JP2009129610A - Electric type heater - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent reduction of heat conduction amount and a current flow rate by bringing heater elements, electrode plates, and radiation fins into close contact. <P>SOLUTION: This is an electric type heater equipped with a laminated exothermic body 5 wherein a plurality of units are laminated, the each unit having exothermic elements 2 in three rows or more, the electrode plates 3 electrically contacted with the exothermic elements 2, and radiation fins 4 superposed, upper and lower frames 6, 7 attached to upper and lower end parts of the laminated exothermic body 5, and a pair of pressing springs 8, 9 to grip the upper and lower frames 6, 7 and the laminated exothermic body 5 at both side end parts of the laminated exothermic body 5. At the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7, bulging parts 6a, 7a protruding outside in the laminating direction are formed at sites except positions corresponding to the exothermic elements 2 at arrangement positions, the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 are abutted on positions corresponding to the exothermic elements 2 in alignment positions at the upper and lower end parts of the laminated exothermic body 5, the centers of the bulging parts 6a, 7a of the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 are pressed from outside in the laminating direction by the pair of pressing springs 8, 9, and the exothermic elements 2, the electrode plates 3, and the radiation fins 4 are brought into close contact in the laminating direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric heater using a heating element such as PTC, and is suitable for an immediate heating device in an automobile.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the structure of the conventional electric heater using the heating element is such that the heating element 2 is attached to the insulating resin holder 1, and the electrode plate 3 for supplying power is superimposed on the surface of the heating element 2. A heat-radiating fin 4 is stacked on the electrode plate 3 and the heat generating element 2, and a laminated heat generating element 5 is configured by laminating the holder 1, the heat generating element 2, the electrode plate 3, and the heat-radiating fin 4 as a unit. The electrode plates 3 are alternately stacked with plus (+) and ground (G).

  An upper frame 6 and a lower frame 7 having a concave section are attached to the upper and lower ends of the stacked heating element 5 in the stacking direction, and a pair of pressing springs 8 and 9 are connected to the upper and lower frames 6 from both ends of the stacked heating element 5. , 7 is passed through the concave portion, and the laminated heating element 5 is held so that each unit of the laminated heating element 5 is not displaced in the front direction. Further, covers 10 and 11 are attached from both sides of the pair of springs 8 and 9.

  In the laminated heating element 5 shown in FIG. 5, the heating elements 2 are laminated in three rows (horizontal arrangement in the figure) and arranged in four stages (product stages in the vertical direction in the figure), and further, fins 4 (fins) 4 is a 5-stage product). The three-row arrangement and the four-layer heating element 2 need to be brought into contact with the electrode plate 3 and the fins 4 in order to ensure electrical conduction and thermal conduction. A pair of springs 8 and 9 are mounted so that the points act. Accordingly, the pair of springs 8 and 9 hold the laminated heating element 5 and also perform a pressing action for bringing the heating element 2, the electrode plate 3, and the fin 4 into contact with each other.

However, the conventional electric heater described above includes a pair of springs 8 and 9 and the heating elements 2, the electrode plates 3 and the fins 4 arranged on both outer sides (first and third rows) of the laminated heating element 5. Because of the structure of contact pressing, the pressing force of the heating element 2, the electrode plate 3, and the fin 4 at both ends of the laminated heating element 5 is maintained, but in the central part (second row) of the laminated structure 5 The pressing force decreases, and the electrical and thermal contact among the heating elements 2, the electrode plates 3, and the fins 4 at all arrangement positions cannot be maintained. Therefore, in the conventional structure, the number of arrangement positions of the heating elements 2 is limited to two rows, and it is difficult to increase the number of arrangement positions of the heating elements in order to obtain high output.
Moreover, although the electric heater is described also in the following patent document 1, there is also the same problem as described above.
JP 2005-108808 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points. In the upper frame and the lower frame, a bulging portion that protrudes outward in the stacking direction is formed in a portion other than the position corresponding to the heating elements arranged in a row. Is heated to a position corresponding to the heating elements arranged in a row at the part, and the bulging portions of the upper frame and the lower frame are pressed and held from outside in the stacking direction by the pair of pressing springs, thereby generating heat at the arrangement position. Electricity that can press the element, electrode plate, and radiating fin in the stacking direction to bring the heating element, electrode plate, and radiating fin into close contact, and can prevent a decrease in the amount of heat conduction and current between the heating element, electrode plate, and radiating fin. It is to provide a type heater.

