Electric heating device for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric heating device, in particular for a motor vehicle, the device comprising an electrical connection box and a heating body comprising: - a plurality of heating elements intended to be supplied with current; - a plurality of metal tubes, at least some of which comprise the heating elements; and - a plurality of metal heat sinks, the metal tubes and the metal heat sinks forming a conductive casing with the same electrical potential, the device being characterised in that at least one tube (12) of the plurality of tubes comprises a conductive element (16) projecting from the at least one tube (12) and in contact with the at least one tube, the projecting element (16) being connected to a ground connector of the electrical connection box.

Description

[0001] ELECTRIC HEATING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

[0002] AUTOMOBILE

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of heating electric vehicles and more specifically concerns an electric heating device, in particular for a motor vehicle.

[0004] In vehicles with internal combustion engines, the passenger compartment is commonly heated by reusing the calories produced by the internal combustion engine of such a vehicle. In vehicles with electric engines, where these calories are not available, it is known to use electric heating devices to heat the passenger compartment of the vehicle. This electric heating is commonly achieved by a radiator containing heating elements, for example heating resistors.

[0005] Such a radiator is known from the prior art, comprising a heating body made of aluminum. This heating body comprises a plurality of tubes in which the heating elements are mounted, and a plurality of heat sinks in the form of fins separating each of the tubes of this plurality of tubes. This heating body is surmounted by an electrical connection box which must be mounted sealed on an upper portion of the heating body, from which emerge the connections of the heating elements intended to be electrically connected to the electrical connection box. Indeed, the air brought to pass through the heating body of the electric radiator before being directed towards the passenger compartment may be humid and this humidity must not alter the electrical connections of the radiator.A seal is therefore placed around the upper edge of the heating body and separates the upper portion of the heating body, containing the electrical outputs of the heating elements of the heating body, and the electrical connection box.

[0006] The construction of the electric heating device involves providing a ground connection for the metal casing formed by the tubes and fins, and this ground connection must be as compact and simple as possible, it being understood that the ground connector to which the metal casing must be connected is integral with the electrical connection box. Wired electrical connections extending from an external face of the heating body around the box are detrimental to the installation of the electric radiator in the associated heating installation and present the risk of being damaged during installation. It is thus known to provide an additional part, pressed against the heating body and extending this heating body longitudinally so that it can be housed in the electrical connection box and then be connected to the ground connector with an electrical conductor extending mainly in the connection box.The presence of this additional part implies increasing the size of the opening made in the electrical connection box to allow the connection of the heating body, and it follows from this that it is necessary to resize the previously mentioned sealing gasket.

[0007] The present invention proposes an electric heating device which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above, that is to say whose connection to ground is reliable, secure, and carried out without implication on the design of the other parts of the heating device and in particular on the dimension and position of the sealing means at the junction between the heating body and the electrical connection box.

[0008] To this end, the invention proposes an electric heating device, in particular for a motor vehicle, said device comprising an electrical connection box and a heating body comprising a plurality of heating elements intended to be supplied with current, a plurality of metal tubes, at least a portion of which comprises said heating elements, and a plurality of metal heat sinks, the metal tubes and the metal heat sinks forming a conductive carcass at the same electrical potential, said device being characterized in that at least one tube of said plurality of tubes comprises a conductive element projecting from said at least one tube and in contact with said at least one tube, said projecting element being connected to a ground connector of said electrical connection box.

[0009] More specifically, the conductive element projecting from said at least one tube is in electrical contact with said at least one tube. Here, electrical contact means the ability of the conductive element to transmit a current from the conductive carcass to the ground connector, it being understood that during normal operation of the heating device, the electric current is not supposed to flow within the conductive carcass.

[0010] Thanks to the invention, since the ground connection of the heating body uses a conductive element housed within one of the tubes of the heating body, this conductive element does not interfere with the mounting of the heating body in the connection box. Indeed, by being part of one of the tubes of the heating body, it does not modify the volume allocated to the heating body. On the contrary, during the mounting of the heating body on the electrical connection box, with the simultaneous connection of each of the heating elements to the electrical box, the conductive element projecting from the tube at one end thereof is located directly in a connection zone between the connection box and the heating body and can thus be housed inside a seal between an upper periphery of the heating body and the electrical connection box.

