DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF A COMPONENT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for controlling the temperature of a component and a method of production thereof. The device includes an elongate basic profile that defines a plurality of fluid flow channels in its interior. The fluid flow channels are arranged in series and separated by webs. The elongate basic profile extrudes from a plastic material. The device includes a connection unit connected to the basic profile and designed to direct fluid into the basic profile or out of the basic profile. The connection unit is formed partially or completely from a transparent plastic material.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a temperature of a component, wherein the device comprises: an elongate basic profile that defines, within an interior, a plurality of fluid flow channels from a first longitudinal end to a second longitudinal end, wherein the fluid flow channels are arranged in series and are separated by webs, and the elongate basic profile is extruded from plastic material; and a connection unit that is connected to the elongate basic profile at one of the longitudinal ends of the elongate basic profile and that is designed to direct fluid into the elongate basic profile or out of the basic profile, wherein the connection unit is formed partially or completely from a transparent plastics material.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit is produced using injection moulding.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit is connected to the elongate basic profile by laser welding.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit is made in multiple parts and comprises a connection piece and an intermediate piece, wherein the intermediate piece (30) is connected to the elongate basic profile and to the connection piece, and wherein the intermediate piece is transparent.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the interior of the intermediate piece has webs that define respective fluid flow channels arranged adjacent to one another, with at least some of the webs protruding beyond one end of an outer wall of the intermediate piece on at least one side of the intermediate piece wherein when the intermediate piece is connected to the elongate basic profile, the webs of the intermediate piece is arranged relative to the webs of the elongate basic profile in an extension of the webs.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit comprises projections that, when connected to the elongate basic profile, protrude into at least one of the fluid flow channels and are designed to press outwards at least portions of a wall of the elongate basic profile.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the connection unit also comprises a separately formed calibration piece, wherein the calibration piece is designed to be inserted into at least one of the fluid flow channels before the elongate basic profile is connected to the connection unit and the intermediate piece, and that is designed to press outwards against at least portions of a wall of the elongate basic profile.

8. The device according to claim 4, wherein the device further comprises an assembly aid that can be releasably connected to the connection unit and that can be releasably connected to the elongate basic profile, and that comprises projections that, when connected to the elongate basic profile, protrude into at least one of the fluid flow channels and are designed to press outwards at least portions of a wall of the elongate basic profile.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the assembly aid is designed to carry the intermediate piece on its outside, to be connected together with the intermediate piece to the elongate basic profile and, after non-destructive, non-releasable connection of the intermediate piece to the elongate basic profile, to be releasable from the elongate basic profile and the intermediate piece.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the elongate basic profile has a substantially rectangular cross section.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein a height of the substantially rectangular cross section of the elongate basic profile is significantly greater than a width of the substantially rectangular cross section of the elongate basic profile, the rectangular cross section in having a height-to-width ratio of at least 10:1.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the elongate basic profile has a wavy course along its longitudinal direction.

13. A method for producing a device for controlling a temperature of a component, the method comprising: providing an elongate basic profile that defines in its interior a plurality of fluid flow channels from a first longitudinal end to a second longitudinal end, wherein the fluid flow channels are arranged in series and are separated by webs, and wherein the elongate basic profile is produced from plastics material using an extrusion method; providing a connection unit connected to the elongate basic profile at one of the longitudinal ends of the elongate basic profile and designed to direct fluid into the elongate basic profile or out of the basic profile, wherein the connection unit is formed partially or completely from a transparent plastics material; and arranging the connection unit on the basic profile; connecting the connection unit to the basic profile, using a laser welding method.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the connection unit is designed in multiple parts and comprises a connection piece and an intermediate piece, the method further comprising: arranging the connection unit on the elongate basic profile and connecting the connection unit to the elongate basic profile: releasably arranging the intermediate piece on an assembly aid; arranging the assembly aid with the intermediate piece on the elongate basic profile, with the assembly aid comprising projections that, when connected to the elongate basic profile, protrude into at least one of the fluid flow channels and are designed to press outwards at least portions of a wall of the elongate basic profile; connecting the intermediate piece to the elongate basic profile, using a laser welding process; removing the assembly aid; arranging the connection piece on the intermediate piece; connecting the intermediate piece to the connection piece, using a laser welding method.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the connection unit comprises a separately formed calibration piece, the method further comprising, before arranging the connection unit on the basic profile, inserting the calibration piece at least partially into at least one of the fluid flow channels, the calibration piece pressing outwards at least portions of a wall of the basic profile.

Description

[0040] The present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0041] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a part of an embodiment of the device according to the invention;

[0042] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a second variant thereof;

[0043] FIG. 3 is a perspective cross-sectional side view of a detail of the variant of FIG. 2;

[0044] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a production step of the device according to the invention according to FIG. 1;

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a calibration piece used in the production of a device according to the invention;

[0046] FIG. 6 shows a connection unit according to a further embodiment of the device according to the invention; and

[0047] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a part of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention.

