WO2024237357A1 - Ptc unit and heating device including same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a PTC unit and a heating device including same. The PTC unit according to the present invention comprises: an insulating frame in which a plurality of element receiving holes are formed; first PTC elements mounted one by one in some element receiving holes among the element receiving holes; second PTC elements mounted one by one in some other element receiving holes so as to alternate with the first PTC elements; a first electrode plate having an uneven shape and disposed to be in contact with one surface of each of the first PTC elements at the same time; a second electrode plate having an uneven shape and positioned on the same surface of the frame on which the first electrode plate is positioned, wherein the second electrode plate is disposed to be in contact with one surface of each of the second PTC elements at the same time; and a common electrode plate positioned on the surface opposite to the surface of the frame on which the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are positioned, and disposed to be in contact with the first PTC elements and the second PTC elements, wherein uneven portions of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are spaced apart from each other to be electrically separated.

Description

PTC unit and heating device including same

The present invention relates to a PTC unit, and more particularly, to a PTC unit applied to a heating device for heating and a heating device including the same.

A PTC heater (Positive Temperature Coefficient Heater) is an electric heating element that generates heat by utilizing the quantum thermal conversion phenomenon. Quantum thermal conversion refers to the phenomenon in which heat is generated due to electrical resistance that occurs in the process of electricity flowing.

PTC heaters have a positive temperature coefficient characteristic, which means that when a constant current flows, the temperature of the heater increases, but at a certain temperature, it does not increase any further and remains at a constant level. Because of this characteristic, PTC heaters are widely used in automobile interior temperature control systems.

In general, in the case of internal combustion engine vehicles, the interior temperature is controlled using the heat generated when the engine is operating. Here, the PTC heater acts as a pre-heater as a preliminary and beforehand means to help control the interior temperature before the engine temperature reaches a certain level.

Meanwhile, as interest in eco-friendly energy has rapidly increased recently, demand for electric vehicles has been explosively increasing, so electric heaters are essential because they do not use engines. There is a trend to adopt PTC heaters, which have been verified in terms of heating speed, high energy efficiency, and safety, as an alternative heat source.

PTC heaters have the advantages of fast heating speed, stable performance, and durability. In addition, PTC heaters use electrical energy efficiently, consume less electrical energy, and in particular, due to their characteristics, when electricity is supplied, the electrical resistance of the material increases and the current decreases, so they have the advantage of preventing overheating and being safe for long-term use.

Due to these many advantages, PTC heaters are widely adopted as an auxiliary or primary means for controlling the interior temperature of automobiles. They are generally installed at the rear of the blower based on the air flow inside the case of the air conditioner, thereby directly applying heat to the air passing through the interior according to the operation of the blower, thereby implementing interior heating.

These automotive PTC heaters include, as their main components, a heater core section comprising a plurality of PTC units that generate heat and a heat dissipation fin that provides passages through which air can pass and receives heat from the PTC units and applies heat to the air passing through them, and a control section that controls the amount of heat generated by the PTC units.

However, most conventional PTC heaters are developed with general-purpose use in mind, so they have the problem that it is difficult to achieve optimized performance that suits the characteristics of the vehicle, and they also have limitations in terms of energy efficiency because the optimized structure for energy efficiency is not applied.

In particular, in the case of electric vehicles, although energy efficiency is the most important issue, the PTC unit applied to the conventional PTC heater is structurally incapable of partial heat generation control, and thus there is a problem of unnecessary consumption of electric energy of electric vehicles that should be used efficiently, such as generating excessive heat compared to demand or need.

Moreover, since partial heat generation control is impossible, there is a problem that a large inrush current occurs the moment power is applied to the PTC unit, which may cause fatal damage to the control circuit.

[Prior art literature]

Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2442176 (Announcement Date 2022.09.08)

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a PTC unit and a heating device including the same, which can prevent unnecessary electric energy consumption by enabling partial heat generation control, and can significantly reduce inrush current as much as partial heat generation control is possible, thereby ensuring safety in terms of circuitry.

