JP7301427B2 - Insulated heaters and heater devices - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an insulated heater and heater device, and more particularly to an insulated heater and heater device with high reliability against electric leakage and short circuit.

A heater using a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) element is a heating device that can achieve easy temperature control and low power consumption by utilizing the positive temperature characteristic of the PTC element. In addition, by imparting insulating properties to the heater using the PTC element, it can be used not only in dry places but also in humid places, and the range of application can be expanded.

As a heater using such a heating element, Patent Document 1 discloses a radiator using a positive temperature coefficient thermistor. Further, Patent Documents 2 to 5 disclose configurations in which a heating element is held between a pair of electrode plates or a pair of heat radiation fins and sandwiched with a clip.

JP-A-6-203945 JP 2008-071553 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-034111 JP 2012-028384 A JP 2014-222781 A

However, the radiator disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a non-insulated type in which current flows through the radiator, and the housing of the product incorporating the radiator is made of a material (for example, heat-resistant resin) having excellent insulation and heat resistance. must be formed with For this reason, it is necessary to provide a protection mechanism such as a thermal fuse or a thermostat for protecting the resin housing from heat. Moreover, it is difficult to use the non-insulated heater in a humid place even if the housing is made of an insulating material.

On the other hand, in the heaters described in Patent Documents 2 to 5, an insulating plate is provided between an electrode plate electrically connected to the heat generating element and the heat radiating fins, so that the heat radiating fins are of an insulating type in which current does not flow. However, since the structure is sandwiched between the electrode plate, the insulating plate, and the heat radiation fins with the heating element in between, and is sandwiched between the clips, the structure tends to be complicated, and an extension portion for sandwiching the clip is required. It is difficult to miniaturize the device due to the parts and clips. In addition, if the heat generating element is sandwiched by a clip, the heat generating element may be cracked or chipped due to the force of the clip. In addition, there is an increased risk of short-circuiting due to falling off fragments of the chipped heating element. Furthermore, when clipping is used in a vibrating environment, the heating element tends to shift in the planar direction due to repeated thermal expansion and contraction during ON/OFF control. wear occurs, causing a decrease in output.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an insulated heater and heater device that are highly reliable against electric leakage and short circuit, have a simple structure, and are excellent in durability.

One aspect of the present invention includes a heating element provided with electrode layers on the front and back sides, a pair of electrode plates sandwiching the heating element and electrically connected to the front and back electrode layers, and arranged outside the pair of electrode plates. and an insulating plate is provided between each of the pair of electrode plates and each of the pair of heat radiating fins, and between the electrode plate and the insulating plate and between the insulating plate and the heat radiating fins. and is an insulated heater connected with a heat-resistant adhesive.

According to such a configuration, by providing the insulating plate between the electrode plate and the heat radiating fins, the heat radiating fins can be electrically insulated. In addition, since the electrode plate and the insulating plate and the insulating plate and the heat radiating fin are connected with a heat-resistant adhesive, a heat generating structure consisting of the heating element, the electrode plate, and the insulating plate can be obtained without using a fixture such as a clip. You can keep your body close.

In the insulated heater described above, it is preferable that the entire side surface of the heating structure composed of the heating element, the pair of electrodes and the insulating plate is covered with an insulating adhesive. As a result, the exposure of the electrode layer and the electrode plate on the side surface of the heating structure can be prevented, and the reliability against electric leakage and short circuit can be improved.

In the insulated heater described above, the direction in which the heating element is sandwiched between the pair of electrode portions is the first direction, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction in which the electrode plate extends is the second direction. When the direction orthogonal to the direction is defined as the third direction, the length of the heating element in the third direction is Wp, the length of the insulating plate in the third direction is Wi, and the length of the heat radiating fin in the third direction is Wf. , Wp<Wi≦Wf, and the entire side surfaces of the heating element and the electrode plate may be covered with an insulating adhesive. As a result, the width of the heat generating element and the electrode plate becomes narrower than the width of the radiation fin and the insulating plate, and the insulating adhesive can be embedded in the concave formed in the narrowed portion.

