Electric heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric heaters in automobile vehicles are prone to mechanical stress, leading to relative movement between insulating and heating elements, which can cause short circuits, posing safety risks and reducing system functionality.
Innovation Solution
An electric heater design featuring a safety element with a distance element that defines the orientation of the heating and insulating elements within a tube, using a safety element with a groove and rib elements to limit movement and create a secure, insulated environment, preventing short circuits and enhancing stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If insulating elements and heating elements are press-fitted together to avoid relative movement, then short circuit risk is reduced, but mechanical stress from vehicle operation still causes relative movement and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The safety element is divided into multiple functional parts: a body portion that plugs into the tube opening, and a separate distance element that defines the orientation and spacing of internal components. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, with the distance element specifically addressing the relative movement problem while the body provides overall structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety element acts as an intermediary component between the tube and the heating/insulating elements. By plugging into the tube opening and providing a fixed reference structure, it mediates the mechanical stresses and prevents direct relative movement between the heating elements and insulating elements, thereby preventing short circuits without requiring them to be rigidly connected.
2Stability of the object's composition
If distance elements are added to define element orientation, then relative movement is limited, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety element merges multiple functions into a single integrated component: it provides structural support, defines element orientation through integrated distance elements, prevents relative movement, and seals the tube opening. This consolidation reduces the total number of separate parts while achieving multiple objectives simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety element is designed as a multi-functional component that serves several purposes: it acts as a structural support, an orientation-defining element, a movement-limiting constraint, and a sealing element. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate components for each function.
3Reliability
If safety elements are plugged into tube openings to limit movement, then short circuit risk is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distance elements are pre-integrated into the safety element body during manufacturing, establishing the correct orientation and spacing of heating and insulating elements before assembly. This preliminary action ensures proper positioning is built-in from the start, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures during final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety element is designed to be self-positioning and self-aligning when plugged into the tube opening. The integrated distance elements automatically define the correct orientation of internal components without requiring external alignment tools or complex assembly procedures, making the manufacturing process simpler.
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 solution effectively reduces the risk of short circuits and mechanical damage, ensuring safer operation and improved durability of the electric heater by limiting relative movement and maintaining insulation, thus enhancing the overall performance and safety of the heat exchanger system.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heating element, which can be heated by applying an electric current to the element
Implementation Method 2
The insulating elements are used to avoid short circuits between the electric heating element and other structures, by which the electric heating element is surrounded
Data Source
AI summary
An electric heater for an automobile vehicle, with an electric heating element, which is connectable to an electric power source, with an insulating element and with a tube with the electric heating element being placed inside the tube and being electrically insulated from the tube, with the tube having at least one opening through which the insulating element and the electric heating element can be inserted into the tube. The electric heater features a safety element, which is plugged into the at least one opening of the tube, with the safety element having at least one distance element, which defines the orientation of the electric heating element and/or the insulating element in relation to the tube. Furthermore the invention relates to a heat exchanger with at least one electric heater.