Electric heater

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9686823-B2
Application number	US-201414556860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2014
Priority date	Dec 3, 2013
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

An electric heater for an automobile vehicle, with at least one heating element and with at least one circuit board, whereby the circuit board has at least one contact area through which an electrical connection between a heating element and a power supply can be realized. The heating element has at least one PTC-heating element, whereby the heating element can be clipped to the circuit board via a connector clip, and whereby the connector clip has two flexible extensions, which are arranged opposed to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric heater for a vehicle, the electric heater comprising:
at least one heating element; and
at least one circuit board having at least one contact area through which an electrical connection between the heating element and a power supply is made,
wherein the heating element has at least one PTC-heating element,
wherein the heating element is clipped to the circuit board via a connector clip,
wherein the connector clip has two flexible extensions that are arranged opposed to each other,
wherein the circuit board is plate-shaped having a first main surface and a second main surface that opposes the first main surface,
wherein the at least one contact area is provided on the first main surface of the circuit board, and
wherein the circuit board is positioned between the two flexible extensions of the connector clip, such that a first one of the two flexible extensions contacts the at least one contact area on the first main surface of the circuit board and a second one of the two flexible extensions contacts the second main surface of the circuit board.

2. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a distance between the two flexible extensions is smaller than a height of the circuit board in the zone of the contact area.

3. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the connector clip forms a U-shaped cross-section, which forms a receiving area, and wherein the circuit board is insertable into the receiving area.

4. The electric heater as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a force is created by the insertion of the circuit board into the receiving area of the connector clip, and wherein the force creates contact pressure between the contact area and the flexible extensions.

5. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flexible extensions is electrically conductive.

6. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the PTC-heating element is electrically connectable to the contact area by the heating element and/or the connector clip.

7. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the contact area and/or the circuit board and/or the connector clip is covered by an electrical insulation and/or an insulation against fluid leakage and/or an insulation against mechanical stress.

8. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit board and/or the contact area of the circuit board is electrically connected to at least one pole of a power supply.

9. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit board is encased in a housing partially or fully.

10. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heating element is a planar body, which extensions in two of three spatial directions are larger than extension in a third spatial direction, and wherein the PTC-heating element is connected to one side of the heating element and one or more fins are connected to an opposite side of the heating element.

11. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second one of the two flexible extensions directly contacts the second main surface of the circuit board and wherein the at least one contact area is provided directly on the first main surface of the circuit board.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Gries Jean-Philippe

Classifications

• F24H3/0435

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

• H05B3/04

  Waterproof or air-tight seals for heaters · CPC title

• H01R13/113

  co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section · CPC title

• F24H3/0429 Primary

  For vehicles · CPC title

• F24H3/0447

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