In the insulation heater described above, it is preferable that the electrode plate is arranged inside the insulating plate when viewed in the first direction. Accordingly, in the laminated structure, the electrode plate is arranged so as to be recessed inward from the outer periphery of the insulating plate, so that the creepage distance between the edge of the electrode plate and the heat radiation fin can be increased.

In the insulating heater described above, the insulating plate may contain aluminum oxide. As a result, the insulating plate can have sufficient hardness and flatness, and the adhesion between the insulating plate and the inner surface of the cylinder can be enhanced.

In the insulating heater described above, the heating element may be a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) element. As a result, the positive temperature characteristic of the PTC element can be utilized to achieve easy temperature control and low power consumption.

One aspect of the present invention is a heater device including the insulating heater described above and a metal housing that accommodates the insulating heater. According to such a configuration, it is not necessary to use a heat-resistant resin for the housing, which increases the degree of freedom in design, and a heat protection mechanism required when using a resin housing can be omitted.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an insulated heater and a heater device that are highly reliable against electric leakage and short circuit, have a simple structure, and are excellent in durability.

1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of an insulated heater according to this embodiment; FIG. It is a schematic plan view which illustrates the structure of the insulation type heater which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic side view which illustrates the structure of the insulation type heater which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic cross section which illustrates the structure of the insulation type heater which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which illustrates the structure of the heater apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a perspective view which illustrates the structure of the heater apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flow chart which illustrates a manufacturing method of a heater device concerning this embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of members that have already been described will be omitted as appropriate.

(Configuration of insulated heater)
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of an insulated heater (hereinafter also simply referred to as "heater") according to this embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating the configuration of the heater according to this embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view illustrating the configuration of the heater according to this embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the heater according to this embodiment.
Here, in the schematic plan view shown in FIG. 2, part of the upper insulating plate 30 and the heat radiation fins 40 are omitted, and in the schematic side view shown in FIG. are displayed.

The heater 1 according to this embodiment is a device that generates heat by voltage application. The heater 1 includes a heating element 10 , a pair of electrode plates 20 , a pair of insulating plates 30 and a pair of radiating fins 40 .
In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the direction in which the heating element 10 is sandwiched between the pair of electrode plates 20 is the first direction D1, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction in which the radiation fins 40 extend is the second direction. A direction orthogonal to D2, the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 will be referred to as a third direction D3. Also, the first direction D1 is also referred to as the thickness direction, the second direction D2 as the length direction, and the third direction D3 as the width direction.

The heating element 10 is an element that generates heat when voltage is applied. For example, a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) element is used as the heating element 10 . A PTC element has a positive temperature characteristic. That is, when the temperature reaches the Curie point or higher, the resistance increases, and a further temperature rise is restricted. By using a PTC element as the heating element 10, it is possible to facilitate temperature control and reduce power consumption.

The positive temperature characteristic of the PTC element is changed by adding a trace amount of rare earth element or the like to barium titanate (BaTiO ₃ ). In this embodiment, a plurality of heating elements 10 are provided. One heating element 10 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped with a thickness of about 3 millimeters (mm) to 5 mm, a width of about 13 mm to 15 mm, and a length of about 23 mm to 25 mm. In the heater 1 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of heating elements 10 having the size described above are arranged in series in the second direction D2 in order to obtain a high output and to save space.

An electrode layer 10a is provided on each of the front and back surfaces (front and back surfaces in the thickness direction) of the heating element 10 . A metal such as silver (Ag) or aluminum (Al) is used for the electrode layer 10a. The electrode layers 10a are formed by thermally spraying these metals on the front and back surfaces of the heating element 10, for example. The surface of the electrode layer 10a formed by thermal spraying of metal is provided with fine irregularities. Also, the electrode layer 10 a is in ohmic contact with the heating element 10 .

The heating element 10 is sandwiched between a pair of electrode plates 20 . One of the pair of electrode plates 20 is the first electrode plate 201 and the other is the second electrode plate 202 . For convenience of explanation, the first electrode plate 201 and the second electrode plate 202 will be referred to as the electrode plate 20 when they are shown without distinction. The first electrode plate 201 is electrically connected to one electrode layer 10 a of the heating element 10 , and the second electrode plate 202 is electrically connected to the other electrode layer 10 a of the heating element 10 . The electrode plate 20 and the heating element 10 are connected with a heat-resistant adhesive (such as a silicone adhesive). As the heat-resistant adhesive for bonding the electrode plate 20 and the heating element 10, an insulating adhesive having a high adhesive strength can be used as described later.

