Heat exchanger, particularly for a heating or air conditioning unit in a motor vehicle

• US 7,098,429 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2003
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Angermann, Hans-H., Watzlawski, Markus, Burk, Roland, Damsohn, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Robin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Vinod
• Application Number:
  US10/513,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20050150885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 219/530, 219/202, 219/208, 219/534, 219/542, 392408-482, 392/468, 392/496
• US Class Current: 219/530
• 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 3/0447 Forms of the electrode terminals, e.g. tongues or clips
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/062 using electric energy supply; the heating medium being the resistive element F24H3/08, F24H3/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/082 The tubes being an electrical isolator containing the heater
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1863 Arrangement or mounting of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1872 PTC

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger, particularly for a heating or air conditioning unit of a motor vehicle, comprising several flat pipes which are arranged parallel to each other and are penetrated by a heat-transmitting medium. An electrically operated heating element (114) which is mounted once the heat exchanger has been soldered is assigned to at least one part of the flat pipes as an additional heating device. Said heating element (114) is fixed to the heat exchanger by means of a holding element (115The inventive heat exchanger is characterized by the fact that each heating element (114) is mounted in front of the corresponding flat pipe and parallel thereto by means of the holding element (125) which also runs parallel to the flat pipe.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for a heating or air conditioning unit in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of flat tubes which are arranged parallel to one another, wherein the cross-section of each flat tube includes long faces and narrow end faces;

a system for circulating a first heat transfer medium through each of the tubes;

at least a portion of the flat tubes having associated therewith an additional heating element comprising an electrically operated heating element which is mounted after soldering of the heat exchanger;

a holding element for fixing the heating element to the heat exchanger, wherein each heating element is mounted on the end face of its corresponding flat tube, wherein the holding element runs parallel to the flat tubes.

2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding element is formed by projecting rib sets, or the holding element is received between projecting rib sets.

3. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heating element or substantial regions of the heating element are pushed in at least partially between the projecting rib sets.

4. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein corners of the projecting rib set are rounded or sloped in a region of an introduction orifice of the heating element.

5. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding element is a holding grid and/or in that the heating element is designed as a heating grid.

6. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding element is mounted on the heat exchanger in a thermally conductive manner.

7. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating element and/or the holding element has an insulating coating or is provided with an insulating coating.

8. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating element is of meander-type design, individual heating sections which run parallel to one another being in each case connected on one side in each case to an adjacent heating section via connecting webs.

9. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 8, wherein cooling beads are provided at current bridges between the individual heating sections.

10. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating element and the holding element are produced in one piece as composite material.

11. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more excess temperature cutouts are provided.