According to one embodiment of the present invention as a means of solving the problem,

An insulating frame having a plurality of element receiving holes formed therein;

First PTC elements mounted one by one in some of the element receiving holes among the above element receiving holes;

Second PTC elements mounted one by one in some other element receiving holes so as to be alternated with the first PTC element;

A first electrode plate having a rough shape arranged to simultaneously contact one surface of the first PTC elements;

A second electrode plate having a protruding shape positioned on the same surface of the frame where the first electrode plate is positioned, but positioned so as to simultaneously contact one surface of the second PTC elements; and

A common electrode plate positioned on the opposite side of the frame where the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are positioned and arranged to contact the first PTC element and the second PTC element;

A PTC unit is provided, characterized in that the protruding portions of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are mutually spaced and electrically isolated.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode plate may be configured with first electrode cells formed in a size corresponding to each of the first PTC elements, and a first electrode terminal extending from a first electrode cell which is the outermost among the first electrode cells, and the second electrode plate may be configured with second electrode cells formed in a size corresponding to the second PTC elements but arranged sequentially and staggered with respect to the first electrode cells, and a second electrode terminal extending from a second electrode cell which is the outermost among the second electrode cells.

Here, the position at which the first electrode terminal simultaneously connects one edge of the first electrode cells and the position at which the second electrode terminal simultaneously connects one edge of the second electrode cells may be opposite to each other.

Additionally, a third electrode terminal may extend from the top of the common electrode plate to the same height in the same direction at a position that does not overlap with the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal.

According to another embodiment of the present invention as a means of solving the problem,

An insulating frame having a plurality of element receiving holes, wherein some of the plurality of element receiving holes form a first row of holes and the remaining some form a second row of holes at an adjacent side of the first row of holes;

First PTC elements mounted one by one in the element receiving holes belonging to the first hole row,

Second PTC elements mounted one by one in the element receiving holes belonging to the second hole row,

A first electrode plate arranged to simultaneously contact one surface of the first PTC elements,

A second electrode plate arranged to simultaneously contact one surface of the second PTC elements,

Including a common electrode plate arranged to contact both the other side of the first PTC elements and the other side of the second PTC elements,

The present invention provides a PTC unit characterized in that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are electrically insulated from each other and arranged together on one side of the insulating frame.

Here, the element receiving holes belonging to the first hole row and the element receiving holes belonging to the second hole row can be formed in the same number and at the same height.

At this time, the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal may be formed to extend to the same height from the upper center of each of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, and the third electrode terminal may be formed to extend to the same height in the same direction from the upper end of the common electrode plate at a position that does not overlap with the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal.

According to another embodiment of the present invention as a means of solving the problem,

As a device for heating air for heating a vehicle,

A heater core section including a plurality of PTC units and a heat dissipation fin, each fin positioned between two adjacent PTC units;

A frame part configured to receive and protect the heater core part and to have a pair of side frames and a lower holder having mounting grooves corresponding to each of the PTC units while interconnecting the side frames; and

A control unit is coupled to the upper part of the frame unit that accommodates the heater core unit inside and includes a control element for controlling the heating of the PTC unit;

Herein, a heating device for heating is provided, wherein the PTC unit is a PTC unit according to one embodiment described above or another embodiment.

Here, the control unit may include a housing that is coupled to an upper portion of a frame unit that accommodates the heater core unit inside and has a mounting space formed inside, and a substrate that mounts a first bus bar electrically connected to all of the first electrode plates included in each of the plurality of PTC units, a second bus bar electrically connected to all of the second electrode plates, a common bus bar electrically connected to all of the common electrode plates, and a control element that controls heating of the PTC units by being electrically connected to the first bus bar, the second bus bar, and the common bus bar may be mounted inside the housing.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the PTC unit is configured so that not only overall heat generation control but also partial heat generation control can be performed, there is an advantage in that the heat generation amount can be appropriately adjusted according to demand or need, and since the heat generation amount can be appropriately adjusted according to demand or need, unnecessary consumption of electric energy can be reliably prevented, thereby promoting more efficient energy utilization.

In addition, since partial heat control is possible, the inrush current can be greatly reduced through control that sequentially applies current (applies current to the first and second electrode plates with a slight time difference) for a full heat request, and as a result, circuit safety can be secured, and since the resistance decreases as the inrush current decreases, there is an advantage in that the output can be increased.

