Process for manufacturing a PTC heating element and PTC heating element

A process for manufacturing a Positive Thermal Coefficient (PTC) heating element, wherein the PTC heating element comprises at least one PTC component and, on each side of two sides of the at least one PTC component facing away from one another, a carrier permanently connected to the at least one PTC component, wherein the process comprises the steps of:

• applying electrically conductive sinter material to each one of the carriers to be connected to the at least one PTC component or applying electrically conductive sinter material to both each side of the two sides of the at least one PTC component facing away from one another and to each one of the carriers;
• subsequent to carrying out the step of applying electrically conductive sinter material, positioning the at least one PTC component and a frame completely enclosing the at least one PTC component between the carriers and establishing a contact of the at least one PTC component with each one of the carriers such that sinter material applied in the step of applying electrically conductive sinter material is positioned between the at least one PTC component and each one of the carriers, said frame having a material thickness that is not greater than a thickness of the at least one PTC component and closing flush along its entire outer circumference with each one of the carriers arranged on both sides thereof, such that the frame does not project to the outside and is not a set back with respect to each one of the carriers arranged on both sides thereof;
• and
• sintering the sinter material positioned between the at least one PTC component and each one of the carriers to provide sintered material by heating or by applying pressure or by both heating and by applying pressure to the sinter material positioned between the at least one PTC component and the carrier;
• wherein:
• the step of applying electrically conductive sinter material to the carriers comprises applying sinter material on each one of the carriers on a side thereof to be positioned facing the at least one PTC component and applying sinter material on each one of the carriers on a side thereof to be positioned facing away from the at least one PTC component for forming, at each one of the carriers, at least one contact field on the side thereof to be positioned facing away from the at least one PTC component;
• at each one of the carriers, at least one sintered material connection area is to be formed with sinter material applied in the step of applying electrically conductive sinter material to the carriers between the sinter material applied on the side thereof to be positioned facing the at least one PTC component and the sinter material applied on the side thereof to be positioned facing away from the at least one PTC component;
• and
• at each one of the carriers, said sinter material intended for providing the at least one contact field and the sinter material intended for providing the at least one sintered material connection area are sintered in the step of sintering the sinter material.