The first electrode plate 201 has a first plate-like portion 211 , a first terminal portion 221 and a first convex extension portion 231 . The second electrode plate 202 has a second plate portion 212 , a second terminal portion 222 and a second convex extension portion 232 . Also, the first terminal portion 221 has a first crimped portion 251 and the second terminal portion 222 has a second crimped portion 252 .

For convenience of explanation, when the first plate-like portion 211 and the second plate-like portion 212 are shown without distinction, they are called the plate-like portion 210 . Also, when the first terminal portion 221 and the second terminal portion 222 are shown without distinction, they will be referred to as a terminal portion 220 . Also, when the first projecting extension portion 231 and the second projecting extension portion 232 are shown without distinction, they are referred to as the projecting extension portion 230 . Also, when the first crimped portion 251 and the second crimped portion 252 are shown without distinction, they will be referred to as a crimped portion 250 .

The plate-like portion 210 is a thin plate-like portion extending in the second direction D2, and is in contact with the electrode layer 10a so as to be conductive. The width of the plate-like portion 210 is preferably wider than the width of the electrode layer 10a and less than or equal to the width of the heating element 10. As shown in FIG. Since the width of the plate-like portion 210 is wider than the width of the electrode layer 10 a , the entire electrode layer 10 a can be brought into contact with the plate-like portion 210 . On the other hand, by setting the width of the plate-like portion 210 to be equal to or less than the width of the heating element 10 , the edge portion in the width direction of the plate-like portion 210 does not protrude outside the heating element 10 .

Terminal portion 220 is provided at one end of plate-like portion 210 . The first conductive cable C11 is fixed to the first crimped portion 251 by crimping, and the second conductive cable C12 is fixed to the second crimped portion 252 by crimping.

For convenience of explanation, when the first conduction cable C11 and the second conduction cable C12 are shown without distinction, they will be referred to as the conduction cable C10. The conductive cable C10 is a conductive wire covered with an insulating coating material. Conductive wires exposed from the insulating coating material at the distal end of the conductive cable C10 are connected by crimping at the crimping portion 250 . Moreover, it is desirable that the tip portion of the insulating coating material is also fixed by caulking at the caulking portion 250 . Connection by crimping is easier and more reliable than soldering, brazing, and screwing. The terminal portion 220 to which the conductive cable C10 is connected is preferably insulated (insulating tape or heat-shrinkable tube).

The convex extension portion 230 is provided between the plate-like portion 210 and the crimped portion 250 . The convex extension portion 230 is a portion that protrudes from the end of the plate-like portion 210 in the second direction D2. A crimped portion 250 extends from the tip portion of the convex extension portion 230 in the second direction D2.

For example, stainless steel or aluminum (Al) is used for the electrode plate 20 . In order to make the terminal portion 220 narrow and extend linearly, the electrode plate 20 is preferably made of stainless steel having a certain degree of hardness. The thickness of the plate-like portion 210 is about 0.2 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less.

The pair of insulating plates 30 are plate-like members having insulating properties, and sandwich the pair of electrode plates 20 therebetween. One of the pair of insulating plates 30 is the first insulating plate 301 and the other is the second insulating plate 302 . For convenience of explanation, the first insulating plate 301 and the second insulating plate 302 will be referred to as the insulating plate 30 when they are shown without distinction.

The insulating plate 30 contains, for example, aluminum oxide (alumina). The insulating plate 30 may be made of a plate material of aluminum oxide, or may have a structure in which the surface of a support plate serving as a core material is coated with aluminum oxide. Moreover, the insulating plate 30 may be made of a resin material such as polyimide. The first insulating plate 301 is arranged outside the first electrode plate 201 and the second insulating plate 302 is arranged outside the second electrode plate 202 . That is, the pair of electrode plates 20 sandwiching the heat generating elements 10 is sandwiched between the first insulating plate 301 and the second insulating plate 302 .

