Heating conductor for exhaust gas heater

Abstract

To provide a heating conductor of an exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas device of an internal combustion engine, improved in rigidity with a structurally simple constitution.SOLUTION: A heating conductor (16) is formed of a flat material (36) long in a heating conductor longitudinal direction, and the flat material has: heating conductor width faces (38, 40) positioned at sides opposed to each other in a heating conductor thickness direction; and heating conductor flat faces (40, 42) positioned at sides opposed to each other in a heating conductor width direction. The heating conductor (16) is provided with a plurality of molding parts continued to each other in the heating conductor longitudinal direction and / or continued to each other in the heating conductor width direction, and substantially directed in the heating conductor thickness direction. The molding part has a molding part height changing in the heating conductor width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The invention relates to a heating conductor for an exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine according to the preamble of claim 1 .

[0002] Such an exhaust gas heater is used in an exhaust gas system to heat the gases flowing through the system, such as exhaust gases emitted by an internal combustion engine. The heat absorbed by the exhaust gases in the heater can be transferred to a downstream exhaust gas treatment unit or exhaust gas aftertreatment assembly, such as a catalyst or particulate filter, particularly during the initial stages of engine operation, when the exhaust gases have a relatively low temperature. This allows for rapid heating of the exhaust gas treatment assembly, significantly shortening the period during which exhaust gases are released into the atmosphere without undergoing a catalytic purification process in the exhaust gas treatment assembly.

[0003] German Patent Application No. DE 10 2020123376 A1 discloses an exhaust gas heater in which a heating conductor is formed with several heating conductor meander zones, each of which has meander sections arranged radially in steps relative to one another and extending essentially in the circumferential direction. The heating conductor is provided as a single piece by cutting it out from a flat metal material, which allows for a great degree of freedom in shaping the individual heating conductor meander zones or the meander sections in the individual heating conductor meander zones.

[0004] German Patent Application No. 102022102376.1, published later, discloses an exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, which includes a heating conductor made of flat material. The heating conductors, arranged adjacent to one another in the main exhaust gas flow direction and formed by bending a strip of flat material, each have a meander-shaped structure, with adjacent meander longitudinal sections and a meander connecting section connecting the adjacent meander longitudinal sections. The heating conductors have a corrugated structure in the meander longitudinal sections. The heating conductors are oriented with their flat surfaces in the upstream or downstream direction, so that the exhaust gas flowing around the heating conductor flows along the width of the heating conductor in the main exhaust gas flow direction.

[0005] From the later published German patent application no. 102021122086.6, an exhaust gas heater is known which has a heating conductor made of flat material and which has an essentially meander-shaped structure, the width of which is oriented in the upstream or downstream direction.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a heating conductor for an exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, which has increased rigidity in a structurally simple manner.

[0007] According to the present invention, this problem is solved by a heating conductor for an exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, the heating conductor being formed from a flat material that is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor, the flat material having heating conductor width faces that are located opposite each other in the heating conductor thickness direction and heating conductor flat faces that are located opposite each other in the heating conductor width direction.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the heating conductor is provided with a plurality of shaped portions that are continuous with each other in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor and / or in the width direction of the heating conductor and are oriented substantially in the thickness direction of the heating conductor, and these shaped portions have a shaped portion height that varies in the width direction of the heating conductor.

[0009] Such profiles, which have a profile height that varies across the width of the heating conductor, i.e., between the heating conductor surfaces, significantly reinforce the heating conductor, which is formed, for example, from a strip of metal material, so that vibrations occurring in the vehicle cannot excite the heating conductor, particularly in the range of its natural frequency, which, on the one hand, prevents the generation of vibration noise and, on the other hand, reduces the mechanical load on the heating conductor or on the carrier assembly that supports it.

[0010] For efficient reinforcement of the heating conductor, it is proposed that at least one row of adjacent shaped portions, preferably substantially equally spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor, has a shaped portion height that increases in the direction from the center of the heating conductor width toward one of the heating conductor surface faces.

[0011] In this case, the profile can have a maximum profile height in the region of the heating conductor flat surface.