Furthermore, the PTC unit according to one embodiment of the present invention has an advantage in that it is a configuration that partially controls heat generation while also allowing the PTC unit to be implemented in a compact size due to its unique configuration (a unique configuration in which PTC elements are divided into two groups and mounted alternately in a row on an insulating frame, and electrode plates are configured in a protruding shape accordingly and arranged in a mutually interlocking shape).

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the overall configuration of a PTC unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the detailed configuration of the insulating frame, PTC element, and electrode plates illustrated in Figure 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a PTC unit viewed from the front according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a PTC unit viewed from the back according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of a PTC unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 6a to 6c are operation state diagrams of a PTC unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the overall configuration of a PTC unit according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a PTC unit viewed from the front according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a PTC unit viewed from the back according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating device for heating according to another aspect of the present invention including a PTC unit.

Fig. 11 is a partially exploded perspective view of the heating device illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a partially exploded perspective view of the heater core portion shown in Fig. 11.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

The terminology used in the specification is only used to describe particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

It should be understood that the terms “include” or “have” in this specification are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

Additionally, while the terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

In addition, terms such as “part,” “unit,” and “module” described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

In describing with reference to the attached drawings, identical components will be given the same reference numerals and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. In addition, when describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the entire configuration of a PTC unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the detailed configuration of the insulating frame, PTC element, and electrode plates shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing the combined state of a PTC unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, each of which is a front and back view of a combined PTC unit, and FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of a PTC unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a PTC unit (13) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a heating element (130) and a heating tube (139) sealingly accommodating the heating element (130). The heating element (130) may be composed of an insulating frame (131), PTC elements (134, 135), electrode plates (136 to 138), and a pair of insulating covers (c1, c2), and the heating tube (139) may be a non-conductive metal body having a square cross-section and a hollow tubular shape.

In the insulating frame (131), a plurality of element receiving holes (132, 133) may be formed in a row in the height direction in the drawing. In the drawing, a configuration with six element receiving holes is illustrated as an example, but it is not limited to a configuration with six element receiving holes. Depending on the required specifications, the number of element receiving holes may be four or eight. Of course, in addition to an even number, an odd number such as three, five, or seven may be formed.

Each of the element receiving holes (132) can be mounted with one PTC element that actually generates heat by the applied power. The PTC elements can be divided into a first PTC element (134) and a second PTC element (135), and at this time, the first PTC element (134) and the second PTC element (135) can be mounted one by one alternately (alternately) from the uppermost or lowermost element receiving hole (132) among the element receiving holes (132).

For example, a first PTC element (134) may be mounted one by one in an odd-numbered element receiving hole (132) among a plurality of element receiving holes (1, 3, and 5 from the top in the drawing), and a second PTC element (135) may be mounted one by one in an even-numbered element receiving hole (133) among a plurality of element receiving holes.

The first PTC elements (134) can be electrically connected by simultaneously contacting one surface of the first electrode plate (136). More specifically, since multiple (three in the drawing) first PTC elements (134) are electrically connected in parallel by the first electrode plate (136), multiple first PTC elements (134) can simultaneously generate heat by power supplied through the first electrode plate (136).

The second PTC elements (135) can also be electrically connected by simultaneously contacting one surface of a second electrode plate (137) described later. More specifically, since multiple (three in the drawing) second PTC elements (135) are electrically connected in parallel by the second electrode plate (137), multiple second PTC elements (135) can simultaneously generate heat by power supplied through the second electrode plate (137).

As mentioned above, the first PTC elements (134) that are spaced apart from each other electrically form a single structure by simultaneously contacting one surface of the first electrode plate (136). Here, the first electrode plate (136) applied to one embodiment of the present invention for simultaneous electrical connection to the first PTC elements (134) that are arranged at a distance from each other may be configured in a rough shape as shown in the example of the drawing.

The first electrode plate (136) can be specifically composed of first electrode cells (136-1) and first electrode terminals (136-2). The first electrode cells (136-1) are configured to correspond to each of the first PTC elements (134) and are installed to be in contact with one surface of the corresponding first PTC element (134), and the first electrode cells (136-1) are interconnected through the first electrode terminals (136-2), thereby enabling simultaneous power supply to the first PTC elements (134).

