Electric Heating Device, in Particular for Motor Vehicles

• US 20090020515A1
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catem GmbH & Co., KG
• Original Assignee: Catem GmbH & Co., KG
• Inventors: Clade, Michael, Bohlender, Franz
• Granted Patent: US 9,234,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/202
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0405 using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between F24H3/06, F24H3/08, F24H3/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0429 For vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0435 Structures comprising heat spreading elements in the form of fins
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0441 Interfaces between the electrodes of a resistive heating element and the power supply means
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0447 Forms of the electrode terminals, e.g. tongues or clips
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0464 Two-piece frames, e.g. two-shell frames, also including frames as a central body with two covers
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1863 Arrangement or mounting of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1872 PTC
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2071 using electrical energy supply
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence

Abstract

An electric heating device that provides additional heating for motor vehicles includes several heating elements assembled to form a heating block, and a controller for controlling the heating elements. The controller forms a constructional unit together with the heating block. Contact and/or cooler elements extending between the controller and the heating block. The controller is held at a control means support. Between the controller support and a heating block housing accommodating the heating block, sealing elements are provided through which the contact or cooler elements project and which are sealed by clamping between the controller support and the heating block housing.

Claims

1. An electric heating device for providing additional heating for motor vehicles comprising:

several heating elements assembled to form a heating block;

control means for controlling the heating elements, wherein the control means forms a constructional unit together with the heating block, and

contact and/or cooler elements extending between the control means and the heating block,

wherein

the control means is held at a control means support, and

between the control means support and a heating block housing accommodating the heating block, sealing elements are provided through which the contact or cooler elements project and which are sealed by clamping between the control means support and the heating block housing.

2. The electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing elements are lying against the circumferential surface of the contact or cooler elements, respectively, by radial clamping.

3. The electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the control means support and the heating block housing comprises conical mountings for the sealing elements which surround passages for the contact or cooler elements, respectively, and wherein the sealing elements are fixed between the heating block housing and the control means support to generate a sealing contact at the inside circumference of the mountings and the outside circumference of the contact or cooler elements, respectively.

4. The electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing elements are connected to each other to form an integral sealing unit.

5. The electric heating device according to claim 4, wherein the sealing elements are connected to each other via a base section.

6. The electric heating device according to claim 5, wherein the base section is sealingly clamped at the edge of the passages between the heating block housing and the control means support.

7. The electric heating device according to claim 3, wherein the conical mountings are surrounded by a projecting collar.

8. The electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element forms several sealing contact surfaces arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the contact or cooler element and are conically stepped with respect to each other.

9. The electric heating device according to claim 8, wherein the sealing contact surfaces are formed by sealing beads arranged one after the other.

10. The electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating block housing forms window openings for receiving cooler elements between the heating block and the control unit to the side faces of the heating block housing, and wherein the window opening are covered by a cross web forming a contact surface for the base section.

11. The electric heating device according to claim 10, wherein the cross web forms an essentially plane contact surface for the base section.

12. The electric heating device according to claim 10, wherein the cross web forms centering mountings in which centering projections, embodied at the base section, are received.

13. The electric heating device according to claim 12, wherein the centering mountings surround the passage for the cooler and/or contact element.

14. The electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the control means support is part of a control means housing which comprises a housing lid comprising at least one interface for the supply and control of the heating device, and surrounds a printed circuit board with electronic switches and with cooler elements projecting therefrom at least essentially at right angles, and wherein the interface is connected to the heating block housing.

15. The electric heating device according to claim 14, wherein the housing lid comprises a contact bar which is electrically connected to the interface as well as the printed circuit board, and which is placed on the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board comprises flexible tongues cooperating with the contact elements, and wherein the control means housing is mounted by introducing the cooler and contact elements into the passages at the heating block housing, while clamping the sealing elements.

16. The electric heating device according to claim 14, wherein the control means support is locked with the heating block housing.

17. The electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is formed of an EPOM or a silicone.