EP2360437B1 - electrical heating appliance - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an electric heater, in particular for a motor vehicle.

Electric vehicles produce virtually no waste heat, unlike cars with diesel or gasoline engines. At low temperatures, this is a danger to safety. As a consequence, in the air conditioner the water heater can be replaced by an electric heater (PTC "Positive Temperature Coefficient"). Due to the good controllability of the electric heaters, for example, can be dispensed with temperature mixing valves, which in turn costs and space can be saved. However, it has proven to be disadvantageous that, given a homogeneous temperature of the electrical auxiliary heater (1-zone PTC), neither adequate temperature stratification at the various air outlets of the air conditioning unit can set a different temperature for, for example, the driver or front passenger or rear passengers. To circumvent these disadvantages, in turn, measures are required that lead to significant additional costs and increased space requirements. For example, it would be conceivable to use a cold air bypass with an actuator-driven air damper in order to produce a variable temperature stratification. It would also be conceivable to control the individual strands of the electric heater separately.

From the DE 10 2004 050 237 A1 is such an electric auxiliary heater for a motor vehicle with a heat conducting element known which has at least two self-regulating, arranged in a first row heating elements, wherein the heating element is connected to an electrical contacting element.

The DE 197 24 734 A1 discloses an electric heating device, in particular for a motor vehicle, with a plurality of planar heating elements which are combined to form a block and which are each held between two parallel plates.

However, known from the prior art electric heater (heaters) are subject to increased design effort.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a structurally simplified and improved electrical heating device with which both a variable temperature stratification as well as a heating of individual zones can be realized in a simple and cost-effective manner.

This object is achieved by an electric heater with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The object is achieved according to the invention in that the heating elements each have first contact elements for power supply and second contact elements for current feedback, wherein the heating elements are arranged in rows and in substantially perpendicular columns in such a stack and wherein the first contact elements or the second contact elements close to the contact and perpendicular, to a running as a power supply or as current return inside the heater common collecting power line, in particular busbar, are arranged and electrically connected thereto, wherein heating elements are arranged on both sides of the running inside the heater common collecting power line. Of particular importance and advantageous for the present invention thus that the current return is done centrally and this is not on one side of the heating network but preferably within the heating network. The provision of a common central collecting power line represents a significant simplification over generic heaters compared to generic heaters.

According to the invention, it is provided that the heating device has heating zones that are controllable in their heating power via the respective non-common power supply or non-common current return. This creates a (multi-zone) heating device designed in principle with almost any number of separate heating zones, which allows a different temperature control of different temperature zones. The power supply is preferably carried out for each heating zone via its own controller (high-side regulator).

It would also be conceivable to supply the power centrally via the collecting power line and to regulate the current return of the individual heating zones (low-side regulator).

A further embodiment provides that the heating device with each heating zone arranged substantially parallel to each other, each provided with the first and second contact elements and with the power supply or the current return electrically connected heating strands may be provided. For example, three to twelve heating strands are provided per heating zone. For example, the heating device may have three heating zones, of which two heating zones each having four heating strands and one heating zone having nine heating strands are formed. According to the invention, however, the exact number of heating strands in the individual heating zones plays a subordinate role.

A further preferred embodiment provides that the heating device can have a clamping contact, in particular in the form of a clamping plug connection, between the common collecting current line on the one hand and the contact-proximate or first and second contact elements. This refinement leads to a further simplification of the design of the heating device and enables a simple assembly or disassembly of the heating device in general or of individual components in the event of damage.

A further preferred embodiment provides that the heating device can have a soldering or welding or electrically conductive adhesive connection between the common collecting current line on the one hand and the contact-proximate or first and second contact elements. For example, the ultimately preferred embodiment of the contacting can be based on the size or nature of the heating device or the material properties of the individual components installed.

For example, it is provided that the heating device can have at least one guided by a bore or recess of the collecting current line contact element.

Furthermore, two further separate contact elements for the power supply of each heating strand can be provided, which are arranged on the common contact element for current discharge. Preference is given to the contact elements for power supply to a power supply or Stromzuführschiene and the common contact element for power dissipation with the collecting power line or bus bar in operative connection.

A further particularly preferred embodiment provides that the heating device has a parallelepiped stacking of four heating zones forming heating elements, of which two in each case in series or in column next to each other or are arranged one above the other, wherein the common collecting power line between the adjacent, provided with the contact elements surfaces the heating elements runs. Preferably, but by no means mandatory, the contact elements are arranged offset substantially 90 degrees to the collecting stream line. In this case, the current return takes place via the contact elements provided for the removal of current to the centrally arranged collecting current line.

