Heating body, air heat register, and method for producing a heating body

Abstract

The invention relates to a heating body (4) having a flat, elongate heating module (10), in which a heating element (12) is provided within an insulation sleeve (18), and an enclosure (8), in the interior of which the heating module (10) at least partly extends and which has two wall portions lying opposite each other. The enclosure (8) is in the form of a cladding tube which, in a mounted state of the heating element (12), is deformed in such a way that the inner faces of the wall portions lie flat on the heating module (10) and the heating module (10) is pressed into the cladding tube. The heating element (12) is integrally formed as a single piece and the insulation sleeve (18) completely surrounds the heating element (12) with the exception of electrical connections (22) of the heating module (10). The invention further relates to an air heat register (2) having at least two heating bodies (4) according to the invention arranged parallel to each other and an air-permeable region between the at least two heating bodies (4) for conducting air to be heated and to a method for producing a heating body according to the invention.

Description

[0001] Radiators, air heating registers and the manufacturing process of a radiator

[0002] Description

[0003] Technical field

[0004] The present disclosure relates to a radiator according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular to a radiator with a flat, elongated heating module in which a heating element is arranged within an insulating casing, and a casing, in particular designed as a sheathing tube, preferably as a sheathing tube made of metal or plastic, in the interior of which the heating module extends at least partially and which has two opposing wall sections, wherein the inner surfaces of the wall sections bear flat against the heating module. The disclosure further relates to an air heating register comprising at least two radiators arranged parallel to one another and an air-permeable area arranged between the at least two radiators for the passage of air to be heated. The disclosure also relates to a manufacturing method for a radiator.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] A heating element of this type is known, for example, from DE 10 2017 120 467 A1, which describes the construction of an insulated heating register. According to DE 10 2017 120 467 A1, a heating module with several PTC heating elements, contact plates, and an insulating sleeve is pressed into a frame designed as an extruded aluminum profile or as a sheathing tube. Additionally, a heat-emitting element in the form of corrugated fins is fixed to the extruded profile by rolling a shoulder onto it.

[0007] The disadvantage of this type of radiator, according to current technology, is that cyclical operation with many on / off phases leads to a drastic malfunction: The thermal stress causes the various components to shift relative to each other. This can cause the heating module to migrate out of the extruded profile and / or the insulation to tear, which can directly lead to a short circuit.

[0008] DE 102017 106 711 A1 and US 2015 / 0 183 295 A1 disclose radiators in which a heating element is clamped in a frame, whereby thermal stresses are only mitigated due to the design.

[0009] Disclosure of the invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a radiator with an at least partially insulated heating module, in which damage to an insulating shell during cyclic operation of the radiator is prevented or at least the probability of such damage is reduced.

[0011] This problem is solved with respect to a radiator by features of claim 1 and with respect to an air heating register by features of claim 12. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0012] A heating element as disclosed comprises a heating module and a frame. The heating module is a flat, elongated component in which a heating element is arranged within an insulating sheath, which is particularly non-metallic and / or electrically insulating. The heating module, which may in particular have a substantially rectangular cross-section and is preferably substantially cuboidal, extends at least partially inside the frame, which may also in particular have a substantially rectangular cross-section and which has two opposing wall sections, the inner surfaces of which bear flat against the heating module. The frame may in particular be made of a metal, preferably aluminum, or of a plastic.The casing is designed as a sheathing tube which, in a mounted state of the heating element, is deformed in such a way that the inner sides of the wall sections lie flat on the heating module and the heating module is pressed into the sheathing tube.

[0013] According to the disclosure, the heating element is formed as a single piece of material, and the insulating sheath completely surrounds the heating element except for the electrical or electrically conductive connections. In other words, all parts of the heating element consist of the same material and are metallurgically bonded together or integrally manufactured from the outset. In other words, the heating element is designed as a continuum.

[0014] Because the heating element is formed as a single piece of material, the likelihood of thermal stress-related damage to the insulation is advantageously reduced. By completely embedding the heating element within the insulation and arranging the heating module in the housing, the heater can be advantageously designed to easily meet the requirements of protection class II according to DIN EN 61140:2016-11. Furthermore, the single-piece construction of the heating element allows for an extension of the voltage range up to 1,500 volts, an extension of the operating temperature range to over 220°C, an increase in power output, a reduction in inrush current, and / or simplified control of the heating element.

