ITRM20130440A1 - HEATING DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR HEATING THE INTERIOR OF A CAR, AND ASSEMBLY METHOD OF THE DEVICE. - Google Patents

Description

Heating device, in particular for heating the passenger compartment of a car, and method of mounting said device.

The present invention relates to a heating device, in particular for heating the passenger compartment of a car, and method of mounting said device.

More in detail, the invention relates to a heating device, or heater, for the passenger compartment of an automobile, designed and manufactured in particular to allow high operating efficiency and constructive optimization.

In the following the description will address the use of the device in the passenger compartment of a car, but it is clear that it should not be considered limited to this specific use.

As is well known, internal combustion engines, and diesel engines in particular, take a long time to warm up. Therefore, to ensure adequate comfort in the passenger compartment right from the start, especially in winter, heaters are installed in the passenger compartment of the car, designed to allow immediate initial heating of the passenger compartment.

The electrical energy absorbed by the heater is transformed into heat which in turn is used to ensure greater comfort for the users of the vehicle. The air flow that passes through the heater, cooling the radiant mass, generally heated by PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) pads, reaches the air vents on the car dashboard with a temperature of 10 - 15 ° C higher than at that of the environment.

Examples of heating devices according to the prior art are given by patent applications FR2826829 A and DE 102007032896.

The heating devices described have constructional problems for an industrial production, since they present complications in the arrangement of the PTC electrode-pads assembly.

The Applicant, to overcome these constructive limitations, has developed solutions described in European patent application No. 13425027.3, in which systems are provided for preloading the compression springs, and then releasing them once the radiant element was completed and inserted between the fins. This solution, although it exceeds the limits of the known art mentioned, makes it difficult in the series production which characterizes these devices, to prepare assemblies of parts with preloaded elements. In fact, it has been found that any offsets in constructions may not preload the springs correctly, this implying production stops.

The relevant known art also includes patent application FR2826829A1.

In light of the above, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a heating device which allows assembly as simple and effective as possible, which can make the serial production steps of the device more reliable.

Therefore, the specific object of the present invention is a heating device connectable to an electric power supply, comprising a support frame, one or more radiating elements, each comprising a containment tube having an internal surface, capable of functioning as an electrode and connectable to said power supply, a longitudinal housing, made of insulating material, arranged inside said containment tube, open at the top and having a lower base, a longitudinal electrode, connectable to said power supply and arranged in said longitudinal housing, so as to be insulated from said containment tube, heat generation means, such as one or more PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) elements, each inserted in said containment tube and arranged between, and in contact with, said longitudinal electrode and said containment tube, so that, by applying an electric current between de said containment tube and said longitudinal electrode, said heat generation means generate heat, compression means, located in said longitudinal housing, interposed between said longitudinal housing and said longitudinal electrode, and one or more dissipation fins arranged in said support, suitable for dissipating the heat generated by said radiating elements, characterized by the fact that said longitudinal housing comprises a plurality of seats on said base, and by the fact that said compression means comprise a plate on which a plurality of tongues or springs are obtained , each insertable in a respective seat of said longitudinal housing, said plate being able to assume a rest position, in which said tabs or springs are inserted in said seats, and an operative position, in which said plate is longitudinally translated with respect to said longitudinal housing , so that said tongues or springs are in compression, such that said heat generation means are kept in electrical and thermal contact with said internal surface of said containment tube in which they are inserted, by means of the force exerted by said tabs or springs.

Always according to the invention, said seats of said longitudinal housing can have a lateral wall intended to interfere with said tabs or springs when said plate (35) passes from said rest position to said operative position.

Still according to the invention, said seats can be identified by a side wall, inclined with respect to said base and intended to interfere with said tabs or springs, when said plate passes from said rest position to said operative position, from a lower wall and from a horizontal wall, facing said lower wall, so that the tongue or spring inserted in the respective one is at least partially inserted between said lower wall and said horizontal wall, when said plate is in said rest position.

Advantageously according to the invention, said radiating element can comprise a plurality of separator elements, made of plastic material, co-molded together with said longitudinal electrode and said plate, and spaced so as to allow arrangement of said generation means between each pair of them. of heat.

Further according to the invention, said support frame can comprise a first support and a second support coupled to said first support, said fins being arranged between first support and said second support, and an electrical connector, connectable to a power supply of the car in to which said heating device is installed, said longitudinal electrodes and said containment tubes being electrically connected and said electrical connector.

Always according to the invention, said longitudinal electrodes can be connected to a first polarity, preferably the positive polarity, of said electric power supply, and said containment tubes can be connected to a second polarity, opposite to said first polarity, preferably the negative polarity , of said power supply.