More specifically, each of the first electrode cells (136-1) may be formed as an approximately square plate-shaped structure having a size corresponding to the first PTC element (134) and spaced apart from each other by a distance corresponding to the height of the element receiving hole (133) in which the second PTC element (135) is mounted, and the first electrode terminal (136-2) may be configured to extend from the outermost first electrode cell among the first electrode cells (136-1) (the uppermost first electrode cell in the drawing).

More specifically, the first electrode terminal (136-2) may be configured to extend a predetermined length upward from the uppermost first electrode cell (136-1) while simultaneously connecting one edge (the right edge based on FIG. 3) of the first electrode cells (136-1).

As mentioned above, the second PTC elements (135) that are spaced apart from each other also electrically form a single structure by simultaneously contacting one surface of the second electrode plate (137). Here, the second electrode plate (137) applied to one embodiment of the present invention for simultaneous electrical connection to the second PTC elements (135) that are arranged at a distance from each other may also be configured in a rough shape as shown in the example of the drawing.

The second electrode plate (137) can be specifically composed of second electrode cells (137-1) and second electrode terminals (137-2). The second electrode cells (137-1) are configured to correspond to each of the second PTC elements (135) and are installed to be in contact with one surface of the corresponding second PTC element (135), and the second electrode cells (137-1) are interconnected through the second electrode terminals (137-2), thereby enabling simultaneous power supply to the second PTC elements (135).

More specifically, each of the second electrode cells (137-1) may be formed as an approximately square plate-shaped structure having a size corresponding to the second PTC element (135) and spaced apart from each other by a distance corresponding to the height of the element receiving hole (132) in which the first PTC element (134) is mounted, and the second electrode terminal (137-2) may be configured to extend from the outermost second electrode cell among the second electrode cells (137-1) (the uppermost second electrode cell in the drawing).

More specifically, the second electrode terminal (137-2) may be configured to extend a predetermined length upward from the uppermost second electrode cell (137-1) while simultaneously connecting one edge (the left edge based on FIG. 3) of the second electrode cells (137-1).

The first electrode plate (136) and the second electrode plate (137) having an overall uneven structure are electrically separated from each other by a predetermined gap, and structurally, as shown in FIG. 3, they are arranged together on one side of the insulating frame (131) in a form in which the uneven portion is engaged with the uneven portion of the opposite electrode plate, thereby providing a structure suitable for implementing a PTC unit in a compact size.

Drawing symbol 138 designates a common electrode plate. The common electrode plate (138) may be arranged to face the first electrode plate (136) and the second electrode plate (137) with the insulating frame (131) in the middle. More specifically, the common electrode plate (138) may be arranged to simultaneously contact the other side of the first PTC elements (134) (the side opposite to the side contacting the first electrode plate) and the other side of the second PTC elements (135) (the side opposite to the side contacting the second electrode plate).

In one embodiment of the present invention, the position at which the first electrode terminal (136-2) simultaneously connects one edge of the first electrode cells (136-1) and the position at which the second electrode terminal (137-2) simultaneously connects one edge of the second electrode cells (137-1) may be opposite to each other, and a third electrode terminal (138-2) may be provided at the top of the common electrode plate (138), and the third electrode terminal (138-2) may extend in the same direction to the same height at a position that does not overlap with the first electrode terminal (136-2) and the second electrode terminal (137-2).

The heating element (130) may also include a first insulating cover (c1) and a second insulating cover (c2). The first insulating cover (c1) is coupled to cover the first electrode plate (136) and the second electrode plate (137) at the same time on one side of the insulating frame (131), thereby electrically insulating between the heating tube (139) and the first electrode plate (136) and the second electrode plate (137), and the second insulating cover (c2) is coupled to cover the common electrode plate (138) on the other side of the insulating frame (131), thereby electrically insulating between the heating tube (139) and the common electrode plate (138).

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a PTC unit (13) may be configured by configuring a heating element by embedding PTC elements one by one in the element receiving holes of an insulating frame (131), arranging electrode plates at set positions so as to be in contact with the PTC elements, surrounding the electrode plates with a first insulating cover (c1) and a second insulating cover (c2), and then placing the heating element in a heating tube (139) and sealing both ends with a heat-resistant material.