[0012] The rigidity of the heating conductor can be further improved if two rows of adjacent shaped sections in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor have a height that increases from the center of the heating conductor width towards one of the two heating conductor surfaces, and if in a first of the two rows, the adjacent shaped sections in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor have a height that increases towards the first of the two heating conductor surfaces, and if in a second of the two rows, the adjacent shaped sections in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor have a height that increases towards the second of the two heating conductor surfaces.

[0013] In this case, due to the symmetrical arrangement with respect to the heating conductor width center, the shaped portions of the first row can be arranged not to be offset in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor with respect to the shaped portions of the second row.

[0014] In order to further increase the stiffness or to further reduce the risk of vibration excitation occurring, it is proposed that the shaped portions of the first row are offset in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor with respect to the shaped portions of the second row.

[0015] In an alternative configuration, the shaped portion in the region at the center of the heating conductor width may have a maximum shaped portion height, so that a substantially arch-shaped or pot-shaped shaped portion is provided in the region at the center of the heating conductor width.

[0016] The shaped portion may include at least one first shaped portion oriented in a first direction in the heating conductor thickness direction, and at least one second shaped portion oriented in a second direction in the heating conductor thickness direction that is substantially opposite to the first direction.

[0017] If a structure is provided in which at least two shaped sections are continuous with one another, one of these shaped sections being a first shaped section and the other of these shaped sections being a second shaped section, and preferably the first shaped section and the second shaped section are alternately continuous with one another, then an overall structure of the heating conductor can be produced in which the continuous shaped sections form a wavy, preferably sinusoidal, shaped section pattern.

[0018] With regard to the above-mentioned offset between the moulded parts arranged in both rows, which may or may not exist, it should be pointed out that such an offset can arise because, where one of the rows has a moulded part, the other row does not have a moulded part, or because a moulded part of a type different from the first or second type is formed. If the moulded parts of both rows are arranged without any offset from each other, where one of the rows has a moulded part of one of the first and second types, the other row has a moulded part of the same type.

[0019] According to another configuration aspect of the invention, which can be realized particularly advantageously in connection with the configuration aspect described above, but which also leads in principle to a significantly more rigid structure of the heating conductor on its own, the heating conductor can comprise a plurality of heating conductor layers which are continuous with one another in the heating conductor thickness direction, preferably in contact with one another.

[0020] In such a multi-layer configuration, if at least two heating conductor layers are connected to each other by a bending region formed in the heating conductor plane, the bending region forming an integral component of the heating conductor can also contribute to increasing rigidity.

[0021] In a heating conductor configured according to the present invention, in order to provide a large surface area for thermal interaction with gas, e.g., exhaust gas, flowing around the heating conductor, the heating conductor may have a meander-like structure, which preferably has a plurality of adjacent meander longitudinal sections extending substantially parallel to one another and / or substantially linearly, and arc-shaped meander connecting sections connecting consecutive meander longitudinal sections to one another.

[0022] If no shaped portions are provided in at least one meander connection section, and preferably in each meander connection section, bending the heating conductor into a meander-like structure can be achieved particularly easily, in which case no undefined bending state that could occur due to shaped portions occurs in the meander connection section.

[0023] For example, in this case it may be envisaged that the at least one heating conductor comprises at least two heating conductor meander areas, a first heating conductor meander area of these at least two heating conductor meander areas providing a connection area for connecting the at least one heating conductor to a voltage source, and a second heating conductor meander area of the at least two heating conductor meander areas providing another connection area for connecting the at least one heating conductor to a voltage source.

[0024] In a particularly simple configuration, all heating conductor meander regions can be formed by a single piece of heating conductor material, or at least two heating conductor meander regions can be formed by separate heating conductor material pieces, where it is advantageous to use the same component if at least two, and preferably all, heating conductor meander regions formed by separate heating conductor material pieces are formed to have substantially the same shape as each other.

[0025] The invention further relates to an exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, comprising a carrier assembly through which exhaust gas can flow substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the exhaust gas heater, and at least one heating conductor supported on the carrier assembly and having a configuration according to the invention.

[0026] In order to maximize the surface area of the at least one heating conductor while minimizing flow blockages, it is proposed that the at least one heating conductor is arranged so that its width surface extends substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the exhaust gas heater and its flat surface extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the exhaust gas heater.

