WO2016128398A1

WO2016128398A1 - Electric heating device

Info

Publication number: WO2016128398A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/052725
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frédéric PIERRON; Serif KARAASLAN; Philippe KERG
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
Priority date: 2015-02-10
Filing date: 2016-02-09
Publication date: 2016-08-18
Also published as: DE112016000688T5; FR3032388A1; DE112016000688B4; FR3032388B1

Abstract

The invention relates to an additional electric heating device comprising a heating compartment (6) for accommodating heating modules (4) and a first connection interface (8) for connecting heating modules (4) to a power supply of a vehicle, every heating module (4) being longitudinally extended by a free end of an electrode (66) suitable for connection to said power supply near said first interface (8). An electrical connection terminal (64) is mounted directly on the free end of the electrode (66) that protrudes from the heating module (4) in order to extend said end in such a way that an end portion (70) of the terminal (64) can cross the first connection interface (8) and engage connection means of the power supply that are arranged on the outer face (62) side of the first interface (8). A heating device of this kind is particularly suited for arrangement in a duct of a ventilation, heating and/or air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle.

Description

ELECTRICAL HEATING DEVICE

The invention relates to the field of ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning of a motor vehicle. It relates to additional heating devices intended to be mounted in a ventilation system, heating and / or air conditioning of a motor vehicle.

More particularly, the invention relates to an additional heating device comprising heating elements with electrical resistances, for example positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors, which make it possible to produce heat rapidly in the vehicles, especially when wants to quickly warm up the cabin.

Electric additional heating devices of this type are known for heating a flow of air passing through a duct of a ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning system of a motor vehicle, in which a housing is suitable. to carry heating modules by heat diffusion under the effect of an electrical potential, said housing comprising a heating compartment for receiving at least one longitudinally extending heating module and a first connection interface which extends transversely to the heating compartment. In the document FR 2895204, the first connection interface carries tabs which extend from the first interface to the heating modules, inside the heating compartment, to ensure electrical contact with the terminations formed by the free ends of the electrodes of the heating modules. It was found that the mounting of the heating modules in such devices was not the most practical and that it required a lot of space upstream of the heating compartment, ie between the heating module and the connection interface. , in the contact area of the electrodes and connectors, as well as downstream of the heating compartment where it is necessary to provide practice elastic return means that tend to push the heating modules to the first connection interface to ensure electrical contact between the connectors and the free ends of the electrodes.

The invention proposes for this purpose an alternative to the electrical connection means of such additional heating devices, and it relates to an additional electric heating device for heating a flow of air passing through a pipe of an installation ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning of a motor vehicle, wherein a housing is adapted to carry heating modules by heat diffusion under the effect of an electric potential. The housing includes a heating compartment for receiving at least one longitudinally extending heating module and a first connection interface extending transversely to the heating compartment and for connecting the at least one heating module to a source power supply. of the vehicle, each heating module being extended longitudinally by an electrode free end adapted to be connected to said electrical source in the vicinity of said first interface. According to the invention, an electrical connection terminal is attached directly to the free electrode end protruding from the heating module to extend it so that an end portion of the terminal can pass through the first interface. connection to be in engagement with means of connection of said electrical source arranged on the side of the outer face of the first connection interface, said end portion of the terminal passing through the first interface via a slot of insertion extending longitudinally from one side to the other of the first connection interface.

Thus, the proximal end of the heating modules is closer to the first connection interface and the longitudinal gain of space, so that one can provide to introduce a larger amount of heating modules. Similarly, the at least partial insertion of the connection terminals into an insertion slot avoids seeking contact electric with a brittle projecting lug as was the case in the state of the art, and it can ensure a placement of the forced heating modules in the connection interface without the risk of breaking an electrical element, and it is therefore no longer necessary to provide springs at the end of the heating compartment. Here again, the space saving which results makes it possible to optimize the longitudinal dimension of the device and / or the dimensioning of the heating modules inside the heating compartment.

