. It results from the cutting-out of a section of tube and from the flattening of one of their extremities, for example by sheet chasing.

The manner of obtaining the tube plates 510, 511, the internal spacers 512 and external spacers 52, and the reservoir plates is conventional and is not described in more detail here.

A filling tube 8 is pre-assembled on each reservoir plate 530 (stage 191).

A suchlike pre-assembly comprises:

a stage 1910 of helving the second extremity 83 of the filling tube 8 along the tab 5302 by introducing the tab into it through the opening 85 for at least one millimetre;

a stage 1912 of bringing the one or more filling orifices 84 of the filling tube 8 into communication with the one or more introduction orifices 5303 of the reservoir plate 530.

In the case of a pliable peripheral tab, the stage of helving is followed by a stage 1911 of folding the tab 5302 along the folding line 5306 for about 90° until the lateral wall 83 filling tube 8 is supported against the reservoir plate 530, in this particular case its surface 5307. The second flattened extremity 82 of the filling tube is then present in the reservation 5305.

The stages of folding and of bringing into communication take place essentially at the same time, the tab being configured in order, on completion of its folding, to bring the one or more filling orifices of the filling tube into communication with the one or more introduction orifices of the reservoir plate. The stage of bringing the one or more filling orifices 84 of the filling tube 8 into communication with the one or more introduction orifices of the reservoir plate 530 involves the introduction of the corresponding collar 5308 into the interior of the corresponding filling orifice 84.

The filling tube 8 is thus maintained in position on the reservoir plate as a result of the utilization of the tab and the collars. The presence of the collars improves the pre-assembly and in particular assure the retention of a good alignment between the filling orifice(s) and the introduction orifice(s). However, they could not be utilized in a simplified version.

The pre-assembly of a filling tube on a reservoir plate makes it possible to obtain a homogeneous sub-assembly that is also capable of being handled by an operator without the risk of the relative displacement of the filling tube in relation to the reservoir plate.

The next step is the pre-assembly of the evaporator assembly (stage 192). This pre-assembly involves stacking a plurality of tubes 51 against one another, each tube being constituted by the stack of two tube plates 510, 511, as the need arises with the interposition of an internal spacer 512. Some of the spaces between consecutive tubes 51 are filled with an external spacer 52 or with a reservoir plate. This assembly is kept pre-assembled by means of tooling provided for this purpose, which makes it possible to keep the different components of the evaporator slightly compressed against one another.

This pre-assembled assembly is then introduced into a furnace, in the interior of which a stage 193 of brazing without filler metal is utilized. At the end of this brazing operation, the different components of the evaporator, including the filling tubes and the reservoir plates, are attached to one another in a sealed manner and the evaporator is removed from the furnace.

The filler metal of the tab 5302 makes it possible to ensure the brazing of the tube onto the tab and to close off the opening 85 in a sealed manner. The reservoir plate and its tab being clad on their two faces, this brazing of the filling tube onto the tab is obtained on its two faces. The filler metal of the reservoir plate 530 makes it possible to ensure the brazing of the tube onto the reservoir plate and the closing-off in a sealed manner of the contours of the filling orifices 84 and the introduction orifices 5303 in order to ensure a sealed connection of the filling tube to the reservoir plate. The utilization of the tab makes it possible to close off in an effective manner the opening 85 at the second extremity 82 of the filling tube and to reinforce the mechanical strength of the connection between the filling tube and the reservoir plate.

The method then comprises, preferentially in a conventional manner, a testing stage 194, which involves verifying the sealing of the evaporator.

The method then comprises a stage 195 of filling the one or more reservoirs for phase change material 53. This stage involves injecting, for example by vacuum drawing, a phase change material into the interior of each reservoir 53 via the corresponding filling tube 8. This material flows into each filling tube from its filling opening 81 and flows through the filling orifices and introduction orifices until it is dispersed in the reservoirs 53. Each reservoir 53 is then closed by means of a cap 9 closing off the filling opening 81 in the course of a closing-off stage 196.