HEATING ELEMENT ASSEMBLY FOR A HEATING DEVICE OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

A heating element assembly for a heating device of a vehicle may include at least one first PTC heating element configured to heat a fluid, at least one second PTC heating element configured to heat the fluid, and at least one additional heating device configured to heat the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element. The at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element may be arranged spaced apart from one another. The at least one additional heating device may be arranged, at least in sections, between the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element.

Claims

1. A heating element assembly for a heating device of a vehicle, comprising: at least one first PTC heating element configured to heat a fluid; at least one second PTC heating element configured to heat the fluid; at least one additional heating device configured to heat the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element; wherein the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element are arranged spaced apart from one another; and wherein the at least one additional heating device is arranged, at least in sections, between the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element.

2. The heating element assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional heating device is configured to transfer heat to the at least one first PTC heating element and to the at least one second PTC heating element via at least one of heat conduction, heat radiation, and convection.

3. The heating element assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one additional heating device includes an additional heating element; the additional heating element is arranged between the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element; the additional heating element is electrically insulated with respect to the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element; and the additional heating element is heat-transferringly coupled to the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element.

4. The heating element assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one additional heating device includes at least one contacting section; the at least one contacting section is arranged between the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element; and the at least one contacting section forms an electrically conductive connection between the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element.

5. The heating element assembly according to claim 4, wherein: the at least one additional heating device includes an additional heating element and the additional heating element is electrically insulated with respect to the at least one contacting section.

6. The heating element assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one additional heating device, at least in sections, touchingly abuts against a surface section of the at least one first PTC heating element; and the at least one additional heating device, at least in sections, touchingly abuts against a surface section of the at least one second PTC heating element.

7. The heating element assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one additional heating device includes at least one additional heating element; and the at least one additional heating element has an electrical resistance curve in which an electrical resistance of the at least one additional heating element increases substantially linearly as an operating temperature of the at least one additional heating element rises.

8. A heating element register for a heating device of a vehicle, comprising a plurality of heating element assemblies according to claim 1.

9. The heating element register according to claim 8, wherein at least one of: the at least one additional heating device of at least two of the plurality of heating assemblies is defined by a common additional heating device; and the at least one additional heating device of at least one heating element assembly of the plurality of heating element assemblies is structured as a separate additional heating device.

10. A heating device for a vehicle, comprising at least one heating element assembly according to claim 1.

11. A method for operating a heating device including a heating element assembly, the heating element assembly including at least one first PTC heating element configured to heat a fluid, at least one second PTC heating element configured to heat the fluid, and at least one additional heating device configured to heat the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element, the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element arranged spaced apart from one another, and the at least one additional heating device arranged, at least in sections, between the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element, the method comprising: supplying an electric operating voltage to at least one PTC heating element of the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element; and prior to supplying the electric operating voltage to the at least one PTC heating element, adjusting an operating temperature of the at least one PTC heating element via the at least one additional heating device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein adjusting the operating temperature of the at least one PTC heating element includes increasing the operating temperature of the at least one PTC heating element to a predefined set-point operating temperature via providing a heat supply with the at least one additional heating device.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method is a computer-implemented method.

14. A heating device for a vehicle, comprising a heating element assembly and a control device configured to carry out the method according to claim 11, the heating element assembly including: at least one first PTC heating element configured to heat a fluid; at least one second PTC heating element configured to heat the fluid; at least one additional heating device configured to heat the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element wherein the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element are arranged spaced apart from one another; and wherein the at least one additional heating device is arranged, at least in sections, between the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element.

15. A vehicle, comprising the heating device according to claim 14.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein adjusting the operating temperature of the at least one PTC heating element further includes discontinuing the providing of the heat supply to the at least one PTC heating element after the predefined set-point operating temperature of the at least one PTC heating element has been reached.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the electric operating voltage is supplied after the predefined set-point operating temperature of the at least one PTC heating element has been reached.

18. The heating element assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional heating device includes at least one additional heating element structured as a resistance heating element.

19. The heating element assembly according to claim 1, wherein the resistance heating element is structured as at least one of a thick film heating element, a wire heating element, a heating coil, and a heating plate.