[0027] The support assembly may include a support casing having a casing bottom surface extending substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the exhaust gas heater and arranged on one axial side of the at least one heating conductor, the casing bottom surface being provided with a plurality of through-flow openings, and the at least one heating conductor being supported on the casing bottom surface by a plurality of support elements.

[0028] The support casing can have a circumferential wall that is radially contiguous with the casing bottom surface for fixing in the exhaust gas system. In this case, if the support casing is pot-shaped with the casing bottom surface and the circumferential wall and / or if the at least one heating conductor is not substantially covered by the support assembly on its other axial side, a structurally robust design is obtained while ensuring good flow around the at least one heating conductor.

[0029] The present invention further relates to an exhaust gas system for an internal combustion engine, comprising at least one exhaust gas treatment unit, preferably a catalyst and / or a particulate filter, and at least one exhaust gas heater formed according to the invention, upstream of the at least one exhaust gas treatment unit in the main exhaust gas flow direction.

[0030] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the principle of an exhaust gas system for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle; [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view showing an exhaust gas heater of the exhaust gas system of FIG. 1, as viewed from the downstream side. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 shows the heating conductor meander area of the heating conductor of FIG. 2 formed by one piece of heating conductor material. [Figure 4] 3 is a side view of the heating conductor of FIG. 2, seen from the plane of the heating conductor. [Figure 5] 5 is a plan view of the section of the heating conductor shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 10 is an end view showing an alternative configuration of the heating conductor. FIG.

[0032] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a section of an exhaust gas system 10 for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The exhaust gas system 10 comprises an exhaust gas guiding element 12, which is configured, for example, as a tube or a housing, through which exhaust gases emitted by the internal combustion engine flow in a main exhaust gas direction A. The exhaust gases flow into an exhaust gas heater 14, which generates heat by applying a voltage to a heating conductor 16 of the exhaust gas heater and transfers this heat to the exhaust gases or gases flowing through the exhaust gas system 10. The exhaust gases or gases transfer this heat to an exhaust gas treatment unit 18 further downstream, which may include a catalyst and / or a particulate filter, for example.

[0033] The exhaust gas heater 14 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. The exhaust gas heater 14 comprises a support assembly 22, which is configured with a pot-shaped support casing 20, which supports the heating conductor 16 on the one hand and fastens the exhaust gas heater 14 to the exhaust gas guiding component 12 on the other hand. For this purpose, the support casing 20 has a casing bottom 24 oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the exhaust gas heater. The heating conductor 16 is firmly supported on the casing bottom 24 by a plurality of support elements 26. Each support element 26 can be fixed to the casing bottom 24 by a central pin 28, for example made of a metallic material, and can be fixed to the heating conductor 16 by a sleeve 30, which can also be made of a metallic material and surrounds the pin 28. To prevent an electrical short circuit via the support elements 26, a layer of electrically insulating material can be arranged between the pin 28 and the sleeve 30. In order to allow the exhaust gas to flow into the support casing 20 in the main exhaust gas flow direction A or in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the exhaust gas heater to flow through the support assembly 22, a number of through-flow openings 32, for example formed in the form of elongated holes, are provided in the bottom surface 24 of the casing.

[0034] For example, the exhaust gas can first flow around the heating conductor 16 arranged upstream of the housing bottom wall 24, then flow through the through-flow openings 32 in the housing bottom wall 24 and in the direction towards the exhaust gas treatment unit 18. In the advantageous arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing bottom wall 24 of the support housing 20 is arranged upstream of the heating conductor 16, so that the heating conductor 16 is directly opposite the upstream end face of the exhaust gas treatment unit 18 and is not shielded by the housing bottom wall 24, thereby reducing heat loss from the heating conductor 16 to the support housing 20. Radiant heat also emitted by the heating conductor 16 can therefore contribute to additional heating of the exhaust gas treatment unit 18.

[0035] Furthermore, the carrier housing 20 has a circumferential wall 34 radially outwardly, adjacent to the housing bottom 24, which essentially results in a pot-like structure of the carrier housing 20 that is open in the upstream direction. By means of the circumferential wall 34, the exhaust gas heater 14 can be fixed to the inner surface of the exhaust gas guiding component 12, for example by means of a material connection.