For example, the heater may have at least one between two adjacent heating elements to the heating strands parallel partition. Thus, the realization of individual, separately formed heating zones can be created with simple means.

The heating device (PTC) can conventionally be made of ceramic PTC elements (ceramic base with a non-linear resistance profile), of plastic with PTC character (polymer-based with a nonlinear resistance profile) or other materials with PTC character.

In particular, the electric heater can find application in an electric vehicle as a replacement for a water heater in an air conditioner.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description in which two embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the drawings. there For example, the features mentioned in the claims and in the description may each be essential to the invention individually or in any desired combination.

Fig. 1

die schematische Darstellung einer ersten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen elektrischen Heizvorrichtung;

Fig. 2

die schematische Darstellung einer zweiten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen elektrische Heizvorrichtung;

Fig. 3

die schematische Darstellung einer Kontaktelementanordnung;

Zig. 4

eine schematisch dargestellte erste Anbindungsvariante zwischen einem Kontaktelement und einer Stromsammelschiene;

Fig. 5

eine schematisch dargestellte zweite Anbindungsvariante zwischen einem Kontaktelement und einer Stromsammelschiene;

Fig. 6

die schematische Darstellung einer weiteren Kontaktelementanordnung.

Show it:

Fig. 1

the schematic representation of a first embodiment of an electric heater according to the invention;

Fig. 2

the schematic representation of a second embodiment of an electric heater according to the invention;

Fig. 3

the schematic representation of a contact element arrangement;

Zig. 4

a schematically illustrated first connection variant between a contact element and a busbar;

Fig. 5

a schematically illustrated second connection variant between a contact element and a busbar;

Fig. 6

the schematic representation of another contact element arrangement.

Fig. 1 shows the schematic representation of a first embodiment of an electric heater H. The heater H has three heating zones Z 1, Z 2 and Z 3.

The heating zones Z 1 and Z 2 are each assigned a heating element 1a and 2a. The heating zone Z 3 is associated with the heating element 3a. Each heating element 1 a, 2 a, 3 a is also a separate power supply 4, 5, 6 assigned.

Each heating element 1a, 2a and 3a is arranged with each heating zone Z 1, Z 2, Z 3 substantially parallel to each other and each with first and second contact elements 7, 8 (same components bear the same reference numerals) provided heating strands 9 (same components carry the same Reference numeral).

The contact elements 7 are in each case electrically connected to the corresponding power supply lines 4, 5 and 6, while the contact elements 8 are electrically connected to the centrally arranged busbar 10, respectively. The current is dissipated together for all heating zones Z 1, Z 2 and Z 3 via the bus bar 10th

The heating elements 1a and 2a each have four individual heating strands 9, while the heating element 3a comprises nine individual heating strands 9.

The heating zones Z 1 and Z 2 or the heating elements 1 a and 2 a are spatially separated from one another by a partition wall 11 running parallel to the heating strands 9.

Fig. 2 shows the schematic representation of a second embodiment of an electric heater H '. The heating device H 'has four heating zones Z 1', Z 2 ', Z 3' and Z 4.

The heating zones Z 1 'and Z 2' are each assigned a heating element 1a 'and 2a'. The heating zones Z 3 'and Z4 are each assigned a heating element 3a' and 4a. Each heating element 1a ', 2a', 3a 'and 4a is further associated with a separate power supply 4', 5 ', 6' and 12.

Each heating element 1a ', 2a', 3a 'and 4a is arranged with each heating zone Z 1', Z 2 ', Z 3' and Z4 substantially parallel to each other, and each with first and second contact elements 7 ', 8' (same Components carry the same Reference numerals) provided heating strands 9 '(the same components bear the same reference numerals).

The contact elements 7 'are in each case electrically connected to the corresponding power supply lines 4', 5 ', 6' and 12, while the contact elements 8 'are each electrically connected to the centrally arranged busbar 10'. The power dissipation takes place for all heating zones Z1 ', Z 2', Z 3 'and Z4 together via the busbar 10'.

The heating elements 1a ', 2a', 3a 'and 4a each comprise four individual Heinz strands 9'.

The heating zones Z 1 'and Z 2' or the heating elements 1 a 'and 2 a' are spatially separated from one another by a partition wall 11 'extending parallel to the heating strands 9'. The heating zones Z 3 'and Z 4 or the heating elements 3a' and 4a are spatially separated from one another by a partition 11 'running parallel to the heating strands 9'.