Here, it is preferable that the length of the insulating plate 30 is such that the entire terminal portion 220 of the electrode plate 20 can be covered. As a result, the terminal portion 220 is hidden between the pair of insulating plates 30, and the insulation and short-circuit resistance can be improved. In addition, the terminal portion 220 extending from the projecting extension portion 230 is supported by the pair of insulating plates 30 to prevent bending. As for the processing of the terminal portion 220 side end portion, the terminal portion 220 may be embedded with the sealant 60 between the insulating plates 30, or may be covered with an insulating cap (resin cap). good.

A pair of radiating fins 40 are arranged outside the pair of electrode plates 20 . That is, the first heat radiation fins 401 are arranged outside the first electrode plate 201 , and the second heat dissipation fins 402 are arranged outside the second electrode plate 202 . For convenience of explanation, the first heat radiation fins 401 and the second heat radiation fins 402 are referred to as the heat radiation fins 40 when they are shown without distinction. The radiating fins 40 are formed by bending a plate material made of aluminum (Al), for example, so as to repeat peaks and valleys.

In this embodiment, the first insulating plate 301 is arranged between the first electrode plate 201 and the first heat radiation fins 401 , and the second insulating plate 302 is arranged between the second electrode plate 202 and the second heat radiation fins 402 . placed. As a result, the first electrode plate 201 and the first heat radiation fins 401 are electrically insulated by the first insulation plate 301 , and the second electrode plate 202 and the second heat radiation fins 402 are electrically isolated by the second insulation plate 302 . insulated.

Further, in this embodiment, the electrode plate 20 and the insulating plate 30 and the insulating plate 30 and the heat radiation fins 40 are connected by the heat-resistant adhesive 50 . That is, between the first electrode plate 201 and the first insulating plate 301, between the first insulating plate 301 and the first heat radiation fins 401, between the second electrode plate 202 and the second insulating plate 302, and between the second The insulating plate 302 and the second heat radiation fins 402 are connected by a heat resistant adhesive 50 . A silicone adhesive, for example, is used for the heat-resistant adhesive 50 . As the heat-resistant adhesive 50, an insulating adhesive with high adhesive strength can be used.

As described above, in this embodiment, by providing the insulating plate 30 between the electrode plate 20 and the heat radiating fins 40, the heat radiating fins 40 can be electrically insulated from the electrode plate 20 (heat generating element 10). Further, since the electrode plate 20 and the insulating plate 30 and the insulating plate 30 and the radiating fins 40 are connected by the heat-resistant adhesive 50, the heating element 10 and the heat-generating element 10 can be easily connected without using a fixture such as a clip. The heat generating structure 100 formed by the electrode plate 20 and the insulating plate 30 and the heat generating structure 100 and the heat radiating fins 40 can be brought into close contact with each other.

Here, when the heating element, the pair of electrode plates, the pair of insulating plates, and the pair of radiating fins are to have a laminated structure, it is conceivable to use an adhesive to connect the respective parts. At this time, a conductive adhesive is used between the heating element 10 and the electrode plate 20 . However, since conductive fillers are mixed in adhesives having conductivity, adhesive strength is inferior to that of insulating adhesives. Therefore, a configuration is employed in which the heating element and the electrode plate are directly laminated without using an adhesive, and in a state in which conduction between the heating element and the electrode plate is obtained, they are clamped and fixed with a clip (Patent Documents 2 to 5, etc.).

However, when clipped, the pressing force of the clip may cause cracking or chipping of the heating element. In addition, there is an increased risk of short-circuiting due to falling off fragments of the chipped heating element. In addition, when clipping is used in a vibrating environment, the heat generating element tends to shift in the plane direction due to repeated thermal expansion/contraction during ON/OFF control, and the friction between the electrode layer and the electrode plate causes the electrode layer to slip. wear occurs, causing a decrease in output.

