HEATING AND/OR COOLING DEVICE FOR A SOLID OR FOR A FLUID STREAM

Abstract

A heating and/or cooling device for a solid or for a fluid stream includes a carrier part formed of plastic, in which an electrical heating and/or cooling element is embedded and held. A metallic distributor element is in contact with the heating and/or cooling element. At least one terminal contact and an electrical strip conductor, which connects the terminal contact to the heating and/or cooling element, are provided. The heating and/or cooling element are prefabricated and are connected to the carrier part formed of plastic by an injection molding process. Electrical strip conductors are prepared for connecting the heating and cooling element by a metal injection molding process or metal casting process.

Claims

1. A heating and/or cooling device for a solid and/or for a fluid stream, the device comprising: an electrical heating and/or cooling element; a carrier part formed of plastic and at which the electrical heating and/or cooling element is held; a metallic distributor element that is in contact with the heating and/or cooling element; at least one terminal contact; and an electrical strip conductor, which connects the terminal contact to the heating and/or cooling element.

2. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a PTC resistor or PTC thermistor is provided as the heating clement.

3. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a Peltier clement is provided as a heating and/or cooling element.

4. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heating and/or cooling element is embedded in the carrier part.

5. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heating and/or cooling element is positive lockingly held in the carrier part.

6. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the metallic distributor element is formed from a low-alloy metal melt.

7. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the metallic distributor element is embedded in a recess formed in the carrier part.

8. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the metallic distributor element is formed by a flat or curved plate or by a tube element.

9. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the distributor element is held at the carrier plate at least in a positive-locking manner.

10. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the metallic distributor element is permanently connected to the heating and/or cooling element.

11. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the metallic distributor element is soldered to the heating and/or cooling element.

12. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the strip conductor is formed from a low-alloy metal melt.

13. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the strip conductor is embedded in a recess or groove formed in the carrier part.

14. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the strip conductor is permanently connected to the heating and/or cooling element.

15. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 14, wherein the strip conductor is soldered to the heating and/or cooling element.

16. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the strip conductor is provided with a contact part made integrally in one piece at its end arranged at the heating and/or cooling element.

17. A heating and/or cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two terminal contacts are provided, by means of which the heating and/or cooling clement can be connected to an external electrical voltage source.

18. A heating and/or cooling device according to claim 1, in combination with a tool handle with the heating and/or cooling device integrated in the tool handle.

19. A heating and/or cooling device according to claim 1, in combination with a camera handle with the heating and/or cooling device integrated in the handle.

20. A heating and/or cooling device according to claim 1, in combination with a camera housing with the heating and/or cooling device integrated in the housing.

21. A heating and/or cooling device according to claim 1, in combination with a motor vehicle exhaust gas device with a flow duct, in which the heating and/or cooling device is integrated.

22. A process for manufacturing a heating and/or cooling device, the process comprising the steps of: forming a carrier part of plastic in an injection molding device; subsequent to said step of forming, arranging a prefabricated heating and/or cooling element at or in the carrier part; subsequent to said step of arranging, forming at least one strip conductor from a metal melt at the carrier part and/or forming at least one metallic distributor element at the carrier part in a metal injection molding process or metal casting process and arc connected to the heating and/or cooling element, whereby the heating and/or cooling device is provided comprising the electrical heating and/or cooling element, the carrier part holding the electrical heating and/or cooling element, the distributor element in contact with the heating and/or cooling element at least one terminal contact and the electrical strip conductor, connecting the terminal contact to the heating and/or cooling element.

23. A process for manufacturing a healing and/or cooling device, the process comprising the steps of: arranging a prefabricated heating and/or cooling element in an injection molding device extrusion-coating the arranged prefabricated heating and/or cooling element with plastic, while forming a carrier part, such that the prefabricated healing and/or cooling element is arranged and held at or in the carrier part; and subsequent to said step of extrusion-coating, forming at least one strip conductor from a metal melt and/or forming at least one metallic distributor element from a metal melt at the carrier part in a metal injection molding process or metal casting process and arc connected to the heating and/or cooling element, whereby the heating and/or cooling device is provided comprising the electrical heating and/or cooling element, the carrier part holding the electrical heating and/or cooling element, the distributor element in contact with the heating and/or cooling element at least one terminal contact and the electrical strip conductor, connecting the terminal contact to the heating and/or cooling element.