Fig. 3 shows the schematic representation of a contact element arrangement, wherein the contact element arrangement comprises the contact elements 13 and 14. In the contact element arrangement shown here, the contact element 14 takes over the common current discharge of two heating strands 15 and is therefore designed as a continuous contact element 14.

The common current discharge of the two heating strands 15 via the single bus bar 16 with which the contact surfaces 17 and 18 of the contact element 14 are electrically connected. About the contact element 13, the contact element arrangement can be electrically connected to a Stromzuführung not shown. If the contact element 14 is formed continuously, a corresponding bore or recess or the like can be provided in the busbar 16, through which the contact element 14 extends.

Fig. 4 shows a schematically illustrated first connection variant between a shortened illustrated contact element 19 and a shortened collecting busbar 20. The electrical and mechanical connection of the contact element 19 to the bus bar 20 via a spring element 21. The spring element 21 has two prestressed spring legs 22 and 23 , which fix the contact element 19 fixed in position.

The spring element 21 can be fastened to the collecting busbar 20, for example by means of a soldering, welding, riveting, adhesive or screw connection.

Fig. 5 shows a shortened contact element 24 which is attached via a solder joint 25 with a shortened collecting busbar 26 shown.

Fig. 6 shows a contact element arrangement in which a continuous contact element 27 is provided with a bore 28. Through the bore 28, the bus bar 29 extends, which takes over the entire current return as the only busbar. The mechanical and / or electrical connection takes place via a welded connection 30. The mechanical and / or electrical connection can also take place via an adhesive and / or solder connection.

Claims (9)

1. An electric heating device (H, H'), in particular an electric auxiliary heater for a motor vehicle, with several heating elements (1a, 1a', 2a, 2a', 3a, 3a', 4a), each of which is assigned to one heating zone (Z1, Z1', Z2, Z2', Z3, Z3', Z4), wherein the heating elements (1a, 1a', 2a, 2a', 3a, 3a', 4a) each have first contact elements (7, 13) for carrying current and second contact elements (8, 14, 19, 24, 27) for returning current, wherein the heating elements (1a, 1a', 2a, 2a', 3a, 3a', 4a) are stacked in rows and in columns running substantially perpendicularly thereto and wherein the first contact elements (7, 13) or the second contact elements (8, 14, 19, 24, 27) are arranged in close contact and perpendicular to a common collector power line, in particular a collector bus bar (10, 10', 16, 20, 26, 29), running as a power supply or a power return in the interior of the heating device and are electrically connected therewith, wherein heating elements are arranged on both sides of the common collector power line running in the interior of the heating device, wherein the heating device (H, H') has heating zones (Z1, Z1', Z2, Z2', Z3, Z3', Z4) whose heating capacity can be controlled via the respective non-common power supply or the non-common power return.
2. The electric heating device according to claim 1, characterised in that each heating zone (Z1, Z1', Z2, Z2', Z3, Z3', Z4) of the heating device (H, H') is provided with heating sections (9, 9', 15) arranged substantially in parallel to each other, respectively provided with the first or second contact elements (7, 13, 8, 14, 19, 24, 27) and electrically connected to the power supply or the power return.
3. The electric heating device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the heating device (H, H') has a clamp contact, in particular in the form of a clamp plug connection, between the common collector power line (10, 10', 16, 20, 26, 29) on the one side and the close contact or first and second contact elements (7, 13, 8, 14, 19, 24, 27).
4. The electric heating device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the heating device (H, H') has a soldered or welded or electrically conductive bond connection between the first common collector power line (10, 10', 16, 20, 26, 29) on the one side and the close contact or first and second contact elements (7, 13, 8, 14, 19, 24, 27).
5. The electric heating device according to claim 4, characterised in that the heating device (H, H') has at least one contact element (14) guided through a bore of the collector power line (16).
6. The electric heating device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the heating device (H, H') has one commonly integrated contact element (14) for two heating sections (15) arranged adjacent to or in front of one another.
7. The electric heating device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the heating device (H, H') has heating elements (1a', 2a', 3a', 4a) forming a cuboidal stack of four heating zones (Z1', Z2', Z3', Z4), two of which are respectively arranged in rows or in columns next to or above one another, wherein the common collector power line (10') runs between the adjacent areas of the heating elements (1a', 2a', 3a', 4a) provided with the contact elements (7, 13, 8, 14, 19, 24, 27).
8. The electric heating device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the heating device (H, H') has a partition wall (11, 11') running in parallel to the heating sections (9, 9') between two adjacent heating elements (1a, 2a, 1a', 2a').
9. Use of an electric heating device according to one of claims 1 to 8 in an air conditioner of an electric vehicle.

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