According to various features of the invention, taken alone or in combination: - the end portion of the electrical connection terminal and the insertion slot carried by the corresponding first connection interface have sections of complementary shapes, thereby ensuring a guide in translation of the terminal through the first connection interface during the introduction of the heating modules in the receiving heating compartment. the electrical terminal connection is secured to the free end of the electrode, in particular by welding, crimping, clinching or gluing.

The heating device according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, alone or in combination:

the electrical connection terminal comprises a fixing part capable of cooperating with the free end of the electrode and a tab forming the free end portion of the terminal able to pass through the first connection interface in the insertion slot; ; the tongue is able to pass through the first plate of the first connection interface in the insertion slot;

the terminal comprises a base adapted to overlap the free end of the electrode; the tongue has a section of rectangular shape, complementary to the rectangular shape of the section of the corresponding insertion slot made in the first connection interface, the insertion slot being preferably made in the first plate; - The free end of the tongue has at least one bevel, to form a pointed portion at the end of the electrode and facilitate the insertion of the terminal into the corresponding slot;

- The electrical connection terminal may comprise fins which extend at the junction of the fixing portion and the end portion of the terminal, and projecting perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, so as to form a stop end. race against the inner face of the first connection interface.

According to a possible characteristic, the electrical connection terminal comprises an elastically deformable snap-in element able to take a retracted position when the terminal is inserted into the slot and a position deployed in a housing made adjacent to said slot when the terminal is in the connection position.

According to particular features of an embodiment in which the housing comprises a second connection interface disposed at the longitudinal end of the housing opposite to the first connection interface traversed by the connection terminal, the heating modules can extend longitudinally. between the connection interfaces so that the distal end of the heating modules is disposed longitudinally substantially opposite this second connection interface. It should be noted that according to the invention, the method of connection by insertion of the terminals in the first connection interface makes it possible to dispense with the springs usually placed at the bottom of the heating compartment opposite the first connection interface to be plated. the heating modules against the connection tabs. Here, the sinking of the terminals of connection, and their possible locking in position by snap-in elements carried directly by the terminals, is sufficient, so that a longitudinal space saving is achieved, which is advantageously used according to the invention to enlarge the longitudinal dimension heating modules and the efficiency of the heating device.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the housing comprises a heating compartment carrying heating modules and two connection interfaces arranged at the longitudinal ends of said heating compartment, said housing being formed of a single piece. The heating modules are inserted into the heating compartment by an access made in the second connection interface, arranged opposite the first connection interface adapted to be traversed by at least one connection terminal. A particularly advantageous configuration is thus presented in which the insertion of the heating modules into the heating compartment and the insertion of the electrical connection terminals into the corresponding slots is done with a single translational movement. The proper insertion of the electrical terminal in the slot, which conditions the good connection of the heating modules to the vehicle's electrical source and therefore the proper operation of the heating device, is thus facilitated.

The housing of the electric airflow heating device according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, alone or in combination:

the at least one heating module extends, when it is arranged in the heating compartment, in a direction of general extension between a first end and a second end;

the direction of general extension of said at least one heating module is substantially longitudinal; the heating compartment extends in a direction of general extension between a first and a second end;

the general extension direction of the heating compartment is substantially longitudinal; - The heating compartment for receiving the heating block has substantially the shape of a parallelepiped;

- At least a portion of at least one side of the heating compartment is recessed or openwork;

the heating compartment comprises two parallel lateral sides extending in the general direction of extension of the heating compartment and two parallel main sides extending in the general direction of extension of the heating compartment;

these two lateral sides are materialized by walls;

the two lateral sides of the heating compartment are substantially facing one another;

- The two main sides of the heating compartment are substantially facing one another;

the lateral sides extend substantially perpendicularly to the main sides; each of the main sides comprises at least one transverse upright connecting said lateral sides;