[0036] The heating conductor 16 is formed of a flat material 36 made of, for example, a strip-shaped metal material. The flat material 36 is formed in the heating conductor thickness direction H D conductor width direction H B The flat material 36 has two flat surfaces 38, 40 extending in the heating conductor width direction H. B The heater has two heating conductor flat surfaces 42, 44 spaced apart from each other and oriented toward the upstream and downstream sides, respectively. Therefore, the exhaust gas flowing toward the heating conductor 16 in the direction of the main exhaust gas flow direction A or the longitudinal axis L of the exhaust gas heater flows along the heating conductor flat surfaces 38, 40, providing a large surface area for thermal interaction between the exhaust gas and the heating conductor 16 with relatively little flow resistance.

[0037] In the example configuration shown in Figure 2, the heating conductor is formed having two heating conductor meander regions 46, 48. As can be seen in Figure 3, each heating conductor meander region 46, 48 is provided by a single piece of heating conductor material 50. Because both heating conductor meander regions 46, 48 are formed with the same shape, the same parts can be used to form the heating conductor 16.

[0038] Each heating conductor meander region 46, 48 is formed with a number of meander longitudinal sections 52 which run substantially parallel to one another and substantially linearly, and which are connected in their longitudinal end regions by respective meander connecting sections 54 to the succeeding meander longitudinal section 52 in this series arrangement of meander longitudinal sections 52. In one end region of the heating conductor meander region 46, 48, the last respective meander longitudinal section 52 forms a connection region 55', in which a feedthrough 56 for connection to a voltage source, shown in principle in FIG. 1, is in conductive contact with the heating conductor 16. In the other end region, the last respective meander longitudinal section 52 forms a connection region 55'', in which a connection element 58, e.g., in the form of a plate, forms the connection between the two heating conductor meander regions 46, 48, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the heating conductor meander regions 46, 48 are connected in series with each other.

[0039] In order to provide a higher rigidity in the heating conductor 16 formed from the relatively thin flat material 36, and thereby to prevent the occurrence of vibration excitation, the heating conductor longitudinal direction H L The elongated heating conductor 16 is provided with a plurality of shaped portions 60. The shaped portions 60 are arranged in the heating conductor width direction H B The height of the formed part H changes with A , the thickness direction of the heating conductor H D In other words, the heating conductor width direction H B and the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor H L In this case, the molding part height H of the molding part 60 is AAs a reference for this, one can observe a central region 62 in the region of the heating conductor width center M, which is not substantially deformed to provide the shaped portion 60.

[0040] 5 shows that in the illustrated configuration of the heating conductor 16, two rows R1, R2 of the shaped portions 60 are provided, where in the first row R1 the shaped portions 60 have a shaped portion height that increases from the heating conductor width center M toward the first heating conductor flat surface 42, and in the second row R2 the shaped portions 60 have a shaped portion height that increases from the heating conductor width center M toward the second heating conductor flat surface 44. In both rows R1, R2, the shaped portions 60 have a maximum shaped portion height H at the heating conductor flat surfaces 42, 44, respectively, i.e., at the point of maximum extension relative to the heating conductor width center M. A It has the following characteristics.

[0041] In FIG. 4, the heating conductor thickness direction H is determined based on the reference defined by the central region 62 in the region of the heating conductor width center M. D It can be seen that the shaped portions 60 have different orientations. The shaped portion 60, called the first shaped portion 601, is oriented in the heating conductor thickness direction H D The first and second shaped portions 601 and 602 are oriented in a first direction O1 or shaped with respect to a reference defined by the central region 62. The second shaped portion 602 of the shaped portion 60 is oriented in a second direction O2 opposite to the first direction O1 with respect to the central region 62. The first and second shaped portions 601 and 602 are oriented in a heating conductor longitudinal direction H L and preferably in the heating conductor longitudinal direction H L are arranged at equal intervals or with the same extension length, so that in each of the two rows R1, R2 there is a corrugated structure of the first or second profile 601 or 602, respectively, and thus in particular also of the heating conductor flat surfaces 42, 44. For example, these corrugated structures correspond substantially to the extension of a sinusoidal wave.

