Heat generating element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10993287-B2
Application number	US-201715802892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2017
Priority date	Mar 8, 2012
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A heat generating element includes at least one PTC element, contact sheets flatly lying against the PTC element on either side, a housing which forms at least one opening for receiving the at least one PTC element and which has a terminal side at which contact tongues allocated to the contact sheets are exposed. The device also has a wedge element with a broader and a narrower end face which are connected to each other via first and second wedge surfaces, the first wedge surface extending in parallel to one of the contact sheets and lying against it with a slide plate being inserted, and the second wedge surface being exposed at the outer side of the housing. A heat generating element less susceptible to damages during assembly has a slide plate connected to the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat generating element comprising:
a PTC element,
contact sheets flatly lying against the PTC element on either side thereof,
a housing which forms an opening for receiving the PTC element and has a terminal side at which contact tongues allocated to the contact sheets are exposed, and
a wedge element with a broader end face and a narrower end face which are connected to each other via first and second wedge surfaces, the first wedge surface extending in parallel to one of the contact sheets and lying against the one contact sheet with a slide plate being inserted, and the second wedge surface being exposed at the outer side of the housing, wherein the slide plate comprises retaining arms which movably hold the wedge element.

2. The heat generating element according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the retaining arms comprises a spring arm.

3. A heat generating element comprising:
a PTC element,
contact sheets flatly lying against the PTC element on either side thereof,
a housing which forms an opening for receiving the PTC element and which has a terminal side at which contact tongues allocated to the contact sheets are exposed, and
a wedge element with a broader end face and a narrower end face which are connected to each other via first and second wedge surfaces, the first wedge surface extending in parallel to one of the contact sheets and lying against the one contact sheet with a slide plate being inserted, and the second wedge surface being exposed at the outer side of the housing,
wherein the one contact sheet comprises a locating surface abutting against the PTC element, a locating projection between the contact tongue and the locating surface, and a bent fixation tongue protruding inward over the locating surface,

wherein the housing comprises a locating shoulder allocated to the locating projection, and wherein the housing and the contact sheet are dimensioned such that the fixation tongue can be introduced into an insertion opening of the housing by swiveling around the locating shoulder when the contact tongue of the one contact sheet is inserted into a through hole of the housing at the terminal side and the locating projection is lying against the locating shoulder.

4. The heat generating element according to claim 3 , wherein the other contact sheet comprises a locating projection between the contact tongue and the locating surface, that the housing comprises a locating shoulder allocated to the locating projection, and wherein the housing and the other contact sheet are dimensioned such that the tongue can be introduced into the insertion opening by swiveling around the locating shoulder when the locating projection is lying against the locating shoulder.

5. The heat generating element according to claim 3 , wherein the housing has a through hole formed by an obliquely oriented lead-through channel for an end of a contact lug which is formed at the one contact sheet by punching and provided with the contact tongue, wherein the lead-through channel is formed in a collar of the housing forming a support surface for installing the housing in a pocket of an electric heating device, and wherein the lead-through channel is oriented obliquely to a central longitudinal axis of the heat generating element.

6. A heat generating element comprising:
a PTC element,
contact sheets flatly lying against the PTC element on either side thereof, a housing which forms an opening for receiving the PTC element and which has a terminal side at which contact tongues allocated to the contact sheets are exposed, wherein at least one of the contact sheets comprises a locating surface abutting against the PTC element, a locating projection between the contact tongue and the locating surface, and a bent fixation tongue protruding inward over the locating surface,

wherein the housing comprises a locating shoulder allocated to the locating projection, and wherein the housing and the contact sheet are dimensioned such that the fixation tongue can be introduced into an insertion opening of the housing by swivelling around the locating shoulder when the contact tongue of the one contact sheet is inserted into a through hole of the housing at the terminal side and the locating projection is lying against the locating shoulder.

7. The heat generating element according to claim 6 , wherein the other contact sheet is identical with the one contact sheet.

Assignees

• Eberspacher Catern Gmbh & Co Kg
• Eberspaecher Catem Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Bohlender Franz
• Niederer Michael

Classifications

• H05B3/24 Primary

  heating conductor being self-supporting · CPC title

• H05B2203/02

  Heaters using heating elements having a positive temperature coefficient · CPC title

• H05B3/02 Primary

  Details · CPC title