Temperature control device and method for assembling a temperature control device for heating and/or cooling gases or gas mixtures, in particular for use in the respiratory protection sector

Abstract

A temperature control device for heating and/or cooling gases or gas mixtures, in particular for use in the respiratory protection sector. The temperature control device has a housing, a compressed air input, a supply output and a vortex tube with an air inlet, a hot air outlet and a cold air outlet. The vortex tube is installable in at least two final assembly arrangements. In a first arrangement, there is a fluid-conducting connection between the cold air outlet of the vortex tube and the supply output of the temperature control device and, in a second arrangement, there is a fluid-conducting connection between the hot air outlet of the vortex tube and the supply output of the temperature control device. By this configuration, the temperature control device is both a device for heating and cooling respiratory air from mainly the same components with little additional outlay on production and little additional effort during assembly.

Claims

1. A temperature control device for heating and/or cooling gases or gas mixtures, the temperature control device comprising: a housing including a basic body and a supply cap, a compressed air input, a supply output, and a vortex tube at least partially accommodated in the basic body, the vortex tube including an air inlet, a hot air outlet, and a cold air outlet, wherein the basic body has a hot air side and a cold air side, the vortex tube being oriented in such a manner that the hot air outlet of the vortex tube is located on the hot air side of the basic body and the cold air outlet of the vortex tube is located on the cold air side of the basic body, the vortex tube of the temperature control device is installable in at least two final assembly arrangements without changing the orientation of the vortex tube within the basic body, in a first final assembly arrangement of the vortex tube, the supply cap is assembled on the cold air side of the basic body with a fluid-conducting connection between the cold air outlet of the vortex tube and the supply output of the temperature control device, and in a second final assembly arrangement of the vortex tube, the supply cap is assembled on the hot air side of the basic body with a fluid-conducting connection between the hot air outlet of the vortex tube and the supply output of the temperature control device.

2. The temperature control device of claim 1, wherein the housing also includes an exhaust air cap, the basic body is arranged between the supply cap and the exhaust air cap, in the first final assembly arrangement, the exhaust air cap is assembled on the hot air side of the basic body, and in the second final assembly arrangement, the exhaust air cap is assembled on the cold air side of the basic body.

3. The temperature control device of claim 2, wherein the vortex tube is connected to the basic body of the temperature control device via a form fit, force fit or adhesive bond.

4. The temperature control device of claim 1, wherein the basic body and the supply cap each have at least one fastening element with a fastening opening, wherein, in both the first final assembly arrangement and in the second final assembly arrangement, the fastening openings of the fastening elements at least partially overlap, and a locking element is provided which extends through the overlapping regions of the two fastening openings and connects the basic body and the supply cap to each other by a form fit.

5. The temperature control device of claim 2, wherein the exhaust air cap and the supply cap each have a fastening element with a fastening opening, and the basic body likewise has a fastening opening which, at least in the first and in the second final assembly arrangement, at least partially overlaps with the fastening opening of the fastening element of the exhaust air cap and the fastening opening of the fastening element of the supply cap, wherein a locking element is provided which extends from the outer side of the housing at least through the overlapping regions of the fastening openings of the exhaust air cap and the supply cap as far as into the fastening opening of the basic body, wherein the locking element is fixable in the fastening opening of the basic body and connects the exhaust air cap, the supply cap and the basic body to one another by a form fit.

6. The temperature control device of claim 4, wherein the locking element has an elongate anchoring portion with a constant cross section and a circumferential shoulder, wherein a geometry of the cross section of the anchoring portion widens at the shoulder such that a geometry of the cross section of the shoulder projects in at least one region radially beyond the geometry of the cross section of the anchoring portion.

7. The temperature control device of claim 2, wherein the supply cap and the exhaust air cap are only indirectly connected to each other via at least one further part of the temperature control device, at least on a side of the temperature control device which faces away from the compressed air input.

8. The temperature control device of claim 2, wherein the exhaust air cap has an exhaust air output which creates a fluid-conducting connection between the interior of the housing and the surroundings, wherein the cross-sectional area of the fluid-conducting connection between the interior of the housing and the surroundings is changeable at least at one point by a throttle valve.

9. The temperature control device of claim 2, wherein, in the first final assembly arrangement, the exhaust air output is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the hot air outlet of the vortex tube, and, in the second final assembly arrangement, the exhaust air output is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the cold air outlet of the vortex tube.

10. The temperature control device of claim 1, wherein an adjustment element is provided via which the cross-sectional area of a fluid-conducting connection between the hot air outlet or the cold air outlet of the vortex tube and the surroundings is directly or indirectly changeable at at least one point, the adjustment element is attached to one end of the housing of the temperature control device, and the cross section of the fluid-conducting connection is directly or indirectly changeable via rotation of the adjustment element.

11. The temperature control device of claim 10, wherein the adjustment element has an indicating element which can be felt haptically so that the extent the position of the adjustment element has changed with respect to a basic position is determinable at least haptically.