[0011] According to a characteristic of the invention, the heating device is a high voltage device, in other words a device whose electrical voltage is greater than 48V or 52V, for example equal to 400V or 800V. According to a characteristic of the invention, the heating elements comprise at least one resistive element, in particular with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC), sandwiched between two electrodes.

[0012] According to a characteristic of the invention, the conductive element is a separate element from these electrodes. In other words, the conductive element is electrically insulated from these electrodes. In other words, the projecting conductive element does not transmit current to said at least one resistive element.

[0013] According to a characteristic of the invention, the conductive element projecting from said at least one tube is a metal bar arranged longitudinally in said at least one tube, said metal bar comprising at least one metal tab in contact with an internal surface of said at least one tube. Such an embodiment of the invention allows the manufacture of metal tubes by extrusion without it being necessary subsequently to re-cut the tubes, since the metal bar is a separate element from said at least one tube. The position of the metal bar within the tube is ensured by appropriate elasticity of the metal tab, the spacing of which relative to a main elongation plane of the bar is such that contact is ensured with the internal surface of the tube during insertion.Furthermore, the metal tab has an elasticity compatible with the adjustment of the size of said at least one tube, the latter being intended to be deformed in the same way as the tubes which have heating elements within them are to fix the position of the heating elements in the tubes.

[0014] According to a characteristic of the invention, said at least one metal tab is a lateral portion of said metal bar, articulated on a body of said metal bar at a base of said metal tab. The metal tab advantageously has a hook shape with a rounded portion intended to be in contact with the internal surface of the tube and a free end which points towards the body of the metal bar. The articulation of the metal tab allows, due to the elasticity of the metal tab, easy insertion of the metal bar into said at least one tube, the hooks deforming by flattening during this insertion, and ensuring good contact of the tabs with said at least one tube. The tab is for example obtained by cutting and then folding a lateral portion of the metal bar. This production of the tabs is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

[0015] According to a characteristic of the invention, said at least one tube further comprises an electrical connection member projecting from said at least one tube, the projecting part of said electrical connection member being electrically connected to an electrical power supply in said electrical connection box. This optimizes the space present in said at least one tube. This electrical connection member is for example a positive or negative bus bar.

[0016] According to a characteristic of the invention, said electrical connecting member and said metal bar are at least partially embedded in an insulating polymer material, on a longitudinal portion of said electrical connecting member and said metal bar. Said longitudinal portion does not cover either said at least one metal tab or the ends of said electrical connecting member and said metal bar intended to be electrically connected to said electrical connection box. This overmolding ensures electrical insulation between the metal bar and the electrical connecting member. In addition, it facilitates the insertion and positioning of the metal bar and the electrical connecting member in the tube by grouping them into an overmolded block.

[0017] According to a feature of the invention, said metal bar comprises several metal tabs distributed uniformly along said metal bar. This ensures good contact between the metal bar and the internal surface of the tube, and ensures that the metal bar is substantially parallel to the internal surface of the tube.

[0018] According to a characteristic of the invention, said at least one tube further comprises another metal bar comprising one or more metal tabs in contact with said internal surface of said at least one tube, said metal bar and said other metal bar being arranged on either side of a median plane longitudinally intersecting the width of said at least one tube, said metal bar and said other metal bar being secured to each other. This other metal bar secured to said metal bar allows the latter to be correctly positioned in the tube, and allows better conductive contact between the tube and said metal bar when the connection between these bars is itself conductive.When the joining is carried out by overmolding, for example said other metal bar and said metal bar being positioned in this overmolding on either side of an electrical connection member, then said other metal bar has in particular a function of assisting in the positioning of the overmolded block in the tube.

[0019] According to a characteristic of the invention, the metal tabs of said metal bar, or of said metal bar and of said other metal bar, protrude from the same side of said metal bar or bars. This arrangement of the metal tabs makes it possible to arrange on one side of the metal bar or bars, that is to say the side opposite the metal tabs, heating elements or sensors for example.

