PTC Heating Element Wedge Housing for Fast Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat-generating elements with PTC heating elements and strip conductors suffer from poor mechanical contacting, leading to inefficient heat conduction and potential leakage currents, especially at high operating voltages, resulting in sluggish thermal response and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A heat-generating element design featuring a housing that forms a structural unit with a wedge element, ensuring accurate positioning and secure interlocking between the PTC heating element and strip conductors, with the wedge element providing initial tension for good electrical contacting and enhanced heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sleeve and press plate are used to hold strip conductors against the PTC element, then mechanical contact is improved, but thermal conduction becomes poor and thermal response becomes sluggish
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from insulating materials (silicone rubber, press plate) to thermally conductive materials (aluminum or aluminum alloy). This parameter change transforms the housing into an effective heat dissipation component while maintaining mechanical contact, thereby improving thermal response without sacrificing contact reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for the PTC element and strip conductors, maintains mechanical contact through integrated positioning structures, and acts as a heat sink for thermal dissipation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate insulating components that hindered thermal performance
2Temperature
If radiator elements are placed against the heat-generating element with spring bias, then heat dissipation is improved, but leakage currents occur and current-carrying parts are exposed
Solution Approach 1:
The housing performs both mechanical support and heat dissipation functions simultaneously. By making the housing itself thermally conductive, it eliminates the need for separate radiator elements that caused leakage currents and safety issues, while still achieving effective heat dissipation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heat dissipation function from separate radiator elements and integrates it into the housing structure. This eliminates the harmful leakage currents associated with external radiators while maintaining effective thermal management through the conductive housing material
3Device complexity
If cylindrical heat-generating elements are arranged around a central axis, then compact arrangement is achieved, but heat removal is inadequate for convective cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameter from cylindrical to flat/planar configuration. This dimensional change increases the surface area available for convective heat removal while maintaining compactness, allowing efficient thermal management in flat heating devices
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 design improves thermal efficiency by ensuring effective heat conduction and reduces leakage currents, allowing for faster thermal response and safer operation at high voltages.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-generating element with at least one PTC heating element
Implementation Method 2
a wedge element (48), wherein the wedge element (48) comprises a first wedge surface (50) which extends parallel to the strip conductor (12, 40) and a second wedge surface (52) which is exposed on an exterior of the housing (2) and which is aligned diagonally to the first wedge surface (50)
Implementation Method 3
the housing (2) forms a structural unit together with a wedge element (48)... ensures effective heat conduction
Data Source
AI summary
A heat-generating element includes at least one PTC heating element, strip conductors lying flat on it on both sides, and a frame which forms at least one frame opening for holding the at least one PTC heating element. The frame, as a part of a housing, forms a structural unit with a wedge element having a first wedge surface that extends parallel to the strip conductor and a second wedge surface that lies exposed on the exterior side of the housing and that is aligned diagonally to the first wedge surface. For fixing the heat-generating element precisely in place in a slot in the housing, the heat-generating element has spacing surfaces positioned upstream or downstream of the at least one PTC heating element in the direction of the length of the slot. Also provided is a method of manufacturing an electric heating device.