Independently-controlled PTC heater and device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549604-B2
Application number	US-201615511522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Jan 28, 2016
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

An independently-controlled PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater includes a PTC unit including first and second PTC elements for generating heat by an applied power, a guide frame having an opening to which the first and second PTC elements are mounted, first and second electrode plates configured to respectively make surface contact with one surfaces of the first and second PTC elements which are exposed through the opening, a common electrode plate configured to make surface contact with the other surfaces of both the first and second PTC elements which is exposed through the opening, and an insulation member configured to insulate the first electrode plate, the second electrode plate and the common electrode plate from an outside; and a heat diffusion fin provided at a side of the heating tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An independently-controlled positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater, comprising: a PTC unit comprising:
a first PTC element; a second PTC element;
a guide frame having a first opening to which the first PTC element is mounted and a second opening to which the second PTC element is mounted, the second opening being located to be biased from the first opening;
a first electrode plate having a first body configured to make surface contact with the first PTC element and a first connector extending from the first body, the first connector being formed with a smaller width than the first body;
a second electrode plate having a second body configured to make surface contact with the second PTC element and a second connector extending from the second body and extending besides the first body, the second connector being formed with a smaller width than the second body, wherein the second connector extends at different location from the first connector, wherein the first electrode date and the second electrode plate make surface contact with the first PTC element and the second PTC element at a first side of the guide frame; and
a common electrode plate having a third body configured to make contact with the guide frame and to make contact with both the first and second PTC elements at a second side of the guide frame, wherein the second side is opposite of the first side and a third connector extending from the third body, the third connector being formed with a smaller width than the third body, wherein the third connector extends at different location from the first and second connectors and wherein the second and third connectors extend in the same direction as the first connector; and a heating tube in which the PTC unit is mounted.

2. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 1 , wherein the second connector is spaced apart from a side of the first body and extends from the second body longer than a length of the first electrode plate.

3. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 1 , further comprising:
heat diffusion fins provided at a side of the heating tube, wherein the heat diffusion fins are dualized to correspond to locations of the first and second PTC elements.

4. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sealing member coupled to a lower portion of the heating tube.

5. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 1 , wherein the first or second connector includes a bent end to give an elastic force when being connected to an electric terminal.

6. An independently-controlled heater device, comprising:
a plurality of the independently-controlled PTC heaters of claim 1 ;
a housing in which the plurality of independently-controlled PTC heaters are provided in a vertical direction;
a first power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of first electrode plates;
a second power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of second electrode plates;
a common power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of common electrode plates; and
a control unit configured to control power applied to the first and second power sources by means of an external control signal.

7. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 1 , wherein the second connector extends from the second body at a location different from location where the first connector extend from the first body; and
the third connector extends from the third body at a location different from locations where the first connector extends from the first body and the second connector extends from the second body.

8. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector, the second connector and the third connector are mounted on different positions of the guide frame.

9. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector, the second connector and the third connector are exposed outside at different positions of a same side of the independently-controlled PTC heater to be electrically connected to an external power source.

10. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 1 , wherein the independently-controlled PTC heater is mounted on a vehicle.

11. The independently-controlled PTC heater according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a heat shielding member provided between the dualized heat diffusion fins.

12. An independently-controlled heater device, comprising:
a plurality of the independently-controlled PTC heaters of claim 2 ;
a housing in which the plurality of independently-controlled PTC heaters are provided in a vertical direction;
a first power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of first electrode plates;
a second power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of second electrode plates;
a common power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of common electrode plates; and
a control unit configured to control power applied to the first and second power sources by means of an external control signal.

13. An independently-controlled heater device, comprising:
a plurality of the independently-controlled PTC heaters of claim 3 ;
a housing in which the plurality of independently-controlled PTC heaters are provided in a vertical direction;
a first power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of first electrode plates;
a second power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of second electrode plates;
a common power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of common electrode plates; and
a control unit configured to control power applied to the first and second power sources by means of an external control signal.

14. An independently-controlled heater device, comprising:
a plurality of the independently-controlled PTC heaters of claim 4 ;
a housing in which the plurality of independently-controlled PTC heaters are provided in a vertical direction;
a first power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of first electrode plates;
a second power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of second electrode plates;
a common power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of common electrode plates; and
a control unit configured to control power applied to the first and second power sources by means of an external control signal.

15. An independently-controlled heater device, comprising:
a plurality of the independently-controlled PTC heaters of claim 5 ;
a housing in which the plurality of independently-controlled PTC heaters are provided in a vertical direction;
a first power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of first electrode plates;
a second power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of second electrode plates;
a common power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of common electrode plates; and
a control unit configured to control power applied to the first and second power sources by means of an external control signal.

16. An independently-controlled heater device, comprising:
a plurality of the independently-controlled PTC heaters of claim 11 ;
a housing in which the plurality of independently-controlled PTC heaters are provided in a vertical direction;
a first power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of first electrode plates;
a second power source electrically connected to all of the plurality of second electrode plates;
a common po

Assignees

• Jahwa Electronics Co Ltd
• Hanon System Co Ltd
• Hanon Systems

Inventors

• Min Do Sik
• Kim Jong Up
• Oh Sang Ho
• Lim Chae Geun
• Jung Joong Heum

Classifications

• H05B3/50 Primary

  heating conductor arranged in metal tubes, the radiating surface having heat-conducting fins · CPC title

• F24H9/1872

  PTC resistor · CPC title

• F24H3/047

  Multiple-piece frames assembled on their four or more edges · CPC title

• F24H3/0447

  Forms of the electrode terminals, e.g. tongues or clips · CPC title

• F24H3/0435

  Structures comprising heat spreading elements in the form of fins · CPC title