In the invention according to claim 1, heat generating elements arranged in three or more rows, an electrode plate for making electrical contact with the heat generating elements and supplying electric power from the outside, and heat generated by the heat generating elements are dissipated. A stacked heating element in which a plurality of units each having a plurality of radiating fins stacked thereon are stacked, an upper frame attached to an upper end portion and a lower end portion in the stacking direction of the stacked heating element, a lower frame, and both end portions of the stacked heating element An electric heater comprising a pair of pressing springs that grip the upper frame, the lower frame, and the stacked heating element from the outside and press the heating element, the electrode plate, and the radiating fin in the stacking direction,
The upper frame and the lower frame are formed with bulging portions protruding outward in the stacking direction at portions other than the positions corresponding to the heating elements at the arrayed positions of the stacked heat generating elements, and at the arrangement positions of the stacked heat generating elements. The upper frame and the lower frame are brought into contact with a position corresponding to the heat generating element, and the bulging portions of the upper frame and the lower frame are pressed and held from the outside in the stacking direction by the pair of pressing springs.

  According to the above configuration, the upper frame and the lower frame by pressing the space portion of the upper frame and the lower frame from the outer side in the stacking direction by the pair of pressing springs, the other portions that are not the space portions of the lower frame are the heating elements at the array position, The electrode plate and the radiating fin can be pressed in the laminating direction to bring the heating element, the electrode plate and the radiating fin into close contact. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the amount of heat conduction and the amount of current between the heating element, the electrode plate, and the radiation fin.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the boundary between the upper frame and the lower frame contacting the positions corresponding to the bulging portions of the upper frame and the lower frame and the heating elements at the arrangement position is used as the heat generation at the arrangement position. It is characterized in that it is located in the approximate center of the element.

  According to the above configuration, since the boundary portion on which the pressing force by the pair of pressing springs is applied is positioned at the substantially central portion of the heating elements at the arrangement position, the pressing force is most efficiently applied to the heating elements. It can be made to act on the arrangement position, and the heat generating element, the electrode plate and the radiating fin can be reliably brought into close contact with each other.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the number of arrangement positions of the heating elements is three or four.

  According to the above configuration, if the number of arrangement positions of the heat generating elements is three or four, the number of the bulging portions is two, and the bulging portions are surely secured by a pair of pressing springs, that is, two springs. Therefore, the heat generating element, the electrode plate, and the radiating fin can be securely adhered in the stacking direction.

  The present invention will be described below. First, the overall configuration of the electric heater will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, the characteristic structure of the present invention is omitted, and the characteristic structure of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an overall sectional view of the electric heater according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion X in FIG.

  A heating element 2 such as PTC is mounted on a holder 1 made of an insulating resin, an electrode plate 3 for supplying power is superimposed on the surface of the heating element 2, and a fin plate 4 a is attached to the electrode plate 3 and the heating element 2. The heat-radiating fins 4 that are brazed are stacked, and a plurality of layers of the holder 1, the heat generating element 2, the electrode plate 3, and the heat-radiating fin 4 are stacked as one unit to form a laminated heat generating element 5. The electrode plates 3 are alternately stacked with plus (+) and ground (G).

  An upper frame 6 and a lower frame 7 having a concave section are attached to the upper and lower ends of the stacked heating element 5 in the stacking direction, and a pair of pressing springs 8 and 9 are connected to the upper and lower frames 6 from both ends of the stacked heating element 5. , 7 is passed through the concave portion, and the laminated heating element 5 is held so that each unit of the laminated heating element 5 is not displaced in the front direction. In this case, the pair of springs 8 and 9 press the heating elements 2 at the arrangement positions on both outer sides (first and fourth rows) of the heating elements 2 at the arrangement positions in the four rows in the laminated heating element 5 in the lamination direction. ing. Further, covers 10 and 11 are attached from both sides of the pair of springs 8 and 9.

