Heating heat exchanger with electric heat emitter

• US 6,055,360 A
• Filed: 03/16/1998
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Okano, Reijiro, Fukuoka, Mikio, Takahashi, Koji, Inoue, Yoshimitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeffery, John A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, THOR S
• Application Number:
  US09/039,937
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 392/485, 392/486, 392/491, 392/347, 392/379, 392/360, 392/365, 165/172-175, 165/148-153, 219/530, 219/34, 219/36, 219/44, 219/46, 219/48, 219/50, 219/52, 219/202, 219/505
• US Class Current: 392/485
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00321 Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices B60H1/3227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2225 arrangements of electric heaters for heating air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2296 integration into fluid/air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/009 for vehicle systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/002 using electric energy supply
• 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 3/047 Multiple-piece frames assembled on their four or more edges
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/082 The tubes being an electrical isolator containing the heater
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/085 The tubes containing an electrically heated intermediate fluid, e.g. water
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1872 PTC
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/05366 Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/002 with fastening means for other structures

Abstract

An electric heat emitter is disposed at a predetermined position in a heat exchanging core portion having a plurality of tubes and corrugated fins. The electric heat emitter includes a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate which are insulated from the heat exchanging core portion. An electric wiring cover made of resin having a positive electrode wiring member and a negative electrode wiring member is attached to an outlet tank of the heat exchanger. The positive and negative electrode plates connect to the positive and negative electrode wiring members respectively. Thus, the electric current is supplied to the electric heat emitter through an electric circuit insulated from the heat exchanger, thereby preventing metal parts of the heat exchanger from being electrically corroded.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising:

a heat exchanging core portion having a plurality of tubes arranged in parallel and a plurality of fin members disposed between a pair of adjacent tubes out of said tubes;

an inlet tank provided at one end of said tubes for distributing hot water into said each tube;

an outlet tank provided at the other end of said each tube for receiving the hot water;

an electric heat emitter provided at a predetermined position of said heat exchanging core portion, said electric heat emitter including a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a heat emitting element disposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate; and

an electric wiring cover attached to said inlet tank or said outlet tank, said electric wiring cover being provided with a positive electrode wiring member and a negative electrode wiring member, wherein

said positive electrode plate and said negative electrode plate are electrically insulated from said heat exchanging core portion,

said positive electrode wiring member is connected to said positive electrode plate, and

said negative electrode wiring member is connected to said negative electrode plate.

2. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein

said electric wiring cover is made of an elastic resin,

said electric wiring cover has an elastically transformable pick-like stopper, and

said electric wiring cover is attached to said inlet tank or said outlet tank by elastically broadening said pick-like stopper outwardly.

3. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein

first ends of said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member are connected to said positive electrode plate and said negative electrode plate respectively, and

second ends of said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member are disposed at an end of said inlet tank or said outlet tank in a longitudinal direction thereof.

4. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein

said electric wiring cover has a concave portion, and

said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member are disposed in said concave portion.

5. A heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member are press fixed to said concave portion.

6. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein

said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member have a connecting hole respectively,

said electric wiring cover has a pin member to be inserted into said connecting hole respectively, and

said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member are fixed to said electric wiring cover by inserting said pin member into said connecting hole.

7. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein

said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member have a terminal portion at each end thereof respectively,

said positive electrode plate and said negative electrode plate have a terminal portion at each end thereof respectively, and

said terminal portions of said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member electrically connect to said terminal portions of said positive electrode plate and said negative electrode plate while press fitting with each other when said electric wiring cover is attached to said inlet tank or said outlet tank.

8. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein

a magnetic shield made of electrically conductive material is provided outside said positive electrode wiring member and said negative electrode wiring member.