20. The heating element assembly according to claim 3, wherein the additional heating element is heat-transferringly coupled to the at least one first PTC heating element and the at least one second PTC heating element via at least one of heat conduction, heat radiation, and convection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] It shows, in each case schematically

[0068] FIG. 1 shows a resistance characteristic curve of a PTC heating element,

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a heating element assembly according to the invention,

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a further heating element assembly according to the invention,

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a heating element assembly according to the invention,

[0072] FIG. 5 shows a vehicle having a heating device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] In FIG. 1, the electrical resistance of a PTC heating element 4, 5 of FIG. 2 is shown as a function of the operating temperature of the PTC heating element 4, 5 by a resistance characteristic curve 13. The electrical resistance is shown with respect to a logarithmic scale. The resistance characteristic curve 13 shows altogether a non-linear relationship between the electrical resistance of the PTC heating element 4, 5 and the operating temperature of the PTC heating element 4, 5.

[0074] The PTC heating element 4, 5 has an NTC operating range 14 and a PTC operating range 15, wherein the electrical resistance of the PTC heating element 4, 5 in the NTC operating range 14 decreases with increasing operating temperature of the PTC heating element 4, 5, while the electrical resistance of the PTC heating element 4, 5 in the PTC operating range 15 non-linearly increases with increasing operating temperature of the PTC heating element 4, 5.

[0075] The transition point from the NTC operating range 14 to the PTC operating range 15 of the PTC heating element 4, 5 can be defined by the limit temperature Tlimit, at which the PTC heating element 4, 5 has a minimal electrical resistance Rmin.

[0076] In this transition point at a limit temperature Tlimit, the PTC heating element 4, 5 would form, at a predefined operating voltage, a maximum electric current flow. A particularly high current flow occurs in particular at higher operating voltages such as for example above 400 V.

[0077] In order to limit this maximum current flow and reduce electrical peak load, the heating element assembly 1 shown in FIG. 2 comprises an additional heating device 6, which, with respect to an axial axis 20, is arranged between a first PTC heating element 4 and a second PTC heating element 5 which with respect to the axial axis 20 is spaced apart from the former. Prior to supplying the PTC heating elements 4, 5 with the electric operating voltage, an operating temperature adjustment of the PTC heating elements 4, 5 by means of the additional heating device 6 is carried out.

[0078] During the operating temperature adjustment, the additional heating device increases the operating temperature of the PTC heating elements 4, 5 up to a predefined set-point operating temperature by means of heat supply, wherein the set-point temperature is greater than the limit temperature Tlimit. To this end, the additional heating device can convert for example electric power into heating power.

[0079] After the predefined set-point operating temperature of the PTC heating elements 4, 5 has been reached, the additional heating device can discontinue the heat supply to the PTC heating elements 4, 5. The operating temperature of the heating elements 4, 5 can take place for example by way of temperature sensors which are not shown. Following the reaching of the predefined set-point operating temperature of the PTC heating elements 4, 5, these are supplied with the electric operating voltage and operated in the PTC operating range 15.

[0080] The first PTC heating element 4 and the second heating element 5 can define a heating element pair. In an embodiment which is not shown, it can be provided that an additional heating device 6 is assigned to multiple heating element pairs. The multiple heating element pairs can be arranged spaced apart from one another, in particular, the heating element pairs can be arranged, with respect to an axis transversely and/or perpendicularly to the axial axis 20, spaced apart from one another. In such an embodiment which is not shown, the additional heating device 6 can be arranged at least in sections between the first PTC heating element 4 and the second PTC heating element 5 of each heating element pair.

[0081] The first PTC heating element 4 and the second PTC heating element 5 are arranged spaced apart from one another with respect to the axial axis 20, wherein the additional heating device 6 is arranged, with respect to the axial axis 20, between the first PTC heating element 4 and the second PTC heating element 5 at least in sections.

[0082] The first PTC heating element 4 comprises a contact surface 23 which faces away from the additional heating device 6. The first PTC heating element 4 comprises a surface section 9 which faces the additional heating device 6. The contact surface 23 and the surface section 9 form substantially planar and/or flat surfaces, wherein the contact surface 23 and the surface section 9 are orientated substantially parallel to one another and are formed spaced apart from one another with respect to the axial axis 20. The axial axis 20 is orientated substantially parallel to the surface normal vector of the contact surface 23 and of the surface section 9 which is not shown.

