Liquid heating device, in particular for motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid heating device, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (1) configured to hold a liquid, at least one electrical heating element configured to heat the liquid in the housing (1), and a printed circuit board (20) allowing the flow of an electric current supplying the heating element, the device further comprises at least one electrical connector (22a, 22b) electrically connected to the heating element and / or the circuit board (20), and a mechanical connection (24a, 24b) attached to the housing (1), one of the electrical connector (22a, 22b) and the circuit board (20) being supported on the other of the electrical connector (22a, 22b) and the circuit board (20), said other of the connector (22a, 22b) and the circuit board (20) being supported on the housing (1) by means of the mechanical connection (24a, 24b).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a liquid heating device, and more particularly to a liquid heating device for motor vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] In this field, devices are known that include a housing for an electrical component configured to heat a liquid flowing within the housing. These devices also include a printed circuit board that allows the flow of current to supply the heating element. The current is supplied to the heating element using an electrical connector.

[0003] However, improvements are needed in the attachment of the board and connectors. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to overcome at least some of the above-mentioned disadvantages and, for this purpose, provides a liquid heating device, particularly a liquid heating device for motor vehicles, the device comprising: a housing configured to hold a liquid; at least one electric heating element configured to heat the liquid in the housing; and a printed circuit board that allows the flow of current to supply the heating element, the device further comprising: at least one electrical connector electrically connected to the heating element and / or the circuit board; and a mechanical connector attached to the housing, one of the electrical connector or the circuit board being supported on the other of the electrical connector or the circuit board, the other of the connector or the circuit board being supported on the housing by the mechanical connector.

[0005] Therefore, according to the invention, the same mechanical connector causes the conductor to support against the plate and the plate to support against the housing, or the plate to support against the connector and the connector to support against the housing. In this way, by clamping the plate between the connector and the housing, or by clamping the connector between the plate and the housing, the conductor and the plate are attached together to the housing by means of a single mechanical connection. Thus, the attachment of the plate and the connector to the housing is a shared attachment, thereby making the device easier to install.

[0006] According to various additional features of the invention, which may be used together or individually and form many embodiments of the invention:

[0007] The mechanical connector includes screws.

[0008] The connector and the plate are configured to be attached to the housing in the same mounting direction.

[0009] - The installation direction is perpendicular to the plate.

[0010] The heating element includes a first connecting plug for connection to the connector.

[0011] - The first plug points in the installation direction.

[0012] The connector includes a first connection terminal for connecting to the first plug.

[0013] - The first terminal makes contact with the first plug through elastic deformation of the first terminal. When the first plug is inserted into the first terminal, the deformation is caused by the first plug.

[0014] - The connector includes a second connection plug for connecting to the board.

[0015] - The second plug points in the installation direction.

[0016] - The board includes a second connection terminal for connecting to the second plug.

[0017] - The second terminal makes contact with the second plug through the elastic deformation of the second terminal. When the second plug is inserted into the second terminal, the deformation is caused by the second plug.

[0018] The board includes additional connection terminals that connect to other connection plugs, and the second connection terminal is identical to the other connection terminals.

[0019] - The second connecting terminal and the other connecting terminals are arranged such that some of them are on one side of the plate, while the other connecting terminals are on the opposite side of the plate. The second connecting terminal and the other connecting terminals are configured to make electrical connections with corresponding connecting plugs in both the first insertion direction and the opposite insertion direction.

[0020] - The connector includes a support member and a conductive track carried by the support member.

[0021] The conductive track is configured to make an electrical connection between the first connection terminal and the second plug.

[0022] The conductive track, the first connecting terminal, and the first plug have material continuity.

[0023] - The conductive track is formed by busbars.

[0024] - The plate includes a first channel hole for the passage of the mechanical connector.

[0025] The connector, particularly the support member, includes a second channel hole for the passage of the mechanical connector.

[0026] -The first channel hole and the second through hole face each other.

[0027] - The connector spans the low-voltage zone of the board. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The invention will be better understood in the following detailed explanatory description of at least one embodiment of the invention, given by way of purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, and other objects, details, features, and advantages of the invention will become clearer, as illustrated in the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 An internal perspective view of the housing of an example of a device according to the invention is schematically shown from a first-person perspective;

[0030] Figure 2 The perspective view is shown schematically. Figure 1 The part represented as II;

[0031] Figure 3 This is illustrated schematically from another perspective. Figure 1 A perspective view of some components;

[0032] Figure 4 Schematally shown in cross-section Figure 3 The part represented as IV is shown in the middle. Detailed Implementation

[0033] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the present invention relates to a liquid heating device, particularly a liquid heating device for motor vehicles. The liquid is, for example, a heat transfer liquid, particularly a mixture of water and an antifreeze product (e.g., ethylene glycol).

