ELECTRIC HEATING APPLIANCE

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an electric heating device, particularly a parking heater, for a motor vehicle, wherein the electric heating device is configured to be connected to an external system voltage and to be incorporated in an on-board motor vehicle cooling circuit, comprising at least one electric heating element for the delivery of heat to a coolant fluid which is present in the cooling circuit, and a power supply unit for the transformation of the external system voltage. Outputs for battery charging, the operation of a circulation pump or the operation of a vehicle fan.

Claims

1. Electric heating device for a motor vehicle, wherein the electric heating device is configured to be connected to an external system voltage and to be incorporated in an on-board motor vehicle cooling circuit, comprising at least one electric heating element for the delivery of heat to a coolant fluid which is present in the cooling circuit, and a power supply unit for the transformation of the external system voltage into a local voltage.

2. Electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the external system voltage lies between 100 V and 500 V, and/or a frequency of the system voltage lies between 50 Hz and 60 Hz, and/or the local voltage lies between 5 V and 50 V.

3. Electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating device is configured for the output of one or more control signals for the actuation of components, e.g. a circulation pump and/or fan, using the local voltage delivered by the power supply unit, and/or is configured for the control of a charging function for a battery of the motor vehicle.

4. Electric heating device according to claim 3, wherein the control of the charging function for the battery executes a maintenance charging function.

5. Electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element, on the one hand, and the power supply unit and/or the control unit, on the other hand, are arranged in a sub-assembly or in a housing, where applicable.

6. Electric heating device according to claim 1, wherein the electric heating element and the power supply unit and/or the control unit are supplied via the same network connection.

7. System, comprising the electric heating device according claim 1, together with the circulation pump, and/or the fan, and/or a battery, and/or means for activating the system/heating device, e.g. a remote control and/or a UMTS connection, and/or means for the temperature-dependent activation of the vehicle fan, and/or means for the temperature-dependent control of the water pump.

8. Motor vehicle, comprising an electric heating device according to claim 1.

9. Application of an electric heating device according to claim 1 wherein the electric heating device is configured to be connected to an external voltage supply and to be incorporated in an on-board motor vehicle cooling circuit, and comprises at least one heating element for the delivery of heat to a coolant fluid which is present in the cooling circuit, for the charging of a of the vehicle and/or for the supply of an on-board vehicle fan with a supply voltage, and/or for the supply of a circulation pump.

10. Method for operating a heating device according to claim 1 wherein a battery of the vehicle, for the charging thereof, is supplied with electric power by means of the heating device, and/or wherein an on-board vehicle fan is supplied with electric power by means of the heating device, and/or wherein charging of a battery of the vehicle is controlled by means of the heating device, and/or wherein operation of an on-board vehicle fan is controlled by means of the heating device.

11. Application of a system according to claim 7, wherein the electric heating device is configured to be connected to an external voltage supply and to be incorporated in an on-board motor vehicle cooling circuit, and comprises at least one heating element for the delivery of heat to a coolant fluid which is present in the cooling circuit, for the charging of a of the vehicle and/or for the supply of an on-board vehicle fan with a supply voltage, and/or for the supply of a circulation pump.

12. Method for operating a system according to claim 7, wherein a battery of the vehicle, for the charging thereof, is supplied with electric power by means of the heating device, and/or wherein an on-board vehicle fan is supplied with electric power by means of the heating device, and/or wherein charging of a battery of the vehicle is controlled by means of the heating device, and/or wherein operation of an on-board vehicle fan is controlled by means of the heating device.

Description

[0023] The following description is with respect to an exemplary embodiment which is explained in greater detail with reference to FIG. 1. In the FIGURE:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a heating device according to the disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an electric heating device. The heating device comprises a housing 10 with a water channel 11. In the water channel 11, an electric heating element 12 is arranged such that, when a current flows through the electric heating element, the resulting heat leads to a heat up of a fluid (water) in the water channel 11. The coolant fluid (the cooling water) can be admitted and discharged via (schematically represented) connections 13.

[0026] The heating device further comprises a power supply unit 14 and outputs 15, 16 and (optionally) 17 for battery charging, the operation of a circulation pump and (where applicable) the operation of a vehicle fan. Moreover, a network connection 18 is provided, by means of which the electric heating device can be connected to an external voltage supply (public electric grid system). By means of a switch (thermostatic switch) 19, the electric heating element can be switched on. The electric heating element is supplied (directly, i.e. not via the power supply unit) with the external voltage from the public electric grid system. Moreover a control unit 20 is provided (where applicable, at least partly as a constituent of the power supply unit 14), by means of which, where applicable, the circulation pump, and/or the battery charging function, and/or the vehicle fan can be actuated via one or more outputs 22a, 22b, 22c.

[0027] The power supply unit 14 can be arranged in an installation space 21 (where applicable, in combination with the control unit). This installation space, together with the electric heating element, can be provided in a common housing, or accommodated by a separate housing (which is nevertheless arranged on the housing in which the electric heating element is arranged).

[0028] In the form of embodiment according to FIG. 1, heat is evacuated directly to the cooling water. The power supply unit 14 permits transformation of the supply voltage (e.g. 230 volts) to, for example, (approximately) 13.8 volts for a supply of the circulation pump and, where applicable, the vehicle fan.

[0029] At this point, it should be observed that all the above-mentioned components, considered individually per se and in any combination, particularly the details represented in the drawings, are claimed as essential to the disclosure. Variations herefrom will be familiar to a person skilled in the art.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0030] 10 Housing [0031] 11 Water channel [0032] 12 Electric heating element [0033] 13 Connection [0034] 14 Power supply unit [0035] 15 Output for a circulation pump [0036] 16 Output for the battery charging function [0037] 17 Output for a fan [0038] 18 Network connection [0039] 19 Switch [0040] 20 Control unit [0041] 21 Installation space