[0020] According to a characteristic of the invention, said at least one tube further comprises one or more temperature sensors arranged on the side opposite said same side of said metal bar(s), said temperature sensors being in contact with a wall of said at least one tube. This arrangement optimizes the use of the tube when it does not comprise heating elements, the tube being used for the sensors and possible connection wires of the sensors which allow an electrical connection to said electrical connection box. Preferably, the wall against which the sensors rest is in contact with a heat sink of said plurality of heat sinks. Thus the reliability of the sensors is improved.

[0021] According to a characteristic of the invention, said at least one tube is arranged on a lateral edge of said heating body. Thus it does not disturb the heat dissipation of the rest of the heating body, the arrangement of which is optimized for this heat dissipation.

[0022] According to a characteristic of the invention, and alternatively to the main embodiment of the invention, said projecting conductive element is a metal finger extending a wall of said at least one tube. It is understood that in this variant, the projecting conductive element is no longer produced by an added part as can be the metal bar, but directly by the tube and a specific shape thereof. has the disadvantage of having to cut said at least one tube after extrusion and is therefore not preferred.

[0023] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several examples of embodiment given for informational and non-limiting purposes with reference to the attached schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0024] [fig i] illustrates an electric heating device according to the invention, notably making visible a heating body, comprising a plurality of tubes and heat sinks, and an electrical connection box connected to an upper portion of the heating body,

[0025] [fig 2] represents in perspective one of the tubes of the device of figure i, in which heating elements are arranged,

[0026] [fig 3] represents an exploded view of a conductive element intended to be connected to ground and of one of the tubes of the device of figure 1, distinct from the tube of figure 2, and in which this conductive element is inserted,

[0027] [fig 4] represents in perspective an upper portion of the heating body of the heating device of figure 1, as well as the electrical connection box shown partially and transparently, to make more particularly visible the connection to the ground of a conductive element forming a projection of the tube of figure 3,

[0028] [fig 5] represents in perspective a view similar to that of figure 4, this time without the electrical connection box, to illustrate an alternative embodiment which differs from the previous figures by the contents of the tube housing the conductive element connected to the ground,

[0029] [fig 6] represents a detailed view, in perspective, of two conductive elements intended to be connected to the ground and to be housed respectively in one of the tubes of the heating body of figure 5, with metal bars and an electrical connection member embedded in an insulating polymer material,

[0030] [fig 7] represents the elements of figure 6 housed in a corresponding tube, the tube being represented in transparency,

[0031] [fig 8] represents a variant of conductive element intended to be connected to the ground and to be housed in one of the tubes of the heating body visible in figure 3, with two metal bars made integral with each other, and

[0032] [fig 9] represents the conductive elements of figure 8 arranged in the electric radiator, without the tube containing these elements to make them visible.

[0033] As a reminder, the invention relates to an electric heating device for a motor vehicle with specific grounding means, and in particular one or more conductive elements projecting respectively from a tube and in contact with the corresponding tube, these conductive elements being connected to a ground connector.

[0034] We will first describe an embodiment in which the conductive element consists of a single metal bar housed in the corresponding tube, with reference to figures 1 to 4 in particular.

[0035] The electric heating device 2 according to the invention is intended to heat the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle, and comprises an electrical connection box 4 connected to an electrical power supply network of the vehicle, to at least one computer of the vehicle and to a ground connection of the vehicle. This connection box 4 therefore comprises a positive power supply bus, a negative power supply bus, a ground connector 18, as visible in FIG. 6 by way of example, and a connection to a computer bus.

[0036] The electric heating device 2 also comprises a heating body 6 intended to be crossed by a flow of air to be heated and comprising a plurality of resistive elements which generate heat transmitted to the flow of air according to an appropriate electrical supply coming from the connection box 4. For this purpose, the heating body 6, in an upper portion of the heating body, is fixed in a sealed manner to the connection box, in particular with a seal here not visible and which extends around the periphery of the heating body.

[0037] The heating body 6 is made up of an alternation of metal tubes 8 and heat sinks 10, also made of metal. By way of non-limiting example, the metal tubes and the heat sinks are made of aluminum.