12. The temperature control device of claim 10, wherein the adjustment element has a cutout through which, depending on the rotational position of the adjustment element, the exhaust air output is visible, wherein the air removed through the exhaust air output substantially flows off through the visible region of the exhaust air output and the overlapping region of the cutout into the surroundings.

13. A method for assembling the temperature control device of claim 1, the method comprising arranging the basic body of the housing between the supply cap and an exhaust air cap.

14. The method for assembling a temperature control device of claim 13, wherein the basic body has at least one marking which indicates based on at least one of a position of the at least one marking and a configuration of the at least one marking how the basic body should be oriented relative to the supply cap and the exhaust air cap for assembly of the first final assembly arrangement and for assembly of the second final assembly arrangement.

15. The method for assembling a temperature control device of claim 13, wherein the housing has a compressed air input with a locking element, wherein the locking element has an elongate anchoring portion and a circumferential shoulder, wherein the geometry of the cross section of the anchoring portion widens at the shoulder in such a manner that the geometry of the cross section of the shoulder projects in at least one region radially beyond the geometry of the cross section of the anchoring portion, wherein the exhaust air cap and the supply cap each have a fastening element with a fastening opening, and the basic body has a fastening opening, wherein, for the first final assembly arrangement, the exhaust air cap is pushed onto the hot air side of the basic body in the direction of the cold air side of the basic body and is oriented in such a manner that the fastening opening of the basic body and the fastening opening of the exhaust air cap are oriented substantially coaxially with respect to each other, wherein the assembly of the exhaust air cap is followed by the assembly of the supply cap which is pushed onto the cold air side of the basic body in the direction of the hot air side and is oriented in such a manner that the fastening opening of the supply cap is oriented substantially coaxially with respect to the fastening opening of the basic body and the fastening opening of the exhaust air cap, wherein, after the substantially coaxial orientation of the fastening openings with respect to one another, the assembly of the locking element takes place, wherein the locking element can be mounted either as an individual part or as part of the compressed air input, and the assembly takes place in such a manner that the anchoring portion is guided through the fastening openings of the supply cap and of the exhaust air cap and introduced in the fastening opening of the basic body as far as the shoulder, wherein the shoulder serves as a stop for the push-in depth of the anchoring portion, and the anchoring portion is anchored in this position in the basic body.

16. The method for assembling a temperature control device of claim 13, wherein the housing has a connecting plate, wherein the basic body and the connecting plate each have an upper screw recess and a lower screw recess, and the supply cap has an upper screw recess and the exhaust air cap has a lower screw recess, wherein the assembly takes place in such a manner that, for the first final assembly arrangement, the exhaust air cap is pushed onto the hot air side of the basic body in the direction of the cold air side of the basic body and is oriented in such a manner that the lower screw recess of the basic body and the lower screw recess of the exhaust air cap are oriented substantially coaxially with respect to each other, wherein the assembly of the exhaust air cap is followed by the assembly of the supply cap which is pushed onto the cold air side of the basic body in the direction of the hot air side of the basic body and is oriented in such a manner that the upper screw recess of the basic body and the upper screw recess of the supply cap are oriented substantially coaxially with respect to each other, wherein subsequently the assembly of the connecting plate takes place which is oriented in such a manner that the upper screw recess of the connecting plate is oriented substantially coaxially with the upper screw recess of the supply cap and with the upper screw recess of the basic body, and the lower screw recess of the connecting plate is oriented substantially coaxially with the lower screw recess of the exhaust air cap and the lower screw recess of the basic body, wherein subsequently an upper fastening screw is screwed into the coaxially oriented upper screw recesses and a lower fastening screw is screwed into the coaxially oriented lower screw recesses, wherein the upper fastening screw connects the basic body, the supply cap and the connecting plate to one another in a form-fitting manner, and the lower fastening screw connects the basic body, the exhaust air cap and the connecting plate to one another in a form-fitting manner, wherein the exhaust air cap and the supply cap are connected to each other exclusively indirectly via the basic body and the connecting plate, at least in the region of the connecting plate.

17. The method for assembling a temperature control device of claim 15, wherein, instead of the assembly of the first final assembly arrangement, a second final assembly arrangement can be assembled from the components of the first final assembly arrangement, wherein the second final assembly arrangement of the temperature control device differs from the first final assembly arrangement to the effect that the basic body is positioned in such a manner that the exhaust air cap is arranged at the cold air side of the basic body and the supply cap is arranged on the hot air side of the basic body, wherein the assembly of the second final assembly arrangement takes place in the manner of the assembly of the first final assembly arrangement, wherein, in the second final assembly arrangement, the hot air side and the cold air side of the basic body are oriented in an opposite manner with respect to the first final assembly arrangement.

18. The method for assembling a temperature control device of claim 16, wherein first the assembly of the locking element takes place, followed by the assembly of the connecting plate, wherein the substantially coaxial orientation of the screw recesses takes place jointly with the substantially coaxial orientation of the fastening openings.

