HK1230701A1 - Warm air device - Google Patents

Description

Warm air device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a heating device that blows air heated by a heating element.

Background

In some heating devices that blow air heated by a heating element, a temperature fuse, which is an excessive temperature rise prevention device for the heating element, is provided. In patent document 1, the thermal fuse is held by a protective mesh, and thereby fixed to a position spaced apart from the heating element.

Prior art documents

Patent document 1: japanese Kokoku publication Sho 58-48999

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, according to the above-described conventional technique, since the thermal fuse is separated from the heating element, a difference is likely to occur between the actual temperature of the heating element and the temperature detected by the thermal fuse. Therefore, the heating element may rise to an abnormal temperature, but the abnormal temperature may not be detected by the thermal fuse.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain a heater unit capable of reducing a difference between an actual temperature of a heating element and a temperature detected by a temperature fuse.

Means for solving the problems

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention includes: a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet formed on an outer surface thereof, and an air passage formed therein to connect the air inlet and the air outlet; a blower that passes air through the air duct from the air inlet to the air outlet; a heating element disposed in the air passage; and a fuse part in contact with the heating element.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

The warm air apparatus according to the present invention can achieve an effect of reducing a difference between an actual temperature of the heating element and a temperature detected by the temperature fuse.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heater unit according to embodiment 1 of the present invention

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a heater

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a heating unit

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line Y-Y in FIG. 3

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fixing frame for a heating unit for holding a state of the heating unit

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state where the heating unit and the heating unit fixing frame are disassembled

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a fixing frame for a heating unit for holding a state of the heating unit

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged sectional view of portion A shown in FIG. 7

FIG. 9 is a view showing a schematic structure of a fuse portion

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fuse fixing portion

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fixing frame for a heating unit in a state where a fuse unit is fixed

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a wire fixing portion

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the fuse portion with the lead wire fixed to the lead wire fixing portion

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a heater unit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment.

Embodiment mode 1

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heating apparatus 50 according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the heater unit 50. The heating device 50 includes a housing 1, a blower 30, a heating unit 31, and a fuse unit 5. Openings serving as an air inlet 32 and an air outlet 33 are formed in the outer surface of the housing 1.

An air passage 34 connecting the air inlet 32 and the air outlet 33 is formed inside the casing 1. Blower 30 is disposed in air passage 34. As shown by arrow X in fig. 2, blower 30 causes air to pass through air passage 34 from air inlet 32 toward air outlet 33.

The heater 31 is disposed in the air passage 34. Fig. 3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the heating unit 31. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line Y-Y shown in fig. 3. The heating unit 31 includes a plurality of heating elements 31a and a plurality of heat radiating fins 31 b.

The heating element 31a has a rod shape. The plurality of heating elements 31a are provided in parallel with each other with a space therebetween. In the following description, the longitudinal direction of the heating section 31a is referred to as a first direction. The heating element 31a is an electric heater that generates heat when supplied with electric power. From the viewpoint of suppressing overheating, a PTC (Positive temperature coefficient) heater is preferably used as the heating element 31 a. The PTC heater uses a PTC element whose resistance value sharply increases when the curie temperature is reached, and thus has an automatic temperature control function.

The plurality of fins 31b protrude from the heating element 31 a. The fins 31b have a plate shape. The plurality of fins 31b are formed with plate surfaces facing each other and with a space therebetween. The heat generated by the heat generating element 31a is transferred to the heat radiating fins 31 b. The materials of the heating element 31a and the heat sink 31b are determined in consideration of thermal conductivity. As the material of the heating element 31a and the heat radiating fin 31b, for example, a metal containing aluminum is used.

