Temperature control device

• US 9,298,207 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Li, William Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US13/561,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 180/315, 219/202, 165/41, 165/42, 62/36.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 20/02 of initiating means control mechanisms in general G05G
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0278 Constructional features of the selector lever, e.g. grip parts, mounting or manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/06 Details of their grip parts G05G1/10 takes precedence

Abstract

A temperature control device for a climate control loop comprising at least one handle piece.

Claims

1. A temperature control device for a climate control loop comprising:

at least one handle piece, wherein the at least one handle piece is part of a gear knob and comprises;

at least one support with at least one fastening recess that at least partially accommodates at least one heating device or parts thereof; and

a cover layer at least partially covering the at least one support;

wherein the at least one fastening recess is one or more grooves for receiving and stabilizinstabilizing the at least one heating device or parts thereof, in the at least one handle piece;

wherein the at least one heating device includes a temperature control strand that is inlaid close a surface of the at least one fastening recess;

wherein the at least one fastening recess is an at least partially open groove and the temperature control strand has a diameter smaller than a depth of the one or more fastening recesses so a distance remains between the temperature control strand and a surface of the at least one handle piece to prevent local overheating; and

wherein the at least one heating device has at least one heating resistor having an arrangement at least in parts that is in mirror symmetry with respect to a plane.

2. The temperature control device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fastening recess is an at least partially open groove and comprises:

a. an even depth along its entire length,

b. an at least partial incline on one or several of its sides,

c. a shape that is at least partially longer at its top edge than its bottom edge, or

d. a combination thereof.

3. The temperature control device according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the heating device is inserted into a support made of a first material, and at least part of the heating device is later covered by the cover layer of a second material and is free of adhesive at an interface layer formed in this way.

4. An air conditioning device comprising:

at least one temperature control device according to claim 1.

5. A handle piece comprising:

at least one temperature control device according to claim 1.

6. The handle piece according to claim 5, wherein the at least one handle piece comprises at least two heating areas arranged on the handle piece, wherein the heating areas are free of electrical connection or are in electrical contact at single points only.

7. A vehicle comprising at least one handle piece according o claim 6.

8. The temperature control device according to 1, wherein the temperature control device includes at least one sensor.

9. The temperature control device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support is at least partially curved toward an area to be temperature controlled to allow at least part of the at least one heating device to be fastened without adhesive fasteners at least in convex sections of the at least one handle piece.

10. A temperature control device comprising:

a. a climate control loop including;

i. at least one handle piece, wherein the at least one handle piece is part of a gear knob, comprising;

1. at least one support having at least one fastening recess that at least partially accommodates at least one heating device;

2. a cover layer at least partially covering the at least one support;

wherein the at least one fastening recess is one or more at least partially open grooves for lowering the at least one heating device or parts thereof, into the at least one handle piece;

wherein the at least one heating device or parts thereof has a diameter smaller than a depth of the at least one fastening recesses so a distance remains between the at least one heating device or parts thereof, and a surface of the climate control loop to prevent local overheating;

wherein the at least one heating device includes at least two heating areas arranged on the at least one handle piece, the at least two heating areas being free of an electrical connection or are in electrical contact at a single point;

and

wherein the at least one support has at least partially a higher meting, softening and/or decomposition temperature than the cover layer.

11. The, temperature control device of claim 10, wherein the temperature control device includes a heating device, a coding device, Peltier elements, heat conducting pipes, an air circulation device, or a combination thereof.

12. The temperature control device of claim 10, wherein the at least one fastening recesses are arranged in mirror symmetry.

13. The temperature control device of claim 12, wherein at least part of the heating device is fastened without adhesive fasteners at least in convex sections of the handle piece.

14. The temperature control device of claim 10, wherein the at least one heating device includes at least one temperature control strands.

15. The temperature control device of claim 14, wherein the at least one temperature control strands are meandering without encompassing the handle piece by 360 degrees or more.

16. The temperature control device of claim 14, wherein the at least one temperature control strands comprise at least one turn.

17. The temperature control device of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the at least one temperature control strands are fastened without adhesives, sewing, seams, or a combination thereof.

18. A temperature control device comprising;

a. a climate control loop including;

i. at least one handle piece, wherein the at least one handle piece is part of a gear knob, comprising;

1. at least one support having at least one fastening recess that at least partially accommodates at least one heating device-or parts thereof,

wherein the at least one fastening recess is one or more grooves for lowering the at least one heating device or parts thereof, into the at least one handle piece;

wherein the at least one fastening recess at least partially has a shape that is longer at its top edge than at its bottom edge;

wherein at least part of the at least one heating device is fastened without adhesive fasteners at least in convex sections of the at least one handle piece;

wherein the at least one heating device includes at least two heating areas arranged on the at least one handle piece, the at least two heating areas being free of an electrical connection or are in electrical contact at a single point; and

2. a temperature control strand that is inlaid close to a surface of the at least one fastening recess;

wherein the temperature control strand has a diameter smaller than a depth of the one or more fastening recesses so a distance remains between the temperature control strand and a surface of the climate control loop to prevent local overheating.

19. The temperature control device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one fastening recess is arranged in mirror symmetry.