- Each of the main sides comprises at least two transverse amounts distant from each other and preferably parallel;

each of the ends of a transverse upright is connected to a lateral side of the heating compartment; - The connection interfaces are respectively disposed at opposite ends of the heating compartment, these opposite ends being preferably said first and said second end between which said heating compartment in the direction of general extension; the heating modules comprise at least one element capable of producing heat and at least one associated element able to exchange heat with the flow of air passing through the heating block;

said at least one element capable of producing heat is a resistive element;

said at least one element capable of producing heat is a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) type resistive element;

said at least one element capable of generating heat is a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistive element disposed in or on a support such as a bar;

said at least one element capable of producing heat is a resistive element placed between two electrodes;

said at least one associated element which is capable of exchanging heat is a radiant element or a heat sink;

said at least one heat-exchanging associated element is at least one fin traversed by at least one element capable of producing heat, or interleaves such as pleated or corrugated metal ribbons arranged between elements capable of producing heat ;

said at least one element capable of generating heat is disposed between two elements able to exchange heat;

the at least one heating module comprises an element capable of producing heat disposed between two elements capable of exchanging heat; the at least one heating module comprises two elements capable of producing heat and three elements capable of exchanging heat, a heat exchangeable element being disposed between two elements capable of producing heat, each of these elements heat generating means being disposed between the central heat exchangeable element and an external heat exchangeable element.

According to a possible characteristic, at least one lateral side of the heating compartment may comprise at least one resiliently deformable snap-on finger allowing the retention of a respective heating module. This detent finger is preferably disposed near the second connection interface.

According to one possible characteristic, the heating compartment comprises at least one intermediate wall extending inside the housing in which at least one heating module can be installed. The casing of the electric airflow heating device according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, alone or in combination, in relation to said intermediate wall:

said at least one intermediate wall is disposed substantially parallel to said lateral sides of the heating compartment, and between these lateral sides which extend in the general extension direction of the heating compartment;

said at least one intermediate wall extends in a direction of general extension between a first end and a second end; said at least one intermediate wall is substantially longitudinal;

said at least one intermediate wall extends over the entire length of the heating compartment, from one connection interface to the other; said at least one intermediate wall comprises at least one orifice;

said at least one intermediate wall is punched;

at least a portion of said at least one intermediate wall has the properties of an elastic return blade; said at least one intermediate wall makes it possible to subdivide the main housing of the heating compartment into two sub-parts, each of which makes it possible to receive at least one heating module; a first sub-part, or first housing, is delimited by an inner face of a lateral side of the heating compartment and the intermediate wall and a second sub-part, or second housing, is delimited by an inner face of the opposite lateral side and the intermediate wall;

- The intermediate wall is off-center to be closer to one of said lateral sides of the heating compartment, the means for creating a pressure drop is integral with this side; the intermediate wall comprises at least one detent finger;

the first housing is sized to receive a heating module comprising an element capable of producing heat disposed between two elements able to exchange heat;

the second housing is sized to receive a heating module comprising two elements capable of producing heat and three elements able to exchange heat.

According to a possible characteristic, the housing of an electric heating device according to the invention comprises at least one means for creating a pressure drop of the air flow circulating in the location in which said housing is installed. The creation of this pressure drop advantageously makes it possible to accentuate the heat exchange between the electric heating device and the said air flow.

This means for creating a pressure drop can have, in particular but not exclusively, the shape of a blade, a bar, a profile, a plate.

The invention also relates to a ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning installation comprising a heating device as just presented. Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the description and the drawings, among which:

- Figure 1 is a side view of an additional heating device adapted to be housed according to the invention across an air duct of a set of heating-ventilation and air conditioning;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view, rear three-quarters of the device of Figure 1, wherein the heating modules have been removed to make particularly visible the constituent walls of the heating compartment receiving these heating modules; FIG. 3 is a perspective view, three quarter front, of the device of FIG. 1, making the free ends of electrical terminals opening out through a first connection interface particularly visible;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, three quarter rear view, of the heating modules able to be housed in the heating compartment of the heating device according to the invention, provided respectively with electrical terminals, each attached to an electrode tongue extending projecting the heating modules; FIG. 5 is a view of the elements illustrated in FIG. 4, this time in perspective of three quarter front;

- Figure 6 is a view, in the same perspective as that of Figure 5, a heating module and the associated electrical terminal in the mounted position and a heating module and the associated electrical terminal in disassembled position;

and FIG. 7 is a perspective representation of an electrical terminal according to the same perspective as that of FIG. 4.