[0034] The device includes a housing 1. The housing 1 has, for example, a parallelepiped shape. It advantageously includes a body 2 enclosed by one or more covers. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the covers are not shown, allowing the interior of the body 2 to be seen. The body 2 here has a transverse partition 10 and sides 12, 13, 14, 15.

[0035] The housing 1 is configured to hold liquid. For this purpose, it defines a flow channel 4 for the liquid. The channel refers to a liquid flow volume space whose length is much greater than its other dimensions, particularly at least ten, twenty, or even fifty times larger than its hydraulic diameter. The channel 4 is closed at the bottom by a first cover (not shown) of the housing 1. The channel 4 extends along an extension line, particularly in an S-shape.

[0036] The housing 1 has inlet / outlet flanges 5a and 5b for the liquid. The channel 4 has two opposing ends, each of the inlet / outlet flanges 5a and 5b leading to one end. In this case, the flanges 5a and 5b are located on the same side 14 of the housing 1.

[0037] The device also includes at least one electric heating element (not visible) configured to heat the liquid in the housing. In the illustrated embodiment, the electric heating element(s) extends along an extension line in channel 4, which follows the extension line of channel 4. At their opposite ends, the electric heating element(s) has first connecting plugs 18a, 18b.

[0038] In this configuration, the housing 1 defines wells 7a and 7b, which open into the channel 4 near their opposite ends. The first connectors 18a and 18b are located, for example, near the opposite ends of the channel 4. In this configuration, they open into the space 9 defined by the housing 1 via the upper surfaces of the wells 7a and 7b.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, two electric heating elements are present. Therefore, two connectors 18a, 18b are present at each of the wells 7a, 7b, one of the first connectors 18a or 18b of each well corresponding to one of the electric heating elements, and the other of the first connectors 18a or 18b of the well corresponding to the other of the electric heating elements. The electric heating elements are intended to be electrically connected in parallel using the first connectors 18a, 18b.

[0040] The device also includes a printed circuit board 20. This printed circuit board is located, for example, in the space 9. It has been shown as transparent, making the channel 4 beneath the board 20 visible. The board 20 is configured to allow the flow of current to supply the heating elements (one or more).

[0041] The device further includes at least one electrical connector 22a, 22b electrically connected to the heating element and / or the plate 20. In this case, the connector(s) 22a, 22b are electrically connected to the heating element and the plate 20.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, there are two electrical connectors 22a and 22b. The first connector 22a is connected to the first connecting plug 18a of two ends of the electric heating element. The second connector 22b is connected to the first connecting plug 18b of two opposite ends of the electric heating element.

[0043] The device further includes at least one mechanical connector 24a, 24b attached to the housing 1. The mechanical connector(s) 24a, 24b include screws 26a, 26b and threaded holes formed in the protrusions 28a, 28b of the housing 1. The screws(s) 26a, 26b are screwed into the threaded holes(s). Figure 2 In the middle, one of the protrusions, 28a, is better visible in terms of transparency below the plate 20.

[0044] According to a first variant corresponding to the illustrated embodiment, the electrical connectors (one or more) 22a, 22b are supported against the plate 20, and the plate 20 is supported against the housing 1. According to another variant, the plate 20 is supported against the electrical connectors (one or more) 22a, 22b, and the electrical connectors (one or more) 22a, 22b are supported against the housing 1. In each of these variants, support contact is achieved by clamping through the mechanical connectors (one or more) 24a, 24b attached to the housing 1. Therefore, the mechanical connectors (one or more) 24a, 24b allow the associated connectors 22a, 22b and the plate 20 to be simultaneously attached to the housing 1, thereby facilitating device installation.

[0045] It should be noted that, according to the present invention, the support contact can be direct or indirect, particularly when inserting elements such as flat washers.

[0046] In this case, there are two mechanical connectors 24a and 24b, each corresponding to a specific one of the connectors 22a and 22b. In the following description, only one of the connectors 22a and its associated mechanical connection 24a will be described in detail; it should be understood that the other connector 22b and its associated mechanical connection 24b are preferably identical.

