PTC electric heating device and air conditioner

Abstract

The utility model discloses a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) electric heating device and an air conditioner, the PTC electric heating device comprises two conductive strips, and electrodes are arranged at the front ends of the two conductive strips; the conductive strips are connected between the two conductive strips, and at least one piezoresistor sheet and at least one PTC ceramic sheet are sequentially arranged along the length direction of the conductive strips; and the at least one piezoresistor disc is arranged close to the electrode. Compared with the prior art, surge voltage can be absorbed through the piezoresistor disc arranged close to the electrode, the PTC ceramic chip at the rear end is protected against breakdown, the cost of the piezoresistor disc is increased, the size of the PTC electric heating device cannot be affected, and therefore the assembly layout of the whole air conditioner cannot be affected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular relates to a PTC electric heating device and an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] To improve heating speed and effectiveness, air conditioners are typically equipped with auxiliary electric heaters, most commonly ceramic PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heaters. These heaters utilize PTC ceramic chips to generate heat, and their power output is temperature-dependent: the lower the temperature, the higher the power output. This ensures fast heating while also ensuring safety and reliability.

[0003] PTC ceramic electric heaters typically consist of multiple PTC ceramic discs arranged in a specific shape (usually a long strip). The greater the power demand, the more PTC ceramic discs are used. Each PTC ceramic disc is electrically connected to the heater's power cord, with one side connected to a power line. Because the PTC ceramic disc is directly connected to the power line, surge voltages on the power line can be directly applied to the PTC disc. In extreme cases, this can cause the PTC disc to short-circuit and damage the device.

[0004] Solving this problem typically requires adding surge suppression components to the power cord (or near the power cord interface) or thickening the PTC ceramic to improve its withstand voltage. The first solution requires adding an additional surge suppression circuit, while the second requires increasing the size of the PTC ceramic heater. Both solutions are costly and affect the air conditioner's assembly layout. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide a PTC electric heating device and an air conditioner, which can absorb surge voltage through a varistor sheet and protect the PTC ceramic sheet at the rear end from breakdown.

[0006] The present invention provides a PTC electric heating device, comprising:

[0007] Two conductive strips, each having an electrode disposed at its front end;

[0008] At least one varistor sheet and at least one PTC ceramic sheet are connected between the two conductive strips and sequentially arranged along the length direction of the conductive strips; the at least one varistor sheet is arranged close to the electrode.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the number of the piezoresistive sheets is greater than one, and a plurality of the piezoresistive sheets are connected in series between two of the conductive strips.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the number of the piezoresistive sheets is greater than one, and a plurality of the piezoresistive sheets are connected in parallel between two of the conductive strips.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the PTC ceramic sheet and the varistor sheet are both in the shape of a cuboid.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the PTC ceramic sheet and the varistor sheet have the same thickness, and the varistor sheet has a width less than or equal to the width of the PTC ceramic sheet.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the PTC ceramic sheet is in the shape of a cuboid, and the varistor sheet is in the shape of a cylinder.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the PTC ceramic sheet and the varistor sheet have the same thickness, and the diameter of the varistor sheet is smaller than or equal to the width of the PTC ceramic sheet.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the apparatus further includes:

[0016] A heat dissipation pipe, wherein the conductive strip, the varistor sheet and the PTC ceramic sheet are all arranged in the heat dissipation pipe.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the apparatus further includes:

[0018] A common ceramic sheet is arranged in the heat dissipation tube and at the tail end of the conductive strip along the length direction of the conductive strip.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the apparatus further includes:

[0020] An insulating film is provided, wherein the insulating film wraps the conductive strip, the varistor sheet and the PTC ceramic sheet to insulate the conductive strip, the varistor sheet and the PTC ceramic sheet from the heat dissipation pipe.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the apparatus further includes:

[0022] A heat sink is in contact with the heat pipe.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the heat sink is arranged in a corrugated structure.

[0024] An embodiment of the present application further provides an air conditioner, comprising: the PTC electric heating device in the above embodiment.