According to the PTC unit (13) according to one embodiment of the present invention having such a configuration, although the first PTC element (134) and the second PTC element (135) are mounted together in one insulating frame (131), they are structured to be supplied with power independently through different electrode plates (the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate), so that partial heating can be implemented, such as only the first PTC elements (134) being heated or only the second PTC elements (135) being heated.

For example, when power is applied to the first electrode plate (136) while the first electrode plate (136) and the common electrode plate (138) are electrically connected to each other (conversely, power may be applied through the common electrode plate), as shown in FIG. 6A, current is supplied only to the PTC elements corresponding to the first electrode cells (136-1) (electrode cells ①, ③, and ⑤ in the drawing) constituting the first electrode plate (136), i.e., the first PTC elements (134), so that only the corresponding elements can be heated.

By the same principle, when power is applied to the second electrode plate (137) while the second electrode plate (137) and the common electrode plate (138) are electrically connected to each other (conversely, power may be applied through the common electrode plate), as shown in FIG. 6b, current is supplied only to the PTC elements corresponding to the second electrode cells (137-1) (electrode cells ②, ④, and ⑥ in the drawing) constituting the second electrode plate (137), i.e., the second PTC elements (135), so that only the corresponding elements can be heated.

And when power is applied to the first electrode plate (136) and the second electrode plate (137) while the first electrode plate (136) and the second electrode plate (137) are electrically connected to the common electrode plate (138) at the same time (conversely, power may be applied through the common electrode plate), power is applied to all electrode cells (electrode cells ① to ⑥ in the drawing) as shown in Fig. 6c, so that all PTC elements can be heated.

In this way, the PTC unit according to one embodiment of the present invention has the advantage of being able to appropriately control the amount of heat generated according to demand or need since it is configured to control not only the overall heat generation but also partial heat generation. In addition, since the amount of heat generated can be appropriately controlled according to demand or need, unnecessary energy consumption can be reliably prevented, thereby promoting more efficient energy utilization.

In addition, since partial heat control is possible, the inrush current can be greatly reduced through control that sequentially applies current (applies current to the first and second electrode plates with a slight time difference) for a full heat request, and as a result, circuit safety can be secured, and since the resistance decreases as the inrush current decreases, there is an advantage in that the output can be increased.

Furthermore, the PTC unit according to one embodiment of the present invention has an advantage in that it is a configuration that partially controls heat generation while also allowing the PTC unit to be implemented in a compact size due to its unique configuration (a unique configuration in which PTC elements are divided into two groups and mounted alternately in a row on an insulating frame, and electrode plates are configured in a protruding shape accordingly and arranged in a mutually interlocking shape).

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the entire configuration of a PTC unit according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views showing the combined state of a PTC unit according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, which are views of the PTC unit in a combined state viewed from the front and back, respectively.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, a PTC unit (23) according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention also includes a heating element (230) and a heating tube (239) sealingly accommodating the heating element. The heating element (230) may be composed of an insulating frame (231), PTC elements (234, 235), electrode plates (236 to 238), and a pair of insulating covers (c1, c2), and the heating tube (239) may be a non-conductive metal body having a square cross-section and a hollow tubular shape.

A plurality of element receiving holes (232, 233) may be formed in the insulating frame (231). In the drawing, a configuration having eight element receiving holes is illustrated as an example, but this is only one embodiment for explaining the present invention, and is not limited to a configuration having eight element receiving holes. Depending on the required specifications, the number of element receiving holes may be four or six, and may be formed as an even number of eight or more.

As shown in the example in the drawing, the element receiving holes may be arranged such that some of the element receiving holes (the four receiving holes on the left in the drawing) form one row of holes (hereinafter referred to as the “first row of holes”), and the remaining some of the element receiving holes (the four receiving holes on the right in the drawing) form another row of holes (hereinafter referred to as the “second row of holes”). In other words, a plurality of element receiving holes may be arranged such that they form two large rows of holes (L1, L2).

Preferably, the element receiving holes (232) belonging to the first hole row (L1) and the element receiving holes (233) belonging to the second hole row (L2) may be formed in the same number as in the example of the drawing, and may be formed in a structure in which two element receiving holes belonging to different hole rows are aligned at the same height or on the same line.

