Electrical Heating Device and Method for the Production Thereof

Abstract

An electrical heating device includes a housing which encloses a circulation chamber through which a medium can flow and in which heating ribs protrude. The heating ribs are in thermally conducting contact with at least one PTC heating element. A control device is provided in a constructional unit with at least one assembled conductor board. The constructional unit is accommodated in a control housing that comprises a control housing cover and a control housing frame. The control housing frame circumferentially surrounds the assembled conductor board and is formed from a metallic material. During the installation of the control housing on the housing, a control element, producing a power loss, is held by the assembled conductor board and is placed in abutment with a cooling element formed on the housing.

1 . An electrical heating device for a motor vehicle comprising:
 a housing which encloses a circulation chamber through which a medium can flow and in which heating ribs protrude, the ribs being in thermally conducting contact with at least one PTC heating element, and   a control device provided in a constructional unit with at least one assembled conductor board, which constructional unit is accommodated in a control housing, wherein the control housing comprises a control housing frame which circumferentially surrounds the assembled conductor board and which is formed from a metallic material, wherein the control housing frame additionally comprises a control housing cover, wherein, within the control housing frame, a supporting framework structure is provided via which the assembled conductor board is positioned within the control housing and which bears at least one compressible compression element which causes a compression force acting against the assembled conductor board.   
     
     
         2 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control housing frame and the supporting framework structure are manufactured as separate components and are joined together. 
     
     
         3 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the compression element is formed from a plastic with a Shore A hardness between 60 and 80. 
     
     
         4 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the compression element forms a pillar support extending essentially at right angles to the surface of the assembled conductor board, wherein the assembled conductor board bears at least one control element producing a power loss, wherein the control element is provided on the side of the assembled conductor board facing away from the compression element and is assigned to a cooling element, and wherein the pillar support is positioned such that the compression force imparted by the pillar support presses the control element producing the power loss against the cooling element. 
     
     
         5 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 4 , wherein the pillar support abuts the assembled conductor board on at least one of the side situated opposite the control element producing the power loss and the control element producing the power loss. 
     
     
         6 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 4 , further comprising a control housing base which abuts the control housing frame on a face side other than that of the control housing cover, and which has at least one opening provided in an extension of the pillar support. 
     
     
         7 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control element producing the power loss abuts the cooling element with the intermediate positioning of an electrical insulating layer. 
     
     
         8 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 6 , wherein the control housing frame forms mounting protrusions in corner regions thereof. 
     
     
         9 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 8 , wherein the control housing base and the assembled conductor board are cut away in the corner regions of the control housing frame. 
     
     
         10 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembled conductor board is held with slight play between inner surfaces of the control housing frame. 
     
     
         11 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 1 , further comprising contact receptacles which are formed on oppositely situated marginal regions of the assembled conductor board for receiving electrical plug elements, the electrical plug elements being formed as elongated holes, to which electrically conducting plug counter elements connected to conductive paths of the assembled conductor board are assigned. 
     
     
         12 . An electrical heating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control housing frame is an aluminum extruded section. 
     
     
         13 . An electrical heating device for a motor vehicle, comprising:
 a housing which encloses a circulation chamber through which a medium can flow;   at least one PTC heating element;   heating ribs that protrude into the housing and which are in in thermally conducting contact with at the least one PTC heating element;   at least one assembled conductor board;   a control device which is provided in a constructional unit with the at least one assembled conductor board;   a control housing which accommodates the constructional unit, wherein
 the control housing comprises a control housing frame which circumferentially surrounds the assembled conductor board and which is formed from a metallic material, wherein 
 the control housing frame additionally comprises a control housing cover, and wherein, 
 within the control housing frame, a supporting framework structure is provided via which the assembled conductor board is positioned within the control housing and which bears at least one compressible compression element which generates a compression force that acts against the assembled conductor board.