[0015] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the heating element can be wire-shaped. This means, in particular, that the heating element consists of one or more wires, a conductor track or conductor tracks, or a heating tape or heating tapes. The wire-shaped heating element can have at least one branch and at least one corresponding junction. If the heating element is wire-shaped, it can be manufactured easily.

[0016] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the electrical resistance of the heating element can be constant over a predetermined temperature range. In particular, the electrical resistance can be designed to be constant such that it fluctuates between -55°C and 105°C within a maximum range of + / - 100 ppm per Kelvin, preferably within a maximum range of + / - 40 ppm per Kelvin.

[0017] If a heating element with constant electrical resistance is used, the control of the heating element can be simplified, especially without pulse width modulation.

[0018] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the heating element can be made of metal, in particular of a nickel-chromium or copper-nickel-manganese alloy. Specifically, the copper-nickel-manganese alloy can have a copper content between 53 and 57 percent, a nickel content between 43 and 45 percent, and a manganese content between 0.5 and 1.2 percent, or a copper content between 82 and 84 percent, a nickel content between 2 and 4 percent, and a manganese content between 12 and 15 percent.

[0019] By using metal or a nickel-chromium or copper-nickel-manganese alloy as disclosed, a constant electrical resistance of the heating element can be achieved cost-effectively.

[0020] Alternatively, the heating element can also be made of carbon or graphite.

[0021] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the heating element can be etched from a metallic foil. In particular, a heating element etched from a metallic foil can be designed such that its cross-section changes along a direction of extension of the heating element. If the heating element is produced by etching from a foil, the heating element can be advantageously adapted to the geometry and thus the expansion behavior of the insulating sheath.

[0022] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the insulating casing can be formed by a plate-shaped block of silicone. In particular, the heating element can be overmolded or encapsulated with silicone.

[0023] A plate-shaped design of the heating module facilitates its placement within the casing tube before crimping. The silicone block insulation improves the bond between the heating module and the casing tube during crimping due to its deformability.

[0024] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the insulating casing can have a non-metallic support layer and a non-metallic cover layer, the edge regions of the support layer and the cover layer can be connected to each other, and the heating element can be arranged between the support layer and the cover layer within their edge regions. The support layer and the cover layer can each, in particular, have a substantially rectangular outline. The support layer and the cover layer can, in particular, be of the same type (e.g., with regard to thickness, material, and / or dimensions). Alternatively, the support layer and the cover layer can also be of different types. For example, the support layer can be thicker than the cover layer and / or have larger longitudinal and / or transverse dimensions than the cover layer.The carrier layer and the cover layer can also be formed in one piece, with the heating element then embedded between the carrier layer and the cover layer folded onto the carrier layer.

[0025] By forming the insulating shell using two layers, the

[0026] The manufacturing of the heating module can be simplified. According to one aspect of the disclosure, the insulating layer and the heating element can be formed by a printed circuit board (PCB). In other words, a heating module can be formed by first applying or forming the heating element, in particular by printing it, onto an electrically insulating material to create a single-sided PCB, and then applying an electrically insulating cover layer to the PCB around the heating element. The PCB can also be designed as a double-sided PCB, and the heating module can have two cover layers that enclose the double-sided PCB.

[0027] If the heating module is implemented using a printed circuit board, established manufacturing processes can be advantageously used in the production of the heating element according to the disclosure.

[0028] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the support layer and / or the cover layer can be made of polyimide, polyetherimide, glass, ceramic, or pressed mica. Such a choice of material allows the heating element according to the disclosure to be operated at higher temperatures.

[0029] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the carrier layer can be bonded or welded to the cover layer. By bonding or welding the layers of the insulating casing, the heating element can be advantageously sealed from the environment.

[0030] An air heating register according to the disclosure has at least two heating elements arranged parallel to each other, as well as an air-permeable area located between the at least two heating elements for the passage of air to be heated. The safety of known air heating registers can be increased by using heating elements according to the disclosure. A preferred method for manufacturing the heating element according to the disclosure is characterized in that at least part of the heating element is produced by printing. In particular, the heating element is applied as a conductor track or tracks onto an insulating base material (belonging to the insulating sheath). The printing material can be metallic or contain carbon or graphite.

[0031] If the heating element is manufactured using a printing process, it can be advantageously adapted to the geometry and thus the expansion behavior of the insulation shell.

