Surface Heater Structure, Especially for Vehicles

The present invention relates to a surface heater structure, especially for vehicles, generally of the type as described, for example, in the non-prepublished German Offenlegungsschrift No. 30 41 710.

The prior art surface heater body is constructed as three-layer expanded partial composite laminated body for the formation of the two separate channels, respectively, channel systems. Since, however, the heating channel is required only within a relatively narrow section of the surface heater body, the third layer is unnecessary over the largest part. As a result thereof, the surface heater body not only becomes unnecessarily heavy, but also an unnecessarily large amount of material is used for the manufacture thereof. It would, of course, be feasible to provide the third layer with a separating substance within the area of the non-needed area and to tear it off subsequently. While the weight of the surface heater body would be reduced thereby, nonetheless also with this type of manufacture an unnecessarily large amount of material would be used because the removed part of the third layer would only have scrap value. Therebeyond, a penetration of the weld may occur over such a large area during the rolling down of the laminated body, notwithstanding the separating substance, so that the third layer cannot be removed in a clean manner.

It is the aim of the present invention to manufacture the surface heater body of the type described above, as light-weight as possible and with smallest possible material expenditure.

This task can be solved according to the present invention in three ways which are each characterized individually by the characterizing features of the claims. In any case, only a two-layered partial composite laminated body is used and the heating channel is subsequently connected in a heat-transferring manner with the thus formed heat-pipe channel system.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of a surface heater body according to the present invention in its extended position prior to its completion;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal elevational view of the surface heater body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevational view, on a somewhat larger scale, showing the surface heater body of FIG. 1 in its completed condition;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line IV--IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view of a further embodiment of a surface heater body in accordance with the present invention with a continuous rectilinear heat channel, showing the parts thereof in the extended position;

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of the surface heater body of FIG. 5 with the parts thereof in the completed condition;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line VII--VII, of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view through a still further embodiment of a surface heater body in accordance with the present invention with a laterally brazed-on rectangular pipe as heating channel;

FIG. 9 is a partial side view of still another embodiment of a surface heater body in accordance with the present invention having a U-shaped heating channel, which are brazed to one another at their expanded side;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along line X--X of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side-elevational view of still a further embodiment of a surface heater body in accordance with the present invention with a pipe-shaped heat channel inserted into the heat-pipe channel system;

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line XII--XII of FIG. 11, and

FIG. 13 is a partial side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, showing the details of FIG. 11 indicated by circle XIII.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various views to designate like parts, the surface heater body generally designated by reference numeral 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 includes an essentially ladder-shaped heat-pipe channel system 6 as well as a U-shaped heat channel 7, which is provided with connections leading to the outside so that heating water can be conducted therethrough. Both channels, respectively, channel systems are formed in a two-layer expanded partial composite laminated body, whereby a rectilinear non-expanded strip 8 extending uninterruptedly to the edge is left between the heat channel 7 and the heat-pipe channel system 6. This strip 8 is bent U-shaped until the heat channel 7 abuts flat on the heat-pipe channel system 6 and is permanently connected heat-conductingly along the contact surfaces which can take place, for example, by furnace brazing or by heat-conducting bonding. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the partial composite laminated body is expanded exclusively toward one side and the opposite side is flat and plane. The flat side of the partial composite laminated body serves as abutment side of the two channels, respectively, channel systems. A mutual abutment over a particularly large area and a correspondingly good heat flow result therefrom. The U-shaped construction of the heat channel 7 offers the advantage that the in-flow and out-flow are arranged at the same edge of the surface heater body so that a webbed-hose-line corresponding to the distance of the two pipe connections can be used as supply and discharge line. Additionally, larger heat quantities can be transferred by means of a U-shaped heat channel than with an exclusively rectilinear continuous heat channel.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 of a surface heater body generally designated by reference numeral 4, also includes a U-shaped heat channel 7, whereby also the heat channel 7 is formed of the two-layer partial composite laminated body. In this embodiment, which is also constructed flat and plane on one side, the bending, however, takes place to the other side as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4 so that the two channels, respectively, channel systems abut at each other along their expanded sides and are connected thereat with each other in a heat-conducting manner. This embodiment offers the advantage compared to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4 that one side of the surface heat exchanger is constructed completely smooth and plane which may be decisive in certain applications. The heat-pipe channel system 6' for this surface heat exchanger includes within the area of its bottom side, two longitudinally extending channel sections which are connected with each other ladder-shaped by short cross channels. As a result thereof, a large mutual contact surface is created with the U-shaped heat channel 7 so that also in this embodiment a good heat transfer is attainable.

In the embodiment of the surface heat exchanger generally designated by reference numeral 2 according to FIGS. 5 to 7, a rectilinear continuous heat channel 7' is provided which is also integrated into the two-layer partial composite laminated body; the two pipe connections are thereby arranged at opposite side edges of the surface heater body. This partial composite laminated body is expanded toward both sides, which permits on both sides equally thin sheet metal layers, i.e., a weight-saving. Additionally, larger internal cross sections can be produced in the channels, respectively, in the channel systems.

In the embodiment of a surface heat-exchanger generally designated by reference numeral 3 according to FIG. 8, the heat channel 7" is not integrated into the two-layered partial composite laminated body; instead, the latter contains only the heat-pipe channel system 6 which, in this embodiment, is also expanded only to one side so that one side of the surface heater body is constructed completely smooth and plane. Along the lower side of the surface heater body a rectangular pipe is brazed-on as heat channel so that a good heat transfer is realized between the two. Of course, also other cross sections may be provided for the pipe forming the heat channel, for example, also circular pipes. In that case, it is appropriate to form a corresponding complementary counter-contour at the lower channel section of the heat-pipe channel system 6 so that also with such cross-sectional shapes a large heat transfer surface will result.

In the last embodiment of the surface heater body generally designated by reference numeral 5 according to FIGS. 11 to 13, a separate pipe is also provided as heat channel 7"' which is subsequently brought into connection with the heat-pipe channel system 6". More particularly, the lowermost channel section of the heat-pipe channel system 6" extends up to the rim edges of the surface heater body and is initially open thereat. The pipe of the heat channel which is appropriately oval in cross section, is installed into these openings; subsequently, the passage place is closed by a corresponding shaping of the wall parts and is sealed off by a welded joint 9. In lieu of a welded connection, also a brazed connection may be provided.

Partial composite laminated bodies, as the term is used herein are such structures, also known as so-called "Roll-Bond" plates, which consist of a corresponding number of aluminum plates that, for example, are imprinted with a separating substance at those places where the plates are intended to form hollow spaces and are subsequently rolled together one lying upon the other, as a result of which the plates are intimately welded together by the rolling pressure and the material deformation at the non-imprinted places. By blowing compressed air into the non-welded places, the gaps located thereat are inflated or expanded into channels whereby a corresponding shaping tool assures a defined pneumatic channel enlargement.

While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto, but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.