Heating Device for an Air Treatment Unit, and Air Treatment Unit

Abstract

A heating device is provided for an air treatment unit with at least one first assembly and a second assembly, wherein the first assembly has at least one receiving element and the second assembly has at least one fixing element. The receiving element and the fixing element are designed such that the receiving element and the fixing element can be connected with respect to one another in a predefined orientation region, in particular in a predefined angular region.

Claims

1.-15. (Canceled)

16. A heating device for an air treatment unit, comprising: a first assembly and a second assembly, wherein the first assembly has at least one receptacle element, and the second assembly has at least one fixing element, wherein the at least one receptacle element and the at least one fixing element are designed to engage in one another so as to at least temporarily connect the first assembly and the second assembly to one another, wherein the receptacle element and/or the fixing element are/is designed such that the receptacle element and the fixing element are connectable in a predefined alignment range relative to one another.

17. The heating module as claimed in claim 16, wherein the predefined alignment range is a predefined angular range.

18. The heating module as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receptacle element and/or the fixing element are/is configured to be least partially elastically deformable.

19. The heating module as claimed in claim 16, wherein the fixing element and/or the receptacle element have/has a chamfer portion, so that preliminary positioning of the receptacle element and the fixing element relative to one another is able to be provided before a mutual engagement is formed by the receptacle element and the fixing element for connecting the first and the second assembly.

20. The heating module as claimed in claim 19, wherein the preliminary positioning of the receptacle element and the fixing element enables a mutual radial displacement to be compensated.

21. The heating module as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first assembly is designed having at least one first line component, and the second assembly is designed having at least one second line component, for forming an electrical connection, wherein an electrical contact between the first and the second assembly is establishable once the preliminary positioning of the first assembly and the second assembly relative to one another has been at least substantially performed.

22. The heating module as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least the first line component and the second line component are designed to form a mutual plug connection.

23. The heating module as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first and/or the second line component have/has a chamfer portion so that a radial offset between the first and the second line component is able to be compensated.

24. The heating module as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first and/or the second line component are/is at least partially flexibly deformable, so that a radial offset between the first and the second line component is compensable.

25. The heating module as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first assembly and/or the second assembly have/has at least one seal for sealing in a liquid-tight manner the at least temporary connection between the first assembly and the second assembly.

26. The heating module as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first assembly and/or the second assembly are/is designed such that the at least one seal is able to be captively positioned on the first assembly and/or the second assembly.

27. The heating module as claimed in claim 25, wherein at least one of the first and the second assembly has a fastening element for captively disposing the first and/or the second assembly in an air treatment unit.

28. The heating module as claimed in claim 27, wherein the fastening element captively disposes the first and/or the second assembly on a first module and/or a second module of the air treatment unit, in an assembled state of the air treatment unit.

29. An air treatment unit comprising a heating device as claimed in claim 16.

30. The air treatment unit as claimed in claim 29, wherein the air treatment unit is provided with at least one first module and at least one second module, the first module has the first assembly of the heating device, and the second module has the second assembly of the heating device.

31. The air treatment unit as claimed in claim 30, wherein the first module is an air dryer module or a core module of the air treatment unit, and the second module is a core module or an air dryer module of the air treatment unit.

32. The air treatment unit as claimed in claim 29, wherein the heating device is provided so as to be integrated into the air treatment unit in an assembled state of the heating device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration and a perspective sectional illustration of a first assembly of a heating device according to a first exemplary embodiment;

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a second assembly of a heating device according to a first exemplary embodiment;

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of the first and the second assemblies according to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the assembled state; and

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a sectional illustration of the various method steps for assembling the first and the second assembly according to FIGS. 1 to 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration and a perspective sectional illustration of a first assembly 110 of a heating device 100 according to a first exemplary embodiment.

[0053] According to FIG. 1, the first assembly is designed having a receptacle element 112 and a first line component 114.

[0054] The first line components 114 shown according to FIG. 1 are provided as electrical (contact) pins.

[0055] The first line components 114 can in each case have chamfer portions 114 on their tips.

[0056] The first line components 114 are surrounded by the receptacle element 112, or disposed in the receptacle element 112.

[0057] The receptacle element 112 forms in particular a concavity in the context of a female joining structure, for receiving a corresponding mating part such as, for example, a fixing element in the context of a male joining structure.

[0058] The receptacle element 112 is designed having a chamfer portion 130 on its end side, in particular having an internal and substantially encircling chamfer portion 130, so as to simplify joining to a corresponding mating part, preferably a fixing element.

[0059] The receptacle element 112 has at least one fastening element 160.

[0060] The fastening element 160 in the context of a circumferential direction can be directed outwards so as to enable an engagement in a housing or the like, for fastening or linking to or along the first assembly 110.

[0061] Furthermore, the receptacle element 112 can have at least one orientation element 116, for example in the form of a projecting or protruding cone, so that the first assembly 110 is able to be connected to a corresponding second assembly only in a specific angular range.

[0062] It is possible that the first assembly 110, or the receptacle element 112, has a plurality of identical or dissimilar orientation elements 116, so that connecting to the first assembly is possible only in one direction, or in a specific angular range. In this context, the at least one orientation element allows a connection to the first assembly according to the key-and-lock principle.

[0063] The geometry, for example an external contour, of the receptacle element 112 and/or of the fixing element 122 can be designed in such a manner that the first and the second assembly 110; 120 are able to be connected only when positioned relative to one another in a specific alignment or angular range.

[0064] The fastening element 160 can preferably be designed to be at least partially elastic, so as to enable releasable linking in the context of a force-fitting and/or form-fitting connection for providing a captive protection along the first assembly 110, or along a first module 210, respectively.

