Heating assembly for a heating, ventilating and/or air conditioning installation for a vehicle cabin

• US 7,971,799 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Climatisation SA (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Climatisation SA (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Colette, Olivier, Haussmann, Roland, Terranova, Gilbert, Pierron, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister; Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Reilly, III; Patrick F.
• Application Number:
  US11/105,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,274 Days
• Field of Search: 237/12.3 R, 237/12.3 B, 237/2.A, 237/12.3 A, 165/41, 165/42, 219/202, 219/205
• US Class Current: 237/12.30B
• 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 3/0405 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 3/0447 Forms of the electrode terminals, e.g. tongues or clips
• 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 3/085 The tubes containing an electrically heated intermediate fluid, e.g. water
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1872 PTC

Abstract

The invention is directed to a heating assembly comprising, in combination, a main radiator (1) for fluid flow and an electric radiator. The latter is disposed on one face of the main radiator (1) defining its general plane, and consists of a plurality of independent heating elements (6). Each of these heating elements (6) comprises an elementary electrical heating body (7), having connecting means (31, 31′) for connection to an electrical power source, and a finned element (8). These heating elements (6) are assembled on a connecting structure of the electric radiator on the face of the main radiator (1).

Claims

1. A heating assembly for a heating, ventilating and/or air conditioning installation, especially for a cabin of a vehicle, which assembly comprises, in combination, a main radiator (1) for flow of fluid, including at least one manifold (2, 2′

) having ports (3, 3′

) for inlet and outlet of the fluid, between which there extends a plurality of tubes (4) for flow of the fluid therein, which are interposed between and along a plurality of finned elements (5) to define a heat exchange surface of the main radiator (1) relative to a direction of air flow, together with an electric radiator comprising a body defining a heat exchange surface of the electric radiator relative to the direction of air flow, which comprises at least one electrical heating member interposed between a plurality of finned elements (8) and having means (31, 31′

) for connection to an electrical source and to electronic control devices (28, 29, 30), the heating assembly further including means for assembling together the main radiator (1) and the electric radiator, characterised in that the heat exchange surface of the electric radiator is distinct from the heat exchange surface of the main radiator (1) with the body of the electric radiator is sub-divided into a plurality of independent heating elements (6) disposed adjacent to and upstream and/or downstream to at least one face of the main radiator (1) relative to the direction of air flow and assembled on a junction structure for joining the electric radiator on the at least one face of the main radiator (1), and the electronic control devices comprise at least one switch (29) associated with an electronic printed circuit board (30), with means for connecting at least one elementary body (7) of the heating elements (6) comprising a pair of connecting lugs (31, 31′

) for connection to a pair of profiled elements (32, 32′

) associated with the electrical power source of the vehicle, and in that the electronic printed circuit board (30) is fixed close to any one of the sides of the main radiator (1), the switch (29) being located indifferently on any one of the sides of the main radiator (1) or on one of the faces of the latter, and the elementary body (7) comprises a metal plate (26) having at least one resistive track (27).

2. A heating assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the junction structure comprises a framework (9, 12) which is equipped with members (10;

13, 13′

) for receiving heating elements (6), together with fastening means (11, 17, 18) for fastening against the face of the main radiator (1).

3. A heating assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the framework (9) is arranged as a rigid structure which is largely open and which is equipped with a plurality of members (10) for receiving the respective heating elements (6).

4. A heating assembly according to claim 3, characterised in that the said members (10) for receiving the heating elements (6) are resiliently deformable whereby to connect heating elements (6) on the framework (9) by elastic insertion.

5. A heating assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the framework (12) comprises a set of straight lugs (13, 13′

) which are connected to each other, and between which the heating elements (6) are disposed and held together by gripping engagement.

6. A heating assembly according to claim 5, characterised in that the heating elements (6) are assembled together in succession, and are inserted between the straight lugs (13, 13′

) through elastic interposition means (14, 14′

).

7. A heating assembly according to claim 6, characterised in that the heating elements (6) are assembled together by assembly members, each of which comprises, in combination, a set of metallic plates (15, 15′

), which are disposed on either side of the elementary bodies (7) by being interposed with the finned elements (8), and which are connected together at their edges by halter pieces (16), which are preferably of insulating material.

8. A heating assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterised in that the means for fastening the framework (9, 12) on the main radiator (1) comprises an elastically deformable member (11, 17, 18) in engagement on the framework (9, 12) and on the main radiator (1), such that their connection to each other is obtained by mutual elastic gripping by means of the fastening member (11, 17, 18) against the action of its deformation.

9. A heating assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the junction structure comprises the main radiator (1) which includes a plurality of receiving members (19, 20, 21) of the respective heating elements (6).

10. A heating assembly according to claim 9, characterised in that the receiving members for receiving the heating elements (6) comprises housings (19) formed on at least one face of the main radiator (1).

11. A heating assembly according to claim 9, characterised in that the receiving members for receiving the heating elements (6) comprise flanges (20) which are attached to the main radiator (1) on at least one of its faces.

12. A heating assembly according to claim 9, characterised in that the receiving members for receiving the heating elements (6) are formed from extensions (21) of two finned elements (5) of the main radiator (1) which are close together, the said extensions (21) constituting the finned elements (8) of the heating elements (6) and receiving between them the elementary bodies (7) of the latter (6).

13. A heating assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the connecting lugs (31, 31′

) of the elementary body (7) project from the ends of the heating elements (6), either at a common end or at respective opposite ends thereof.

14. A heating assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the heating elements (6) comprise a frame (23) enveloping a pair of finned elements (8) which are disposed on either side of the elementary body (7), the latter comprising at least one electrical heating element.

15. A heating assembly according to claim 14, characterised in that the frame (23) comprises power supply electrodes of the elementary body (7).

16. A heating assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the independent heating elements (6) each comprise of at least one elementary electrical heating body (7) having respective connecting means (31, 31′

) and at least one finned element (8).

17. A heating assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that the elementary electrical heating body (7) is spaced upstream or downstream away from the tubes (4) of the main radiator (1) relative to the direction of air flow.