[0038] The metal tubes 8 are divided into two types depending on what they house within them, with heating tubes 32, which can in particular be arranged in the center of the heating body, and electrical connection tubes 12, 14, which can in particular be arranged at the lateral ends of the heating body, at the end of the stack of tubes and heat sinks. It should be noted that in the example illustrated the shape of the heating tubes and the electrical connection tubes is the same and that it is only possible to distinguish them by what is housed within them.

[0039] The heating tubes 32 comprise heating elements whose heat is transmitted by the walls of the heating tubes to the fin-shaped heat sinks 10, which diffuse the heat into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0040] The heating body 6 thus has, in Figure 1, an overall parallelepiped shape, the side walls of the heating body 6 being formed by two side tubes, here forming the electrical connection tubes 12, 14. The length of the heating body 6 is equal to the length of one of the tubes 8, the width of the heating body being equal to the distance separating the side tubes, and the height of the heating body being the width of one of the side walls, i.e. the width of one of the tubes 8.

[0041] A heating tube 32, comprising heating elements, is shown in Figure 2. Like each of the tubes 8, the heating tube 32 generally has a parallelepiped shape, and the heating tubes are arranged in the heating body so that the length 56 of the heating tube 32 corresponds to the length of the heating body 6 and so that the width 58 of the tube 32 corresponds to the height of the heating body 6. The smallest dimension of this parallelepiped also corresponds to the thickness 60 of the heating tube 32.

[0042] The heating elements are in the form of resistive elements 44 with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC), namely in this case ceramic stones with a PTC effect. These resistive elements 44 are crossed by a current transmitted by two electrodes 38 and 40 when the electric heating device 2 is in operation. The electrodes 38 and 40 are electrically insulated from the tube 32 by two insulating layers 34 and 36. Several resistive elements 44 are mounted in parallel between the two electrodes 38 and 40 along the tube 32. The resistive elements 44 comprise on each of their surfaces in contact with an electrode 38, 40, a metal layer 42, for example made of aluminum. It should be noted that this embodiment of the heating elements is not limiting of the invention, since they are housed in a heating tube 32 similar to what has been previously described.

[0043] As can be seen in Figure 4, for each heating tube 32, a first electrode 38 is secured to a positive power supply bus 39 electrically connected to the electrical connection box 4 of the electric heating device 2 when the heating body is fixed to the electrical connection box 4. Similarly, for each heating tube 32, the second electrode 40 is secured to a negative power supply bus 41 electrically connected to the electrical connection box 4. It is thus possible to simultaneously power, via a control of the electrical connection box 4, several heating elements. Several positive power supply buses 39 can be provided to allow differentiated control of several groups of heating elements.

[0044] As previously mentioned, the conductive element consists of a single metal bar housed in the corresponding tube. In this embodiment, at least one electrical connection tube 12, 14 comprises a metal bar 16 made of aluminum housed in the tube and one free end of which projects from the corresponding electrical connection tube in the direction of the length of this tube, in the direction of the connection box 4, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 4. Here, each of the tubes arranged at the lateral ends of the heating body comprises such a metal bar, but as a variant, it is possible to provide that a single tube of the heating body comprises a metal bar 16, this tube not necessarily being arranged at a lateral end of the heating body 6.

[0045] In accordance with what has been mentioned previously, the connecting tube 12, 14 has a shape and dimensions equivalent to those of the heating tube 32, so that it is possible to recognize in FIG. 3 the length 56 of the connecting tube, in a longitudinal direction, the width 58 and the thickness 60 of the connecting tube.

[0046] It being understood that the internal arrangements of the electrical connection tubes 12, 14 may be similar, only one of the electrical connection tubes 12 is detailed here, in particular with reference to FIG. 3. The part of the metal bar 16 which protrudes from the tube 12 in the direction of the connection box 4, once the metal bar is inserted into the tube, that is to say the free end visible in FIG. 4, is a metal finger 48 on which a connector 46 is welded. This connector is itself connected by an electrical conductor 47, shown here schematically in FIG. 4, to the ground connector 18 of the connection box 4.