In this embodiment, since the electrode layer 10a is formed by thermal spraying of a metal such as aluminum, the surface of the electrode layer 10a is provided with fine irregularities. Therefore, even if the heat generating element 10 and the electrode plate 20 are adhered to each other using an insulating adhesive, fine irregularities of the electrode layer 10a penetrate the insulating adhesive and , and the electrical connection between the electrode layer 10a and the electrode plate 20 can be obtained.

Therefore, the heating element 10 and the electrode plate 20 can be connected with an insulating adhesive having a high adhesive strength, and strong adhesion and electrical conductivity can be obtained without the need for clamping with a clip. In addition, in this embodiment, an insulating adhesive with high adhesive strength can be used as the heat-resistant adhesive 50 between the electrode plate 20 and the insulating plate 30 and between the insulating plate 30 and the heat radiation fins 40. . That is, the laminated structure of the heating element 10, the pair of electrode plates 20, the pair of insulating plates 30, and the pair of heat radiating fins 40 can be tightly and tightly connected by an insulating adhesive having high adhesive strength without using clips. can be done.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, a simple structure can be realized by adhesion lamination using an adhesive without using a clip, electrical connection between the heating element 10 and the electrode plate 20 can be obtained even if an insulating adhesive is used, and insulation can be achieved. Due to the strong adhesion using a flexible adhesive, it is difficult for the heat generating element 10 to shift in the plane direction due to vibration and repeated thermal expansion/contraction, and the electrode layer 10a is worn due to friction between the electrode layer 10a and the electrode plate 20. can be suppressed, and as a result, the output can be maintained for a long period of time, resulting in excellent durability.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the length (width) of the heating element 10 in the third direction is Wp, the length (width) of the insulating plate 30 in the third direction is Wi, and the radiation fins 40 Wp<Wi≦Wf, where Wf is the length (width) in the third direction. As a result, the widest portion of the heater 1 becomes the heat radiation fin 40 , and the width of the heating element 10 is narrower than the width of the heat radiation fin 40 and the insulating plate 30 . Due to this width difference, a concave portion 100a is formed on the side surface of the heating structure 100. As shown in FIG. A sealant 60 is embedded in the recess 100a. For the encapsulant 60, for example, a voltage-resistant and heat-resistant resin material such as silicone resin or epoxy resin is used.

The sealant 60 can prevent the electrode layer 10 a and the electrode plate 20 from being exposed on the side surface of the heat generating structure 100 . Moreover, even if the side surface of the heat generating structure 100 is covered with the sealant 60, the sealant 60 can be embedded in the recess 100a, and the width of the heater 1 can be suppressed from being widened by the sealant 60. FIG.

Further, when the length (width) of the electrode plate 20 in the third direction is We, it is preferable that We<Wi≦Wf be satisfied. Furthermore, when the length (width) of the electrode layer 10a in the third direction is Wa, it is preferable to satisfy Wa<Wp. As a result, the electrode plate 20 and the electrode layer 10a are arranged inside the insulating plate 30 when viewed in the first direction D1. It is possible to enhance the effect of suppressing electric leakage between

Furthermore, it is preferable that the electrode plate 20 is arranged inside the insulating plate 30 when viewed in the first direction D1. As a result, the electrode plate 20 in the heat generating structure 100 is arranged so as to be recessed inward from the outer periphery of the insulating plate 30, so that the creeping distance between the edge of the electrode plate 20 and the heat radiation fins 40 can be increased. It is possible to further enhance the effect of suppressing electric leakage between the plate and the radiating fins.

The heater 1 according to the present embodiment having such a configuration has a simple configuration, is highly reliable against electric leakage and short circuit, has excellent durability, and does not need to be clipped between members, so it is compact. It is possible to realize a heater 1 with a

(Structure of heater device)
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the heater device according to this embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the heater device according to this embodiment.
A heater device 500 according to this embodiment is obtained by housing the heater 1 according to this embodiment described above in a metal housing 510 . In the example of the heater device 500 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, two heaters 1 are vertically stacked and housed in a housing 510 . Note that the number and arrangement of the heaters 1 accommodated in the housing 510 are not limited to this.

