Positive temperature coefficient semiconductor heating device

• US 4,037,082 A
• Filed: 04/30/1976
• Issued: 07/19/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Toshikazu, Tamada, Minoru, Shikama, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayewsky, Volodymyr Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/682,041
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 219/353, 219/504, 219/505, 219/530, 219/540, 219/541, 219/544, 219/552, 219/553, 338/22 R, 338/22 SD, 338/322
• US Class Current: 219/541
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 1/084 using self-cooling, e.g. fins, heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 1/1406 Terminals or electrodes formed on resistive elements having positive temperature coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/022 mainly consisting of non-metallic substances H01C7/021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/006 using interdigitated electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/14 the material being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/20 Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater H05B3/62, H05B3/68, H05B3/78, H05B3/84 take precedence

Abstract

An arrangement of components for constructing a heating device employing positive temperature coefficient semiconductor (PTCS) heating elements comprising the PTCS heating element, upper and lower insulating plates, a heat emission plate and a case for entirely covering the layers of the PTCS heating element and the upper and lower insulating plates.

Claims

1. A positive temperature coefficient semiconductor (PTCS) heating device comprising:

a. a PTCS body having two opposed flat and mutually parallel faces;

b. a first electrode means having a plurality of strips of metal film electrically connected to each other at one end thereof and being separated from each other along their respective lengths with at least one of said strips being shorter than the other strips and said first electrode means being provided on one of said two opposed faces of said PTCS body;

c. a second electrode means having a plurality of strips of metal film electrically connected to each other at one end thereof and being separated from each other along their respective lengths with at least one of said strips being shorter than the other strips and said second electrode means being provided on said one of said opposed faces in such a manner that the strips of opposite electrodes are alternately disposed on said one face so that adjacent strips of the respective strips are members of different ones of said first and second electrode means;

d. a first terminal of a pair of terminals for applying a predetermined voltage to said first electrode means and provided on the other of said opposed faces at such a position that said first terminal does not overlap, through the PTCS body, with any of the strips of said second electrode means;

3. A PTCS heating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower insulating means is a plate made of electrically insulating and high heat conductive material.

2. e. a second terminal of said pair of terminals, said second terminal electrically connected to said second electrode means and provided on said other of said opposed faces at such a position that said second terminal does not overlap, through the PTCS body, with any of the strips of said first electrode;

f. a lower insulating means provided on a lower face of said two faces of the PTCS body for electrically insulating said electrodes;

g. an upper insulating means provided on an upper face of said two faces of the PTSC body for electrically insulating said terminals;

h. a metallic heat emission plate provided directly below said lower insulating means for emitting heat therefrom obtained from said PTCS heating element through said lower insulating means;

i. a metallic case means for entirely covering said PTCS heating element and said lower and upper insulating means together with said heat emission plate; and

j. a pair of terminal units each having base portions for electrically connecting with corresponding said terminals and a pin portion extending outwardly from said case means through said upper insulating means for connecting to an electrical power supply.

4. A PTCS heating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper insulating means is a plate made of electrically insulating and high heat conductive material.

5. A PTCS heating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper insulating means is a pair of bushings each provided around a pin portion of said terminal unit and having shoulder-like edge portions for engaging with said case means, thereby maintaining predetermined clearance between the case means and the PTCS heating element.

6. A PTCS heating device as claimed in claim 4, further comprises electrically insulating injected material injected in said clearance through a suitable opening formed in the case means.

7. A PTCS heating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper insulating means is an injected material injected through a suitable opening formed in the case means.