[0047] The metal finger 48 extending beyond the walls of the connection tube 12 and thus forming a longitudinal projection relative to this connection tube, it is possible to ground the heating body 6 via this metal finger which extends in the longitudinal extension, in the direction of the connection box 4, of the casing defining the heating body. A seal used for sealing the junction between the upper periphery of the heating body 6 and the connection box 4 thus ensures that this connection to ground is also sealed, without it being necessary to provide a larger dimensioning of the seal. Advantageously, no electrical conductor allowing the connection to ground extends outside the heating body, which makes it possible not to hinder the assembly and makes it possible to avoid this assembly risking damaging the electrical conductor.

[0048] The metal bar 16 incorporated in the connecting tube 12 has a substantially flat body and metal tabs 20 distributed regularly along the metal bar 16, the purpose of which is to ensure contact between the metal bar and the connecting tube 12. The metal tabs 20 are articulated on the body of the metal bar 16 at a base 200 of the tab, defining the articulation axis, and it is understood that this flexibility makes it possible to ensure contact with the connecting tube without the risk of not being able to insert the metal bar into the connecting tube.

[0049] A metal tab 20 is produced by cutting a longitudinal edge of the metal bar 16 and then by various folding operations. The metal tab 20 is folded a first time to release the tab from the plane in which the body of the metal bar is inscribed and thus form a projection, articulated around the base 200. The metal tab is then folded a second time, so that the free end 202 is brought back towards the body of the metal bar 16, so as to give the tab a hook shape with a rounded edge 204 which forms the contact surface between the tab 20 and the wall of the tube 12 opposite this tab 20. This hook shape and this elasticity make it easier to insert the metal bar 16 into the tube 12 without the free end 202 rubbing against the internal surface of the tube.

[0050] The insertion of the conductive element, formed by the metal bar 16, into the connecting tube 12, 14 is notably visible in FIG. 3, with the metal bar which is inserted into the connecting tube through an opening formed at a longitudinal end of the connecting tube. The metal bar 16 having a flat bar shape from which the tabs 20 protrude, the flat part of the metal bar 16 is inserted into the tube 12 facing a wall 62 of larger surface of the tube 12, so that the hooks are able to come into contact with the internal surfaces of the connecting tube which delimit the thickness 60 of this connecting tube.The hooks are shaped to be slightly larger, in a direction in which the thickness 60 of the connecting tube 12 lies, than the opening of the tube through which the metal bar is inserted, and to deform by flattening upon insertion, which improves the chances of contact between the wall of the tube 12 and the tabs 20.

[0051] In other words, the thickness 60 of the connecting tube 12 is smaller than the average distance between the rounded edge of the tabs and the plane in which the body of the metal bar 16 is inscribed.

[0052] As can be seen in Figure 3, the metal bar 16 is inserted in a direction such that the bases 200 of each of the tabs 20 penetrate into the connecting tube 12 before the rounded edge 204 of the corresponding tab, which has the effect of again facilitating the insertion of the metal bar. As a result, for the metal finger 48 to protrude from the opening through which the metal bar 16 has been inserted, the metal finger is closer to the rounded edges 204 of the metal tabs 20 than to their bases 200. The contact between these tabs 20, forming part of the conductive element intended to be connected to ground, and an internal surface of the connecting tube 12 makes it possible to ground the connecting tube 12, and therefore to ground all of the tubes 8 and all of the heat sinks 10 of the heating body 6, given that these elements are made of metal and in contact with each other.

[0053] We will now describe an alternative embodiment, with reference to figures 5 to 8, which differs from what has been previously described in that the connection tube 12, 14 houses on the one hand a conductive element forming a projection of the tube to be connected to the ground, but also an electrical connection member 26. This metal connection member 26 makes it possible to circulate the electric current necessary for activating the heating elements within the heating tubes from the electrical connection box, on the side of the upper portion of the heating body, towards a lower portion of the heating body where certain heating elements may have electrodes similar to those which have been described on the side of the upper portion of the heating body.

[0054] In the upper portion of the heating body, the electrodes 38, 40 associated with each of the heating tubes 32 are connected to power supply buses to be connected as previously to the electrical connection box. The electrical connection members 26 present in the connection tubes 12, 14 are also connected to the electrical connection box via a power supply bus 43.

