Electric heating module for heating air flow, in particular in automobiles

• US 7,560,663 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microhellix GmbH
• Original Assignee: Microhellix GmbH
• Inventors: Schehr, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US11/462,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20070045262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 219/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2225 arrangements of electric heaters for heating air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2271 Heat exchangers, burners, ignition devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/229 Integration into an air outlet
• 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 3/0435 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 3/0482 Frames with integrated fan
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1863 Arrangement or mounting of electric heating means

Abstract

An electric heating module for heating air flow, in particular in vehicles, is provided by the invention having at least one PTC heating element 10 and at least one adjacent heat dissipating area 13, through which air can flow, with heat conducting ribs being in an effective contact to the PTC heating element 10 as well as the PTC heating element 10 and the heat conducting ribs 13, combined by a frame 1 to form a module. The invention is characterized in that the heat dissipating area is embodied circular, in particular round.

Claims

1. An electric heating module for heating air flow in vehicles, comprising at least one PTC heating element (10) and at least one heat dissipation area (13) adjacent thereto through which air can flow, having heat conducting ribs being in an effective contact to the PTC heating element (10) as well as a frame (1) combining the PTC heating element (10) and heat conduction ribs (13) to form a module, the heat dissipating area is formed generally circular, the at least one PTC heating element (10) is embodied flat with an upper and a lower contacting surface and is arranged such that the contacting surfaces are generally positioned in radial planes, while the heat conducting ribs (13) are provided with heat dissipating areas (20) by which they are supported indirectly via contact elements (11, 12) conducting electric current and/or directly on the upper and/or the lower contacting surfaces of the PTC heating element (10), the frame (1) can be separated at a generally radially extending parting plane (5), and a spring element (14) is inserted into the frame (1) at the parting plane (5) of the frame (1) for axially pressing the heat conducting ribs (13) against the PTC heating element (10) and/or the contact elements (11, 12).

2. An electric heating module according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting ribs (13) are arranged extending generally radially.

3. An electric heating module according to claim 2, wherein the heat conducting ribs (13) are formed from one or more bent metal sheets (26) in a meandering fashion, with inwardly directed bends (27) that point to a center of the heat dissipating area each having a smaller bending radius than outwardly directed bends (28).

4. An electric heating module according to claim 3, wherein the inwardly directed bends (27) directed towards the center of the heat dissipating area each are compressed to a fold.

5. An electric heating module according to claim 1, wherein the spring element (14) comprises soft-elastic material.

6. An electric heating module according to claim 5, wherein the spring element (14) is formed from an O-ring.

7. An electric heating module according to claim 6, wherein the O-ring is provided with circumferential recesses (15).

8. An electric heating module according to claim 1, wherein a heat dissipating—

circular metal sheet (29) is mounted as a heat dissipating area onto the heat conducting ribs (13).

9. An electric heating module according to claim 1, wherein a ventilator housing (2) is mounted at the frame (1) or formed thereon.

10. An electric heating module according to claim 9, wherein an axial fan (21) or a diagonal fan (8) is located in the ventilator housing (2).

11. An electric heating module according to claim 10, wherein the heat dissipating area, through which air can flow, is arranged upstream from the fan (8, 21) in a laminar inflow area thereof.

12. An electric heating module according to claim 10, wherein the heat dissipating area, through which the air can flow, is arranged downstream from the fan (8, 21) in an outflow area thereof.

13. An electric heating module according to claim 9, wherein the frame (1) and the ventilator housing (2) together form a generally cylindrical air flow channel.

14. An electric heating module according to claim 13, wherein the frame is provided with bars (7) extending into the air flow channel and to guide an air flow stream.

15. An electric heating module according to claim 14, wherein conically shaped, concentrically arranged guidance rings are mounted in the air flow channel at the bars (7) for radial deflection of out flowing air flow.

16. An electric heating module according to claim 13, wherein several PTC heating elements (10) are arranged circularly around the air flow channel.

17. An electric heating module according to claim 13, wherein the at least one PTC heating element (10) is arranged in a center of the air flow channel.

18. An electric heating module according to claim 1, wherein in the frame (1) below and above the PTC heating element (19), a lower circular metal sheet (11) and an upper circular metal sheet (12) are arranged for electrically contacting the PTC heating element, with the heat dissipating areas (20) being supported on one of the circular metal sheets (12) and a spring element (14) made from the soft-elastic material on the other one of the two circular metal sheets (11).

19. An electric heating module according to claim 18, wherein the circular metal sheets (11, 12) are provided with contact protrusions, which extend outward through openings in the frame (1).

20. An electrical heating module according to claim 18, wherein the heat conducting ribs are pre-finished as a connected ring of ribs (13).

21. An electric heating module for heating air flow in vehicles, comprising at least one PTC heating element (10) and at least one heat dissipation area (13) adjacent thereto through which air can flow, having heat conducting ribs being in an effective contact to the PTC heating element (10) as well as a frame (1) combining the PTC heating element (10) and heat conduction ribs (13) to form a module, the heat dissipating area is formed generally circular, the at least one PTC heating element (10) is embodied flat with an upper and a lower contacting surface and is arranged such that the contacting surfaces are generally positioned in radial planes, while the heat conducting ribs (13) are provided with heat dissipating areas (20) by which they are supported indirectly via contact elements (11, 12) conducting electric current and/or directly on the upper and/or the lower contacting surfaces of the PTC heating element (10), the frame (1) can be separated at a generally radially extending parting plane (5), and the frame (1) at least partially comprises soft-elastic material and has at the parting plane (5) a generally circular spring section for axially pressing the heat conducting ribs (13) against the PTC heating element (10) and/or the contact elements (11, 12).

22. An electric heating module for heating air flow in vehicles, comprising at least one PTC heating element (10) and at least one heat dissipation area (13) adjacent thereto through which air can flow, having heat conducting ribs being in an effective contact to the PTC heating element (10) as well as a frame (1) combining the PTC heating element (10) and heat conduction ribs (13) to form a module, the heat dissipating area is formed generally circular, the at least one PTC heating element (10) is embodied flat with an upper and a lower contacting surface and is arranged such that the contacting surfaces are generally positioned in radial planes, while the heat conducting ribs (13) are provided with heat dissipating areas (20) by which they are supported indirectly via contact elements (11, 12) conducting electric current and/or directly on the upper and/or the lower contacting surfaces of the PTC heating element (10), and the heat conducting ribs (13) generally comprise U-profiles (19), with U-backs (25) of the profiles forming the heat dissipating areas (20).

23. An electric heating module according to claim 22, wherein U-legs of the heat conducting ribs (13) are provided with bead-like surface structures (26) for guiding and/or eddying the air flow.