19. The method for assembling a temperature control device of claim 16, wherein first the assembly of the connecting plate takes place, followed by the assembly of the locking element, wherein the substantially coaxial orientation of the fastening openings takes place jointly with the substantially coaxial orientation of the screw recesses.

20. A method for assembling the temperature control device of claim 1, the method comprising: arranging the basic body of the housing between the supply cap and an exhaust air cap, wherein the arranging comprises at least one of: pushing the exhaust air cap onto the hot air side of the basic body and pushing the supply cap onto the cold air side of the basic body, so as to form the first final assembly arrangement, and pushing the exhaust air cap onto the cold air side of the basic body and pushing the supply cap onto the hot air side of the basic body, so as to form the second final assembly arrangement.

21. The temperature control device of claim 20, wherein orientation of the basic body relative to the supply cap and the exhaust air cap differs in the first and second configurations.

22. A temperature control device for heating and/or cooling gases or gas mixtures, the temperature control device comprising: a housing including a basic body and a supply cap, a compressed air input, a supply output, and a vortex tube at least partially accommodated in the basic body, the vortex tube including an air inlet, a hot air outlet, and a cold air outlet, wherein the basic body has a hot air side and a cold air side, the vortex tube being oriented in such a manner that the hot air outlet of the vortex tube is located on the hot air side of the basic body and the cold air outlet of the vortex tube is located on the cold air side of the basic body, the vortex tube of the temperature control device is installable in at least two final assembly arrangements without changing the orientation of the vortex tube within the basic body, in a first final assembly arrangement of the vortex tube, the supply cap is assembled on the cold air side of the basic body with a fluid-conducting connection between the cold air outlet of the vortex tube and the supply output of the temperature control device, and in a second final assembly arrangement of the vortex tube, the supply cap is assembled on the hot air side of the basic body with a fluid-conducting connection between the hot air outlet of the vortex tube and the supply output of the temperature control device, the orientation of the vortex tube hot air and cold air outlets to the supply cap is different between the first final assembly arrangement and the second final assembly arrangement, the basic body and the supply cap each have at least one fastening element with a fastening opening, wherein, in both the first final assembly arrangement and the second final assembly arrangement, the fastening openings of the fastening elements at least partially overlap, and a locking element is provided which extends through the overlapping regions of the two fastening openings and connects the basic body and the supply cap to each other by a form fit, and the locking element is formed by at least one part of the compressed air input.

23. A temperature control device for controlling temperature of gases or gas mixtures, the temperature control device comprising: a housing including a basic body and a supply cap, a compressed air input, a supply output, and a vortex tube at least partially accommodated in the basic body, the vortex tube having an air inlet, a hot air outlet, and a cold air outlet, wherein the basic body has a hot air side and a cold air side, orientation of the supply cap relative to the hot air side and the cold air side of the basic body can be changed so that the vortex tube is installable in at least first and second configurations without changing the orientation of the vortex tube within the basic body, in the first configuration, the supply cap is connected to the cold air outlet of the vortex tube, and in the second configuration, the supply cap is connected to the hot air outlet of the vortex tube.

24. The temperature control device of claim 20, wherein the housing also includes an exhaust air cap, orientation of the exhaust air cap relative to the hot air side and the cold air side of the basic body can also be changed, in the first configuration, the exhaust air cap is connected to the hot air outlet of the vortex tube, and in the second configuration, the exhaust air cap is connected to the cold air outlet of the vortex tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present disclosure is explained below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings here:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of an embodiment of a temperature control device according to the disclosure,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional illustration of a first final assembly arrangement as a respiratory air cooler,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of a second final assembly arrangement as a respiratory air heater, and

(5) FIG. 4 shows an exploded drawing of a second final assembly arrangement of a temperature control device according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a temperature control device 1 for heating and/or cooling gases or gas mixtures, in particular for use in the respiratory protection sector, wherein FIG. 1 shows the temperature control device 1, a housing 2, a compressed air input 3, a supply output 4, an exhaust air output 5, an adjustment element 15 with a cutout 29, an indicating element 16, a connecting plate 26 and a color marking 30. The housing 2 of the temperature control device 1 serves here to protect the parts within the housing 2 against soiling. The compressed air input 3 serves to supply the temperature control device with compressed air, wherein the supply output 4 serves to conduct the temperature-controlled air out of the housing 1 to the respiratory protection component. In addition, the supply output 4 can be provided with a rapid-action coupling 43 via which a connection to a respiratory protection mask or to a comparable device is created.

(7) Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows an exhaust air outlet 5 as part of the exhaust air cap 13 which is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, which exhaust air outlet creates a fluid-conducting connection between the interior of the housing 2 and the surroundings, wherein the cross-sectional area of the fluid-conducting connection between the interior of the housing 2 and the surroundings can be reduced and/or expanded or changed, at least at one point, by means of a throttle valve 17 from FIG. 2.