[0025] The PTC electric heating device of an embodiment of the present application includes two conductive strips, each having an electrode disposed at the front end of each conductive strip; at least one varistor and at least one PTC ceramic sheet are disposed sequentially along the length of the conductive strips and connected between the two conductive strips; the at least one varistor is disposed proximate to the electrodes. Compared to the prior art, the present application can absorb surge voltages by using the varistor disposed proximate to the electrodes, protecting the PTC ceramic sheet at the rear end from breakdown. The cost of adding a varistor is low and does not affect the size of the PTC electric heating device, thereby not affecting the assembly layout of the air conditioner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment below. The accompanying drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be considered as limiting the present application. The same reference symbols are used throughout the drawings to represent the same components. In the drawings:

[0027] Attachment Figure 1 Shows one of the structural schematic diagrams of a PTC electric heating device provided by the present application;

[0028] Attachment Figure 2 The shape of the PTC ceramic sheet provided by this application is shown;

[0029] Attachment Figure 3 One of the shapes of the varistor sheet provided by the present application is shown;

[0030] Attachment Figure 4 The second shape of the varistor sheet provided by the present application is shown;

[0031] Attachment Figure 5 The second structural diagram of a PTC electric heating device provided by the present application is shown;

[0032] Attachment Figure 6 The third structural diagram of a PTC electric heating device provided by the present application is shown;

[0033] Attachment Figure 7 The fourth structural diagram of a PTC electric heating device provided by the present application is shown;

[0034] Attachment Figure 8 A structural schematic diagram of an air conditioner provided in this application is shown.

[0035] Reference numerals:

[0036] PTC electric heating device 100;

[0037] Conductive strip 10, varistor sheet 20, PTC ceramic sheet 30, heat pipe 40, ordinary ceramic sheet 50, insulating film 60;

[0038] Heat sink 70 , fuse 81 , thermostat 82 , and fixing bracket 91 .

[0039] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0042] In addition, the terms "first," "second," and so on, used in this utility model are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of this utility model, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0043] In this utility model, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connection" and "fixation" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "fixation" can mean fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0044] In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the fact that ordinary technicians in this field can implement it. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by this utility model.

[0045] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a PTC electric heating device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the PTC electric heating device 100 includes: two conductive strips 10 , at least one varistor sheet 20 and at least one PTC ceramic sheet 30 .

[0046] Electrodes are provided at the front ends of the two conductive strips 10, one of which is a first electrode 11 and the other is a second electrode 12. The first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 are used to connect to two poles of a power source.

[0047] At least one varistor sheet 20 and at least one PTC ceramic sheet 30 are connected between two conductive strips 10 and are sequentially arranged along the length direction of the conductive strips 10; all varistor sheets 20 are arranged close to the electrodes. Figure 1 As shown, one or more varistors 20 are sequentially arranged along the length of the conductive strip 10 between the front and rear ends. After all varistors 20 are arranged, one or more PTC ceramic sheets 30 are then installed. The conductive strip 10 is in close contact with the PTC ceramic sheets 30 and varistors 20, providing electrical conductivity.

[0048] In some embodiments, the number of the varistor sheets 20 is greater than one, and a plurality of varistor sheets 20 are connected in series between two conductive strips 10 .

[0049] In some embodiments, the number of the varistor sheets 20 is greater than one, and a plurality of varistor sheets 20 are connected in parallel between two conductive strips 10 .

[0050] Specifically, the varistor 20 is located in front of all PTC ceramic sheets 30. The number of varistor sheets 20 is determined by the surge protection effect. If there is only one varistor 20, it can be directly connected between two conductive strips 10. If there are multiple varistor sheets 20, multiple varistor sheets 20 can be connected in series between two conductive strips 10, or multiple varistor sheets 20 can be connected in parallel between two conductive strips 10. The specific connection method can be determined according to actual conditions.