The heating unit 31 is held by a heating unit fixing frame described later. The heating unit fixing component 18 is formed with a slit 19 for fastening with a screw. The heater 31 is fixed in the air passage 34 by fixing the heater fixing frame in the air passage 34. The air passing through the air passage 34 is heated by passing between the fins 31 b. In other words, the heater unit 50 heats the air drawn into the air passage 34 from the air inlet 32 by the heater 31 and blows the air out from the air outlet 33. The warm air device 50 is, for example, a warm air blower. The warm air device 50 is, for example, a dryer. The warm air device 50 is, for example, a bathroom warm air dryer.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the heating unit fixing frame 2 that holds the state of the heating unit 31. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the heating unit 31 and the heating-unit fixing frame 2 in a disassembled state. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the heating section fixing frame 2 that holds the state of the heating section 31. Fig. 8 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a portion a shown in fig. 7. The heating unit 31 is held by the heating unit fixing frame 2 by fastening the heating unit fixing parts 18 protruding on both sides with screws. The heating unit fixing component 18 is formed with a notch 19 for fastening with a screw 10 a. The heater 31 is fixed in the air passage 34 in a state of being held by the heater fixing frame 2. The heater fixing frame 2 is fixed in the air passage 34 and constitutes a part of the housing 1. A screw boss 12 for screwing the screw 10a is formed on the heating unit fixing frame 2.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the fuse 5 is fixed to the heating element 31a by contacting the fuse fixing portion 4. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the fuse portion 5. The fuse portion 5 includes a thermal fuse 23, a lead wire 8, and a protective cylinder 25. The temperature fuse 23 is connected with 2 wires 8. The thermal fuse 23 and the 2 wires 8 are connected in series. The lead wire 8 and the thermal fuse 23 are connected by a pressure welding part 24. The protective tube 25 covers the thermal fuse 23, the pressure-welding component 24, and a part of the lead 8, and has a rod-like shape as a whole. The protection sleeve 25 protects the lead wire 8 from the heat of the heating body 31 a. The temperature fuse 23 and the pressure-welding component 24 are electrically insulated from the surrounding components.

The thermal fuse 23 detects the temperature of the heating element 31 a. When the heating element 31a reaches a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature set to the abnormal temperature, the low-melting-point alloy provided inside the thermal fuse 23 melts, and the lead wires 8 are cut off from each other. The fuse portion 5 is provided in a part of the power line that supplies power to the heating element 31a, and thus can stop the supply of power to the heating element 31a by melting of the low melting point alloy. In this way, when the heating element 31a becomes an abnormal temperature, the fuse unit 5 stops the supply of electric power to the heating element 31a, thereby preventing the heating element 31a from becoming an overheated state.

As shown in fig. 6, the fuse fixing portion 4 has a rod-like shape as a whole and has the same length as the protection tube 25 of the fuse portion 5. As shown in fig. 8, the fuse fixing portion 4 includes: an elastic force applying portion 4a provided on the opposite side of the heating element 31a with the fuse portion 5 therebetween; and a sandwiching portion 4b extending from the elastic force applying portion 4a in the direction of the heating element 31a and sandwiching the protection tube 25 of the fuse portion 5. The sandwiching portion 4b is formed with a projecting amount smaller than the diameter of the protection cylinder 25.

One end side in the longitudinal direction of the fuse fixing portion 4 is fixed to the heating portion fixing frame 2 with a screw 9. A screw hole 14 for screwing the screw 9 is formed in the heating unit fixing frame 2. The other end side in the longitudinal direction of the fuse fixing portion 4 is fixed by fitting the protrusion 15 into the hole 22. Fig. 6 shows an example in which the projection 15 is formed on the heating part fixing frame 2 and the hole 22 is formed on the fuse fixing part 4. The fuse fixing portion 4 may have a projection and the heating portion fixing frame 2 may have a hole.