(8) In addition, FIG. 1 shows an adjustment element 15 via which the cross-sectional area of a fluid-conducting connection between the hot air outlet 8 from FIG. 2 or the cold air outlet 9 from FIG. 2 of the vortex tube 6 from FIG. 2 and the surroundings is changeable directly or indirectly at at least one point, wherein the adjustment element 15 at least partially extends around the housing 2 on the end side, and the cross-sectional area of the fluid-conducting connection is changeable directly or indirectly via rotation of the adjustment element 15. In this connection, the adjustment element 15 like the entire temperature control device 1 can be designed in color in a manner such that the color design directly permits a differentiation to be made between a first final assembly arrangement as a respiratory air cooler and a second final assembly arrangement as a respiratory air heater. Furthermore, it can be seen in FIG. 1 that the adjustment element 15 has an indicating element 16 which can be felt haptically and, by means of the position of the indicating element 16, it is possible to perceive at least haptically the extent to which the position of the adjustment element 15 has changed with respect to a basic position. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the position of the indicating element 16 changes during the rotation of the adjustment element 15, as a result of which the deviation from the basic position can be seen. Even though the indicating element 16 in FIG. 1 is illustrated as an arrow, many other configurations are possible in order to permit the haptic feeling of the indicating element 16. However, the indicating element 16 may also be configured in a manner in which it is not possible to perceive it haptically.

(9) Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows a connecting plate 26 which serves as an additional connecting element of the housing 2. Apart therefrom, the connecting plate 26 can serve to fasten the temperature control device 1 removably to a belt, wherein a second belt element can be provided to which the connecting plate 26 is releasably fastenable, wherein the belt element is fixedly fastenable to a belt. FIG. 1 also shows that the adjustment element 15 has a cutout 29 through which, depending on the rotational position of the adjustment element 15, the exhaust air output 5 is visible, wherein the air removed through the exhaust air output 5 substantially flows away into the surroundings through the visible region of the exhaust air output 5 and the overlapping region of the cutout 29. In principle, however, the cutout 29 may also be designed in such a manner that the exhaust air output 5 is not visible through the cutout 29. Accordingly, the cutout 29 can also be concealed or at least partially provided with bores or slots, via which the removed air can flow away. It is also readily possible to allow the air also to flow out of the housing 2 at another point and to accordingly offset the cutout 29 or to adapt it in some other way.

(10) A color marking 30 can furthermore be seen in FIG. 1 on the upper side of the temperature control device 1, wherein the color marking 30 is releasably fastened directly or indirectly to the housing 2 and serves to differentiate between two structurally identical temperature control devices 1, wherein a comparable marking may, however, also be provided at a different point of the temperature control device 1.

(11) FIG. 2 likewise shows the temperature control device 1 in a first final assembly arrangement for cooling gases or gas mixtures, in particular for use in the respiratory protection sector, wherein the temperature control device 1 has a housing 2, a compressed air input 3, a supply output 4 and a vortex tube 6 with an air inlet 7, a hot air outlet 8 and a cold air outlet 9, wherein, in this first final assembly arrangement of the vortex tube, there is a fluid-conducting connection between the cold air outlet 9 of the vortex tube and the supply output 4 of the temperature control device 1 and, in a second final assembly arrangement, shown in FIG. 3, there is a fluid-conducting connection between the hot air outlet 8 of the vortex tube 6 and the supply output 4 of the temperature control device 1.

(12) Since one of the vortex tube outlets 8, 9 of the vortex tube 6 is connected in a fluid-conducing manner to the supply output 4 and a vortex tube outlet 8, 9 of the vortex tube 6 is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the exhaust air output 5, the exhaust air output 5 is accordingly connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the hot air outlet 8 of the vortex tube 6 in the first final assembly arrangement, wherein, in the second final assembly arrangement, the exhaust air output 5 is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the cold air outlet 9 of the vortex tube 6.

(13) In addition, the already described adjustment element 15 and the throttle valve 17 interacting therewith can be seen from the sectional drawing shown in FIG. 2, wherein the regulating element 34 which is likewise illustrated is connected via the snap ring 41 to the adjustment element and is designed in such a manner that it is rotatable together with the adjustment element. For this purpose, the two parts can be connected to each other via a form fit in such a manner that they are not rotatable counter to one another, wherein a very wide variety of refinement possibilities in this regard are known to a person skilled in the art.

(14) In the refinement illustrated in FIG. 2, the throttle valve 17 is designed as part of the regulating element 34. Accordingly, the adjustment of the throttle valve 17 takes place via the rotation of the regulating element 34 together with the adjustment element 15 relative to the housing 2 of the temperature control device 1. In this connection, the throttle valve 17 can be formed from two slots or recesses shaped in some other way, wherein the two recesses maximally overlap in an open position and minimally overlap in a closed position, and the air flow to be conducted away flows off via the overlapping area of the two recesses. However, a person skilled in the art likewise knows a multiplicity of other solution possibilities in this regard from the prior art.

(15) Furthermore, it is apparent from FIG. 2 that the housing 2 consists at least of a basic body 10 and/or an exhaust air cap 13 and/or a supply cap 14. In addition, a locking element 23 with an anchoring portion 24 and a shoulder 25 can be gathered from FIG. 2, wherein the locking element 23 serves inter alia to connect the housing parts 10, 13, 14 to one another.

