HEATING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR AIR CONDITIONING HOUSING OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

Heating device (1), particularly for air conditioning housing of a motor vehicle, wherein the device (1) comprises a heating module (2) configured to heat a flow of air using an electrical current circulating in the module (2), said heating module (2) defining a plurality of zones (7, 8), each zone (7, 8) being capable of heating the flow of air in the direction of one portion of a passenger compartment of said motor vehicle, each of said zones (7, 8) comprising a plurality of heating elements (3) and wherein at least one of said zones (7, 8) comprises a number of heating elements (3) that is different from a number of heating elements (3) heating another of said zones (7, 8).

Claims

1. A heating device for an air-conditioning housing of a motor vehicle, the device comprising: a heating module configured such as to heat a flow of air using an electric current circulating in said module, said heating module defining a plurality of zones, each zone being capable of heating the flow of air in the direction of a part of a car interior of said motor vehicle, each of said zones comprising a plurality of heating elements, and wherein at least one of said zones comprises a number of heating elements that is different from a number of heating elements of another of said zones.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least two zones of the plurality of zones comprising a first zone to heat the flow of air in the direction of a driver and a second zone to heat the flow of air in the direction of a front passenger of the motor vehicle.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first zone comprises a number N1 of heating elements and the second zone comprises a number N2 of heating elements, the number N1 being less than the number N2.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the heating elements N1 and N2 have an electrical resistor dependent on the temperature of said heating elements.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the heating elements are positive temperature coefficient heating elements.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the heating elements are arranged in bars, each zone of the at least two zones comprising a plurality of bars.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each bar is controlled independently of one another.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bars of one and the same zone are controlled in such a manner that a voltage and an identical current are conveyed in each bar of one and the same zone.

9. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each bar of the first zone comprises heating elements and at least one non-heating element.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a non-heating element of a bar is arranged in such a manner as to lie next to a heating element of another bar.

11. A heating device for an air-conditioning housing of a motor vehicle, comprising: a heating module configured to heat a flow of air using an electric current circulating in said heating module, the heating module being substantially parallelepipedal and extending as a surface, positioned transversally relative to the flow of air to be heated, said heating module defining a plurality of zones, each zone being capable of heating the flow of air in the direction of a part of a car interior of said motor vehicle, each of said zones comprising a plurality of heating elements, wherein at least one of said plurality of zones comprises a number of heating elements that is different from a number of heating elements of another of said plurality of zones.

12. An assembly, comprising: a heating device comprising: a heating module configured to heat a flow of air using an electric current circulating in said heating module, said heating module defining a plurality of zones, each zone being capable of heating the flow of air in the direction of a part of a car interior of said motor vehicle, each of said zones comprising a plurality of heating elements, wherein at least one of said plurality of zones comprises a number of heating elements that is different from a number of heating elements of another of said plurality of zones; and a distribution unit configured to form a connection and distribution interface for electrically connecting the heating module to a current supply network of the vehicle, the distribution unit being further configured to modulate the current powering the heating module and the plurality of heating elements with the aid of controlled commutators.

Description

[0026] As illustrated in the figure, the invention relates to a heating device 1, particularly for a motor vehicle air conditioning housing.

[0027] Said device 1 comprises a heating module 2 configured such as to heat a flow of air using an electric current circulating through said heating module 2. Said heating module 2 here has a substantially parallelepipedal configuration, extending as a surface. It is designed to be positioned transversally relative to the flow of air to be heated up.

[0028] Although not shown in detail in the figure, said heating module 2 comprises, for example, a support frame, particularly made from plastics material, receiving one or more heating elements. Said heating elements comprise, for example, resistors with a PTC (positive temperature coefficient) effect. Each heating element advantageously forms a bar 4 receiving the PTC-effect resistors 3 or normal resistors 3, the latter being located one after the other and connected electrically in parallel. In a preferred embodiment, the resistors 3 are PTC-effect resistors. The heating element 3 may further comprise dissipators, for example fins in a thermal contact relationship with the PTC-effect resistors 3. The dissipators are positioned, in particular, on either side of said resistors 3.

[0029] Said device 1 further comprises a unit 5 for distribution and control of the current in said heating module 2 and a power connector 6 for said current, making it possible to make the connection to the electrical source of the motor vehicle.