[0042] 4 and 5, in both rows R1 and R2, the first or second molding portion 601 or 602 is arranged in the longitudinal direction H of the heating conductor. LThis shows that the heating conductors are not substantially shifted from each other in the width direction H B This means that, beside each first molding portion 601 of the first row R1, there is also a first molding portion 601 of the second row R2, which is oriented in the same direction O1. B Thus, each second molded portion 602 in the first row R1 is followed by a second molded portion 602 in the second row R2.

[0043] Heating conductor width direction H B The height of the formed part H changes with A By providing the heating conductor 16 with the shaped portions 60, each located in the edge region, having a thickness of 1 mm, the heating conductor 16 is reinforced, thereby avoiding the risk of vibration excitation without the need for additional material. At the same time, the shaped portions 60 form flow guide elements, which, on the one hand, provide an enlarged surface area for thermal interaction with the exhaust gases in relation to the flat configuration of the heating conductor, and, on the other hand, can form vortices in the area of the surface of the heating conductor 16, which contribute to strengthening the thermal interaction between the exhaust gases and the heating conductor 16.

[0044] 2 and 3, in the heating conductor 16 or in the heating conductor meander regions 46, 48, such shapings 60 are provided essentially only in the region of the meander longitudinal sections 52, but not in the meander connecting sections 54. This facilitates the process of bending the flat material 36 into a meander-like structure and avoids the risk of undefined bending during bending in the regions where the shapings 60 are to be formed.

[0045] 2 and 3, the heating conductor 16 is connected to the sleeve 30 of the support element 26 in the meander longitudinal section, and the heating conductor width direction H BIt can be seen that a continuous expanded portion 63 is formed in the heating conductor width direction H, and the outer surface of the sleeve 30 can be brought into contact with this expanded portion in a planar manner, thereby forming a particularly stable connection by material connection. B is substantially constant in the thickness direction of the heating conductor H D In the region of such a bulge 63 extending at the bulge height in the region of the heating conductor 16, likewise no moldings are formed which impair the structural strength of the connection between the heating conductor 16 and the sleeve 30.

[0046] It should be noted that the heating conductor 16 may be formed differently, in particular with regard to the configuration and positioning of the shaped portions 60. Thus, for example, in each first shaped portion 601 of the first row R1, B In both rows R1 and R2, the molding portions 60 are arranged in the heating conductor longitudinal direction H so that the molding portions 602 in row R2 are adjacent to each other. L The molding parts 60 may be positioned in a staggered manner in the longitudinal direction H of the heating conductor. L In another alternative configuration, the heating conductor may have an extension length that varies in the longitudinal direction H L Such shaped portions 60 may be formed in a central region 62 such that a plurality of dome-shaped or arch-shaped shaped portions are formed in succession.

[0047] Furthermore, the heating conductor 16 may have a different extension than the illustrated meander-like structure, for example a spiral extension centered on the longitudinal axis L of the exhaust gas heater. It is to be pointed out that in principle the exhaust gas heater 14 can have several such heating conductors 16 arranged in succession in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the exhaust gas heater.

[0048] When a relatively thin strip of metal material that can be bent to the desired shape is used as the flat material, i.e., when a material whose width in the heating conductor width direction is significantly greater than its thickness in the heating conductor thickness direction, e.g., at least 5 to 80 times its thickness, is used, the above-described structure of the heating conductor results in a structurally simple and rigid structure. However, the heating conductor can also be formed by, for example, cutting it from a thin metal plate. A heating conductor produced by cutting it from a thin metal plate with a defined structure, e.g., the heating conductor meander area, has an extension in the heating conductor thickness direction that corresponds to the thickness of the plate-like metal material and an extension in the heating conductor width direction that is perpendicular to this thickness, resulting from the shaping process during cutting. Such a heating conductor is positioned in the carrier assembly so that its width surface faces upstream or downstream, i.e., substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the exhaust gas heater, while its flat surface faces in the longitudinal direction of the exhaust gas heater. Even in the case of such heating conductors formed by cutting from a thin metal plate, the shaped portion can be formed by deforming the heating conductor, in which case the deforming is carried out, for example, at the same time as the heating conductor is cut out from the metal plate by punching.