[0032] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the heating element can be formed by a metallic support material and a metallic substrate applied to the support material, preferably by soldering, welding, sintering, or printing. The support material and the substrate consist of the same metal.

[0033] By providing a carrier material and a substrate, a complex shape of the heating element can be achieved.

[0034] Brief description of the drawings

[0035] The present disclosure is described in more detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings. These show:

[0036] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an air heating register according to the disclosure with several radiators;

[0037] Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the air heating register, in which the components of one of the heating elements are shown separately; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a heating module according to the disclosure;

[0038] Fig. 4 shows an exploded view of the heating module in a state where a cover layer is already mounted; and

[0039] Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the heating module.

[0040] Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

[0041] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an air heating register 2 according to the disclosure, which is equipped with five radiators 4 according to the disclosure. The air heating register 2 further has heat emission elements in the form of corrugated fins 6, by means of which the radiators 4 are connected to each other.

[0042] As illustrated in the exploded view in Fig. 2, each of the heating elements 4 according to the disclosed design has a casing 8 in the form of a sheath 9 and a heating module 10 partially arranged within the sheath 9. The heating module 10 has a wire-shaped or conductor-shaped heating element 12, which is arranged on an electrically insulating carrier layer 14 and is covered by an electrically insulating cover layer 16 when assembled. The heating element 4 according to the embodiment has not only a single heating element 12 on one (top) side of the carrier layer 14, but also a second heating element (not shown) on one of the (bottom) sides opposite the first (top) side. Accordingly, the heating module 10 according to the embodiment has two cover layers 16, each of which, together with the carrier layer 14, embeds a single heating element 12.The carrier layer 14 and the cover layers 16 form an insulating shell 18 as disclosed.

[0043] An electrical connection element 20 is provided at a proximal end of the carrier layer 14, which is electrically connected to the corresponding heating element 12 via electrical terminals 22. The connection element 20 is designed to be connected to one or more electrical cables in order to supply the heating element 12 or heating elements with electrical power.

[0044] The carrier layer 14 and the cover layers 16 are made of polyimide, polyetherimide, glass, ceramic, or pressed mica. The heating elements 12 are made of a metal alloy.

[0045] To manufacture the heating element 4, the heating element 12 or elements are preferably formed on the substrate 14 in the manner of a printed circuit board. That is, a conductive trace serving as the heating element 12 is etched from a metal layer applied to the substrate 14. Subsequently, the heating element 12 or elements 12 are enclosed by the cover layers 16, except for the electrical connections 22 of the heating module 10 (see arrows A in Figures 2 to 4). For this purpose, edge regions of the cover layers 16 are bonded to edge regions of the substrate 14. The bonded areas extend around the respective heating element 12, except for the electrical connections 22.

[0046] Before or after the application of the cover layers 16, the connector part 20 is attached to the heating element 12 or heating elements 12 and optionally also to the carrier layer 14, either soldered and / or welded on.

[0047] The heating module 4 formed in this way is inserted into the corresponding sheathing tube 9 (see arrow B in Fig. 2), so that the heating element 12 or heating elements 12 extend inside the sheathing tube 9 and the connector part 20 is arranged outside the sheathing tube 9.

[0048] To connect the heating module 10 with the casing 9, the casing 9 is deformed in such a way (see arrows C in Fig. 2) that two opposite wall sections of the casing 9 are moved towards each other, inner sides of the wall sections come into contact with the heating module 10 or with the outer sides of the cover layers 16, and the heating module 10 is pressed into the casing 9.

[0049] The sheathing tube 9 can be closed at an end face facing away from the electrical connections 22, or away from the connection or distal end face, be closed by deformation when the heating module 10 is pressed in, or be sealed by attaching a (not shown) sealing part.

[0050] On the casing 9, or on its longitudinal edges, pressure tabs 24 are formed such that the corrugated ribs 6, formed by a corrugated band, can be arranged between two pressure tabs 24 and connected to the casing 9 by reshaping the pressure tabs 24. In this way, several heating elements 4 according to the disclosure can be assembled into the air heating register 2 according to the disclosure by means of several blocks of corrugated ribs 6 (see arrows D in Fig. 2). The corrugated ribs 6 are designed such that they form an air-permeable area according to the disclosure for the passage of air to be heated.

[0051] Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the heating module 10 according to the disclosure, in which a serpentine course of the wire-shaped or conductor-shaped heating element 12 can be seen.

[0052] Fig. 4 shows an exploded view of the heating module 10 in a state in which only one of the cover layers 16 is mounted.