[0065] According to FIG. 1, the first assembly 110 can have a sealing element 150, preferably in the form of an annular seal or an O-ring or the like.

[0066] The sealing element 150 can be disposed along an external circumference of the first assembly and rest on the at least one fastening element 160, for example.

[0067] Moreover, the receptacle element 112 can be designed to be at least partially elastically deformable, in particular have an at least partially elastically deformable material.

[0068] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a second assembly 120 of a heating device 100 according to a first exemplary embodiment.

[0069] The second assembly 120 can in particular be designed having a fixing element 122, preferably in the context of a male joining structure.

[0070] The fixing element 122 can be designed in one part or in multiple parts. According to FIG. 2, the fixing element of the second assembly 122 is provided with additional sleeve inserts, in particular for receiving first and second line components 114; 124, respectively.

[0071] According to FIG. 2, the at least one second line component 124 extends along the second assembly 120 and is disposed or received within the fixing element 122.

[0072] The fixing element 122 is designed having a chamfer portion 130, in particular so that an introduction of first line components 114, preferably in the form of (connecting) pins, can be enabled.

[0073] The fixing element 122 having the chamfer portion 130 can thus serve to fasten the second assembly, the connection of the second line component 124 to the first line component 114 within the fixing element 122 being advantageously enabled.

[0074] FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of the first and the second assemblies 110; 120 of a heating device 100 according to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the assembled or joined state. In particular, the heating device 100 can be provided as part of an air treatment unit 200, for example of an air dryer unit.

[0075] The first assembly 110 can be provided or disposed in a first module 210 for example. The first module 210 can be, for example, an air dryer module or a main module or core module.

[0076] According to FIG. 3, the second assembly 120 can be provided or disposed in a second module 220. The second module 220 can be, for example, a main module or core module, or an air dryer module, in particular so as to correspond to the first module 210.

[0077] The heating device 100, by way of a control unit of the main module or core module, can be supplied with power along the first and second line components 114; 124 to be electrically connected to one another.

[0078] It is provided in particular according to FIG. 3 that the sealing element 150 in the assembled state of the air treatment unit 200, or of the heating device 100, can be compressed on or between the first and/or the second module 210; 220, in particular in such a way that a fluid-tight connection can be provided along the interface between the first and the second module 210; 220.

[0079] It can furthermore be seen from FIG. 3 that the fixing element 122 of the second assembly 120 is received in the receptacle element 112 of the first assembly 110 of the heating device 100, so that electrical contacting is able to be provided between the first and the second line components 114; 124.

[0080] In particular, the first and the second line components can be mutually aligned and guided in the receptacle element 122 in such a manner that secure and reliable electrical contacting is possible.

[0081] In the assembled state of the heating device 100 the receptacle element 112 and the corresponding fixing element 122 engage in one another so as to be able to establish an electrical connection by way of the first and the second line components 114; 124.

[0082] The fastening elements 160 of the first assembly 110 and/or of the second assembly 120 of the heating device 100 can provide a captive protection, in particular before, during and after assembling the first and the second assembly 110; 120. In this context, the first and the second assembly 110; 120 can be held in the first and the second module 210; 220, respectively, in such a way that assembling or constructing the heating device is facilitated.

[0083] FIG. 4 shows a sectional illustration of the various method steps for assembling the first and the second assembly 110; 120 of the heating device 100 according to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0084] In one step, the first assembly 110 and the second assembly 120, or the first and the second module 210; 220, are roughly aligned with one another.

[0085] As soon as a first contact is established between the receptacle element 112 and the fixing element 122, the fixing element and the receptacle element can slide along the chamfer portions 130 relative to one another in such a manner that a preliminary positioning can be performed for compensating an offset in the radial direction.

[0086] Likewise, the first line components of the first assembly can have a chamfer portion 140, so that sliding in relation to the chamfer portions of the fixing element 122 can be performed.

[0087] The fixing element 122 and the receptacle element 112 can in particular be at least partially elastically deformable in order to facilitate the joining procedure and the mutual alignment.

[0088] As soon as the first line components 114 are received in, or introduced into, the fixing element 122, a compression of the sealing element 150 can take place by joining the first and the second module 210; 220, so that a fluid-tight interface can be provided.

[0089] In summary, the present invention provides a simple and secure possibility for connecting two assemblies 110; 120 of a heating device 100.

[0090] A correct alignment or positioning of the assemblies 110; 120 relative to one another can be ensured by means of a geometric design embodiment of the assemblies 110; 120, for example by means of orientation elements 116.

[0091] The formation of chamfer portions 130; 140 enables relative radial offsets of the assemblies to be compensated, so that secure joining of the assemblies 110; 120 is guaranteed in order to enable an electrical connection along the line components 114; 124.

[0092] The assemblies 110; 120, in particular the receptacle element 112 and/or the fixing element 122, herein can be at least partially elastically deformable so as to be able to compensate any radial offset when joining and to be able to facilitate the joining procedure.

[0093] Furthermore, a captive protection for the receptacle element 112 and/or the fixing element 122 can be provided by means of fastening elements 160, so that a secure and reliable fastening can be ensured within the first and/or the second module 210; 220 before, during and after joining the heating device 100.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0094] 100 Heating device [0095] 110 First assembly [0096] 112 Receptacle element [0097] 114 First line component [0098] 116 Orientation element [0099] 120 Second assembly [0100] 122 Fixing element [0101] 124 Second line component [0102] 130 Chamfer portion [0103] 140 Chamfer portion [0104] 150 Sealing element [0105] 160 Fastening element [0106] 200 Air treatment unit [0107] 210 First module [0108] 220 Second module