Stacked PTC Heater Array for Compact Electric-Vehicle Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating systems in vehicles without integrated heating and air conditioning, such as golf carts and off-road vehicles, provide insufficient heat and consume excessive power, leading to frequent battery recharging in electric vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A compact, portable heating and air conditioning apparatus using positive thermal coefficient (PTC) heaters with a control module for efficient power management, including pulse width modulation and operator detection, integrated with a fan system for efficient heating and cooling, and a power management feature to conserve battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional heaters are used to provide sufficient heat in vehicles without integrated heating systems, then heating capability is improved, but device size becomes large and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing PTC material whose electrical resistance changes with temperature. As the PTC heater heats up, its resistance increases automatically, regulating the heating output without requiring complex control systems. This allows compact sizing while maintaining effective heating capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The PTC heater is self-regulating through its inherent positive thermal coefficient property. When the heater reaches a certain temperature, the increased resistance automatically reduces power consumption and prevents overheating, eliminating the need for external thermostats or control mechanisms, thus reducing overall device size.
2Temperature
If traditional heaters are used to provide sufficient heat, then heating capability is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The PTC heater's electrical resistance changes with temperature, creating an automatic feedback mechanism. At low temperatures, resistance is low allowing high current flow for rapid heating. As temperature rises, resistance increases, automatically reducing current and power consumption. This eliminates the need for high continuous power draw.
Solution Approach 2:
The positive thermal coefficient property creates an inherent feedback loop where temperature increase causes resistance increase, which reduces power input, which then allows temperature to stabilize. This self-regulating feedback mechanism optimizes power consumption without external control systems.
3Temperature
If high power heaters are used to provide sufficient heat, then heating capability is improved, but battery charge depletes faster requiring frequent recharging
Solution Approach 1:
The PTC heater's resistance-temperature relationship creates automatic power regulation. The heater draws high power only briefly during startup to reach operating temperature, then automatically reduces power consumption as resistance increases. This extends battery life by eliminating sustained high power draw while maintaining heating capability.
4Volume of moving object
If compact design is implemented to improve portability, then device size is reduced, but heating efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The PTC material's inherent property of changing resistance with temperature allows the heater to be compact yet efficient. The material self-regulates to maintain optimal operating temperature without requiring large thermal mass or complex control systems, preserving heating efficiency in a compact form factor.
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 apparatus provides efficient heating and cooling while maintaining a compact design, reducing power consumption and extending battery life by managing heat output based on user presence and battery charge levels.
Implementation Method 1
The compact heating components are positive thermal coefficient (PTC) heaters. As electricity is applied to a PTC material, the material heats up causing an increase in electrical resistance reducing the flow of current effectively creating a heat threshold for a given applied voltage.
Implementation Method 2
a fan located near the back and outlet openings at and/or around the front of the housing, wherein during operation the fan causes air to flow through the housing from the back to the front and out through the outlet openings
Implementation Method 3
The heating component heats the air passing through the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A compact air conditioning apparatus and supporting assembly for electric vehicle and other battery driven applications, and a cord harness for sheathing a power cord. The air conditioning apparatus may include a PTC heater array with stacked PTC heaters with a fan blowing air through the PTC heater array to raise air temperature. The apparatus includes power management features to limit the power consumption, such as staggered PTC heater start-up, a user presence detector and battery threshold monitoring. The air conditioning apparatus may include cooling components to lower air temperature. The cord harness including a series of guard sections and hinges facilitating a foldable protective design for wiring. The air conditioning apparatus may attach to a supporting assembly configured to fit in a cupholder. The supporting assembly may be configured to fit multiple cupholder designs. The air conditioning apparatus and supporting assembly may include additional accessory components.