[0047] Advantageously, the connector 22a and the plate 20 are configured to be attached to the housing 1 in the same mounting direction, particularly perpendicular to the plate 20. This configuration simplifies installation. The corresponding holes in the screws 26a and protrusions 28a point in this mounting direction.

[0048] The connector 22a includes a support member 30 and at least one conductive track 32 carried by the support member 30. The conductive track (one or more) 32... Figure 2 It is more visible in the middle, in Figure 2The support member 30 is not depicted. In the illustrated embodiment, for each identical conductor, there are two conductive tracks 32, each track 32 corresponding to one of the first connecting plugs 18a connected to the connector 22a. The conductive tracks 32 (one or more) are formed, for example, by busbars. This means that the metal element is substantially flat and elongated, i.e., its length is much greater than its width and thickness. In this case, the element is crank-shaped, such that it extends in different directions in space while still remaining flat. The support member 30 is made, for example, of plastic and is overmolded onto the conductive tracks 32.

[0049] The connector 22a includes at least one first connecting terminal 34. One or more of the first connecting terminals connect the connector 22a to one of the first plugs 18a. The first connecting terminals 34 are formed as material portions of the associated conductive tracks 32. This feature eliminates the need to braze or crimp the first connecting terminals onto the conductive tracks 32. In this case, the first connecting terminals 34 are located at the first end of the corresponding conductive tracks 32.

[0050] The first terminal (one or more) 34 is able to contact the associated first plug 18a through the elastic deformation of the first terminal 34, which causes the first plug 18a to elastically deform when inserted into the first terminal 34.

[0051] Therefore, in this case, the first end has a U-shaped cross-section, with two parallel lateral side plates connected to its bottom. A channel hole 36 for the corresponding first plug 18a is provided at the bottom. The spacing between the lateral side plates is very slightly smaller than the diameter of the first plug 18a. When inserted into the first connecting terminal 34, the first plug 18a separates the side plates from each other, allowing good contact to be formed between the first plug 18a and the first terminal 34 through the side plates, which are then firmly pressed against the first plug 18a by their elasticity.

[0052] like Figure 3 As shown, the board 20 includes at least a second connection terminal 38. The second connection terminal (one or more) 38 is connected at a second end 40 to a corresponding connector 22a, 22b, which is the end opposite to the end 39 connected to the first connection plug (one or more) 18a, 18b.

[0053] In this figure, it can also be noted that the plate 20 includes one or more first channel holes 44a, 44b for the passage of the mechanical connector(s). Screws 26a, 26b pass through the plate 20 via the holes 44a, 44b and protrude below the plate. They are visible here because the body of the housing 1 is not shown, and therefore the protrusions equipped with threaded holes into which the screws are screwed are not shown.

[0054] The connector 22a, particularly its support 30, includes a second channel hole (not visible) for passage of the mechanical connector. The first channel hole 44a and the second channel hole face each other in the mounting direction.

[0055] like Figure 4 As shown, the connector 22a also includes at least a second connecting plug 42 for connection to the board 20. The second connecting plug (one or more) 42 is formed as a material portion of the associated conductive track (one or more) 32. This feature eliminates the need to braze or crimp the second plug 42 onto the conductive track 32. In this case, the second plug (one or more) 42 is located at the second end 40 of the corresponding conductive track (one or more) 32. As from... Figure 2 Most notably, the conductive rails (one or more) 32 connect the first connection terminal 34 and the second connection plug 42.

[0056] Refer again Figure 4 As can be seen, for this purpose, the connector 42 is electrically connected to the board 20 via one of the second connector terminals 38. In this case, the second connector terminal 38 is located below the board 20, and the connector 22a is located on top. The board 20 has one or more openings 46. The opening(s) 46 respectively allow the second connector 42 or one of the second connector terminals 42 to pass through.

[0057] The second terminal (one or more) 38 is able to contact the associated second plug 42 through the elastic deformation of the second terminal 38, which causes the second terminal 38 to elastically deform when the second plug 42 is inserted into the second terminal 38.

[0058] In this configuration, the second connection terminal 38 comprises two hairpins 48 facing each other. One end 50 of each hairpin is attached to the plate 20. Opposite ends 52 are free. The hairpins have a U-shaped bend 54 between their opposite ends 50, 52. Between their bend 54 and their free ends 52, the hairpins have a connection region 56. The hairpins 48 are configured to contact each other at the connection region 56 under their elastic action before the second plug 42 is inserted. Between their connection region 56 and their free ends 52, the hairpins 48 are dispersed from each other to define a first flared shape 58 between them, which facilitates the insertion of the second plug 42 in a first direction. When the second plug 42 is inserted, the hairpins 48 move away from each other and form a contact between the second plug 42 and the hairpins 48 at the connection region 56. At least one of the hairpins 48 is connected to the circuitry of the plate 20, particularly via its end 50 attached to the plate 20.

