Electrical heater device, in particular having a PTC effect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11959663-B2
Application number	US-201917056261-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2019
Priority date	May 18, 2018
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

An electrical heater device comprises an heating element, which includes two electrodes and a heating body made of a polymer-based material having a PTC effect, in contact with the electrodes. Each electrode comprises a meshed structure, which extends in a length direction and in a width direction, and is embedded at least partially in the heating body. Each electrode further comprises an electrical-distribution element which is fixed to the meshed structure and includes a distribution portion that extends in the length direction, or in the width direction, or in both the length and width directions of the meshed structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical heater device comprising at least one heating element which includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a heating body that includes a material having a PTC effect in electrical contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the material having a PTC effect comprises at least a polymer or a polymer-based material,
wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises:
a meshed structure including a plurality of substantially threadlike metal elements which define a plurality of mesh openings, with the meshed structure which has a length and a width, is in electrical contact with the heating body and is at least partially embedded or englobed therein, and
at least one electrical-distribution element for distributing electric current on the plurality of threadlike metal elements, the at least one electrical-distribution element including a shaped metal strap which is fixed to the meshed structure, the shaped metal strap defining at least one distribution portion that overlaps a corresponding region of the meshed structure and extends in at least one of a length direction and a width direction of the meshed structure,
wherein the at least one distribution portion defined by the shaped metal strap is welded to respective threadlike metal elements of the plurality of threadlike metal elements at said corresponding region,

wherein the heating body is a body moulded at least in part over the first electrode and the second electrode, such that part of said polymer or polymer-based material occupies at least a part of said mesh openings, and
wherein between the first electrode and the second electrode a spacer body is arranged, which is also at least partially embedded or englobed in the material having a PTC effect of the heating body which is moulded over the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each consists of one said meshed structure and said at least one electrical-distribution element.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical-distribution element has at least one first distribution portion, which extends in the width direction of the meshed structure, and at least one second distribution portion, which extends in the length direction of the meshed structure, the at least one first distribution portion and the at least one second distribution portion being both defined by the shaped metal strap and welded to respective threadlike metal elements of the plurality of threadlike metal elements.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical-distribution element integrally defines at least one electrical-connection terminal that projects beyond a peripheral edge of the meshed structure or of the heating body.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one part of the heating element is substantially arched.

6. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a casing body that covers at least partially the at least one heating element.

7. An electrical heater device comprising at least one heating element that includes a first metal electrode, a second metal electrode and a heating body made at least in part of a material having a PTC effect in contact with the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode, wherein the material having a PTC effect comprises at least a polymer or a polymer-based material,
wherein each of the first metal electrode and the metal second metal electrode consists of:
at least one meshed structure including a plurality of substantially threadlike metal elements which define a plurality of mesh openings, the meshed structure having a length and a width to define an area thereof, and being in electrical contact with the heating body; and
at least one electrical-distribution element for distributing electric current on the threadlike metal elements that form the meshed structure, the at least one electrical-distribution element including a shaped metal strap having a total area amounting to a fraction of the area of the meshed structure and extending in at least one of a length direction and a width direction of the meshed structure;

wherein the shaped metal strap defines at least one longitudinally extending distribution portion which overlaps a corresponding region of the meshed structure and is fixed thereto,
wherein the meshed structure is at least partially embedded or englobed in said polymer or polymer-based material of the heating body,
wherein at least one part of the at least one distribution portion defined by the shaped metal strap is welded to corresponding threadlike metal elements of the meshed structure at said corresponding region,
wherein the heating body is a body moulded at least in part over the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode, such that part of said polymer or polymer-based material occupies at least a part of said mesh openings, and
wherein between the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode a spacer body is arranged, which is also at least partially embedded or englobed in the material having a PTC effect of the heating body which is moulded over the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode.

8. A motor-vehicle component, comprising at least one heater device according to claim 1 .

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical-distribution element has a substantially comb-like shape.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical-distribution element has a substantially annular shape.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the meshed structure of the first electrode and the meshed structure of the second electrode are both embedded or englobed in said polymer or polymer-based material at one and the same face of the heating body.

12. The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the polymer or polymer-based material of the heating body is a co-continuous polymeric composite having a matrix that comprises at least two immiscible polymers and at least one electrically conductive filler in the matrix, one of the immiscible polymers being high-density polyethylene and another one of the immiscible polymers being polyoxymethylene,
wherein the high-density polyethylene and the polyoxymethylene are in relative percentages of between 45% and 55% of their sum in weight, and
wherein the electrically conductive filler is confined the high-density polyethylene, in a weight percentage of between 10% and 45% of their sum in weight.

13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one distribution portion defined by the shaped metal strap is welded to the respective threadlike metal elements substantially throughout the whole length or the whole width of the meshed structure.

14. An electrical heater device comprising at least one heating element which includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a heating body that includes a material having a PTC effect in electrical contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the material having a PTC effect comprises at least a polymer or a polymer-based material,
wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises:
a meshed structure comprising a plurality of substantially threadlike metal elements which define a plurality of mesh openings, with the meshed structure which has a length and a width to define an area thereof, is in electrical contact with the heating body and is at least partially embedded or englobed therein, and
at least one elec

Assignees

• Eltek Spa

Inventors

• Barbano Alberto
• Bizzarro Marco
• Costa Luca
• Vercellotti Luca

Classifications

• F24H9/1872 Primary

  PTC resistor · CPC title

• F24H1/009

  for vehicle systems · CPC title

• F24H1/185

  using electric energy supply (F24H1/201 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05B3/03

  Electrodes · CPC title

• H05B3/286

  the insulating material being an organic material, e.g. plastic · CPC title