A conductive cable C10 of the heater 1 housed in the housing 510 extends outward from the housing 510 and is connected to an external power source section 600 . As a result, power supplied from the power supply unit 600 is supplied to the heater 1 inside the housing 510 via the conductive cable C10. The heat of the heated heater 1 is transferred to the radiation fins 40 . A fan (not shown) is provided outside the heater device 500, and by blowing air from the fan to the radiating fins 40, the heat of the radiating fins 40 is transferred to the air and released as warm air.

By using the heater 1 according to the present embodiment in such a heater device 500, the housing 510 can be made of not only insulating resin but also metal. That is, in the heater 1 according to the present embodiment, since the insulating plate 30 is provided between the electrode plate 20 and the radiation fins 40 , current does not flow through the metal (for example, aluminum) radiation fins 40 . Therefore, the housing 510 does not need to be insulative, and even a metal housing 510 can be used.

When a housing made of resin is used, a mold for molding the housing is required, and the resin material must be selected in consideration of heat resistance. As heat resistance, for example, 200° C. or higher is required. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide a protection mechanism such as a thermal fuse or a thermostat for protecting the resin housing from heat.

On the other hand, if the housing 510 can be made of metal, the degree of freedom in designing the housing 510 can be greatly improved. In other words, a mold that is required when using resin is not required, and the housing 510 can be formed by sheet metal processing. Moreover, it is possible to omit a protective mechanism such as a temperature fuse or a thermostat that is required in the case of resin.

Also, if a heater having radiation fins that are not insulated is to be incorporated into a metal casing, some kind of insulating treatment is required between the casing and the heater (radiation fins). However, by using the heater 1 according to the present embodiment, the heater 1 can be incorporated into the metal housing 510 without performing insulation treatment between the heater 1 (radiating fins 40 ) and the housing 510 . That is, even if the metallic housing 510 and the heat radiation fins 40 come into contact with each other, they can be assembled without any gaps.

Therefore, even with heaters of the same size, the housing 510 can be made smaller by using the heater 1 according to the present embodiment. Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to provide a protection mechanism against temperature in the housing 510, so that the size of the heater device 500 can be reduced and the structure can be simplified.

(Production method)
Next, a method for manufacturing the heater 1 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a heater.
First, the heating element 10 is sandwiched between the pair of electrode plates 20 (step S101). Incidentally, before sandwiching the heating element 10, the conductive cable C10 is connected to the terminal portion 220 of the electrode plate 20 in advance by caulking or the like. For the connection between the heating element 10 and the electrode plate 20, it is preferable to use, for example, a silicone-based adhesive with excellent thermal conductivity.

Next, the pair of electrode plates 20 sandwiching the heating element 10 is sandwiched between the pair of insulating plates 30 (step S102). A plate material of aluminum oxide (alumina), for example, is used for the insulating plate 30 . A heat-resistant adhesive 50 is used for connection between the electrode plate 20 and the insulating plate 30 . As the heat-resistant adhesive 50, for example, a silicone-based adhesive having excellent thermal conductivity is used.

Next, a pair of heat radiation fins 40 is attached to each of the pair of insulating plates 30 (step S103). A heat-resistant adhesive 50 is used for connection between the insulating plate 30 and the heat radiation fins 40 . As the heat-resistant adhesive 50, for example, a silicone-based adhesive having excellent thermal conductivity is used.

Next, the heat-resistant adhesive 50 is cured (step S104). When a thermosetting adhesive is used as the heat-resistant adhesive 50, the adhesive is heated to the curing temperature while pressure is applied from the outside of the pair of radiation fins 40 with a jig. As a result, the pair of heat radiating fins 40 are fixed together with each member of the heat generating structure 100 in close contact with each other. The heater 1 is completed by curing the heat-resistant adhesive 50 .

According to this manufacturing method, the heat-resistant adhesive 50 is used to collectively bond the members of the heat-generating structure 100 and the heat-dissipating fins 40 together through the curing process (heat/pressure curing process) shown in step S104. can be done by As a result, the manufacturing time can be shortened compared to the case where the connection of the radiation fins 40 and the adhesion of the heat generating structure 100 are performed in separate processes.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide the insulated heater 1 and the heater device 500 that are highly reliable against electric leakage and short circuit and have a simple structure.