[0059] Between their connection area 56 and bend 54, the hairpins 48 are dispersed from each other to define a second flared shape 60 between them, which facilitates the insertion of the connector plug in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0060] In the illustrated embodiment, the second connection terminals 38 are all located below the plate 20 and are used only for electrical connection with one of the connectors 22a and 22b.

[0061] As a variant not shown, the board includes additional connection terminals that connect to other connection plugs, the second connection terminal 38 and the other connection terminals being identical in form.

[0062] In these variations, the second connecting terminal 38 and the other connecting terminals are arranged such that some of them are on one side of the plate, while others are on the opposite side of the plate. The associated connecting plug is inserted in the first insertion direction or in the opposite direction.

[0063] Preferably, all electrical connections of the board, or at least all high-voltage connections of the board, are formed using the same connection terminals.

[0064] The first plug (one or more) 18a or the second plug (one or more) 42 points in the mounting direction. This makes the manufacture of the housing 1 easier.

[0065] The device may potentially have additional attachment points 60 at which the plate 20 is attached to the housing 1 to further reinforce the connection. The attachment points (one or more) 60 advantageously point in the mounting direction.

[0066] Preferably, the connectors (one or more) 22a, 22b span the low voltage zone 62 of the board 20.

[0067] It should be noted that, as a variation not shown, the connector plug and connector terminal are interchanged. In other words, the electrical component(s) includes a first connector terminal, and the connector(s) includes a first connector plug, and / or the board includes a second connector plug, and the connector(s) includes a second connector terminal.

Claims

1. A liquid heating device, particularly a liquid heating device for motor vehicles, the device comprising: A housing (1) configured to hold a liquid; At least one electric heating element, the at least one electric heating element being configured to heat the liquid in the housing (1); The device also includes a printed circuit board (20) that allows current to flow to the heating element, and the device further includes at least one electrical connector (22a, 22b) electrically connected to the heating element and / or the board (20). And mechanical connectors (24a, 24b) attached to the housing (1), one of the electrical connectors (22a, 22b) or the plate (20) being supported on the other of the electrical connectors (22a, 22b) or the plate (20), the other of the connectors (22a, 22b) or the plate (20) being supported on the housing (1) by the mechanical connectors (24a, 24b).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The connectors (22a, 22b) and the plate (20) are configured to be attached to the housing (1) in the same mounting direction.

3. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The heating element includes a first connector (18a, 18b) for connection to the connector (22a, 22b), the first connector pointing in the mounting direction.

4. The apparatus according to the preceding claim, wherein, The connectors (22a, 22b) include a first connection terminal (34) for connecting to the first plug (18a, 18b), the first terminal (34) making contact with the first plug (18a, 18b) through elastic deformation of the first terminal (34), the deformation being caused by the first plug (18a, 18b) when the first plug (18a, 18b) is inserted into the first terminal (34).

5. The apparatus according to the preceding claim, wherein, The connectors (22a, 22b) include a second connector plug (42) for connection to the board (20), the second connector plug (42) pointing in the mounting direction.

6. The apparatus according to the preceding claim, wherein, The plate (20) includes a second connection terminal (38) for connecting to the second plug (42), the second terminal (38) making contact with the second plug (42) through elastic deformation of the second terminal (38), the deformation being caused by the second plug (42) when the second plug (42) is inserted into the second terminal (38).

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 5 or 6, wherein, The connectors (22a, 22b) include a support (30) and a conductive track (32), the conductive track (32) being supported by the support (30), the conductive track (32) forming an electrical connection between the first connecting terminal (34) and the second plug (42), the conductive track, the first connecting terminal and the first plug having material continuity.

8. The apparatus according to the preceding claim, wherein, The conductive track (32) is formed by busbars.

9. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The plate (20) includes a first channel hole (44a, 44b) for the connector (24a, 24b) to pass through, and the connector (22a, 22b) includes a second channel hole for the connector (24a, 24b) to pass through, the first channel hole and the second channel hole facing each other.

10. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The connectors (22a, 22b) span the low voltage region (62) of the board (20).

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