(16) Also shown for the connection of the individual housing parts are a connecting plate 26, an upper fastening screw 31 and a lower fastening screw 32 which connect the housing parts 10, 13, 14 of the temperature control device 1 to one another on the side opposite the compressed air input 3.

(17) As further features, FIG. 2 shows a vortex tube receptacle 35 which is formed from part of the basic body 10 of the housing 2 and into which the tubular portion of the vortex tube 6 can be pushed. Since the fluid-conducting connection between the compressed air input 3 and the air inlet 7 of the vortex tube 6 has to be designed to be as fluid-tight as possible, a sealing element 36 is provided between the basic body 10 and the tubular portion of the vortex tube 6 in order to prevent air from flowing away between the vortex tube 6 and the basic body 10.

(18) In order to fix the vortex tube 6 in the basic body 10, FIG. 2 also shows a first and a second end receptacle 37, 38, wherein the two end receptacles 37, 38 are identical and the end receptacles 37, 38 serve to fix the hot air outlet 8 and the cold air outlet 9 of the vortex tube in the basic body. Furthermore, the end receptacles 37, 38 serve to permit sealing between the hot air outlet 8 or cold air outlet 9 of the vortex tube 6 and the basic body 10 so that the air flows emerging from the vortex tube 6 do not slide back into the housing 2. For this purpose, sealing elements can be provided between the outlets 8, 9 of the vortex tube 6 and the end receptacles 37, 38 and between the end receptacles 37, 38 and the basic body 10, via which sealing elements a corresponding sealing is realized at said points. Of course, a different configuration of the end receptacles is likewise possible. For example, the end receptacles can be integrated in part of the housing 2.

(19) As a further element, FIG. 2 shows a sound absorber 40 through which the air flowing away through the downstream exhaust air output 5 flows and which ensures that as far as possible no noise passes to the outside from the interior of the temperature control device 1. In order to permit a particularly compact sound absorber 40, the sound absorber 40 can be composed of an open-pore material, wherein, for this purpose, for example, a corresponding body made from plastic or from another material can be used. For example, the sound absorber 40 can also consist of a sintered body made from a material capable of being sintered.

(20) A particular characteristic of the temperature control device 1 shown in FIG. 2 is how the individual parts of the housing 10, 13, 14 are connected to one another. The housing 2 of the temperature control device 1 basically consists of at least two housing parts 10, 13, 14, wherein the at least two housing parts 10, 13, 14 each have at least one fastening element 18, 19 with a fastening opening 21, 22, wherein, in the first and in the second final assembly arrangement, the fastening openings 21, 22 of the fastening elements 18, 19 at least partially overlap, and a locking element 23 is provided which extends through the overlapping regions of the two fastening openings 21, 22 and which connects the at least two housing parts 10, 13, 14 to each other by means of a form fit.

(21) According to the preferred embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, this is realized in such a manner that the exhaust air cap 13 and the supply cap 14 each have a fastening element 18 and 19 from FIG. 4 with a fastening opening 21, 22 from FIG. 4, and the basic body 10 is arranged between the exhaust air cap 13 and the supply cap 14 and likewise has a fastening opening 20 from FIG. 4 which, at least in the first and in the second final assembly arrangement, at least partially overlaps with the fastening opening 21 from FIG. 4 of the fastening element of the exhaust air cap 18 from FIG. 4 and the fastening opening 22 from FIG. 4 of the fastening element of the supply cap 19 from FIG. 4. Furthermore, a locking element 23 is provided which extends from the outer side of the housing 2 at least through the overlapping regions of the fastening openings of the exhaust air cap 21 from FIG. 4 and the supply cap 22 from FIG. 4 as far as into the fastening opening of the basic body 20 from FIG. 4, wherein the locking element 23 is fixable in the fastening opening of the basic body 20 from FIG. 4 and connects the exhaust air cap 13, the supply cap 14 and the basic body 10 to one another by means of a form fit.

(22) In order to connect the housing parts to one another as described, the locking element 23 has an elongate anchoring portion 24 with a constant cross section and a circumferential shoulder 25, wherein the geometry of the cross section of the anchoring portion 24 is expanded at the shoulder 25 in such a manner that the geometry of the cross section of the shoulder 25 projects in at least one region radially beyond the geometry of the cross section of the anchoring portion 24. It is particularly advantageous here if the locking element 23 is formed by at least part of the compressed air input 3.

(23) As already mentioned previously, apart from the connection via the locking element 23 or via the compressed air input 3, the individual housing parts 10, 13, 14 of the temperature control device 1 are also connected to one another via a second connection opposite the compressed air input. For this purpose, the supply cap 14 and the exhaust air cap 13 can be connected to each other only indirectly via at least one further part of the temperature control device 1 at least on that side of the temperature control device 1 which faces away from the compressed air input 3.