When the heating element 31 and the fuse fixing portion 4 are fixed to the heating element fixing frame 2 in a state where the fuse portion 5 is not provided, the distance between the heating element 31a and the elastic force applying portion 4a becomes smaller than the diameter of the protective cylinder 25 of the fuse portion 5. Therefore, when the fuse portion 5 is provided, the fuse fixing portion 4 is elastically deformed to generate an elastic force for pressing the protection tube 25 against the heating element 31 a.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the fuse fixing portion 4. A recess 20 recessed in a direction away from the heating element 31a is formed in a part of the fuse fixing portion 4. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the heating unit fixing frame 2 in a state where the fuse unit 5 is fixed. The fuse portion 5 is bound to the fuse fixing portion 4 by the binding band 7 at the concave portion 20. By bundling the binding tape 7, a part of the fuse portion 5 is pushed into the recess 20 side. The fuse portion 5 is fixed to the fuse fixing portion 4 by being bound with the binding tape 7. The fuse portion 5 is positioned so that the position of the pressure-welded component 24 is the position of the recess 20. For convenience of illustration, fig. 11 shows a state in which the fuse portion 5 is temporarily fixed before being fastened by the binding band 7.

As shown in fig. 6, the lead wire fixing portion 6 is fixed to the heating unit fixing frame 2 by a screw 10b, and the lead wire fixing portion 6 determines and positions a path of a portion of the lead wire 8 of the fuse unit 5 extending from the protective tube 25. A screw hole 13 for screwing the screw 10b is formed in the heating unit fixing frame 2. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the wire fixing portion 6. The wire fixing portion 6 includes a fastening portion 27, the fastening portion 27 being fastened by the screw 10b, and a path determining portion 28, the path determining portion 28 extending from the fastening portion 27 and determining the path of the wire 8. The path determining unit 28 determines the path of the conductive wire 8 by passing the conductive wire 8 between the recesses.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the fuse portion 5 in a state where the lead wire 8 is fixed to the lead wire fixing portion 6. As shown in fig. 13, when the fastening portion 27 is rotated in the clockwise rotation direction when the screw 10b is fastened, the lead wire fixing portion 6 is fixed to the heating unit fixing frame 2 in a posture in which the path determining portion 28 moves the lead wire 8 in a direction away from the thermal fuse 23. When the lead wire fixing portion 6 presses the protection sleeve 25 portion to determine the path of the lead wire 8, the lead wire is fixed in the same posture.

In embodiment 1, the fuse portion 5 is in contact with the windward side of the heat generating portion 31 a. As shown in fig. 6, 7, and 8, the fuse portion 5 and the fuse fixing portion 4 are formed in shapes and sizes that are accommodated within a range extending the heating element 31a along the windward side. The fuse fixing portion 4 is formed of the same material as the heating element 31 a.

According to the above-described heating apparatus 50, since the fuse portion 5 is directly in contact with the heating element 31a, the temperature of the heating element 31a is reliably and easily transmitted to the fuse portion 5 by heat conduction. This can suppress a difference between the temperature of the heating element 31a and the temperature detected by the fuse unit 5. Further, when the heating element 31a becomes an abnormal temperature, the power supply to the heating element 31a can be prevented from being stopped in time.

Further, the fuse portion 5 is pressed against the heating element 31a by the elastic force generated by the fuse fixing portion 4, and therefore the fuse portion 5 can be reliably brought into contact with the heating element 31 a. In addition, in a state where the fuse portion 5 is not provided, when the heating portion 31 and the fuse fixing portion 4 are fixed to the heating portion fixing frame 2, since the distance between the heating element 31a and the elastic force applying portion 4a becomes smaller than the diameter of the protection tube 25 of the fuse portion 5, even if there is a variation in the size of the fuse portion 5, the heating portion 31, and the fuse fixing portion 4, a gap is not easily generated between the fuse portion 5 and the heating portion 31.

Further, since the sandwiching portion 4b of the fuse fixing portion 4 is formed in a projecting amount smaller than the diameter of the protection tube 25 of the fuse portion 5, the fuse fixing portion 4 becomes hard to contact the heating element 31 a. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the elastic force from being lowered due to the temperature rise of the thermal fuse fixing portion 4 caused by the temperature of the heating element 31 a. Further, since the fuse fixing portion 4 sandwiches and holds the fuse portion 5 by the sandwiching portion 4b, the fuse portion 5 is less likely to fall off from the fuse fixing portion 4.