A further specific object of the present invention is a method for mounting a heating device, as defined above, comprising the following steps: (A) inserting said containment tubes through said dissipation fins; (B) fixing said dissipation fins to said containment tubes; and (C) assembling said radiating elements.

Again according to the invention, said step (C) can comprise the sub-steps of: (Cl) arranging said plate and said longitudinal electrode in said longitudinal housing, so that said springs or tabs are each located in a respective seat of said base of said longitudinal housing and maintained in the mounting position by said horizontal wall and said lower wall; (C2) arranging said heat generation means in contact with said longitudinal electrode; (C3) inserting said longitudinal housing into said containment tube; and (C4) applying to said plate a longitudinal movement along a first direction, so as to cause the passage of said plate, said rest position to said operative position, in which said tabs or springs are extracted from said seats and are compressed along said wall lateral inclined, such that said heat generation means by means of the vertical movement alone are kept in electrical and thermal contact with said internal surface of said containment tube in which they are inserted by the force exerted by said tabs or springs, thus avoiding sliding with said containment tube and said electrode.

Still according to the invention, said phase (Cl) can comprise the following sub-phase: co-molding said separator elements with said longitudinal electrode and said plate, said separator elements being spaced apart so as to allow the arrangement between each pair of them, of said means of heat generation.

The present invention will now be described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the heating device according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of a radiating element of the heating device according to Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a side sectional view of an assembly step of two parts of the radiating element of the heating device according to Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a side sectional view of a further assembly step of two parts of the radiating element of the heating device according to Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows a side sectional view of another assembly step of two parts of the radiating element of the heating device according to Figure 1;

figure 6 shows a plan view of the assembly step of two parts of the radiant element according to figure 5;

figure 7 shows a further exploded view of the radiating element of the heating device according to figure 1;

figure 8 shows the assembly of the radiant element of the heating device according to figure 1;

figure 9 shows the insertion of the radiating elements in a respective containment tube of the heating device according to the present invention;

Figures 10, 11 and 12 show the steps for fixing the radiant elements to the respective containment tube;

figure 13 shows an exploded view of a radiating element of a second embodiment of a heating device according to the present invention;

figure 14 shows an exploded view of an assembly step of two parts of the radiating element according to figure 13; And

Figure 15 shows a perspective view of another assembly step of two parts of the radiating element according to Figure 13.

In the various figures similar parts will be indicated with the same numerical references.

Referring to Figure 1, a heating device 1 according to the present invention is observed.

Said heating device 1 comprises a support frame 2, one or more radiant elements or bars 3, installed on said support frame 2, and a plurality of dissipation fins 4 in thermal contact with said radiant bars 3, as will be better described in the sequel.

Said support frame 2 comprises a first support 21 and a second support 22 which can be coupled together, and an electrical connector 23, which can be connected to a plug of the car in which said heating device 1 is installed.

Said radiant bars 3, which in the present embodiment are three, are suitable for generating the heat, which is radiated by the dissipation fins 4, contained between said first support 21 and said second support 22 of frame 2.

Said radiant bars 3 also comprise a containment tube 31, hollow inside and made of a material capable of conducting heat and electric current, so that said containment tube 31 can also act as an electrical terminal, and a longitudinal housing 32, arranged inside said containment tube 31. Said longitudinal housing 32 is open at the top and has a plurality of seats 32 'formed on the surface of said base 32 ", the function of which will be better explained below.

Said radiating bars 3 comprise inside a longitudinal electrode 33, having a terminal 33 ', which protrudes from said containment tube 31 when it is inserted therein. Said longitudinal electrode 33 is arranged so as not to come into contact with said containment tube 31, and is connected to said connector 23.

Furthermore, said radiant bars 3 comprise a plurality of PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) elements 34, which are pads made of ceramic, arranged in series with respect to each other, and a plate 35, on which a plurality of of compression means or springs 35 ', each made in the form of elastic tabs, said plate 35 being arranged interposed between said longitudinal electrode 33 and the base of said longitudinal housing 32.

The operation of the heating device 1 described above takes place as follows.

When the car in which the heater 1 is installed is switched on, electricity is supplied to the heater 1 via the electrical connector 23.

The radiant tubes 31, which as said also act as electrical terminals, are connected to a polarity of the power supply of said car, while the terminals 33 'of each longitudinal electrode 33 of the radiating bars 3, which as said, are isolated from the containment tube 31 thanks to the longitudinal housing 32 in which it is located, are connected to the other polarity of the power supply.