[0083] The second PTC heating element 5 comprises a contact surface 24 which faces away from the additional heating device 6. The second PTC heating element 5 comprises a surface section 10 which faces the additional heating device 6. The contact surface 24 and the surface section 10 form substantially planar and/or flat surfaces, wherein the contact surface 24 and the surface section 10 are orientated substantially parallel to one another and formed spaced apart from one another with respect to the axial axis 20. The axial axis 20 is orientated substantially parallel to the surface normal vector of the contact surface 24 and of the surface section 10 which is not shown.

[0084] The additional heating device 6 touchingly lies against the surface section 9 of the first PTC heating element 4 at least in sections. The additional heating device 6 touchingly lies against the surface section 10 of the first PTC heating element 5 at least in sections.

[0085] The first PTC heating element 4, the second PTC heating element 5 and the additional heating device 6 are arranged, with respect to the axial axis 20, between two support bodies 16, 17 that are spaced apart from one another, wherein the support bodies 16, 17 each have a side facing away from the PTC heating elements 4, 5, past which a fluid, which is to be heated by the PCT heating elements 4, 5, which is not shown, can flow. The first PTC heating element 4, the second PTC heating element 5 and the additional heating device 6 can be encapsulated by the support bodies 16, 17 relative to the fluid in a fluid-tight manner.

[0086] Between the respective contact surface 23, 24 of the PTC heating elements 4, 5 and the support body 16, 17 located opposite the contact surface 23, 24 of the PTC heating element 4, 5 a contact element 18, 19 each can be formed. The contact elements 18, 19 are each electrically conductively connected to the respective PTC heating element 4, 5 and formed electrically insulated relative to the respective support body 16, 17. Thus, a first contact element 18 is arranged touchingly lying against the contact surface 23 of the first PTC heating element 4, wherein a second contact element 19 is arranged touchingly lying against the contact surface 24 of the second PTC heating element 5. The first contact element 18 can have a first electrical polarity (e.g. positive pole) and thus form a first electrical pole, wherein the second contact element 19 can have a polarity that is opposite to that of the first contact element (e.g. negative pole). The contact elements 18, 19 can be connected to an electric energy source of a vehicle which is not shown and provide an electric power supply of the PTC heating elements 4, 5.

[0087] The first PTC heating element 4 and the second PTC heating element 5 are electrically conductively connected to one another via the additional heating device 6.

[0088] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a heating element assembly 1 according to the invention, wherein the additional heating device 6 is shown in more detail.

[0089] The additional heating device 6 comprises at least one additional heating element 7. This additional heating element 7 is exemplarily formed as heating wire coil in FIG. 3, which is supplied with electric power via power supply contacts 22. With respect to the axial axis 20, the additional heating element 7 is arranged between the first PTC heating element 4 and the second PTC heating element 5. The additional heating device 6 comprises at least one contacting section 8 which is arranged between the first PTC heating element 4 and the second PTC heating element 5, wherein the contacting section 8 forms an electrically conductive connection between the first PTC heating element and the second PTC heating element 5. The additional heating element 7 is electrically insulated with respect to the first PTC heating element 4 and the second PTC heating element 5 and with respect to the contacting section 8. The electrical insulation of the additional heating element 7 is formed by an insulating section 21. The insulating section 21 can be formed of an electrically insulating material.

[0090] The additional heating element 7 is heat-transferringly coupled to the contact section 8 and to the first PTC heating element 4 and the second PTC heating element 5, in particular heat-transferringly coupled by means of heat conduction and/or heat radiation and/or convection.

[0091] FIG. 4 shows a plan view transversely and/or perpendicularly to the axial axis 20 onto an embodiment of a heating element assembly 1 according to the invention, wherein the additional heating device 6 is shown in more detail.

[0092] The additional heating device 6 comprises a contacting section 8 which in the plan view is formed U-shaped. Furthermore, multiple contacting sections 8a that are spaced apart from one another are formed, which in the plan view are arranged within the contacting section 8 formed U-shaped. Between the contacting sections 8 and 8a multiple additional heating elements 7 are formed as planar resistance heating elements, which are electrically connected in series and are supplied with electric power via power supply contacts 22. The additional heating elements 7 and the contacting sections 8 and 8a are electrically insulated from one another via an insulating section 20 or multiple insulating sections 20.

[0093] FIG. 5 shows schematically a vehicle 3 having a heating device 2, wherein the heating device 2 comprises multiple heating element registers 11, which in turn comprise multiple heating element assemblies 1. Furthermore, the heating device 2 comprises a control device 12 which is designed and/or programmed for carrying out operating temperature adjustment of the PTC heating elements 4, 5.