In the description which follows, reference will be made to an orientation function of the Longitudinal, Vertical and Transversal axes as arbitrarily defined by the trihedron L, V, T represented in FIGS. 1 to 4. The choice of the names of these axes is not limiting the orientation that can take the device in its application to a motor vehicle, and the use of terms such as "upper" and "lower" is chosen according to the orientation in the illustration accompanying this description without being either limiting.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show an additional heating device according to the invention, which is suitable for being housed across an air circulation duct of a ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning system, in order to transform the electrical energy taken from the vehicle into thermal energy restored in the air passing through said ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning system. The installation is not shown here, but it will be understood that a main conduit of this installation conventionally comprises an opening made in the wall for the insertion of the additional heating device.

The additional heating device 2 according to the invention comprises a housing and heating modules 4 capable of transforming an electric current into thermal energy. We can refer to the patent document FR2895204 for the more detailed description of the heating modules and an embodiment with the presence of heat sinks enclosed by electrodes on either side of one or more stones with positive temperature coefficient (effect CTP).

According to the invention, the one-piece housing comprises a heating compartment 6 for receiving the heating modules 4, a first connection interface 8 disposed at a proximal end 10 of the heating compartment 6 for connecting the device 2 to an electrical network of the vehicle and supplying the heating modules 4, a second interface 12, in particular mechanical fixing, which is disposed at the distal end 14 of the heating compartment 6 opposite the proximal end carrying the first connection interface 8 and which is suitable to cooperate with a duct wall of the ventilation system, heating and / or air conditioning, and a bar 1 6 which extends along the heating compartment 6 between the two connection interfaces 8, 12. The device additional heating 2 is made of a plastic material, for example polypropylene or polyamide, filled with glass fibers. It is considered that the heating compartment 6 and the two connection interfaces 8, 12 are monoblock as soon as their separation causes destruction of the heating compartment 6 or one and / or the other of the interfaces 8, 12. Here it is understood that the heating compartment 6 and the two interfaces 8, 12 come from one and the same molding operation. However, the heating compartment 6 and the connection interfaces 8, 12 could be made independently of each other and then secured, without departing from the context of the invention.

The heating compartment 6 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape whose two main faces are perforated to allow diffusion in the duct of the heat released by the heating modules 4 housed inside the heating compartment 6. The uprights 18, arranged at intervals, regular or not, from each other, extend vertically on the full height of these main faces to stiffen the whole without penalizing the pressure drop and the flow of air.

The heating compartment 6 comprises in addition to these uprights 18, three longitudinal walls, parallel to each other and among which are distinguished two side walls 20, 22 and an intermediate wall 24 disposed between these side walls 20, 22. The uprights 18 extend perpendicularly the two side walls 20, 22 from a respective transverse edge to connect the side walls 20, 22 therebetween. In this way, two separate housing units for receiving the heating modules 4 are defined in the heating compartment 6. A first housing 26 is defined by the so-called upper lateral wall 20, the uprights 18 and the intermediate wall 24, while a second housing 28 is defined by the so-called lower side wall 22, the uprights 8 and the intermediate wall 24.

In the illustrated example, it is possible to distinguish an upper side wall 20 and a lower side wall 22, the so-called upper side wall 20 being the supporting side wall of the bar 16, and the intermediate wall 24 is off-center in the vertical direction. so that it is closer to the so-called upper side wall 20. As a result, as shown in the figures, the first housing 26 has a height in the vertical direction smaller than that of the second housing 28, and that the first housing 26 is sized to receive a first heating module 30 having two heat sinks 29, while the second housing 28 is sized to receive a second heating module 32 having three heat sinks 29. It is understood that this is given as example and that the height of the housing 26, 28, in the vertical direction defined arbitrarily in the figures, for It may vary, in particular as a function of the position of the intermediate wall 24, without going beyond the context of the invention. The number of heat sinks 29 forming the heating module (s) 30, 32, this number being here equal to five such that this is visible in Figures 1 and 4, could in this way also be changed.