[0053] Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the heating module 10 in a state where both cover layers 16 are mounted. Fig. 5 shows that the electrical connections 22 are not covered by the cover layer 16. The cover layer 16 can also be configured such that the area between the heating element 12 and the connector part 20 is completely covered by the cover layer 16. Alternatively, the area between the heating element 12 and the connector part 20 can be covered by a further insulating layer (not shown).

[0054] The embodiment of the radiator 4 according to the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 and described above represents only one possible implementation of the claimed invention.

[0055] The insulating shell 18 need not be formed in the form of interconnected layers, but can also be formed by embedding a heating element 12 in an electrically insulating mass such as silicone.

[0056] The heating element 12 and the carrier layer 14 do not necessarily have to be in the form of a printed circuit board. The heating element 12 can also be manufactured separately from the carrier layer 14 and then attached to the carrier layer 14, embedded between two insulating layers, or cast in an insulating compound.

[0057] The connector part 20 does not have to be connected to the carrier layer 14, but can also be connected only to the heating element 12.

[0058] The enclosure 8 does not have to be designed as a one-piece sheathing tube 9, but can, for example, also have two contact plates which sandwich the heating module 10 between them and whose material is in particular softer than the material of the rest of the sheathing tube 9, so that good thermal contact between the heating module 10 and the sheathing tube 9 can be ensured.

[0059] On the carrier layer 14, an electronic component or several electronic components, in particular for controlling the heating element 12, may be mounted in an area that is not pressed into the casing tube 9. Reference numeral list

[0060] 2 air heating registers

[0061] 4 radiators

[0062] 6 wave ribs

[0063] 8 Border

[0064] 9 Sheathing tube

[0065] 10 Heating module

[0066] 12 Heating element

[0067] 14 Carrier layer

[0068] 16 Top layer

[0069] 18 Insulation cover

[0070] 20 Connecting part

[0071] 22 electrical connection

[0072] 24 Press-on tab

[0073] A. Applying the top layer to the base layer

[0074] B. Inserting the heating module into the casing tube

[0075] C. Pressing the heating module into the casing tube

[0076] D Attaching the corrugated fins to the radiator

Claims

Claims 1. Radiator (4) with a flat, elongated heating module (10) in which a heating element (12) is arranged within an insulating shell (18), and a frame (8) in the interior of which the heating module (10) extends at least partially and which has two opposing wall sections, wherein the frame (8) is designed as a sheathing tube which, in a mounted state of the heating element (12), is deformed such that the inner surfaces of the wall sections lie flat on the heating module (10) and the heating module (10) is pressed into the sheathing tube, characterized in that the heating element (12) is formed in one piece of material and the insulating shell (18) completely surrounds the heating element (12) except for electrical connections (22) of the heating module (10).

2. Radiator (4) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the heating element (12) is wire-shaped.

3. Heating element (4) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an electrical resistance of the heating element (12) is constant over a predetermined temperature range.

4. Heating element (4) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the heating element (12) is made of metal, in particular of a nickel-chromium or a copper-nickel-manganese alloy.

5. Radiator (4) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the heating element (12) is etched from a metallic foil.

6. Radiator (4) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the insulation shell (18) is formed by a plate-shaped silicone block.

7. Radiator (4) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the insulation shell (18) has a non-metallic support layer (14) and a non-metallic cover layer (16), The edge regions of the carrier layer (14) and the cover layer (16) are connected to each other and the heating element (12) is arranged between the carrier layer (14) and the cover layer (16) within their edge regions.

8. Heating element (4) according to claim 7, characterized in that the carrier layer (14) of the insulating shell (18) and the heating element (12) are formed by a printed circuit board.

9. Radiator (4) according to claim 7 or 8 characterized in that the support layer (14) and / or the cover layer (16) is made of polyimide, polyetherimide, glass, ceramic or pressed mica.

10. Radiator (4) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the support layer (14) is bonded or welded to the cover layer (16).

11. Air heating register (2) with at least two heating elements (4) arranged parallel to each other according to one of claims 1 to 10 and an air-permeable area arranged between the at least two heating elements (4) for the passage of air to be heated.

12. Method for manufacturing a heating element according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least a part of the heating element (12) is manufactured by printing.

13. Method for manufacturing a heating element according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the heating element (12) is formed by a metallic support material and a metallic substrate applied to the support material.

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