Although the present embodiment and its application examples have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, an example in which the side surfaces of the heat generating structure 100 are covered with the sealant 60 has been shown, but an insulating frame capable of housing a plurality of heat generating elements 10 may be used. When a frame housing a plurality of heat generating elements 10 is sandwiched between a pair of electrode plates 20, a pair of insulating plates 30 and a pair of radiation fins 40, the heat generating elements 10 are hermetically sealed inside the frame. Moreover, although the example of the crimped portion 250 is shown as a terminal for connecting the conductive cable C10, a terminal portion extending in a flat plate shape may be used. In this case, the conductive cable C10 may be connected by soldering, brazing, screwing, or may be connected by a connector. Moreover, although an example of using a PTC element as the heating element 10 has been shown, an element other than the PTC element (for example, ceramics such as alumina or silicon nitride) may be used.

In addition, those skilled in the art may appropriately add, delete, or change the design of the above-described embodiments or their application examples, or may combine the features of the embodiments as appropriate. As long as it has the gist, it is included in the scope of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used as a heating mechanism part of moving bodies such as automobiles, trains, ships, and airplanes, bathroom dryers, drum-type washing and drying machines, dishwashers, and futon dryers. In particular, since it has high reliability against electric leakage and short circuit, it can be suitably used as a heating mechanism part used in humid conditions.

1... Insulated heater (heater)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Heating element 10a... Electrode layer 20... Electrode plate 30... Insulating plate 40... Radiation fin 50... Heat resistant adhesive 60... Sealing agent 100... Heat generating structure 100a... Recess 201... First electrode plate 202... Second electrode Plate 210 Plate-like portion 211 First plate-like portion 212 Second plate-like portion 220 Terminal portion 221 First terminal portion 222 Second terminal portion 230 Convex extension 231 First convex extension Projecting portion 232 Second convex extension portion 250 Crimped portion 251 First crimped portion 252 Second crimped portion 301 First insulating plate 302 Second insulating plate 401 First heat radiation fin 402 Second heat radiation Fins 500 Heater device 510 Housing 600 Power source C10 Conductive cable C11 First conductive cable C12 Second conductive cable D1 First direction D2 Second direction D3 Third direction Wa Width of electrode layer We: Width of electrode plate Wf: Width of radiation fin Wi: Width of insulating plate Wp: Width of heating element

Claims (7)

a heating element having electrode layers on the front and back;
a pair of electrode plates holding the heating element therebetween and electrically connected to each of the front and back electrode layers;
a pair of heat dissipation fins arranged outside the pair of electrode plates;
with
An insulating plate is provided between each of the pair of electrode plates and each of the pair of heat radiating fins,
a heat-resistant adhesive is used to connect between the electrode plate and the insulating plate and between the insulating plate and the heat radiating fin ,
A direction in which the heating element is sandwiched between the pair of electrode plates is a first direction, a direction in which the electrode plates extend perpendicular to the first direction is a second direction, and a direction in which the electrode plates extend is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction With the direction as the third direction,
We represents the length of the electrode plate in the third direction, Wp represents the length of the heating element in the third direction, Wi represents the length of the insulating plate in the third direction, and the third When the length in the direction is Wf,
satisfying We<Wp<Wi≦Wf, and
An insulated heater, wherein the length of the heating element and the terminal portions of the pair of electrode plates in the second direction is shorter than the length of the insulating plate in the second direction. 2. The insulated heater according to claim 1, wherein the entire side surface of the heat generating structure composed of said heat generating element, said pair of electrode plates and said insulating plate is covered with an insulating adhesive. a concave portion is formed on the side surface of the heat generating structure by the length of the electrode plate in the third direction being shorter than the length of the insulating plate and the heat generating element in the third direction;
3. The insulated heater according to claim 2, wherein said recess is filled with said insulating adhesive. 4. The insulated heater according to claim 3, wherein said electrode plate is arranged inside said insulating plate when viewed in said first direction. 2. The insulated heater according to claim 1, wherein said insulating plate contains aluminum oxide. 2. The insulated heater according to claim 1, wherein said heating element is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) element. The insulated heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6;
a metal housing that houses the insulated heater;
A heater device comprising:

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