The intermediate wall 24 has guide flanges 34 which extend in vertical projection, partially along the intermediate wall 24, on each transverse side thereof, to facilitate the translational guidance of the heating modules 30, 32 in the housings 26, 28 defined in the heating compartment 6, during the sliding insertion thereof. It is understood that the side walls 20, 22 advantageously comprise equivalent guide edges. The intermediate wall 24 further comprises an elastically deformable blade 36, made in particular by partial punching of a portion of the wall 24, so that it is articulated to the intermediate wall 24 at a first longitudinal end and that it has on the opposite a free end which extends, in the rest position of the blade 36, projecting from the plane defined by the intermediate wall 24, in the second housing 28. The blade 36 is shaped so that this end free is recalled by spring in this projecting position in the second housing 28. In addition, it is visible in Figure 1 that the free end has a boss 38 projecting from the plane of the blade 36 in the direction of the approximation of the plane of the intermediate wall 24, so that when the blade 36 is constrained to be in the plane defined by the intermediate wall 24, the boss 38 is located in the first housing 26.

It is understood that the side walls 20 and 22 may comprise a blade 36 with elastic deformation which extends in one or other of the housing 26, 28 to perform the same function of maintaining the heating modules 30, 32 in the housing .

FIG. 3 shows snap-fastening fingers 40, elastically deformable, which are made at the distal ends 42, that is to say the ends facing the second connection interface 12, walls 20, 22 and the intermediate wall 24. Each latching finger 40 is made to extend in vertical projection from the wall 20, 22, 24 that it extends, the fingers 40 carried by the side walls 20 and 22 projecting towards the intermediate wall 24 while this intermediate wall 24 has a latching finger 40 extending vertically as well to the upper side wall 20 as to the lower side wall 22. The latching finger 40 has an outer face 44, facing the second connecting interface 12, which is inclined relative to the vertical and an inner face, facing the inside of the heating compartment 6, which is substantially straight to form a release stop for the heating modules 30, 32 when they are inserted into the heating compartment 6 of the device. It is understood that such shapes of the fingers 40 facilitate the spacing of the fingers 40 during the passage of the heating modules 30, 32 to the inside of the heating compartment 6 and they block these heating modules 30, 32 inside of this one when in position.

As described above, the heating compartment 6 is integral with the first connection interface 8, which has a dual function, namely an electrical connection function to allow the connection of the heating modules to a power source. electrical energy and a mechanical function for sealing the opening of the duct of the ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning system by which the heating device is inserted.

The first connection interface 8 comprises a first substantially flat plate 46, which extends perpendicularly to the walls 20, 22, 24 of the heating compartment 6, and a sleeve 48 which extends longitudinally projecting from the first plate 46, to the opposite of the heating compartment 6.

The mechanical fixing means associated with the first connection interface 8 are carried by the first plate 46 which has at its vertical ends 50 fixing lugs 52 in which fixing holes 54 allow the cooperation of screwing means with threaded means. , right here not shown, integral with the duct of the ventilation system, heating and / or air conditioning, for the mechanical attachment of the additional heating device 2 relative to the duct. It will be understood that other fastening means, by clipping or bouterollage for example, can be implemented without departing from the context of the invention. Furthermore, the first plate 46 has on its inner face 56, facing the heating compartment 6, a peripheral groove 58 (visible in Figure 2) in which a seal may be positioned to ensure sealing at the air between the interior of the location where the heating compartment 6 of the device 2 extends and the outside of this location where extends the first plate 46 and in particular the sleeve 48.

The first interface 8 has slots 60 (visible in FIG. 2) which extend from the inner face 56 of the first plate 46, turned towards the heating compartment 6, to the outer face 62 carrying the sleeve 48. The slots 60 open into the sleeve 48, the dimensions of which are capable of allowing reception in this sleeve 48 of source electrical connection means, that is to say means directly connected to the vehicle network.