[0055] Figures 6 and 7 show more particularly the conductive element intended to be connected to the ground and the electrical connection member 26 as they are present in the connection tube 12, 14.

[0056] In this embodiment variant, the connecting tube 12 comprises, in addition to the metal bar 16, another metal bar 22 also comprising metal tabs 24 regularly distributed longitudinally. These tabs 24 are similar to the tabs 20 and arranged on the other metal bar 22 in the same way as on the metal bar 16. The tabs 24 of the other metal bar 22 are also intended to come into contact with the internal surface of the corresponding connecting tube 12, 14.

[0057] The metal bar 16 and the other metal bar 22 are made integral with each other by being overmolded with a rigid synthetic material, for example a plastic material to form a block that can be easily positioned in the connection tube 12, 14. The overmolded block also makes it possible to also arrange in the connection tube 12, 14 an electrical connection member 26, 52, without risking electrical contact between this electrical connection member 26, 52 and the metal bars 16, 22 which could generate a short circuit.

[0058] In Figure 6, two overmolded blocks can be seen intended to be housed respectively in one of the connection tubes 12, 14 and each comprising a metal bar 16 and another metal bar 22 arranged on either side of an electrical connection member.

[0059] For the overmolded block intended to be housed in a first connection tube 12, the electrical connection member 26 is arranged between the metal bar 16 and the other metal bar 22 before overmolding a longitudinal portion of this assembly formed by the electrical connection member and the metal bars. This overmolding 54, or overmolded longitudinal portion, does not cover the tabs 20, 24 and does not cover either the longitudinal ends of the electrical connection member 26 or the metal finger 48 forming one end of the metal bar 16.

[0060] By analogy, for the overmolded block intended to be housed in a second connection tube 14, the electrical connection member 52 is arranged between the two metal bars 16, 20 and the overmolding 54 of the assembly is carried out in such a way as not to cover the metal tabs and not to cover the ends allowing the electrical connections.

[0061] For each of the connecting tubes, the overmolding 54 makes it possible to guarantee the insulation between the electrical connecting member 26, 54 and the metal bar 16 as well as between the electrical connecting member 26, 54 and the other metal bar 22, placed at ground potential. The presence of the other metal bar 22, arranged on the other side of the electrical connecting member 26, 54 makes it possible to give the assembly a stable position, substantially parallel to the wall of the tube against which the tabs 20, 24 rest, and this thus makes it possible to ensure that the electrical connecting member 26 is arranged ideally, in accordance with a desired theoretical position, to be connected to the power supply buses both at the level of the upper portion of the heating body and at the level of the lower portion.In this context, the metal bar 16 and the other metal bar 22 are not connected, so that the metal tabs of the other metal bar only have the effect of correctly positioning the overmolded block within the connection tube. Only the tabs 20 of the metal bar 16 have the function of making an electrical bridge between the wall of the tube, and therefore the heating body, and the ground connector 18, successively via the body of the metal bar, the metal finger 48 and the electrical conductor 47.

[0062] In Figure 7 is illustrated the overmolded block comprising the overmolding 54, the metal bar 16, the electrical connection member 26 and the other metal bar 22, transparently in the connection tube 12. In this Figure 7, one can see what has been described previously, namely in particular that the overmolding 54 is produced in such a way as to leave sufficient clearance so that the tabs 20, 24 can flex at the time of insertion into the connection tube, and ensure contact with the internal surface of the connection tube 12.

[0063] The metal bars are oriented in the overmolded block such that the metal tabs 20, 24 of each of the metal bars are arranged against the same wall of the connecting tube 12, 14. This configuration makes it possible to house temperature sensors 28, 30 in this connecting tube and to ensure that they are in contact with a wall of the tube, namely the wall of the tube opposite to that against which the metal tabs are in contact. The elasticity of the metal tabs tends to press the overmolding against this opposite wall and the temperature sensors can be arranged on the face of the overmolding 54 which is opposite this opposite wall. These temperature sensors comprise a connection 50, visible in FIG. 6, and which is intended to be connected to the computer bus connection in the electrical connection box 4.