24. A process for manufacturing a heating and/or cooling device, the process comprising the steps of: forming a carrier part of plastic in an injection molding device; subsequent to said step of forming the carrier part, forming at least one strip conductor from a metal melt and/or forming at least one metallic distributor element at or in the carrier part in a metal injection molding process or metal casting process and wherein subsequent to said injection molding process or metal casting process, applying a prefabricated heating and/or cooling element to the carrier part and is connected to the strip conductor and/or to the distributor element, whereby the heating and/or cooling device is provided comprising the electrical heating and/or cooling element, the carrier part holding the electrical heating and/or cooling element, the distributor element in contact with the healing and/or cooling element at least one terminal contact and the electrical strip conductor, connecting the terminal contact to the heating and/or cooling element.

25. A process in accordance with claim 21, wherein a protective jacket consisting of plastic is applied by spraying in a subsequent process step.

26. A process in accordance with claim 21, wherein the heating and/or cooling element is subjected to a plasma treatment prior to the introduction of the metal melt.

27. A process in accordance with claim 21, wherein a contact agent or a flux is applied to the heating and/or cooling element prior to the introduction of the metal melt.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In the drawings:

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a heating and/or cooling device according to the present invention;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the heating and/or cooling device according to FIG. 1;

[0040] FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the components of the heating and/or cooling device;

[0041] FIG. 4 is a perspective sectional view of the heating and/or cooling device according to FIG. 1; and

[0042] FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing detail V in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] Referring to the drawings, a heating and/or cooling device 10 for a fluid stream, which device is shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, has a plate-shaped carrier part 11 consisting of plastic, in which carrier part 11 a large-surface recess 18, a perforation 12 and a groove-shaped recess 19 are formed, the recess 18 and the groove-shaped recess 19 being arranged on opposite sides of the carrier part 11.

[0044] A prefabricated terminal contact 15 is arranged in a corner area each on the top side of the carrier part 11 as well as on the opposite bottom side of the carrier part 11. The one terminal contact 15 may be connected to a positive pole of an electrical voltage source (see sign + in FIG. 1), while the other terminal contact 15 may be connected to a negative pole of the electrical voltage source (see sign in FIG. 2).

[0045] Fastening lugs 20, which make it possible to fasten the heating and/or cooling device 10 at the desired location of use, for example, in a vehicle, are made integrally in one piece with the carrier part 11.

[0046] A prefabricated heating and/or cooling element 13, which may be a PTC thermistor or a Peltier element, is inserted into the perforation 12. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the heating and/or cooling element 13 has the shape of a flat circular disk and the perforation 12 is configured correspondingly with a circular cross section. The dimensions of the heating and/or cooling element 13 and of the perforation 12 are coordinated with one another such that the heating and/or cooling element 13 is positioned securely in the perforation 12.

[0047] A groove-like or channel-like recess 19, which extends between the terminal contact 15 arranged on the top side of the carrier part 11 and the perforation 12 and connects these two components to one another, is formed on the top side of the carrier part 11 (see FIG. 1). A strip conductor 16, which is formed from a metal melt, is introduced and especially injected or poured into the recess 19. At its end facing the perforation 12, the strip conductor 16 has a contact part 17 of enlarged dimensions. The contact part 17 is adapted in the exemplary embodiment shown to the dimensions of the perforations 12 and of the heating and/or cooling element 13 and is thus likewise configured as a flat circular disk, as it is shown in FIG. 3.

[0048] A contact part 21 with increased dimensions, via which the strip conductor 16 is in electrically conducting connection with the terminal contact 15, is also formed at the end of the strip conductor 16 that faces away from the contact part 17 and faces the terminal contact 15.

[0049] A metallic, plate-shaped distributor element 14 is inserted with close fit it into the large-surface recess 18 on the underside of the plate-shaped carrier part 11. The distributor element 14 may be prefabricated, but it is preferably formed by injecting or casting in a metal melt and it is in electrically conducting contact with the terminal element 15 arranged in the corner area and it contacts the heating and/or cooling element 13, so that there is an electrically conducting contact with this as well. The distributor element 14 is used, for example, to distribute the heat generated by the heating and/or cooling element 13 to a large-surface area.

[0050] FIGS. 4 and 5 show that the heating and/or cooling element 13 is arranged between the plate-shaped distributor element 14 and the contact part 17 of the strip conductor 16 with close fit.

[0051] If the heating and/or cooling device 10 is connected via the two terminal contacts 15 to an electrical voltage source, the heating and/or cooling element 13 are arranged in the electrical circuit via the strip conductor 16 and the distributor element 14. If the heating and/or cooling element 13 is a PCT thermistor, it represents a resistor, at which heat is generated. This heat is released to the plate-shaped distributor element 14 and is distributed over a large-surface area. The distributor element 14 is used as a heat exchanger for a fluid flowing past the heating and/or cooling device 10 and especially past the distributor element 14, as a result which this element is heated.

[0052] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.