FIG. 3 shows the free end of electrical connection terminals 64, opening slots 60 inside the sleeve 48, which are able to cooperate with the source electrical connection means when they are fitted into the Sleeve 48. The electrical connection terminals 64 are, according to the invention, made integral with electrodes 66 of the heating modules 30, 32, as will be described below, and they pass through the slots 60 (visible in FIG. 2) to make it possible to connect, with connection means arranged on one side of the first connection interface 8, the heating modules 30, 32 disposed on the other side of this first interface 8. It is understood, in particular by the FIG. 3 illustrates that the slots 60 have a defined section for receiving and guiding through the first interface 8 these electrical connection terminals 64, so that they can, on the one hand, be integral with the electrodes 66 inside the heating compartment 6 and that they can on the other hand extend into the sleeve 48 projecting from the outer face 62 of the first plate 46.

In the illustrated embodiment, as can be seen in FIGS. 4 to 6, an electrical terminal 64 for connecting the vehicle's electrical harness is disposed on the free end of each of the electrodes 66 extending the heating modules 4 at one end. The terminal 64 has an attachment portion 68 to the electrode 66 and a connecting portion 69 formed by a tab 70 which extends in the extension of the electrode 66.

The fixing portion 68 takes the form of a sleeve of width slightly greater than the width of the electrode 66 (visible in FIG. 6), so as to be able to surround the associated electrode 66 and be made integral with it by welding or crimping for example, or by clinching or gluing. It will further be understood that the fixing portion could, without departing from the context of the invention, not completely surround the electrode and overlap on one or the other side of the electrode, for welding or for collage for example. In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve shape is obtained by folding on itself the fixing part, leaving a space between the upper wall 72 of the sleeve extending in the plane of the connecting portion and the wall lower 74 of the sleeve folded under the bottom wall. The terminal 64 is welded or crimped on the free end of the electrode 66 at the level of the folded lower wall 74 of the sleeve, the figures illustrating crimping initiation points 76 on this lower wall 74.

The connecting part is connected to the fixing part by a throttling portion 78, and it comprises immediately after this throttling portion two fins 80 which extend on each side of the radially projecting connection portion so as to forming a shoulder abutment to the longitudinal displacement of the terminal 64, and which carries the tongue 70. At the joining the fins 80 and the tongue 70, there are provided notches 82 forming a reduction in width of the tongue 70 at its base.

The tongue 70 here has a substantially rectangular cross-section of complementary shape to that of the insertion slots 60 made in the first interface 8. It can be seen, in particular in FIG. 7, that the free end 71 of this tongue 70 presents a slight bevel, in particular to facilitate insertion into the corresponding slot 60.

The tongue 70 also comprises a detent element with elastic deformation, made by a blade 84 articulated at one of its ends on the tongue 70, about an axis transverse to the tongue 70. The blade 84 is shaped, for example by punching, to take a rest position in which its free end 86 extends projecting from the longitudinal and transverse plane defined by the tongue 70. It can be seen that the blade 84 is arranged so that its free end is positioned behind its hinged end tongue 70, that is to say that the free end is closer to the fixing portion of the terminal 64.

In the illustrated embodiment, the connection terminals 64 are carried by the electrodes 66 and the slots 60 made in the first interface 8 open on each side of the first plate 46 so that the terminals 64, in engagement with the electrodes 66 of the side of the inner face 56 of the first plate 46, can pass through the first connection interface 8 and be in engagement with the electrical connection means connected to the vehicle electrical network on the side of the outer face 62 of the first plate 46.

It will be understood that the first connection interface 8 comprises insertion slots 60 whose cross-section is complementary to that of the tabs 70 of the terminals. Furthermore, the first connection interface 8 advantageously comprises cooperating housing with the latching elements 84 carried by the terminals 64. In this way, the snap-fastening elements 84 with elastic deformation are able to pass from one to another. position retracted when inserting the free end portion of the terminal 64 into the corresponding slot 60 of the first connection interface 8 and a position deployed in the corresponding housing when the heating module 4 is in position relative to the compartment of heater 6 and at the first connection interface 8.