In this way, by means of the assembly described above, the electric current passes through said longitudinal electrodes 33 of said radiant bars 3 and through said PTC elements 34, which are kept in contact with the internal surface of said radiant tubes 31 by the force exerted. from said springs 35 ', which are in compression.

Said PTC elements 34 each act as an electrical resistance to the passage of the current, so as to generate heat which is transmitted to said containment tubes 31, which are also thermally conductive, and from the latter to said dissipation fins 4 which dissipate it. The electric circuit closes precisely with said PTC elements 34 in contact with the containment tubes 31, which as mentioned are connected to a polarity of the power supply of said car.

The heat produced by said PTC elements 34 is dissipated, by means of the dissipation fins 4 and is conveyed inside the passenger compartment of the car possibly by means of a fan, so that the air flow passes through said dissipation fins 4, heating up .

With reference now to Figures 3-12, the different steps of the method of mounting the heating device 1 according to the present invention are illustrated.

A first assembly step (not shown in the figures) consists in placing and fixing the radiant tubes 31 through the fins 4. In particular, the fins 4 are stacked together and have holes through which a containment tube 31 passes. containment tube 31 is mechanically expanded, by means of an ogive or similar means, so as to make the dissipation fins 4 adhere to the containment tube 31. In this way, mechanical interference is obtained between the containment tube 31 and the fins dissipation 4, which guarantees the mechanical connection.

Subsequently, the remaining part of the radiating element 3 is assembled. In particular, referring to figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8:

- the plate 35 is located in said longitudinal housing 32 and said springs 35 'are each inserted in a respective of said seats 32';

- the longitudinal electrode 33 is subsequently placed on said plate 35; And

the PTC elements 34 are arranged on said longitudinal electrode 33, in series with each other, possibly simply spaced apart.

The assembly obtained, shown in Figure 8, is each inserted into a respective containment tube 31, as shown in Figure 9.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 show how then, for each radiating element 3, the respective longitudinal terminal 33 and the respective plate 35 are moved or translated in the direction indicated by the arrow A. This causes the longitudinal translation of the plate 35 with respect to the 'longitudinal housing 32, which then passes from a rest position (springs not compressed) to an operative position and then the simultaneous extraction of each spring 35' from its respective seat 32 ', which follows the trajectory marked by the arrow C, with the its consequent compression and the lifting, in the direction of the arrow B, of the plate 35, of the electrode 33 and, therefore, of the PTC elements 34, thus ensuring a correct pressure between each PTC element 34 and the internal surface of said containment tube 31 .

Said seats 32 'are identified by a side wall 32' '', inclined with respect to said base 32 "and intended to interfere with said tabs or springs 35 ', when the plate 35 passes from said rest position to said operative position, in so as to facilitate said passage, from a lower wall 32 <v> and from a horizontal wall 32 <IV>, facing said lower wall 32 <v>, so that the tongue or spring 35 'inserted in the respective 32' is at least partially inserted between said lower wall 32 <V> and said horizontal wall 32 <IV>, when said plate 35 is in said rest position. Thus, when said plate 35 is in said rest position and each of said tongues or springs 35 'is inserted in the respective seat 32' under the horizontal wall 32 <IV> of said seat 32 ', said plate 35 is held in a stable manner in assembly position with respect to said longitudinal housing 32.

Figures 13-15 show the structure, operation and assembly steps of a second embodiment of the heating device 1 according to the present invention.

In particular, differently from the previous embodiment, in this case, said radiating element 3 comprises separator elements 36, made of plastic material, which are co-molded together with said longitudinal electrode 33 and said plate 35 and spaced so as to allow the arrangement between each pair of them, of a PTC 34 element.

The co-molded assembly between said longitudinal electrode 33, said plate 35 and said separator elements 36 is coupled with the longitudinal support 32 and subsequently the PTC elements 34 are inserted, each, between a pair of separator elements 36, so as to remain spaced apart from each other. one from the other.

The steps of placing the assembly formed by said longitudinal electrode 33, said plate 35, said longitudinal support 32 and PTC elements 34 and compression of the springs 35 'are the same as those of the heating device 1 according to the first embodiment described.

An advantage of the present invention is, on the one hand, the fact that in the assembly phases there are no elements or springs that are preloaded, thus avoiding any constructive and manufacturing problems, and, on the other hand, the fact that the parts which make it up are less complex.