[0051] The number of PTC ceramic sheets 30 is determined by the required power. Each PTC ceramic sheet 30 is connected between two conductive strips 10. That is, the positive and negative ends of each PTC ceramic sheet 30 are connected to two conductive strips 10 respectively. The power supply applies current to the PTC ceramic sheet 30 through the two conductive strips 10, and the PTC ceramic sheet 30 generates heat.

[0052] The operating principle of the PTC electric heating device is as follows: when a surge voltage occurs on the conductive strip 10, the varistor 20 at the front end activates, absorbing the surge voltage and protecting the PTC ceramic disc at the rear end from breakdown. Specifically, when the voltage in the circuit exceeds the set value of the varistor 20, the varistor 20 rapidly reduces its resistance, thereby limiting the voltage rise and protecting other components in the circuit (such as the PTC ceramic disc 30) from damage.

[0053] In some embodiments, the PTC ceramic sheet and the varistor sheet are both in the shape of a cuboid. Furthermore, the PTC ceramic sheet 30 and the varistor sheet 20 have the same thickness, and the varistor sheet 20 has a width less than or equal to that of the PTC ceramic sheet 30.

[0054] like Figure 2 As shown, the PTC ceramic sheet 30 is a rectangular parallelepiped with dimensions of A*B*C (length A, width B, thickness C). The front and back surfaces formed by A*B are connected to the power supply through the conductive strip 10, and the length A is parallel to the length direction of the conductive strip.

[0055] like Figure 3 As shown, the varistor sheet 20 can also be a rectangular parallelepiped with dimensions of a*b*c (length a, width b, thickness c); the front and back surfaces composed of a*b are connected to the power supply through the conductive strip 10, and the length a is parallel to the length direction of the conductive strip.

[0056] like Figure 2 and 3 As shown, b<=B (as close as possible), c=C, and a can be greater than A, less than A, or equal to A. This setting can minimize the impact on the size of the PTC electric heating device.

[0057] In some embodiments, the PTC ceramic sheet 30 is in the shape of a cuboid, and the varistor sheet 20 is in the shape of a cylinder. Furthermore, the PTC ceramic sheet 30 and the varistor sheet 20 have the same thickness, and the diameter of the varistor sheet 20 is less than or equal to the width of the PTC ceramic sheet 30.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, the PTC ceramic sheet 30 is a rectangular parallelepiped with dimensions of A*B*C (length A, width B, thickness C). The front and back surfaces formed by A*B are connected to the power supply through the conductive strip 10, and the length A is parallel to the length direction of the conductive strip.

[0059] like Figure 4 As shown, the varistor 20 may also be a cylinder with a size of d*c (diameter d, thickness c); the two circular front and back surfaces of the cylinder are connected to the power supply through the conductive strip 10.

[0060] like Figure 2and 4 As shown, d<=B (as close as possible), c=C. Such an arrangement can minimize the impact on the size of the PTC electric heating device.

[0061] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the PTC electric heating device 100 may further include a heat dissipation tube 40 , in which the conductive strip 10 , the varistor sheet 20 and the PTC ceramic sheet 30 are all disposed.

[0062] Specifically, the heat pipe 40 is used to dissipate the heat generated by the PTC ceramic sheet 30. Therefore, the heat pipe 40 needs to be made of a material with good thermal conductivity. For example, a metal with good thermal conductivity can be used. To save costs, aluminum or aluminum alloy can be selected.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the PTC electric heating device 100 may further include a common ceramic sheet 50 disposed in the heat pipe 40 and at the end of the conductive strip 10 along the length of the conductive strip 10. Unlike the PTC ceramic sheet, a common ceramic sheet does not generate heat. Placing a common ceramic sheet at the end of the electric heating device can provide thermal balance.

[0064] like Figure 6 As shown, there can be multiple common ceramic sheets 50, one of which is disposed at the rear end of the electric heating device (i.e., the rear end of the last PTC ceramic sheet 30), and the remaining ones can be disposed between the PTC ceramic sheets 30 as needed. In other words, the common ceramic sheets 50 can be installed at any desired position within the heat pipe 40, including the rear end.