[0048] In FIG. 1, a device according to the invention is denoted generally by the reference numeral 10, only the region of a longitudinal end of a device 10 according to the invention being shown in FIG. 1. A device 10 according to the invention can be designed analogously at its other longitudinal end. The device 10 comprises a basic profile 12 which has a plurality of fluid flow channels 14 in its interior, which are each separated from one another by webs 16. Here the webs 16 extend substantially in a straight line from a first main surface 18 of the basic profile 12 to an opposing main surface 20. The basic profile 12 has two side surfaces 22 which, in the embodiment shown here, run in a rounded manner between the two main surfaces 18 and 20. The surface of the basic profile 12 on which the fluid flow channels 14 are open to the outside is referred to here as the end surface 24.

[0049] The device 10 also comprises a connection unit 26 which is designed here in multiple parts and includes a connection piece 28 and an intermediate piece 30. The intermediate piece 30 is designed to be pushed with its outer wall 32 onto the basic profile 12 in such a way that a region of the basic profile 12 adjoining the end surface 24 of the basic profile 12 is surrounded by the wall 32 of the intermediate piece 30. The intermediate piece 30 is transparent, so that a laser beam can strike the plastics material of the basic profile 12 through the intermediate piece and can melt it. By melting the basic profile 12 and, with it, the intermediate piece 30, the intermediate piece 30 and the basic profile 12 can be connected to one another in a fluid-tight manner.

[0050] The interior of the intermediate piece 30 has webs 34, which are aligned with webs 16 of the basic profile 12, so that at least some of the webs 16 of the basic profile 12, when the intermediate piece 30 is arranged on the basic profile 12, are extended by the webs 34 of the intermediate piece 30.

[0051] The connection piece 28 has a connecting surface 36 which is designed to be inserted into the intermediate piece 30 so that the intermediate piece 30 can be connected to the connection piece 28 in a manner analogous to the connection of the intermediate piece 30 to the basic profile 12. The connection piece 28 also has an opening 38 via which fluid can be conducted into the basic profile 12 or out of the basic profile 12.

[0052] In order to set up a defined stop for the components, it can be provided that a defined distance is set between the connection piece 28 and the basic profile 12 depending on the thickness of a portion of the respective webs 34 which, on the one hand (in the direction of extension of an associated web 34), is in contact with the basic profile and, on the other hand, with the connection piece 28, i.e. the portion of the web 34 which runs between the end surface 24 of the basic profile 12 and an end surface of the connection piece 28 to the outer wall 32, and also that on the connecting surface 36 a contact surface is arranged, against which the intermediate piece 30 rests in the connected state.

[0053] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the device 10 from FIG. 1 in a slightly modified variant. In this variant, the opening 38 of the connection piece 28 does not run parallel to the direction of extension of the fluid flow channels 14 of the basic profile 12, as shown in FIG. 1, but rather at an angle of 90° relative thereto, so that the opening 38 cannot be seen in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the intermediate piece 30 has at least one web 34 which projects beyond an end of the wall 32 of the intermediate piece 30 which is on the left in FIG. 2. In general, it is conceivable that the webs 34 of the intermediate piece 30 can have different lengths from one another. For example, webs 34 of the intermediate piece 30 which are arranged more centrally, viewed in relation to the direction in which the webs 34 are arranged in sequence side by side (in FIG. 2, the top-down direction), can be longer than webs 34 which are arranged further at one end of the sequence of webs 34 (in FIG. 2, the webs 34 shown at the top and bottom).

[0054] The two arrows L in FIG. 2 indicate the points at which the intermediate piece 30 is to be connected to the basic profile 12 or the intermediate piece 30 is to be connected circumferentially to the connection piece 28 by a weld seam.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows the detail, already mentioned, that at least one of the webs 34 of the intermediate piece 30 projects into the connection piece 28. It is easy to see that the web 34 of the intermediate piece 30, which is shown in FIG. 3, can press an upper and lower portion 40 of a wall of the connection piece 28 (in this case the connecting surface 36) outwards to ensure close contact between the connection piece 28, i.e. the connecting surface 36 of the connection piece 28, and to produce the intermediate piece 30.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a production step in the manufacture of a device 10 according to the invention, in which the intermediate piece 30 is attached to the basic profile 12. In this production step, an assembly aid 42 is used which has a plurality of projections 44 which are matched to the number and design of the fluid flow channels 14 within the basic profile 12. An intermediate piece 30 is arranged on an outside of the projections 44 of the assembly aid 42, as is shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 4. As the next step (not shown), the assembly aid 42 and the intermediate piece 30 arranged thereon are connected to the basic profile 12 in such a way that the projections 44 of the assembly aid 42 are simultaneously inserted into the fluid flow channels 14 of the basic profile 12 and the intermediate piece 30 is pushed onto the basic profile 12. The wall portions of the main surfaces 18 and 20 of the basic profile 12 are pressed outwards between respective webs 16 by the projections 44 so that a close surface contact of the main surfaces 18 and 20 of the basic profile 12 to the intermediate piece 30 can be produced. Then the intermediate piece 30 is connected, in particular welded, to the basic profile 12 and the assembly aid 42 is removed from the basic profile 12 and the intermediate piece 30 connected thereto, as shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 4.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a calibration piece 46 which can be used, for example, instead of the assembly aid 42. The calibration piece 46 has a multiplicity of projections 48 which are each provided with through-openings 50 in their interior. The projections 48 are matched to the number and design of the fluid flow channels 14 of an associated basic profile 12. Before a connection unit 26 or an intermediate piece 30 is arranged on a basic profile 12, the calibration piece 46 can be connected by insertion of the calibration piece 46 with its projections 48 into the fluid flow channels 14 of the basic profile 12, the fluid flow channels 14 continuing through the through-openings 50 when the calibration piece 46 is connected to the basic profile 12. Analogously to the projections 44 of the assembly aid 42, the projections 48 of the calibration piece 46 are designed to press the wall portions of the main surfaces 18 and 20 of the basic profile 12 outwards between adjacent webs 16 in order to allow a fluid-tight connection between the connection unit 26 and, in the multi-part embodiment of the connection unit 26, the intermediate piece 30. The calibration piece 46 is designed in particular to remain on the basic profile 12 even after the connection unit 26 or the intermediate piece 30 has been connected to the basic profile 12.