The present invention has been described for illustrative, but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that variations and / or modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without thereby departing from the relative scope of protection, such as defined by the attached claims.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS 1. Heating device (1) connectable to an electrical supply, comprising a support frame (2), one or more radiating elements (3), each comprising a containment tube (31) having an internal surface, capable of functioning as an electrode and connectable to said electrical supply, a longitudinal housing (32), made of insulating material, arranged inside said containment tube (31), open at the top and having a lower base (32 "), a longitudinal electrode (33), connectable to said electrical supply and arranged in said longitudinal housing (32), so as to be isolated from said containment tube (31), heat generation means (34), such as one or more PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) elements, each inserted in said containment tube (31) and arranged between, and in contact with, said longitudinal electrode (33) and said containment (31), so that, by applying an electric current between said containment tube (31) and said longitudinal electrode (33), said heat generation means (34) generate heat, compression means (35), located in said longitudinal housing (32), interposed between said longitudinal housing (32) and said longitudinal electrode (33), and one or more dissipation fins (4) arranged in said support frame (2), suitable for dissipating the heat generated by said radiating elements (3), characterized in that said longitudinal housing (32) comprises a plurality of seats (32 ') on said base (32 "), and from the fact that said compression means comprise a plate (35) on which a plurality of tongues or springs (35 ') are obtained, each one which can be inserted in a respective seat (32') of said longitudinal housing (32), said plate (35 ) being able to assume a rest position, in which said tabs or springs (35 ') are inserted in said seats (32'), and an operative position, in which said plate (35) is translated longitudinally with respect to said longitudinal housing (32 ), so that said tongues or springs (35 ') are in compression, such that said heat generation means (34) are kept in electrical and thermal contact with said internal surface of said containment tube (31) in which they are inserted , by the force exerted by said tongues or springs (35 '). 2. Heating device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said seats (32 ') of said longitudinal housing (32) have the side wall intended to interfere with said tongues or springs (35') when said plate ( 35) passes from said rest position to said operative position. 3. Heating device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seats (32 ') are identified by a side wall (32' ''), inclined with respect to said base (32 ") and intended for interfere with said tabs or springs (35 '), when said plate (35) passes from said rest position to said operative position, from a lower wall (32 <v>) and from a horizontal wall (32 <IV>), facing said lower wall (32 <v>), so that the tongue or spring (35 ') inserted in the respective (32'} is at least partially inserted between said lower wall (32 <v>) and said horizontal wall (32 <IV>), when said plate (35) is in said rest position. 4. Heating device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said radiating element (3) comprises a plurality of separator elements (36), made of plastic material, co-molded together with said longitudinal electrode (33) and said plate (35), and spaced so as to allow arrangement between each pair of them, of said heat generation means (34). 5. Heating device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support frame (2) comprises a first support (21) and a second support (22) coupled to said first support (21), called fins (4) being arranged between first support (21) and said second support (22), and an electrical connector (23), connectable to a power supply of the car in which said heating device (1) is installed, said longitudinal electrodes (33) and said containment tubes (31) being electrically connected and said electrical connector (23). Heating device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said longitudinal electrodes (33) are connected to a first polarity, preferably the positive polarity, of said electrical supply, and said containment tubes (31) are connected to a second polarity, opposite to said first polarity, preferably the negative polarity, of said electric power supply. Method for mounting a heating device (1), according to any one of claims 1-6, comprising the following steps: (A) inserting said containment tubes (31) through said dissipation fins (4); (B) fixing said dissipation fins (4) to said containment tubes (31); And (C) assembling said radiating elements (3, 3a); characterized by the fact that said phase (C) includes the sub-phases of: (Cl) arranging said plate (35) and said longitudinal electrode (33) in said longitudinal housing (32), so that said springs or tabs (35 ') are each located in a respective seat (32') of said base ( 32 '' ') of said longitudinal housing (32) and kept in the mounting position by said horizontal wall (32 <IV>) and said lower wall (32 <v>); (C2) arranging said heat generation means (34) in contact with said longitudinal electrode (33); (C3) inserting said longitudinal housing (32) into said containment tube (31); And (C4) apply to said plate (34) a longitudinal movement along a first direction (A), so as to cause the passage of said plate (35) from said rest position to said operative position, in which said tabs or springs (35 ') are extracted from said seats (32 ") and are compressed along said inclined side wall (32' ''), such that said heat generation means (34) through the vertical movement alone are kept in electrical and thermal contact with said internal surface of said containment tube (31) into which they are inserted by the force exerted by said tongues or springs (35 '), thus avoiding sliding with said containment tube (31) and said electrode (33). 8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that said phase (Cl) comprises the following sub-phase: co-molding said separator elements (36) with said longitudinal electrode (33) and said plate (35), said separator elements (36) being spaced apart so as to allow the arrangement between each pair of them, of said heat generation means (34 ).