[0064] Without departing from the context of the invention, the connecting tubes 12, 14 comprising the metal bar 16 could also comprise heating elements.

[0065] Figures 8 and 9 illustrate another variant of the invention, in which the metal bar 16 and the other metal bar 22 are connected to each other via a rigid metal connector 17, without any interposed electrical connection member. It is understood that in this configuration, the metal tabs 20, 24 of each metal bar participate on the one hand in the positioning of the metal bars within the connection tube 12, 14, to ensure that the tabs and the body are in contact with a wall of the tube, but that they all participate in the grounding of the heating body.

[0066] Finally, in another alternative embodiment of the invention, not shown here, the conductive element forming a projection of the tube and intended to be connected to the ground, in accordance with the invention, is formed by an element made of a material with one of the walls of the connection tube 12, 14. The metal bar, as mentioned in the previous variants, is replaced by a metal finger extending a wall of the connection tube 12, 14, this metal finger therefore forming a longitudinal projection of the connection tube 12, 14 at one end of the tube placed in a connection zone between the connection box 4 and the heating body 6. It is understood that in this case, the tube can integrate heating elements and / or an electrical connection member, as mentioned previously.

[0067] The present invention as just described through various embodiments achieves the aims it set for itself, namely to propose an electric heating device which proposes simplified means for grounding the heating body, which allow rapid assembly of the electric heating device and without modification of the dimensions of the sealing means. The present invention cannot, however, be limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated here and it also extends to any equivalent means and configuration as well as to any technically operative combination of such means.

Claims

CLAIMS 1- Electric heating device (2) in particular for a motor vehicle, said device (2) comprising an electrical connection box (4) and a heating body (6) comprising: - a plurality of heating elements intended to be supplied with current, - a plurality (8) of metal tubes, at least a part of which comprises said heating elements, and - a plurality (10) of metal heat sinks, the metal tubes and the metal heat sinks forming a conductive carcass at the same electrical potential, said device (2) being characterized in that at least one tube (12) of said plurality of tubes (8) comprises a projecting conductive element (16) of said at least one tube (12) and in electrical contact with said at least one tube, said projecting element (16) being connected to a ground connector (18) of said electrical connection box (4). 2- Electric heating device (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that said conductive element projecting from said at least one tube (12) is a metal bar (16) arranged longitudinally in said at least one tube (12), said metal bar (16) comprising at least one metal tab (20) in contact with an internal surface of said at least one tube (12). 3- Electric heating device (2) according to claim 2, wherein said at least one metal tab (20) is a lateral portion of said metal bar (16), articulated on a body of said metal bar (16) at a base of said metal tab (20). 4- Electric heating device (2) according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein said at least one tube (12) further comprises an electrical connection member (26) projecting from said at least one tube (12), the projecting part of said electrical connection member (26) being electrically connected to an electrical power supply in said electrical connection box (4). 5- Electric heating device (2) according to claim 4, in which said electrical connecting member (26) and said metal bar (16) are at least partially embedded in an insulating polymer material on a longitudinal portion of said electrical connecting member (26) and of said metal bar (16). 6- Electric heating device (2) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said metal bar (16) comprises several metal tabs (20) distributed uniformly along said metal bar (16). 7- Electric heating device (2) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein said at least one tube (12) further comprises another metal bar (22) comprising one or more metal tabs (24) in contact with said internal surface of said at least one tube (12), said metal bar (16) and said other metal bar (22) being arranged on either side of a median plane longitudinally intersecting the width of said at least one tube (12), said metal bar (16) and said other metal bar (22) being secured to each other. 8- Electric heating device (2) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said metal tabs (20, 24) of said metal bar (16) or of said metal bar (16) and of said other metal bar (22) protrude from the same side of said metal bar (16) or of said metal bars (16, 22). 9- Electric heating device (2) according to claim 8, wherein said at least one tube (12) further comprises one or more temperature sensors (28, 30) arranged on the side opposite to said same side of said metal bar(s) (16, 22), said temperature sensors (28, 30) being in contact with a wall of said at least one tube (12). 10- Electric heating device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one tube (12) is arranged on a lateral edge of said heating body (6).

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