Electric heater with housing

• US 7,026,584 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catem GmbH & Co., KG
• Original Assignee: Catem GmbH & Co., KG
• Inventors: Bohlender, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell, Thor S.
• Application Number:
  US10/743,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20050072774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 392/347, 392/355, 392/365, 219/202, 219/540, 219/504
• US Class Current: 219/548
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2225 arrangements of electric heaters for heating air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2278 Connectors, water supply, housing, mounting brackets
• 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 3/0464 Two-piece frames, e.g. two-shell frames, also including frames as a central body with two covers
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0476 Means for putting the electric heaters in the frame under strain, e.g. with springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1818 Arrangement or mounting of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1872 PTC
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/14 the material being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/50 heating conductor arranged in metal tubes, the radiating surface having heat-conducting fins

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel constructional principle for electric heaters, wherein the functions of frame and resilient means are separated from one another. As a frame for an electric heater, a housing is used that consists of two half-shells. Positioning aids for the PTC heating elements are arranged in the housing. The longitudinal sides of the housing are essentially made open to allow for air throughput through the heating register. A resilient device is additionally inserted into the housing, the resilient device compressing the layered structure of radiator elements, PTC heating elements and contact sheets. After the heater has been assembled, the resilient device can be inserted through a lateral opening into the heater.

Claims

1. An auxiliary electric heater for automotive vehicles, comprising

a housing which is made open on longitudinal faces thereof, and

a layered structure including

at least one PTC heating element,

a radiator element,

contact sheets for power supply, and

a resilient element, the layered structure being kept clamped in the housing by the resilient element,

wherein an opening is provided in a lateral face of the housing for inserting the resilient element.

2. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein a resilient channel is formed in the housing for receiving the resilient element.

3. The electric heater according to claim 1 further comprising positioning means for pre-fixing the elements of the heater in the housing.

4. The electric heater according to claim 3, wherein the positioning means simultaneously form a groove for guiding the resilient element during insertion.

5. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal faces of the housing are mechanically reinforced by at least one transverse strut.

6. The electric heater according to claim 5, wherein the struts in the longitudinal faces of the housing have the shape of a grid structure.

7. The electric heater according to claim 5, wherein the grid structure has at least one longitudinal strut in the area of the PTC heating element.

8. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein said housing is made from plastics.

9. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the layered structure includes multiple PTC heating elements, and wherein the housing further comprises positioning means for keeping the PTC heating elements mutually spaced apart.

10. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises two half-shells.

11. The electric heater according to claim 10, wherein the half-shells of the housing can be put together.

12. The electric heater according to claim 11, further comprising locking pins or locking noses which, when the half-shells of the housing are put together, effect an interlocking of the two half-shells.

13. The electric heater according to claim 10, wherein the half-shells are configured such that they separate the housing approximately in the middle between the longitudinal faces of the housing.

14. The electric heater according to claim 13, further comprising respectively opposite projections provided on a separation line of the half-shells which will engage each other when the half-shells are assembled.

15. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the resilient element comprises a sheet member with resilient segments projecting therefrom.

16. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the resilient element is configured such that it transmits clamping forces essentially onto reinforced longitudinal sides of the housing.

17. The electric heater according to claim 15, wherein each of the resilient segments extends into edge portions of longitudinal sides of the sheet member.

18. The electric heater according to claim 17, wherein the sheet member is made integral with the resilient segments.

19. The electric heater according to claim 15, wherein the layered structure includes multiple PTC heating elements, and wherein at least one resilient segment is provided at each PTC heating element position for a frictional clamping action.

20. The electric heater according to claim 19, wherein at least two resilient segments are provided for each PTC heating element position.

21. The electric heater according to claim 1, further comprising at least one seal for sealing longitudinal struts relative to the PTC heating elements.

22. The electric heater according to claim 21, wherein the longitudinal faces of the housing are mechanically reinforced by transverse struts having the shape of a grid structure, and wherein the seal seals a whole grid structure.

23. The electric heater according to claim 22, wherein the seal for a housing side is respectively made integral.

40. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the opening is fully enclosed about an entire perimeter thereof.

24. A housing for an auxiliary heater for automotive vehicles, the housing comprising:

a housing structure for receiving a layered structure including at least one PTC heating element, a radiator element, contact sheets for power supply, and a resilient element, wherein the housing structure has a lateral opening for insertion of the resilient element.

25. The housing according to claim 24, wherein a resilient channel is formed in the housing structure for inserting the resilient element.

26. The housing according to claim 24, further comprising positioning means in the housing structure for pre-fixing the elements of the heater.

27. The housing according to claim 26, wherein the positioning means in the housing structure form a groove for guiding the resilient element at the same time.

28. The housing according to claim 24, wherein the housing structure has longitudinal faces that are mechanically reinforced by at least one transverse strut.

29. The housing according to claim 28, wherein the struts in the longitudinal faces of the housing structure have an open configuration and are in the form of a grid structure.

30. The housing according to claim 24, wherein the housing is made from plastics.

41. The housing according to claim 24, wherein the opening is fully enclosed about an entire perimeter thereof.

31. An auxiliary electric heater for an automotive vehicle, the electric heater comprising:

a housing having open longitudinal faces; and

a layered structure including of at least one PTC heating element, a radiator element, contact sheets for power supply, and a resilient element, the layered structure being clamped in the housing by the resilient element, wherein an opening is provided in a lateral face of the housing for inserting the resilient element.

32. The electric heater according to claim 31, wherein a resilient channel is formed in the housing for receiving the resilient element.

33. The electric heater according to claim 31, further comprising positioning means for pre-fixing the elements of the heater in the housing.

34. The electric heater according to claim 31, wherein the longitudinal faces of the housing are mechanically reinforced by at least one transverse strut.

35. The electric heater according to claim 31, wherein the housing comprises positioning means for keeping the PTC heating elements mutually spaced apart.

36. The electric heater according to claim 31, wherein the housing comprises two half-shells.

37. The electric heater according to claim 31, wherein the resilient element comprises a sheet member with resilient segments projecting therefrom.

38. The electric heater according to claim 31, wherein the resilient element is configured such that it transmits the clamping forces essentially onto reinforced longitudinal sides of the housing.

42. The electric heater according to claim 31, wherein the opening is fully enclosed about an entire perimeter thereof.

39. An auxiliary electric heater for an automotive vehicle, the electric heater comprising:

a housing having open longitudinal faces; and

a layered structure including of at least one PTC heating element, a radiator element, contact sheets for power supply, and a resilient element, the layered structure being clamped in the housing by the resilient element, wherein an opening is provided in a lateral face of the housing for inserting the resilient element, wherein the resilient element is configured such that it transmits the clamping forces essentially onto reinforced longitudinal sides of the housing, and wherein the sides of the housing are reinforced by longitudinal struts, and further comprising at least one seal for sealing the longitudinal struts relative to the PTC heating elements.