(24) After the description of the individual parts shown in FIG. 2, the operation of the temperature control device 1 will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 2. It should first of all be noted for this purpose that the temperature control device 1 is supplied with compressed air via the compressed air input 3, wherein the supplied air flow flows via the compressed air input 3 into the housing and is conducted there via a fluid-conducting connection into the air inlet 7 into the vortex tube.

(25) In the vortex tube, the air flow, as already described at the beginning of the application, is divided into a cold and a hot air flow, wherein the cold air flow is conducted out of the vortex tube 6 at the cold air outlet 9 of the vortex tube 6 and the hot air flow at the hot air outlet 8. In the first final assembly arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the cold air outlet 9 of the vortex tube 6 is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the supply output 4, wherein the cold air flow can be conducted from the supply output 4 to a respiratory protection mask (not shown) or a comparable device which supplies the carrier of the temperature control device 1 with uncontaminated air from the temperature control device 1.

(26) Differently than the cold air outlet 9, the hot air outlet 8 is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the exhaust air output 5, wherein at least some of the hot air flow flows through the sound absorber 40 and the exhaust air output 5 and is subsequently conducted away into the surroundings. In this connection, the opening position of a throttle valve 17 can be influenced via the adjustment element 15, which is connected to the regulating element 34. In accordance with the explanation at the beginning, when the throttle is at least partially closed, some of the hot air flow is conducted back into the vortex tube 6, mixed with the cold air flow and conducted out therewith at the cold air outlet and therefore at the supply output. When the throttle valve 17 is closed, there is therefore virtually no change in temperature at the supply output 4. Since the first final assembly arrangement involves a temperature control device 1 for cooling respiratory air, an increase of the temperature of the air flow at the supply output 4 results from closing the throttle valve 17. On the other hand, when the throttle valve 17 is open to maximum extent, a maximum reduction in temperature of the air flow occurs at the supply output 4.

(27) As mentioned, the temperature control device 1 can be installed in at least two final assembly arrangements, wherein the arrangements differ with reference to the orientations of the basic body 10 to the other housing parts 13, 14 or with reference to the arrangement of the vortex tube outlets 8, 9 with respect to the outputs 4, 5 of the temperature control device 1. The second final assembly arrangement therefore differs from the first final assembly arrangement only to the effect that the vortex tube is connected in a fluid-conducting manner with its hot air outlet 8 to the supply output 4 and with its cold air outlet 9 to the exhaust air output 5. Therefore, in the second final assembly arrangement, when the throttle valve 17 is at least partially closed some of the cold air flow is conducted back into the vortex tube 6, wherein this part of the cold air flow mixes in the vortex tube 6 with the hot air flow and a mixture of the two air flows is conducted out at the supply output 4. Accordingly, in the second final assembly arrangement, the temperature of the air flow conducted out at the supply output 4 can be reduced by at least partially closing the throttle valve 17.

(28) FIG. 3 shows a temperature control device 1 in a second final assembly arrangement for heating gases or gas mixtures, in particular for use in the respiratory protection sector. Accordingly, the different arrangement of the basic body can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3. Apart from the orientation of the basic body, all of the parts correspond to the parts from FIG. 2. In principle, the temperature control device 1 can be installed in at least two different final assembly arrangements, wherein the basic body 10 in a first orientation and a second orientation is located between the exhaust air cap 13 and the supply cap 14. For this purpose, the basic body 10 has a cold air side 11 and a hot air side 12 and, in a first final assembly arrangement, is connected with its cold air side 11 to the supply cap 14 and, in a second final assembly arrangement, is connected with its hot air side 12 to the supply cap 14. Accordingly, in a first final assembly arrangement, the basic body 10 is connected with its hot air side 12 to the exhaust air cap 13 and, in a second final assembly arrangement, is connected with its cold air side 11 to the exhaust air cap 13. It should be noted that the vortex tube 6 is at least partially accommodated in the basic body 10, wherein the vortex tube 6 is oriented in such a manner that the hot air outlet 8 of the vortex tube 6 is located on the hot air side 12 of the basic body 10, and the cold air outlet 9 of the vortex tube 6 is located on the cold air side 11 of the basic body 10. The connection between the vortex tube 6 and the basic body 10 takes place either via a form fit, a force fit or an adhesive bond, wherein a connection via a force fit is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(29) FIG. 4 shows an exploded drawing of a second final assembly arrangement, wherein the assembly of the temperature control device will be explained in more detail with reference to the illustration. For this purpose, various parts of the temperature control device are shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 thus shows a vortex tube 6 with a hot air outlet 8 and a cold air outlet 9. It should be noted in this connection that the vortex tube is constructed from a plurality of parts, but may also consist of one part. In addition the vortex tube can also be adapted for the respective intended use by means of attachment parts or installation parts. For example, a covering can be pressed in at the hot air outlet in order to influence how the air flow is separated within the vortex tube into a hot and a cold air flow. In a departure from the vortex tube illustrated in the drawings, the vortex tube can also be configured differently, wherein a wide variety of refinements of vortex tubes are already known from the prior art.