[0049] 6 shows a further alternative configuration of such a heating conductor 16 made of a flat material 36. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 6, the heating conductor 16 is formed in multiple layers, in particular in two layers. Such a configuration allows the flat material 36 to be formed in a width direction H of the heating conductor, which basically corresponds to twice the width of the completed heating conductor 16. B In this case, the flat material 36 is bent or curved in the central region, so that a bending region 64 is formed in the second flat surface 44, which is oriented in the upstream direction, in which the two layers 66, 68 of the heating conductor 16 are integrally connected to one another. The layer 66 provides the first heating conductor side 38 of the heating conductor 16, and the other layer 68 provides the second heating conductor side 40.

[0050] This multi-layer construction of the heating conductor 16 still achieves a relatively high stiffness that substantially eliminates the occurrence of vibration excitation, despite the use of flat material 36 in the construction of the heating conductor, in particular because the layers 66, 68 are bonded together by the bent region 64 that provides an integral part of the heating conductor 16.

[0051] In an alternative configuration, both layers 66, 68 may be provided as separate components which may be joined together by a material connection, e.g., brazing or welding or adhesive, and / or a form connection, e.g., by folding.

[0052] It should also be pointed out that in the case of the multi-layer structure of the heating conductor 16 shown in FIG. 6, the shaped portions 60, likewise described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5, can be provided in order to further increase the rigidity of the heating conductor 16.

[0053] The above-described structure of the heating conductor with shaped portions whose height varies in the heating conductor width direction and / or the multi-layer structure not only provides high rigidity to prevent the occurrence of vibration excitation, but also high resistance to deformation caused by thermally induced length changes.

Claims

1. A heating conductor for an exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, the heating conductor (16) having a longitudinal direction (B Ｌ ) and the flat material (36) is formed in the heating conductor thickness direction (H Ｄ ) and the heating conductor width surface (38, 40) located on the opposite sides of the heating conductor width direction (H Ｂ and heating conductor flat surfaces (40, 42) located opposite each other at a The heating conductor (16) has a longitudinal direction (H Ｌ ) and / or the heating conductor width direction (H Ｂ ) are continuous with each other in the heating conductor thickness direction (H Ｄ ) are provided, and the forming portions are oriented in the heating conductor width direction (H Ｂ The height of the formed part (H Ａ ) in a heating conductor, At least one row (R 1 , R 2 ) of shaped portions (60) that are continuous with one another in the longitudinal direction (H L ) of the heating conductor and form a wave-shaped shaped portion pattern has a maximum shaped portion height (H A ) in the region of the heating conductor flat surfaces (42, 44) that increases in a direction from the heating conductor width center (M) toward one of the heating conductor flat surfaces (42, 44).

2. The heating conductor longitudinal direction (H Ｌ At least one row (R ) of moldings (60) that are continuous with each other １ , R ２ 2. The heating conductor of claim 1, wherein the shaped portions (60) are contiguous and equidistant from one another.

3. The heating conductor longitudinal direction (H Ｌ Two rows (R ) of moldings (60) that are continuous with each other １ , R ２ ) is a molding height (H ) that increases in a direction from the heating conductor width center (M) toward each of the heating conductor flat surfaces (42, 44) of the two heating conductor flat surfaces (42, 44). Ａ ) and both of said rows (R １ , R ２ ) the first column (R １ ) in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor (H Ｌ The moldings (60) are continuous with each other at a molding height (H ) that increases in a direction toward the first heating conductor flat surface (42) of the two heating conductor flat surfaces (42, 44). Ａ ), and both rows (R １ , R ２ ) in the second column (R ２ ) in the longitudinal direction of the heating conductor (H Ｌ The moldings (60) are continuous with each other at a molding height (H ) that increases in a direction toward the second heating conductor flat surface (44) of the two heating conductor flat surfaces (42, 44). Ａ 2. The heating conductor of claim 1, further comprising:

4. The first column (R １ The molding portion (60) of the second row (R １ ) with respect to the molding portion (60) of the heating conductor longitudinal direction (H Ｌ 4. The heating conductor of claim 3, wherein the heating conductor is not offset by a distance of 100 mm.

5. The first column (R １ The molding portion (60) of the second row (R ２ ) with respect to the molding portion (60) of the heating conductor longitudinal direction (H Ｌ 4. The heating conductor of claim 3, wherein the heating conductor is offset by a distance of 100 mm.