[0030] Said distribution unit 5 advantageously forms a connection and distribution interface for electrically connecting the heating module 2, in particular the various heating elements 3, to a current supply network of the vehicle, for example a 12 V DC (direct current) or 48 V DC network or the like, particularly a network integrating a battery of the vehicle Connection and distribution interface is understood to mean that the distribution unit 5 is sufficient to allow the circulation of the current in the heating module 2 without provision having to be made in said heating module 2 for one or more specific terminals connecting to the current supply network of the vehicle.

[0031] Said distribution unit 5 is configured such as to modulate the current powering the heating module 2, in particular the various heating elements, for example with the aid of controlled commutators, making it possible to control a circulation of current in said heating module 2. These are, in particular, transistors, for example of the MOSFET or IGBT type, functioning in particular by pulse width modulation (PWM).

[0032] The heating module 2 and the distribution unit 5 are configured such as to be assembled together in a modular or non-modular manner.

[0033] According to the invention, the heating module 2 defines a plurality of zones 7, 8. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the heating module 2 comprises two zones 7, 8: a first zone 7 heating the flow of air intended for the driver and a second zone 8 heating the flow of air intended for the front passenger(s).

[0034] As stated above, the heating module 2 comprises heating elements 3. The heating elements 3 comprise resistors that may be manufactured from a variety of materials. However, a preferred material is PTC-effect ceramic because this is a material with a positive temperature coefficient and has particularly advantageous properties in the invention. In particular, its resistance varies as a function of its temperature and thus the resistance increases when its temperature increases, and vice versa. This makes it possible advantageously to reduce the consumption of said ceramics.

[0035] As illustrated in the figure, the first zone 7 comprises a number N1 of heating elements 3. The second zone 8 comprises a number N2 of heating elements 3.

[0036] The number N1 is less than the number N2. Thus, the air intended for the driver is heated by fewer heating elements 3 than is the air that reaches the passenger.

[0037] The heating elements 3 are arranged in the bars 4. Each zone 7, 8 comprises a plurality of bars 4. The heating elements 3 of one and the same bar 4 are powered by electrodes common to all the heating elements 3 of the bar 4. A bar 4 has the form of a profile comprising heating elements 3 spaced out relative to one another. A bar 4 also comprises electrodes common to the heating elements 3.

[0038] The electric current conveyed and the voltage applied to each bar 4 in one and the same zone 7, 8 is identical.

[0039] In a variant embodiment, each bar 4 is controlled independently. Thus, the electric current and the voltage applied are different from one bar 4 to another. This makes it possible advantageously to control the heating of the air more precisely.

[0040] In the embodiment shown in the figure, each bar 4 of the first zone 7 comprises heating elements 3 and at least one non-heating element 9.

[0041] Non-heating element is understood to mean elements that do not heat, such as, for example, false ceramics or separation elements made from plastics materials. However, a non-heating element 9 may also be an empty space.

[0042] An empty space is particularly advantageous in that it makes it possible to reduce costs and makes the device 1 easier to manufacture. However, a non-heating element 9, such as a false ceramic, offers the advantage that the support frame has improved structural rigidity.

[0043] As illustrated in the figure, a non-heating element 9 of a bar 4 is arranged in such a manner as to be next to a heating element 3 of another bar 4. This makes it possible advantageously to not have too great a non-heating surface. Indeed, too great a non-heating surface could be detrimental to the heat quality of the air such that the driver or the passenger would sense differences in temperature in the flow of air.

[0044] In the non-limiting exemplary embodiment shown in the figure, the first zone 7 and the second zone 8 each comprise three bars 4. Each bar 4 of the second zone 8 comprises five heating elements 3.

[0045] In the embodiment shown in the figure, the device 1 comprises a first bar 4 located in the first zone 7 and comprising four heating elements 3, followed by a non-heating element 9. The device 1 comprises a second bar 4 located in the first zone 7 and next to the first bar 4 and comprising a heating element 3 followed by two non-heating elements 9 followed by two heating elements 3. The device 1 comprises a third bar 4 located in the first zone 7, next to the second bar 4 and identical to the first bar 4. In each bar 4, the heating and non-heating elements 3, 9 are arranged in a row.

[0046] Fewer heating elements in the first zone 7 as compared to the second zone 8 means that the air in the direction of the driver will be heated less. a priori this would seem to reduce driver comfort. However, the applicant has become aware that the driver does not sense the temperature in the same manner as the front passenger does. As a result, fewer heating elements 3 in the first zone 7 does not reduce the thermal comfort perceived by a driver.

[0047] The heating device 1 just described offers the advantage of saving energy by reducing electrical consumption, affording greater range particularly when the vehicle comprises a propulsion engine of the electric or hybrid vehicle.