PTC Heating Device with Elastic Guide Lugs for Damage-Free Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The introduction of a PTC heating device into a heating rib is challenging due to the need for precise alignment to avoid damage, as the inner walls of the rib must be in good heat-conducting contact with the heat-emitting surface of the PTC device, requiring exact positioning which is difficult to achieve within tolerance limits.
Innovation Solution
The PTC heating device features a frame-shaped housing with elastic guide lugs that protrude beyond the heat-emitting surface, allowing for centering and easy insertion into the heating rib, with the guide lugs pivoting inward to facilitate smooth alignment and heat conduction, and an insulating layer covering the conductor tracks for protection and heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the PTC heating element is inserted into the heating fin without guide structures, then the insertion process is simple, but the positioning precision is insufficient and damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces guide lugs as intermediary structures that mediate between the PTC heating element and the heating fin. These guide lugs provide a controlled interface for insertion, ensuring precise positioning while preventing damage. The guide lugs act as a buffer and alignment mechanism, resolving the contradiction between simple insertion and precise positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide lugs are pre-positioned on the housing before insertion occurs. This preliminary arrangement of guiding structures ensures that when the PTC heating element is inserted, the alignment is already established, reducing the complexity of the insertion process while maintaining high positioning precision.
2Reliability
If the inner walls of the heating fin are in close contact with the PTC heating element, then heat conduction is improved, but the risk of damage during insertion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide lugs serve as intermediary structures that control the contact between the PTC heating element and the heating fin. During insertion, the guide lugs manage the interaction forces, ensuring that thermal contact is achieved without applying excessive pressure that could cause damage. This mediates between the need for good thermal contact and the need to prevent damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide lugs are designed to provide cushioning protection before the actual thermal contact is established. The elastic or flexible nature of the guide lugs allows them to absorb insertion forces, preventing damage while still enabling the subsequent close contact needed for effective heat conduction.
3Reliability
If the PTC heating element is positioned precisely relative to the mounting pocket, then damage is prevented, but the insertion process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The guide lugs act as intermediary guiding structures that automatically align the PTC heating element with the mounting pocket during insertion. This eliminates the need for manual precise positioning by the operator, maintaining ease of operation while ensuring damage-free installation through precise alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide lugs enable the insertion process to be self-aligning. As the PTC heating element is inserted, the guide lugs automatically guide it into the correct position without requiring external intervention or complex positioning mechanisms, thus maintaining operational simplicity while ensuring precise, damage-free installation.
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
This solution enables simple and damage-free positioning of the PTC heating device within the heating rib, ensuring effective heat transfer and preventing damage during installation, while maintaining electrical insulation and heat dissipation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
elastische Führlaschen, die vom führenden Rahmenabschnitt abgegrenzt sind und sich in Einführungsrichtung in Richtung auf eine freie Oberfläche des PTC-Heizelements hin neigen; die elastischen Führlaschen lassen sich in Einführungsrichtung einwärts schwenken
Implementation Method 2
Isolierschicht, die die Konduktorspuren abdeckt
Implementation Method 3
Isolierschicht, die thermisch gegen das PTC-Heizelement leitend ist
Implementation Method 4
PTC-Heizelement mit einer gegen die Hauptflächen thermisch leitenden freien Oberfläche
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a PTC heating device (22) for insertion into a receiving pocket (31) of an electric heating device, comprising a frame-shaped housing (2) which integrates at least one PTC element (6), a conductor track (12) electrically connected to the PTC element (6), and optionally provided insulating layers (18) in a thermally conductive manner in contact with the PTC element (6) as a unit and is overlaid by contact tongues (14) which are electrically conductively connected to the conductor tracks (12) for energizing the PTC element (6) with opposite polarity, wherein the frame-shaped housing (6) forms opposing recesses in each of which a heat-emitting free surface (30) is exposed and thermally connected to the main side surface of the PTC element (6), and offers the possibility of easily positioning and inserting the PTC heating device opposite the receiving pocket (31) of the heating fin (20) without the risk consists,that the PTC heating element (22) is damaged. For this purpose, the frame-shaped housing (2) has a leading frame member (26) with elastic guide tabs (28) which, in an initial state, project beyond the respective heat-emitting free surface (30) on opposite sides of the frame-shaped housing (2), are inclined obliquely towards the free surface (30) by the leading frame member (26), and are elastically pivotable. The heating device according to the invention has a heating chamber (52) into which a heating fin (20) with a corresponding PTC heating element (22) projects, wherein the contact tongues (14) are electrically connected in a connection chamber (54) which is separated from the heating chamber (52) by a partition (56). In the method according to the invention, the PTC heating element (22) is centered and guided by the elastic guide tabs (28) when inserted into the heating fin (20).