The second interface 12 comprises a second plate 88 which extends transversely to the longitudinal walls of the heating compartment 6, and substantially parallel to the first plate 46 of the first connection interface 8, and it further comprises a guide tab 90 arranged at a vertical end of the second plate 88. The second plate 72 has a solid portion 92 at the end opposite to the guide tab 90, for the support of the bar 1 6, and it has a central portion provided with a opening 94 giving access to the two housings 26 and 28 inside the heating compartment 6. It is important that the opening made in the second plate 88 has a height, in the vertical direction from the guide tab 90 to the solid portion 92, at least equal to the height, in this same direction, the housing formed in the heating compartment 6, to allow the insertion of heating modules ts 4 in the heating compartment 6 through this opening 94, opposite to the first connection interface 8. We will now describe the mounting of the additional heating device, and in particular the cooperation of the electrical connection terminals 64 and the slots 60 of the first connection interface 8 when the heating modules 4 are mounted in the heating compartment 6. The crimping or welding of the terminals 64 on the electrodes 66 is first carried out. The sleeve is arranged around the free end of the the electrode 66, being depressed until the free end of the electrode 66 abuts the bottom of the sleeve. In this abutment position, the terminal 64 is made integral with the electrode 66. The heating modules 30, 32 are then inserted into the appropriate housings 26 and 28 inside the heating compartment 6. For this purpose, the heating modules 30, 32 are inserted according to the invention through the opening 94 formed in the second connection interface 12, the connection terminals 64 first, and sliding the heating modules 30, 32 in translation to the first connection interface 8. In passing, the walls of the heating modules 30, 32 push the latching fingers 40 to the outside of the housing that these heating modules 30, 32 come to occupy. The insertion of the second heating module 32 in the second housing 28 generates the displacement of the elastic blade 36 in the plane of the intermediate wall 24, and the boss 38 of the free end of the blade 36 pushes the first heating module 30 comprising two heat sinks 29 in the first housing 26 against the so-called upper side wall 20. At the end of insertion, the tongue 70 of each terminal 64 enters the slot 60 associated therewith so as to emerge on the other side of the first connection interface 8, inside the sleeve 48. The latching elements 84 carried by each terminal 64 take a locking position in the corresponding housing 88 made in the first connection interface 8 and this freezes the position of the modules 30, 32. In this position, the distal end wall of the heating modules 65, that is to say, that facing the second connection interface 12, is blocked by the latching fingers 40 which have returned to their original position by elastic return when the walls of the heating modules 30, 32 no longer constrained them vertically. This ensures a plating of the heating modules 30, 32 against the first connection interface 8 and the correct position of the connection terminals 64 so that they sufficiently exceed the side of the outer face of the first connection interface 8 and that they can be correctly connected to the source electrical connection means. And it should be noted that this longitudinal force is provided on the heating modules 30, 32 without the addition of springs arranged between the second connection interface 12 and the heating modules 30, 32. The distal end of these heating modules 30, 32 extends substantially to the right of the internal face of the second connection interface 12, so that the longitudinal dimensions of the additional heating device, for heating modules 30, 32 of a given length, is improved. It is understood that conversely, for a given longitudinal dimension of the additional heating device 2, which must adapt to the dimensions of the duct of the ventilation system, heating and / or air conditioning in which it is housed, it will be possible to increasing the length of the heating modules 30, 32 since no clearance is required between the second connection interface 12 and the distal end of the heating modules 30, 32. This longitudinal space saving to enlarge the longitudinal span of the heating modules 30 , 32 is also achieved by covering the free end of the electrode 66 by the connection terminal 64. The clearance required between the first connection interface 8 and the proximal end of the heating modules 30, 32 is limited to the length of the protruding end of the electrode 66, and it is no longer necessary to provide additional clearance to arrange connecting brackets protruding ie of the first connection interface 8.