Each of the element receiving holes (232, 233) may be equipped with one PTC element that actually generates heat by an applied power source. Specifically, the PTC element may be configured with first PTC elements (234) mounted one by one in an element receiving hole (232) belonging to a first hole row (L1) among a plurality of element receiving holes, and second PTC elements (235) mounted one by one in an element receiving hole (233) belonging to a second hole row (L2) on an adjacent side of the first hole row (L1).

The first PTC elements (234) are electrically connected in parallel by one surface of the first electrode plate (236) at the same time to form a single electrical component. More specifically, since multiple (four in the drawing) first PTC elements (234) are electrically connected in parallel by the first electrode plate (236), multiple first PTC elements (234) can simultaneously generate heat independently of the second PTC elements (235) by power supplied through the first electrode plate (236).

The second PTC elements (235) also form an electrical component by simultaneously contacting one surface of a second electrode plate (237). More specifically, since multiple (four in the drawing) second PTC elements (235) are electrically connected in parallel by the second electrode plate (237), multiple second PTC elements (235) can simultaneously generate heat independently of the first PTC elements (234) by power supplied through the second electrode plate (237).

In the present embodiment, the first electrode plate (236) and the second electrode plate (237) may be electrically insulated from each other by being spaced apart from each other with a predetermined gap, and may be arranged together on one side of the insulating frame (131) (see FIG. 8), and the first electrode terminal (236-2) and the second electrode terminal (237-2) may be formed to extend to the same height from the upper center of each of the first electrode plate (236) and the second electrode plate (237) spaced apart from each other with a predetermined gap.

Drawing symbol 238 designates a common electrode plate. The common electrode plate (238) may be arranged to face the first electrode plate (236) and the second electrode plate (237) with the insulating frame (231) in the middle. More specifically, the common electrode plate (238) may be arranged to simultaneously contact the other side of the first PTC elements (234) (the side opposite to the side contacting the first electrode plate) and the other side of the second PTC elements (235) (the side opposite to the side contacting the second electrode plate).

A third electrode terminal (238-2) is provided on the upper end of the common electrode plate (238), and the third electrode terminal (238-2) may be configured to extend to the same height in the same direction as the first electrode terminal (236-2) and the second electrode terminal (237-2) at a position that does not overlap or overlap with the first electrode terminal (236-2) and the second electrode terminal (237-2) and extends to a predetermined height from the upper center of each of the first electrode plate (236) and the second electrode plate (237).

The heating element (230) according to the present embodiment may also include a first insulating cover (c1) and a second insulating cover (c2). The first insulating cover (c1) is coupled to cover the first electrode plate (236) and the second electrode plate (237) at the same time on one side of the insulating frame (131), thereby electrically insulating between these electrode plates and the heating tube (239), and the second insulating cover (c2) is coupled to cover the common electrode plate (238) on the other side of the insulating frame (231), thereby electrically insulating between the heating tube (239) and the common electrode plate (238).

A PTC unit (23) according to another embodiment of the present invention may be configured by configuring a heating element (230) by embedding PTC elements one by one in the element receiving holes of an insulating frame (131), arranging electrode plates (236 to 238) at set positions so as to be in contact with the PTC elements, surrounding the electrode plates with a first insulating cover (c1) and a second insulating cover (c2), and then placing the heating element (230) in a heating tube (139) and sealing both ends with a heat-resistant material.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the PTC unit (23) of this configuration, although the first PTC element (234) and the second PTC element (235) are mounted together in one insulating frame (231), they are structured to be supplied with power independently through different electrode plates (the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate), so that partial heating can be implemented, such as only the first PTC elements (234) being heated or only the second PTC elements (235) being heated.

Likewise, the PTC unit according to another embodiment of the present invention has the advantage of being able to appropriately adjust the amount of heat generated according to demand or need, as it is configured to enable partial heat generation control. In addition, since the amount of heat generated can be appropriately adjusted according to demand or need, unnecessary energy consumption can be reliably prevented, thereby promoting more efficient energy utilization.