[0065] like Figure 5 As shown, the PTC electric heating device 100 may further include an insulating film 60 and a heat sink 70. The insulating film 60 wraps around the conductive strips 10, the varistor sheet 20, and the PTC ceramic sheet 30, thereby insulating the conductive strips 10, the varistor sheet 20, and the PTC ceramic sheet 30 from the heat pipe 40. The heat sink 70 contacts the heat pipe 40 and adopts a corrugated structure for uniform and efficient heat dissipation.

[0066] like Figure 7 As shown, the PTC electric heating device 100 may further include: a fuse 81, a thermostat 82 and a fixing bracket 91, both of which may be disposed on the outer surface of the device 100. The fixing bracket 91 connects the heat pipe 40, the heat sink 70, the fuse 81 and the thermostat 82 to form an integral component.

[0067] Both thermostats and fuses are electrical protection devices. While they serve different functions, they both play an important role in protecting both electrical appliances and personal safety. For a PTC electric heating device 100, the thermostat automatically adjusts the temperature as needed to prevent damage from overheating or overcooling. Meanwhile, the fuse automatically cuts off the circuit when the device is overloaded, preventing damage and potentially personal injury.

[0068] The PTC electric heating device of an embodiment of the present application includes two conductive strips, each having an electrode disposed at the front end of each conductive strip; at least one varistor and at least one PTC ceramic sheet are disposed sequentially along the length of the conductive strips and connected between the two conductive strips; the at least one varistor is disposed proximate to the electrodes. Compared to the prior art, the present application can absorb surge voltages by using the varistor disposed proximate to the electrodes, protecting the PTC ceramic sheet at the rear end from breakdown. The cost of adding a varistor is low and does not affect the size of the PTC electric heating device, thereby not affecting the assembly layout of the air conditioner.

[0069] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 8 As shown, the air conditioner includes a PTC electric heating device 100 .

[0070] It should be noted that:

[0071] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0072] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of the present invention. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the present invention may repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples. Such repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the present invention provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0073] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0074] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and purpose of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A PTC electric heating device, characterized in that: include: Two conductive strips, each having an electrode disposed at its front end; At least one varistor sheet and at least one PTC ceramic sheet are connected between the two conductive strips and sequentially arranged along the length direction of the conductive strips; the at least one varistor sheet is arranged close to the electrode.

2. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the varistor sheets is greater than 1, and a plurality of the varistor sheets are connected in series between two of the conductive strips.

3. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the varistor sheets is greater than 1, and a plurality of the varistor sheets are connected in parallel between two of the conductive strips.

4. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The PTC ceramic sheet and the varistor sheet are both in the shape of a cuboid.

5. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The PTC ceramic sheet and the varistor sheet have the same thickness, and the varistor sheet has a width smaller than or equal to that of the PTC ceramic sheet.

6. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The PTC ceramic sheet is in the shape of a cuboid, and the varistor sheet is in the shape of a cylinder.

7. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The PTC ceramic sheet and the varistor sheet have the same thickness, and the diameter of the varistor sheet is smaller than or equal to the width of the PTC ceramic sheet.

8. The PTC electric heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The device further comprises: A heat dissipation pipe, wherein the conductive strip, the varistor sheet and the PTC ceramic sheet are all arranged in the heat dissipation pipe.

9. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The device further comprises: A common ceramic sheet is arranged in the heat dissipation tube and at the tail end of the conductive strip along the length direction of the conductive strip.

10. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The device further comprises: An insulating film is provided, wherein the insulating film wraps the conductive strip, the varistor sheet and the PTC ceramic sheet to insulate the conductive strip, the varistor sheet and the PTC ceramic sheet from the heat dissipation pipe.

11. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The device further comprises: A heat sink is in contact with the heat pipe.

12. The PTC electric heating device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The heat sink is arranged in a corrugated structure.

13. An air conditioner, characterized in that: The invention comprises the PTC electric heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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