6. The molding portion (60) is formed in the thickness direction (H Ｄ ) in the first direction (O １ At least one first molding portion (60) directed toward １ ) and the heating conductor thickness direction (H Ｄ ) in the first direction (O １ ) in a second direction (O ２ At least one second molding portion (60) directed toward ２ 2. The heating conductor of claim 1, comprising:

7. If at least two shaped portions (60) are continuous with one another, one of said shaped portions (60) may be a first shaped portion (60) １ ) and the other is a second molding part (60 ２ 6. The heating conductor according to claim 5, wherein 8. A heating conductor according to claim 7, wherein the first shaped portions (60 1 ) and the second shaped portions (60 2 ) are alternately continuous with each other.

9. The heating conductor of claim 1 , wherein the adjacent shaped portions (60) form a sinusoidal shaped portion pattern.

10. The heating conductor (16) is Ｄ 2. The heating conductor of claim 1, comprising a plurality of heating conductor layers (66, 68) contiguous with one another.

11. A heating conductor as described in claim 10, wherein the heating conductor layers (66, 68) contact each other.

12. 11. The heating conductor of claim 10, wherein the at least two heating conductor layers (66, 68) are connected to one another at a bend region (64) formed in the heating conductor flat surface (44).

13. 2. The heating conductor (16) according to claim 1, wherein the heating conductor (16) has a meander-like structure, the meander-like structure including a plurality of meander longitudinal sections (52) extending adjacent to one another and arc-shaped meander connecting sections (54) connecting consecutive meander longitudinal sections (52) to one another.

14. A heating conductor as described in claim 13, wherein the meander longitudinal sections (52) extend parallel to each other and / or in a straight line.

15. The heating conductor according to claim 13, wherein at least one meander connecting section (54) is free of any shaping (60).

16. A heating conductor as described in claim 15, wherein each meander connection section (54) is not provided with a shaped portion (60).

17. 14. The heating conductor of claim 13, wherein the at least one heating conductor includes at least two heating conductor meander regions, a first heating conductor meander region of the at least two heating conductor meander regions providing a connection region for connecting the at least one heating conductor to a voltage source, and a second heating conductor meander region of the at least two heating conductor meander regions providing another connection region for connecting the at least one heating conductor to the voltage source.

18. 18. The heating conductor according to claim 17, wherein all heating conductor meander regions (46, 48) are formed by a single piece of heating conductor material, or at least two heating conductor meander regions (46, 48) are formed by separate pieces of heating conductor material (50).

19. A heating conductor as described in claim 18, wherein at least two heating conductor meander regions (46, 48) formed by separate pieces of heating conductor material (50) are formed to have the same shape as each other.

20. 20. An exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a support assembly (22) through which exhaust gas can flow in the direction of a longitudinal axis (L) of the exhaust gas heater; and at least one heating conductor (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, supported on the support assembly (22).

21. 21. An exhaust gas heater according to claim 20, wherein the at least one heating conductor (16) is arranged so that its heating conductor width surface (38, 40) extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L) of the exhaust gas heater, and its heating conductor side surface (42, 44) extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) of the exhaust gas heater.

22. 21. The exhaust gas heater according to claim 20, wherein the support assembly (22) comprises a support casing (20), the support casing having a casing bottom surface (34) extending transversely to the longitudinal axis (L) of the exhaust gas heater, arranged on one axial side of the at least one heating conductor (16), the casing bottom surface (34) being provided with a plurality of through-flow openings (32), and the at least one heating conductor (16) being supported on the casing bottom surface (24) by a plurality of support elements (26).

23. 23. An exhaust gas heater according to claim 22, wherein the support casing (20) has a peripheral wall (34) that connects radially outwardly with the casing bottom surface (24).

24. An exhaust gas heater as described in claim 23, wherein the support casing (20) is pot-shaped formed by the casing bottom surface (34) and the peripheral wall (34), and / or the at least one heating conductor (16) is not covered by the support assembly (22) on its other axial side.

25. 21. An exhaust gas system for an internal combustion engine, comprising at least one exhaust gas treatment unit (18) and at least one exhaust gas heater (14) according to claim 20, which is located upstream of the at least one exhaust gas treatment unit (18) in the main exhaust gas flow direction (A).

26. An exhaust gas system as described in claim 25, wherein the at least one exhaust gas treatment unit (18) includes a catalyst and / or a particulate filter.

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