In addition, since partial heat control is possible, the inrush current can be greatly reduced through control that sequentially applies current (applies current to the first and second electrode plates with a slight time difference) for a full heat request, and as a result, circuit safety can be secured, and since resistance is lowered as the inrush current is reduced, there is an advantage in that the output can be increased.

Below, we will briefly look at the configuration of a heating device including the PTC unit discussed above.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating device according to another aspect of the present invention including the aforementioned PTC unit, FIG. 11 is a partially exploded perspective view of the heating device illustrated in FIG. 10, and FIG. 12 is a partially exploded perspective view of the heater core portion illustrated in FIG. 11.

Referring to FIGS. 10 to 12, the heating device (1) is a device for heating air for heating the interior of a vehicle, and includes a heater core part (12) including a plurality of PTC units (13 or 23) and heat dissipation fins (14), a frame part (16) that accommodates the heater core part (12), and a control part (18) that is coupled to the upper portion of the frame part (16) and has a control element for controlling heating of the PTC units (13 or 23).

The heater core part (12) is provided with a plurality of PTC units (13) and a heat dissipation fin (14) arranged one by one between adjacent PTC units (13), and the frame part (16) is configured to receive and protect the heater core part (12), and may be configured with a pair of side frames (160L, 160R) and a lower holder (162) that interconnects the lower portions of the pair of side frames (160L, 160R) and has a mounting groove (163) corresponding to each of the PTC units (13 or 23).

The PTC units (13 or 23) constituting the heater core portion (12) may have a rod-shaped configuration with a length extending in the vertical direction and a rectangular cross-section. The PTC units (13 or 23) may be arranged side by side in the left-right direction in the drawing so that their relatively wide flat side surfaces face each other at a distance from each other, and the heat dissipation fins (14) may be arranged between the PTC units (13 or 23) facing each other at a distance from each other.

Each of the PTC units (13 or 23) may have a configuration in which electrode plates are appropriately arranged around an insulating frame in which multiple PTC elements are mounted, and these are placed in a heating tube (139) and sealed at both ends with a heat-resistant material, i.e., the same configuration as the above-described embodiment or another embodiment, and the heat dissipation fin (14) may have a configuration in which one side and the other side of the opposite side are in contact with the PTC units (13) arranged on both sides and have a passage through which air passes.

In Fig. 12, the drawing symbols 15L and 15R indicate fin plates installed to be in contact with the outer surface of the outermost radiating fin (14) among the plurality of radiating fins (14) constituting the heater core part (12). Here, one of the two fin plates (15L and 15R) may be a grounding plate that is electrically connected to a vehicle body or the like to implement grounding.

The control unit (18) is coupled to the upper part of the frame unit (16) that accommodates the heater core unit (12) as shown in the examples in the drawings (FIGS. 10 and 11), and by mounting the aforementioned control elements inside, power can be supplied or cut off to the PTC units (13 or 23) that constitute the heater core unit (12), and the amount of heat generated can be controlled through current control.

The control unit (18) may include a housing (180) that is coupled to the upper portion of the frame unit (16) that accommodates the heater core unit (12) inside and has a mounting space formed inside. Inside the housing (180), a plurality of bus bars (184) that electrically connect electrode terminals of a group of each PTC unit (13 or 23) and a board (not shown) that electrically connects to the bus bars (184) and controls heating of the PTC units (13) may be mounted.

According to this configuration, heat generated by each PTC unit (13 or 23) is transferred to the radiating fin (14) depending on power supply, and the temperature of the air increases due to heat exchange between the air passing through the radiating fin (14) and the radiating fin (14) maintained at a high temperature by receiving heat from the PTC unit (13 or 23) depending on the operation of the blower (not shown), and the air can be supplied as warm air to indoor demand locations (driver's seat, passenger seat, rear seat, etc.).