  In the laminated heating element 5, the heating elements 2 are stacked in four rows (horizontal arrangement in the figure) and arranged in four stages (product stages in the vertical direction in the figure), and the fins 4 (fins 4 are stacked in five stages) in the uppermost stage. ) Is arranged. In the present example, the heat generating elements 2 are provided with 16 heat generating elements 2 in 4 rows × 4 stages. In this example, all the heating elements 2 are mounted on the holder 1, but the number of heating elements is reduced according to the amount of heat generated by the electric heater, and the same size (width, The amount of heat generated may be adjusted by mounting an insulating dummy (height, depth). Also, the dummy positions may be set as necessary.

 Embodiments of the characteristic structure of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 3, a specific configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the figure, the covers 10 and 11 are omitted. In FIG. 3, the radiating fins 4 at the upper and lower ends of the laminated heating element 5 are in a horizontal and parallel state, and the heating elements 2 are arranged in four rows and are arranged in four stages.

  On the side (inner side) of the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 that are in contact with the heat dissipating fins 4, two bulging portions 6a and 7a that protrude outward in the stacking direction are provided. The positions where the bulging portions 6a and 7a are formed correspond to positions other than the arrangement position of the heating elements 2 of the laminated heating element 5, and the central positions of the bulging portions 6a and 7a are the centers of the portions other than the arrangement positions of the heating elements 2. Match the position.

  Further, the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 are in contact with the portion of the laminated heating element 5 where the heating elements 2 are arranged, and the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 swell with the portion in contact with the laminated heating element 5. The boundary portions 6b and 7b with the projecting portions 6a and 7a are set so as to be located in the central portion of the heating element 2 at each arrangement position.

  In addition, one bulging portion 6a, 7a spans the arrangement position of the two heat generating elements 2 at the boundary portions 6b, 7b (two places respectively) at both ends thereof, and accordingly, the two bulging portions 6a in the arrangement direction. 7a correspond to the arrangement positions of the four heating elements 2.

  The upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 provided with the bulging portions 6a and 7a described above are attached to the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the laminated heating element 5, and the upper frame is formed at both end portions of the laminated heating element 5 as shown in the figure. 6 and a pair of springs 8 and 9 are mounted on the outer sides of the bulging portions 6a and 7a from the outside of the lower frame 7.

  By mounting the pair of springs 8 and 9, the pressing force indicated by the arrow A acts on the center of the bulging portions 6a and 7a, and the spring pressing force A is dispersed, and the distributed pressing force indicated by the arrow B at the boundary portions 6b and 7b. Thus, the distributed pressing force B presses the heating elements 2, the electrode plates 3 and the radiation fins 4 in all the arrangement positions (first to fourth rows) in the stacking direction. Therefore, the heat generating element 2, the electrode plate 3, and the heat radiating fins 4 are in close contact with each other, and a decrease in the amount of heat conduction and the amount of electricity can be prevented.

  Further, since the boundary portions 6b and 7b provided on the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 are located at the center of the heating elements 2 at the respective arrangement positions, the distributed pressing force B is most efficiently arranged at the arrangement positions of the heating elements 2. The heat generating element 2, the electrode plate 3, and the heat radiating fin 4 can be brought into close contact with each other more reliably.

  FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the covers 10 and 11 are omitted. In FIG. 4, the radiating fins 4 at the upper and lower ends of the laminated heating element 5 are in a horizontal and parallel state, and the heating elements 2 are arranged in four rows in a three-row arrangement.

  Also in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4, as in the second embodiment of FIG. 3, on the side (inner side) of the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 in contact with the radiating fins 4, a bulging portion protruding outward in the stacking direction. Two locations 6a and 7a are provided. The formation positions of the space portions 6a and 7a correspond to positions other than the arrangement position of the heating elements 2 of the laminated heating element 5, and the central positions of the bulging parts 6a and 7a are the central positions of the portions other than the arrangement positions of the heating elements 2. It matches.

  Further, the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 are in contact with the portion of the laminated heating element 5 where the heating elements 2 are arranged, and the upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 swell with the portion in contact with the laminated heating element 5. The boundary portions 6b and 7b with the projecting portions 6a and 7a are set so as to be located at the substantially central portion of the heat generating element 2 at each arrangement position. The substantially central portion of the heating element 2 is in contact with the portion of the laminated heating element 5 that corresponds to a range of 50% of the length of the heating element 2 from the position corresponding to the center of the heating element 2 to both outer sides. It only has to be.

