Electrical heater device, in particular having a PTC effect
AssigneeELTEK S.p.A.
InventorsAlberto Barbano, Marco Bizzarro, Luca Costa, Luca Vercellotti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical heater device comprises an heating element, which includes two electrodes and a heating body made of a polymer-based material having a PTC effect, in contact with the electrodes. Each electrode comprises a meshed structure, which extends in a length direction and in a width direction, and is embedded at least partially in the heating body. Each electrode further comprises an electrical-distribution element which is fixed to the meshed structure and includes a distribution portion that extends in the length direction, or in the width direction, or in both the length and width directions of the meshed structure.
Claims14
An electrical heater device comprising at least one heating element which includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a heating body that includes a material having a PTC effect in electrical contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the material having a PTC effect comprises at least a polymer or a polymer-based material,
- wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises:
- a meshed structure including a plurality of substantially threadlike metal elements which define a plurality of mesh openings, with the meshed structure which has a length and a width, is in electrical contact with the heating body and is at least partially embedded or englobed therein, and
- at least one electrical-distribution element for distributing electric current on the plurality of threadlike metal elements, the at least one electrical-distribution element including a shaped metal strap which is fixed to the meshed structure, the shaped metal strap defining at least one distribution portion that overlaps a corresponding region of the meshed structure and extends in at least one of a length direction and a width direction of the meshed structure,
- wherein the at least one distribution portion defined by the shaped metal strap is welded to respective threadlike metal elements of the plurality of threadlike metal elements at said corresponding region,
- wherein the heating body is a body moulded at least in part over the first electrode and the second electrode, such that part of said polymer or polymer-based material occupies at least a part of said mesh openings, and
- wherein between the first electrode and the second electrode a spacer body is arranged, which is also at least partially embedded or englobed in the material having a PTC effect of the heating body which is moulded over the first electrode and the second electrode.
An electrical heater device comprising at least one heating element that includes a first metal electrode, a second metal electrode and a heating body made at least in part of a material having a PTC effect in contact with the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode, wherein the material having a PTC effect comprises at least a polymer or a polymer-based material,
- wherein each of the first metal electrode and the metal second metal electrode consists of:
- at least one meshed structure including a plurality of substantially threadlike metal elements which define a plurality of mesh openings, the meshed structure having a length and a width to define an area thereof, and being in electrical contact with the heating body;
- and
- at least one electrical-distribution element for distributing electric current on the threadlike metal elements that form the meshed structure, the at least one electrical-distribution element including a shaped metal strap having a total area amounting to a fraction of the area of the meshed structure and extending in at least one of a length direction and a width direction of the meshed structure;
- wherein the shaped metal strap defines at least one longitudinally extending distribution portion which overlaps a corresponding region of the meshed structure and is fixed thereto,
- wherein the meshed structure is at least partially embedded or englobed in said polymer or polymer-based material of the heating body,
- wherein at least one part of the at least one distribution portion defined by the shaped metal strap is welded to corresponding threadlike metal elements of the meshed structure at said corresponding region,
- wherein the heating body is a body moulded at least in part over the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode, such that part of said polymer or polymer-based material occupies at least a part of said mesh openings, and
- wherein between the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode a spacer body is arranged, which is also at least partially embedded or englobed in the material having a PTC effect of the heating body which is moulded over the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode.
An electrical heater device comprising at least one heating element which includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a heating body that includes a material having a PTC effect in electrical contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the material having a PTC effect comprises at least a polymer or a polymer-based material,
- wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises:
- a meshed structure comprising a plurality of substantially threadlike metal elements which define a plurality of mesh openings, with the meshed structure which has a length and a width to define an area thereof, is in electrical contact with the heating body and is at least partially embedded or englobed therein, and
- at least one electrical-distribution element for distributing electric current on the threadlike metal elements that form the meshed structure, the at least one electrical-distribution element including a shaped metal strap which is fixed to the meshed structure and has a total area amounting to a fraction of the area of the meshed structure,
- wherein the shaped metal strap defines a first longitudinally extended distribution portion and a second longitudinally extended distribution portion, which extend perpendicular to each other and overlap corresponding regions of the meshed structure,
- wherein the first longitudinally extended distribution portion and the second longitudinally extended distribution portion are both welded to respective threadlike metal elements at said corresponding regions to overlap corresponding portions of the heating body,
- wherein the heating body is a body moulded at least in part over the first electrode and the second electrode, such that part of said polymer or polymer-based material occupies at least a part of said mesh openings, and
- wherein between the first electrode and the second electrode a spacer body is arranged, which is also at least partially embedded or englobed in the material having a PTC effect of the heating body which is moulded over the first electrode and the second electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.