The additional heating device 2 of the heating device is then inserted into a duct of the heating-ventilation and / or air-conditioning installation, by initial insertion of the second connection interface 12 into an opening made in this duct. The guide means carried by the second connection interface 12 are made to cooperate with complementary guiding means carried by the conduit, in order to bring the second connection interface 12 and the first connection interface 8 respectively against fixing means carried by the leads. The first connection interface 8 is secured to the conduit by screwing, clipping or other similar means, while the second connection interface 12 is pressed against the wall of the conduit, locked in position by indexing lugs arranged projecting from this wall . It can be provided that the second connection interface 12 is advantageously nested by force in or around a sleeve complementary to the female shape of the opening of the second connection interface 12. In this way, it is noticeable that that the second connection interface 12 allows on the one hand the holding of the heating modules in the heating compartment 6 and on the other hand the positioning of the heating compartment 6 in the conduit of the installation.

The ends of the connection terminals, that is to say the tabs 70 projecting from the outer face of the first connection interface 8 in the center of the sleeve 48, are then connected to the vehicle electrical network. The control management of the additional heating device 2 is, in the illustrated case, located elsewhere on the vehicle, for example in an electronic cockpit computer. However, it could be envisaged to integrate a control module in and / or on the first connection interface 8.

Claims

1. Additional electric heating device for heating a flow of air passing through including a duct of a ventilation system, heating and / or air conditioning of a motor vehicle, wherein a housing is able to carry heating modules (4 30, 32) by heat diffusion under the effect of an electric potential, said housing having a heating compartment (6) for receiving at least one longitudinally extending heating module (4; 30, 32) and a first connection interface (8) which extends transversely to the heating compartment (6) and which allows the connection of the at least one heating module (4; 30,32) to a source power supply of the vehicle, each heating module (4; 30, 32) being extended longitudinally by an electrode free end (66) adapted to be connected to said electrical source in the vicinity of said first interface (8), characterized in that an electrical connection terminal ordement (64) is attached directly to the free electrode end (66) protruding from the heating module (4; 30, 32) for extending the latter so that an end portion (70) of the terminal (64) can pass through the first connection interface (8) to be in engagement with connection means of said source arranged on the side of the outer face (62) of the first connection interface (8), said end portion (70) of the terminal (64) passing through the first interface (8) via a slot insertion (60) extending longitudinally from one side to the other of the first connection interface (8).

2. Heating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the end portion (70) of the electrical connection terminal (64) and the insertion slot (70) carried by the corresponding first connection interface (8). present sections of complementary shapes.

3. Heating device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the electrical connection terminal (64) is secured to the free end of the electrode (66).

4. Heating device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the electrical connection terminal (64) comprises a fixing portion (68), adapted to cooperate with the free end electrode (66). , and a tongue (70) forming the free end portion of the terminal (64) adapted to pass through the first connection interface (8) in the insertion slot (60).

5. Heating device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the tongue (70) has a section of rectangular shape, complementary to the rectangular shape of the section of the corresponding insertion slot (60) made in the first interface of connection (8).

6. Heating device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the free end (71) of the tongue (70) has at least one bevel.

Heating device according to one of Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the electrical connection terminal (64) has fins (80) which extend at the junction of the fixing part (68) and the end portion (70) of the terminal (64), and protruding perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, so as to form an end stop against the inner face (56) of the first connection interface (8) .

8. Heating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical connection terminal (64) comprises a detent element (84) elastically deformable adapted to take a retracted position during insertion of the terminal (64) in the slot (60) and a deployed position in a housing made adjacent to said slot (60) when the terminal (64) is in the connection position.

9. Heating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing comprises a heating compartment (6) carrying the heating modules (4; 30, 32) and two connection interfaces (8, 12) arranged at the longitudinal ends of said heating compartment (6), said housing being formed of a single piece, the heating modules (4; 30, 32) being inserted into the heating compartment (6) by an access made in the second interface connection (12), arranged opposite the first connection interface (8) adapted to be traversed by at least one connection terminal (64).

10. Ventilation installation, heating and / or air conditioning comprising a heating device according to one of the preceding claims.