(30) Furthermore, the basic body 10 of the temperature control device 1 is shown, wherein the basic body 10 shows a cold air side 11 and a hot air side 12, a fastening opening 20 and two assembly markings 39. It should be noted in this connection that the vortex tube 6 is anchored in the basic body 10 in such a manner that the hot air outlet 8 of the vortex tube 6 is located on the hot air side 12 of the basic body 10.

(31) In addition to the anchoring, described in FIGS. 2 and 3, of the vortex tube 6 in the basic body 10, a first end receptacle 37 and a second end receptacle 38 are shown, wherein the outlets 8, 9 of the vortex tube are inserted into the end receptacles 37, 38, as described in FIG. 2. This can also be readily seen from the center line in FIG. 4 which shows how the temperature control device 1 is joined together during the assembly. The end receptacles 37, 38 may also be configured differently here than is visible from the drawings. It is likewise conceivable for the end receptacles 37, 38 to be formed by a different part of the temperature control device 1 so that no additional parts are necessary for fixing the vortex tube outlets 8, 9.

(32) Furthermore, an assembly marking 39 is shown on the basic body 10, said assembly marking serving, on the basis of its position and/or its configuration, to indicate how the basic body 10 has to be oriented relative to the other housing parts 13, 14 for the assembly of a first final assembly arrangement and how for the assembly of a second final assembly arrangement. The at least one assembly marking 39 can be designed here in different ways. For example, a complex illustration with additional information or a simple illustration which consists only of a dot or line can be selected.

(33) As a further housing part, an exhaust air cap 13 and a supply cap 14 are shown, wherein the exhaust air cap 13 has the exhaust air outlet 5, a fastening element 18 with a fastening opening 21 and a lower screw recess 28, and the supply cap 14 has a supply output 4 and also a fastening element 19 with a fastening opening 22 and an upper screw recess 27. Furthermore, a locking element 23 with an anchoring portion 24 and a shoulder 25 is shown, wherein the locking element 23 is designed as part of the compressed air input 3 from FIG. 2 and, during the assembly, is anchored in the basic body 10, for example with a thread.

(34) Apart from the previously described features from FIG. 4, an adjustment element 15, a regulating element 34, a sound absorber 40, a spacer element 42 and a snap ring 41 are furthermore shown. As already mentioned previously, the adjustment element 15 serves to regulate the temperature at the supply output 4 via a rotation of the adjustment element 15 relative to the housing, wherein the rotation takes place substantially about the center axis of the temperature control device 1. For this purpose, the adjustment element 15 is connected directly or indirectly to the regulating element 34 via a force fit, form fit or adhesive bond, wherein the spacer element 42 is placed between the adjustment element 15 and the regulating element 34. The spacer element serves here to create a prestress between the adjustment element 15 and the exhaust air cap 13 and can be designed, for example, as a shaft disk. By means of this prestress, the regulating element 34, which is connected to the exhaust air cap 13 via a snap ring, and the adjustment element 15 are pushed apart very substantially in the direction of the axis of the temperature control device 1, as a result of which a contact pressure is obtained between an inner surface of the adjustment element 15 and a surface of the exhaust air cap 13, in the region of the adjustment element 15. The pressed-together surfaces of the adjustment element 15 and of the exhaust air cap 13 can be provided here in the manner of elevations such that latching positions arise which are detectable during rotation of the adjustment element 15 and hold the adjustment element 15 in the selected position. It should be noted that the fastening of the adjustment element 15 takes place via the spacer element 42 and the regulating element 34, wherein the regulating element 34 is connected to the exhaust air cap 13 via the snap ring 41. The assembly of the adjustment element 15 takes place in such a manner that the adjustment element 15 is first of all pushed from the side facing away from the temperature control device in the direction of the supply cap 14 onto the lower side of the exhaust air cap 13, wherein the spacer element 42 is then inserted into the adjustment element 15 substantially coaxially in the direction of the supply cap 14. The regulating element 34 is subsequently inserted substantially coaxially into the adjustment element 15 and into part of the exhaust air cap 13. After the positioning, the parts are then connected to the exhaust air cap 13 by means of the snap ring 41, wherein the snap ring 41 is inserted via the exhaust air output 5 from FIG. 2 into the exhaust air cap and anchored there.

(35) FIG. 4 likewise shows the color marking 30 which is known from FIG. 1, with the closure element 33, and the closure element 33 is connected to the supply cap 14 of the temperature control device 1 via a thread. The color marking 30 can then be fastened releasably to the closure element 33 via a force fit or form fit.

(36) Since the temperature control device 1 is intended to be assembled, inter alia, with particularly little effort, the assembly of the temperature control device 1 is described in more detail below.