In the above detailed description of the present invention, only specific embodiments thereof have been described. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific forms mentioned in the detailed description, but rather should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Heating device 12: Heater core section

13, 23 : PTC Unit

14: Radiating fin 15L, 15R: Fin plate

16: Frame section 18: Control section

130, 230: Heating element 131, 231: Insulating frame

132, 133, 232, 233: Element receiving holes

134, 234: 1st PTC element 135, 235: 2nd PTC element

136, 236: 1st electrode plate 136-1: 1st electrode cell

136-2, 236-2: First electrode terminal 137, 237: Second electrode plate

137-1: Second electrode cell 137-2, 237-2: Second electrode terminal

138, 238: Common electrode plate 138-2, 238-2: Third electrode terminal

160L, 160R : Side Frame

162: Lower holder 163: Mounting groove

180 : Housing 184 : Busbar

Claims (10)

An insulating frame having a plurality of element receiving holes formed therein; First PTC elements mounted one by one in some of the element receiving holes among the above element receiving holes; Second PTC elements mounted one by one in some other element receiving holes so as to be alternated with the first PTC element; A first electrode plate having a rough shape arranged to simultaneously contact one surface of the first PTC elements; A second electrode plate having a protruding shape positioned on the same surface of the frame where the first electrode plate is positioned, and arranged to simultaneously contact one surface of the second PTC elements; and A common electrode plate is positioned on the opposite side of the frame where the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are positioned and is arranged to contact the first PTC element and the second PTC element; A PTC unit characterized in that the uneven portions of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are mutually spaced and electrically isolated. In paragraph 1, The above first electrode plate, First electrode cells formed with a size corresponding to each of the first PTC elements, It consists of a first electrode terminal extending from the outermost first electrode cell among the above first electrode cells, The above second electrode plate, Second electrode cells formed in a size corresponding to the second PTC element but arranged sequentially and staggered relative to the first electrode cell, A PTC unit characterized by comprising a second electrode terminal extending from the outermost second electrode cell among the second electrode cells. In the second paragraph, A PTC unit characterized in that the positions at which the first electrode terminal simultaneously connects one edge of the first electrode cells and the positions at which the second electrode terminal simultaneously connects one edge of the second electrode cells are opposite to each other. In the second paragraph, A PTC unit characterized in that a third electrode terminal extends from the top of the common electrode plate to the same height in the same direction at a position that does not overlap with the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal. An insulating frame having a plurality of element receiving holes, wherein the element receiving holes are arranged such that some of the plurality of element receiving holes form a first row of holes and the remaining some form a second row of holes at an adjacent side of the first row of holes; First PTC elements mounted one by one in the element receiving holes belonging to the first hole row; Second PTC elements mounted one by one in the element receiving holes belonging to the second hole row; A first electrode plate arranged to simultaneously contact one surface of the first PTC elements; A second electrode plate arranged to simultaneously contact one surface of the second PTC elements; A PTC unit including a common electrode plate arranged to contact both the other side of the first PTC elements and the other side of the second PTC elements. In paragraph 5, A PTC unit characterized in that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are electrically separated from each other and arranged together on one side of the insulating frame. In paragraph 5, A PTC unit characterized in that the element receiving holes belonging to the first hole row and the element receiving holes belonging to the second hole row are formed in the same number and at the same height. In paragraph 5, The first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal are formed to extend to the same height from the upper center of each of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, A PTC unit characterized in that a third electrode terminal extends from the top of the common electrode plate to the same height in the same direction at a position that does not overlap with the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal. As a device for heating air for heating a vehicle, A heater core section including a plurality of PTC units and a heat dissipation fin, each fin positioned between two adjacent PTC units; A frame part configured to receive and protect the heater core part and to have a pair of side frames and a lower holder having mounting grooves corresponding to each of the PTC units while interconnecting the side frames; and A control unit is coupled to the upper part of the frame unit that accommodates the heater core unit inside and has a control element for controlling the heating of the PTC unit; A heating device for heating, characterized in that the PTC unit is a PTC unit as described in claim 1 or claim 5. In Article 9, The above control unit, It includes a housing that is joined to the upper part of the frame part that accommodates the heater core part inside and has a mounting space formed inside. A heating device for heating, characterized in that a board is mounted inside the housing, which mounts a first bus bar electrically connected to all of the first electrode plates included in each of the plurality of PTC units, a second bus bar electrically connected to all of the second electrode plates, a common bus bar electrically connected to all of the common electrode plates, and a control element electrically connected to the first bus bar, the second bus bar, and the common bus bar to control heating of the PTC units.

Images