ELECTRIC HEATER WITH PLUG CONTACT

• US 20160014844A1
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Türk & Hillinger GmbH
• Original Assignee: Türk & Hillinger GmbH
• Inventors: SCHLIPF, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 10,219,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2823 Wires H01F27/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/38 having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/18 by crimping H01R4/01, H01R4/2495 take precedence; for coaxial cables H01R9/0518
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/02 for soldered or welded connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/048 Crimping apparatus or processes H01R43/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/24 Assembling by moulding on contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/012 Heaters using non- flexible resistive rods or tubes not provided for in H05B3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/06 Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/08 having electric connections specially adapted for high temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 non-flexible
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/48 heating conductor embedded in insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/50 heating conductor arranged in metal tubes, the radiating surface having heat-conducting fins
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/52 Apparatus or processes for filling or compressing insulating material in tubes

Abstract

An electric heater (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) includes a metal sheath (101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601) defining an interior space, an electric heating element, arranged in the interior space, an insulating material filling and electric terminals. At least one electric terminal is a plug contact (108, 109, 208, 209, 308, 309, 408, 409, 508, 509, 608, 609) made in one piece, which has a section (108b, 109b, 208b, 209b, 308b, 309b, 508b, 509b, 608a, 609b) arranged in the interior space with a contact point (110, 111, 210, 211, 310, 311), which is arranged in the interior space and at which the plug contact is connected conductively to the electric heating element directly or via an auxiliary wire (212, 213, 312, 313, 612, 613). A process for manufacturing such an electric heater is provided.

Claims

1. An electric heater comprising:

a metal sheath defining an interior space;

at least one electric heating element arranged in the interior space of the metal sheath;

an insulating material electrically insulating the at least one electric heating element; and

at least one electric terminal for the at least one electric heating element, wherein;

the at least one electric terminal comprise a one piece plug contact;

the at least one electric terminal has a section arranged in the interior space of the metal sheath;

the section has a contact point arranged in the interior space of the metal sheath;

the contact point comprises an electrical connection of the plug contact to the at least one electric heating element.

2. An electric heater in accordance with claim 1, further comprising another electric terminal comprising a one piece plug contacts, wherein:

the other electric terminal comprise another one piece plug contact;

the other electric terminal has another electric terminal section arranged in the interior space of the metal sheath;

the other electric terminal section has another electric terminal contact point arranged in the interior space of the metal sheath; and

the another electric terminal contact point comprises an electrically conductive connection of the plug contact to the at least one electric heating element, at which contact point the other plug is connected to the at least one electric heating element in an electrically conductive manner.

3. An electric heater in accordance with claim 2, wherein the contact point and the another electric terminal contact point are each embedded in the insulating material filling.

4. An electric heater in accordance with claim 3, wherein the insulating material filling is compacted at least at the point at which the contact point and the other electric terminal contact point is embedded into the insulating material filling.

5. An electric heater in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the at least one electric heating element comprises a heating wire coil wound on a coil body, the heating coil having ends inserted into holes of the coil body;

a section each of the plug contact and the other plug contact is inserted into a respective hole of the coil body; and

the conductive connection between the plug contact and the at least one electric heating element and the other plug contact and the at least one heating element is established at the contact point by pressing the respective inserted section of the plug contact and the other plug contact with the respective end of the heating wire coil.

6. An electric heater in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conductive connection between the plug contact and the at least one electric heating element is established at the contact point by welding.

7. An electric heater in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conductive connection between the plug contact and the at least one electric heating element is established at the contact point by crimping.

8. An electric heater in accordance with one of the claim 1, wherein:

the conductive connection between the plug contact and the electric heating element is established via an auxiliary wire in conductive contact with the plug contact at the contact point;

the electric heating element comprises a heating wire coil wound on a coil body, the heating wire coil having ends inserted into holes of the coil body;

a section each of the auxiliary wire is inserted into one of the holes of the coil body; and

the conductive connection between the auxiliary wire and the electric heating element is established in the hole by pressing this inserted section of the auxiliary wire with the inserted end of the heating wire coil.

9. An electric heater in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plug housing, wherein at least one section of the plug contact, which is arranged outside the metal sheath, is provided with the plug housing extrusion-coated around the at least one section.

10. An electric heater in accordance with claim 9, wherein the plug housing is also extrusion-coated around a section of the metal sheath.

11. An electric heater in accordance with claim 9, wherein the plug housing has a section, which is received in the interior of the metal sheath and is pressed at said section.

12. A process for manufacturing an electric heater, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a metal sheath defining an interior space;

providing an electric heating element;

providing at least one plug contact which is made in one piece and which has a section that can be arranged in the interior space of the metal sheath;

arranging the electric heating element in the interior space of the metal sheath;

establishing an electric contact at contact points between the plug contact and the electric heating element;

inserting a section of the plug contact into the interior space of the metal sheath; and

filling the interior space of the metal sheath with an insulating material.

13. A process in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

the electric heating element provided comprises a coil body and a heating wire wound thereon;

the coil body has two holes in which the ends of the heating wire are received;

the holes are large enough to permit the insertion of a part of the section of the plug contact or an auxiliary wire, which was crimped or welded to the section;

the section can be arranged in the metal sheath.

14. A process in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

the insulating material is in the form of a powder or granular material that is compacted insulating material at least in the area of the contact points;

an extrusion coating is performed before or after the compaction around the plug contact at least in a partial area comprising a contact tongue, of the plug contact, so that a plug housing surrounding the plug contact or plug contacts is formed at least in some sections.

15. A process in accordance with claim 12, further comprising another plug contact to provide a plurality of plug contacts such that the plug contacts are connected to one another and are only separated in a later process step.

16. A process in accordance with claim 15, wherein a shaping of the contact tongues of the plug contacts is performed only after the establishment of an electric connection of the plug contacts to the heating element.

17. A process in accordance with claim 12, further comprising shaping a contact tongue of the plug contacts after the step of establishing an electric connection of the plug contacts to the heating element.