Heating element for an exhaust gas purification device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11352925-B2
Application number	US-202117215029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2021
Priority date	Mar 31, 2020
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A heating element for a vehicle exhaust gas purification device is provided and is to be disposed in an exhaust gas duct. The heating element extends around a central axis. and comprises a central support defined around the central axis, a heating grid extending radially around the central support, and a liaison element. The liaison element comprises a plurality of mounting brackets comprising at least a first part connecting the mounting brackets to the heating grid, at least a second part connecting the bracket to the duct, intended to be directly or indirectly attached to the duct, and at least one intermediate section connecting the first connecting part to the second connecting part. The connecting element is at least partially radially flexible.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heating element for an exhaust gas purification device of a vehicle, to be arranged in an exhaust gas circulation duct, the heating element extending around a central axis and comprising:
a central support defined around the central axis,
a heating grid extending radially around the central support, and
a connecting element comprising a plurality of mounting brackets comprising:
at least a first part connecting the plurality of mounting brackets to the heating grid,
at least a second part connecting the plurality of mounting brackets to the exhaust gas circulation duct, intended to be directly or indirectly attached to the exhaust gas circulation duct, and
at least one intermediate section connecting the first connecting part to the second connecting part, and wherein the connecting element is at least partially radially flexible such that a width of the connecting element is susceptible to change by a radial force applied to the connecting element.

2. The heating element according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting element comprises an electrically conductive peripheral frame defined about the central axis and having an inner edge and an outer edge, the plurality of mounting brackets being connected to the outer edge of the electrically conductive peripheral frame, the first connecting part of the plurality of mounting brackets being connected to the electrically conductive peripheral frame, the electrically conductive peripheral frame connecting the first connecting part to the heating grid.

3. The heating element according to claim 2 , wherein each mounting bracket is rigid, the electrically conductive peripheral frame having at least one opening making this electrically conductive peripheral frame radially flexible at the at least one opening.

4. The heating element according to claim 1 , wherein each mounting bracket is radially flexible, the at least one intermediate section of each mounting bracket radially defining an inner opening between the second connecting part and the heating grid, the at least one intermediate section being shaped to be elastically deformed by radially reducing or increasing the inner opening.

5. The heating element according to claim 1 , wherein the first connecting part of each mounting bracket is angularly offset about the central axis relative to the second connecting part of a respective mounting bracket of the plurality of mounting brackets.

6. The heating element according to claim 1 , wherein the heating grid is formed of strands connected by nodes, the heating grid comprising an inner ring, each of the nodes of the inner ring being angularly offset with respect to each of the nodes radially adjacent thereto to form inner lines.

7. The heating element according to claim 6 , wherein each of the nodes of the inner ring is angularly offset with respect to each of the nodes radially adjacent thereto to form the inner lines, each in the form of a curve.

8. The heating element according to claim 6 , wherein each of the nodes of the inner ring is angularly offset with respect to each of the nodes radially adjacent thereto to form the inner lines, each in the form of a curve of constant sign of concavity.

9. The heating element according to claim 6 , wherein each of the nodes of the inner ring being angularly offset with respect to each of the nodes radially adjacent thereto to form the inner lines forming at least one spiral part.

10. The heating element according to claim 6 , wherein the heating grid comprises an outer ring surrounding the inner ring and separated from the inner ring by elongated nodes of radial elongation greater than the radial elongation of the nodes of the inner ring radially adjacent to the elongated nodes.

11. The heating element according to claim 10 , wherein each of the nodes of the outer ring is angularly offset with respect to each of the nodes radially adjacent thereto to form outer lines.

12. The heating element according to claim 10 , wherein each of the nodes of the outer ring is angularly offset with respect to each of the nodes radially adjacent thereto to form outer lines, each in the shape of a curve.

13. The heating element according to claim 10 , wherein each of the nodes of the outer ring is angularly offset with respect to each of the nodes radially adjacent thereto to form outer lines, each in the shape of a curve of constant sign of concavity.

14. The heating element according to claim 10 , wherein each of the nodes of the outer ring is angularly offset with respect to each of the nodes radially adjacent thereto to form the inner lines forming at least one spiral part.

15. The heating element according to claim 6 , wherein the heating grid is connected to the plurality of mounting brackets by elongated nodes of radial elongation greater than the radial elongation of the nodes of the inner ring radially adjacent to the elongated nodes.

16. An exhaust line comprising an exhaust gas circulation duct and the heating element according to claim 1 , the second connecting part of each mounting bracket being integral with the exhaust gas circulation duct.

17. A vehicle comprising the exhaust line according to claim 16 .

18. The heating element according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting element has an inner contour and an outer contour between which the connection element extends radially, and wherein the inner contour and the outer contour together define, via radial spacing, the width of the connecting element, and wherein the inner contour of the connecting element is connected to the heating grid and the outer contour of the connecting element is intended to be directly or indirectly connected to the exhaust gas circulation duct.

19. The heating element according to claim 18 , wherein the radial force comprises a force applied radially to the inner contour and/or the outer contour of the connecting element.

20. The heating element according to claim 18 , wherein the width of the connecting element is subject to change when a temperature of the heating element increases.

Assignees

• Faurecia Systemes Dechappement

Inventors

• Sommier Thomas
• Riverain Matthieu
• Leroux Marc
• Hanauer Sébastien

Classifications

• F01N13/08

  Other arrangements or adaptations of exhaust conduits {(pipes, joints or supports therefor in general F16L; collecting or removing exhaust gases of vehicle engines in workshops B08B15/00, on highways E01C1/005)} · CPC title

• F01N3/2013 Primary

  using electric or magnetic heating means · CPC title

• F01N2450/20

  by mechanical joints, e.g. by deforming housing, tube, baffle plate or parts thereof · CPC title

• F01N2240/16

  an electric heater, i.e. a resistance heater · CPC title

• F01N13/1811

  with means permitting relative movement, e.g. compensation of thermal expansion or vibration · CPC title