Ceramic Heater Terminal Cooling With Enlarged Windward Area
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceramic heaters face challenges in dissipating heat effectively between the conductive terminal and the connector terminal, leading to potential temperature rises and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic heater design with an enlarged windward area, featuring a conductive heat sink with a cooling fin and a wave-shaped configuration that enhances airflow and heat dissipation, including a conductive terminal with a warped and flat section to facilitate perpendicular airflow, thereby reducing the conductive terminal's temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat dissipation structure is added between conductive terminal and connector terminal, then temperature rise is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heat dissipation function with the existing electrode plate structure by adding a cooling fin directly to the electrode plate. This integration merges the electrical conduction function and thermal dissipation function into a single component, avoiding the need for separate heat dissipation structures and thus preventing excessive device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cooling fin that extends in a direction perpendicular to the electrode plate's main surface, utilizing the third dimension (vertical direction) for heat dissipation. This dimensional extension increases the heat dissipation surface area without occupying additional horizontal space, effectively adding heat dissipation capability while maintaining compact device structure.
2Loss of energy
If cooling fin is added to increase heat dissipation area, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fin extends perpendicular to the electrode plate's main surface, utilizing the vertical dimension for heat dissipation. This approach increases the effective heat dissipation area without significantly increasing the horizontal footprint of the device, thus improving heat dissipation efficiency while maintaining compact overall volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fin is localized specifically at the region where heat accumulation occurs (between conductive terminal and connector terminal), rather than uniformly distributing heat dissipation structures throughout the entire device. This localized approach concentrates heat dissipation capability where most needed, improving efficiency without proportionally increasing overall device volume.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design accelerates heat dissipation and prevents temperature rises in the conductive terminal, improving safety and efficiency by increasing the windward area and enhancing airflow, thus prolonging the lifespan of the heater.
Implementation Method 1
A cool airflow parallelly passes through each heat dissipation channel and becomes a hot airflow. The cool airflow is perpendicular to an extending direction of the conductive terminal to lower the temperature of the conductive terminal during operation.
Implementation Method 2
A conventional positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor is a heating element with rigidity. After powering on, an increase in temperature causes a resistance value to change, and the resistance value increases rapidly within a certain temperature range.
Implementation Method 3
The conductive heat sink further comprises a heat conduction plate, the heat conduction plate is disposed on one side of the cooling fin opposite to the electrode plate, and the PTC heating element is attached onto the heat conduction plate.
Data Source
AI summary
A ceramic heater having an enlarged windward area includes a conductive heat sink, at least one positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating element, and an electrode plate. The conductive heat sink includes a cooling fin. The at least one PCT heating element is disposed on one side of the cooling fin. The electrode plate is disposed on the other side of the cooling fin. A conductive terminal protrudes from one end of the electrode plate. The conductive terminal includes a warped section and a flat section. A portion of the warped section and the flat section extend in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the electrode plate. Accordingly, heat dissipation is accelerated, a windward area is enlarged, and the effect of blowing out a hot airflow is enhanced, thereby avoiding a temperature rise of the conductive terminal.