(37) During the assembly of a first final assembly arrangement, first of all the exhaust air cap 13 is pushed onto the hot air side 12 of the basic body 10 in the direction of the cold air side 11 of the basic body 10 and oriented in such a manner that the fastening opening of the basic body 20 and the fastening opening of the exhaust air cap 21 are oriented substantially coaxially with respect to each other. Subsequently, the assembly takes place if the supply cap 14 which is pushed onto the cold air side 11 of the basic body 10 in the direction of the hot air side 12 and oriented in such a manner that the fastening opening of the supply cap 22 is oriented substantially coaxially with respect to the fastening opening of the basic body 20 and the fastening opening of the exhaust air cap 21. After the substantially coaxial orientation of the fastening openings 20, 21, 22, the locking element 23 is assembled, wherein the locking element 23 can be assembled either as an individual part or as part of the compressed air input 3 from FIG. 2, and the assembly takes place in such a manner that the anchoring portion 24 is inserted through the fastening opening of the supply cap 22 and through the fastening openings of the exhaust air cap 21 and into the fastening opening of the basic body 20 as far as the shoulder 25, wherein the shoulder 25 serves as a stop for the push-in depth of the anchoring portion 24, and the anchoring portion 24 is anchored in this position in the basic body 10.

(38) As already described, apart from the connection via the locking element 23 or the compressed air input 3 from FIG. 2, the housing 10 of the temperature control device 1 is also connected via a connecting plate 26 which is likewise illustrated, wherein the connecting plate 26 and the basic body 10 have an upper screw recess 27 and a lower screw recess 28. Furthermore, the supply cap 14 has an upper screw recess 27 and the exhaust air cap 13 has a lower screw recess 28. In addition, an upper fastening screw 31 and a lower fastening screw 32 are provided which are inserted into the corresponding upper screw recess 27 and the corresponding lower screw recess 28 and screwed into the basic body.

(39) The assembly of the connecting plate 26 then takes place in such a manner that the connecting plate 26 is oriented such that the upper screw recess 27 of the connecting plate 26 is oriented substantially coaxially with the upper screw recess 27 of the supply cap 14 and the upper screw recess 26 of the basic body 10, and the lower screw recess 27 of the connecting plate 26 is oriented substantially coaxially with the lower screw recess 28 of the exhaust air cap 13 and the lower screw recess 28 of the basic body 10. After the positioning of the connecting plate 26 and the individual housing parts 10, 13, 14 with respect to one another, an upper fastening screw 31 is screwed into the coaxially oriented upper screw recesses 27 and a lower fastening screw 32 is screwed into the coaxially oriented lower screw recesses 28, wherein the upper fastening screw 31 connects the basic body 10, the supply cap 14 and the connecting plate 26 to one another in a form-fitting manner, and the lower fastening screw 32 connects the basic body 10, the exhaust air cap 13 and the connecting plate 26 to one another in a form-fitting manner. The exhaust air cap 13 and the supply cap 14 are therefore connected to each other exclusively indirectly via the basic body 10 and the connecting plate 26 on the side facing away from the compressed air input 3, at least in the region of the connecting plate 26.

(40) In principle, the assembly of the temperature control device 1 can be begun both with the assembly of the compressed air input 3 or the locking element 23 and also with the assembly of the connecting plate 26, with it being possible, however, for two different final assembly arrangements to be manufactured. In this connection, the assembly of the first final assembly arrangement then takes place in such a manner that the exhaust air cap 13 is pushed onto the hot air side 12 of the basic body 10 in the direction of the cold air side 11 of the basic body 10 and is oriented in such a manner that the lower screw recess 28 of the basic body 10 and the lower screw recess 28 of the exhaust air cap 13 are oriented substantially coaxially with respect to each other. This is then followed by the assembly of the supply cap 14 which is pushed onto the cold air side 11 of the basic body 10 in the direction of the hot air side 12 of the basic body 10 and oriented in such a manner that the upper screw recess of the basic body 10 and the upper screw recess 27 of the supply cap 14 are oriented substantially coaxially with respect to each other. The assembly of the second final assembly arrangement differs from the first final assembly arrangement only to the effect that the basic body 10 is positioned in such a manner that the exhaust air cap 13 is arranged at the cold air side 11 of the basic body 10 and the supply cap 14 on the hot air side 12 of the basic body 10. The assembly of the second final assembly arrangement takes place here in the same manner as the assembly of the first final assembly arrangement, wherein, in the second final assembly arrangement, the hot air side 12 and the cold air side 11 of the basic body 10 are oriented in an opposite manner with respect to the first final assembly arrangement.

(41) As already described, it is irrelevant for the assembly whether first of all the compressed air input 3 with the locking element 23, or the connecting plate 26 is assembled. Accordingly, first of all the assembly of the locking element 23 and then the assembly of the connecting plate 26 can take place, wherein the substantially coaxial orientation of the screw recesses 27, 28 takes place together with the substantially coaxial orientation of the fastening openings 20, 21, 22. On the other hand, the assembly of the connecting plate 26 can also take place first, followed by the assembly of the locking element 23, wherein the substantially coaxial orientation of the fastening openings 20, 21, 22 takes place together with the substantially coaxial orientation of the screw recesses 27, 28.

(42) A preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure has been described merely by way of example with reference to the figures. Other constructional forms, materials or types of connections which meet the requirements according to the disclosure are conceivable and are apparent to a person skilled in the art on perusal of the above explanations and the prior art.