[0058] FIG. 6 shows a single-part embodiment of a connection unit 126, which basically has the same function as the connection unit 26 of FIGS. 1 and 2, namely to conduct fluid from a fluid line into a basic profile 12 or therefrom into a fluid line, so that reference is made to the description above. The connection unit 126 is designed to be placed directly, i.e. without using an intermediate piece, onto a basic profile 12. A portion of the basic profile 12 is inserted with its corresponding end surface 24 into an opening 152 in the connection unit 126. This portion of the connection unit 126 in which the portion of the basic profile 12 is accommodated can in particular be designed to be transparent in order to allow a laser beam to pass through onto the basic profile 12. Alternatively, the connection unit 126 can also be designed to be completely transparent.

[0059] In order also in this embodiment to be able to solve the problem that wall portions of the basic profile 12 are not in sufficiently close contact with the connection unit 126 to allow welding of the connection unit 126 to the basic profile 12, projections 154, which are designed to protrude into corresponding fluid flow channels 14 of the basic profile 12 and to force the above-described wall portions of the main surfaces 18 and 20 of the basic profile 12 outwards and into close contact with the connection unit 126, are arranged in the opening 152. It can be seen in FIG. 6 that two plate-like projections 154 are provided for each fluid flow channel, said projections running substantially parallel to one another in order to be able to shift a wall portion of the main surface 18 of the basic profile 12, on the one hand, and a wall portion of the main surface 20 of the basic profile 12, on the other hand.

[0060] It can also be seen in FIG. 6 that laterally adjacent projections 154, which are associated with adjacent fluid flow channels 16 of the basic profile 12, can be at a greater distance from one another than the thickness of a web 16 between two adjacent fluid flow channels 14 of the basic profile 12. Thus, a projection 154 of the connection unit 126 between two webs 16 can only be in contact with a part of the wall portion of the main surface 18 or the main surface 20 of the basic profile 12, in particular a middle portion thereof, as viewed in a direction between two adjacent webs 16. In this way, a larger cross section can remain free for fluid to pass through from an associated fluid flow channel 14 into/out of the connection unit 126.

[0061] The connection unit 126 has an opening 138 at an angle of 90° to direct fluid out of/into the connection unit 126.

[0062] FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the device which is provided with the reference numeral 210. Here the basic profile 12 is the same as in the previous embodiments. Otherwise, the embodiment according to FIG. 7 will be explained only with regard to differences from the previous description of the invention.

[0063] The connection unit 226 here comprises a connection piece 228 which is generally similar to the connection pieces 28 and 128, again with the opening 238 leading laterally out of the connection piece 228 (as in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6).

[0064] Furthermore, the connection unit 226 here comprises a cover 256 which is arranged diametrically opposite the basic profile 12 on the connection piece 228 and is designed to close the connection piece 228 which is open at this point. This has the advantage that an assembly aid (not shown; generally similar to the assembly aid 42) can be inserted through the connection piece 228, from the side on which the cover 256 can be connected to the connection piece 228, through the connection piece 228 and into the basic profile 12, and supports the fluid flow channels 14 of the basic profile 12 during the welding process, i.e. the process of connecting the basic profile 12 to the connection piece 228 (cf. in this connection the function of the calibration piece 46). After the basic profile 12 has been connected to the connection piece 228, the assembly aid can be removed again and the connection piece 228 can be closed with the cover 256 in a fluid-tight manner on the outside of the connection unit 226.

[0065] In this case, a calibration piece 46 can be omitted or plate-like projections 154 in the connection unit 226, which can reduce a flow cross section, can be dispensed with.