  In addition, one bulging portion 6a, 7a spans the arrangement positions of the two heating elements 2 at the boundary portions 6b, 7b (two places respectively) at both ends, but in this example, the arrangement positions are three rows. Therefore, the boundary portions 6b and 7b on the inner sides of the two bulging portions 6a and 7a are common, and the number of the boundary portions 6b and 7b is three at each of the upper and lower portions. Accordingly, the two bulging portions 6a and 7a in the arrangement direction correspond to the arrangement positions (first to third rows) of the three heating elements 2.

  The upper frame 6 and the lower frame 7 provided with the bulging portions 6a and 7a described above are attached to the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the laminated heating element 5, and the upper frame is formed at both end portions of the laminated heating element 5 as shown in the figure. 6 and a pair of springs 8 and 9 are mounted on the outer sides of the bulging portions 6a and 7a from the outside of the lower frame 7.

  By mounting the pair of springs 8 and 9, the pressing force indicated by the arrow A acts on the center of the bulging portions 6a and 7a, and the spring pressing force A is dispersed, and the distributed pressing force indicated by the arrow B at the boundary portions 6b and 7b. Thus, the distributed pressing force B presses the heating elements 2, the electrode plates 3 and the radiation fins 4 in all the arrangement positions (first to fourth rows) in the stacking direction. Therefore, the heat generating element 2, the electrode plate 3, and the heat radiating fins 4 are in close contact with each other, and a decrease in the amount of heat conduction and the amount of electricity can be prevented.

  In the case of the three-row arrangement position structure shown in the second embodiment of FIG. 4, the heating elements 2, the electrode plates 3, and the radiation fins 4 are arranged in three rows (locations) by the pressing force of the pair of springs 8 and 9. The pressing force acting on the arrangement position of the central portion (second row) is larger than the other positions as compared with the four-row arrangement structure. Therefore, in the conventional structure, it is possible to reliably solve the problem that the pressing force in the central region of the laminated heating element 5 decreases.

  From the above results, the present invention is most effective in an electric heater having a structure in which the heating elements 2 are arranged in three or four rows.

1 is an overall configuration cross-sectional view of an electric heater according to the present invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the X section of FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration for the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a partially omitted configuration sectional view for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing with which it uses for description of the conventional electric heater.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Holder 2 Heat generating element 3 Electrode plate 4 Radiation fin 5 Laminated heat generating element 6 Upper frame 6a The bulging part of the upper frame 6 6b The boundary part of the upper frame 6 7 Lower frame 7a The bulging part of the upper frame 7 7b Boundary
8, 9 Pair of springs

Claims (3)

A unit in which heating elements arranged in three or more rows, an electrode plate for making electrical contact with the heating elements and supplying electric power from the outside, and a radiation fin for radiating heat generated by the heating elements are stacked. A multi-layer laminated heating element;
An upper frame, a lower frame attached to an upper end portion and a lower end portion in the stacking direction of the stacked heating element;
A pair of pressing springs that hold the upper frame, the lower frame, and the stacked heating element from the outside at both end portions of the stacked heating element and press the heating element, the electrode plate, and the radiating fin in the stacking direction; An electric heater,
The upper frame and the lower frame are formed with bulging portions protruding outward in the stacking direction at portions other than the positions corresponding to the heating elements at the arrayed positions of the stacked heat generating elements, and the array positions of the stacked heat generating elements. The upper frame and the lower frame are in contact with each other at a position corresponding to the heat generating element, and the bulging portions of the upper frame and the lower frame are pressed and held from the outside in the stacking direction by the pair of pressing springs. Electric heater.   A boundary portion between the upper frame and the lower frame that abuts on the position corresponding to the bulging portion of the upper frame and the lower frame and the heating element at the arrangement position is located at substantially the center of the heating element at the arrangement position. The electric heater according to claim 1. 3. The electric heater according to claim 1, wherein the number of arrangement positions of the heating elements is three or four.

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