In addition, a concave portion 20 that is recessed in a direction away from the heating element 31a is formed in the fuse fixing portion 4 at a portion where the fuse portion 5 and the fuse fixing portion 4 are bound by the binding band 7. Therefore, the fuse portion 5 can be pressed into the recess 20 side by tightening the binding band 7. This makes it difficult for the binding band 7 to protrude from the heating element 31 a. Since the binding band 7 is less likely to protrude toward the heating element 31a, the fuse portion 5 and the heating element 31a can be more reliably brought into contact with each other.

The fuse portion 5 is positioned so that the position of the pressure-welded component 24 is the position of the recess 20. When the pressure-welding component 24 is larger in size than the thermal fuse 23, the diameter of the protective cylinder 25 covering the pressure-welding component 24 may be larger than the diameter of the protective cylinder 25 covering the thermal fuse 23. Even in such a case, the protective tube 25 and the pressure-welding component 24 are pushed into the recess 20 by tightening the binding tape 7, and thus the portion covering the pressure-welding component 24 is less likely to protrude toward the heating element 31 a. This makes it possible to more reliably bring the heating element 31a into contact with the fuse portion 5 in the portion covering the thermal fuse 23.

Further, since one end side in the longitudinal direction of the fuse fixing portion 4 is fixed to the heating portion fixing frame 2 by the screw 9 and the other end side is fixed by fitting the projection 15 and the hole 22, the operation of fastening the screw 9 is reduced to only one end side, and the mounting operation can be facilitated.

Further, since the fuse portion 5 and the fuse fixing portion 4 are formed in a shape and a size that are accommodated in a range that extends the heating element 31a toward the windward side, the flow of air passing through the air passage 34 is not easily obstructed. Further, since the fuse portion 5 is provided on the windward side with respect to the heating element 31a, excessive temperature rise can be suppressed by the air passing through the air passage 34, and erroneous melting of the thermal fuse 23 can be suppressed.

Further, when the wire fixing portion 6 is rotated in the rotational direction at the time of fastening by the screw 10b, the path determining portion 28 moves the wire 8 in the direction away from the thermal fuse 23, and thus the wire 8 is less likely to be loosened. This can suppress the dropping and positional deviation of the thermal fuse 23.

The heating element 31a is made of the same material as the fuse fixing portion 4, and can suppress the occurrence of electrolytic corrosion when dew condensation occurs.

The thermal fuse 23 is not limited to a fuse of a soluble alloy type in which a low melting point alloy melts due to a temperature rise, but may be a fuse of a pellet type in which a spring and temperature sensing particles are provided, and when the temperature sensing particles melt due to a rise in the ambient temperature, the wire 8 and the contact are pushed away by the spring to interrupt the current.

The fuse portion 5 may be provided on the leeward side of the heating element 31 a. When the fuse portion 5 is provided on the leeward side of the heating element 31a, the fuse portion 5 and the fuse fixing portion 4 are formed in shapes and sizes that are accommodated within a range extending the heating element 31a along the leeward side, and thus the flow of air through the air passage 34 is not obstructed.

Description of reference numerals:

the fuse comprises a housing 1, a heater fixing frame 2, a fuse fixing portion 4, an elastic force applying portion 4a, a sandwiching portion 4b, a fuse portion 5, a lead fixing portion 6, a lead 8, a thermal fuse 23, a pressure welding part 24, a protective tube 25, a fastening portion 27, a path determining portion 28, a blower 30, a heater 31, a heating element 31a, a heat radiating fin 31b, an air inlet 32, an air outlet 33, an air passage 34, and a heater 50.

Claims (10)

1. A heater unit, comprising:

a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet formed on an outer surface thereof, and having an air passage formed therein to connect the air inlet and the air outlet;

a blower that passes air through the air passage from the air inlet to the air outlet;

a heating element disposed in the air passage;

and a fuse part in contact with the heating element.

2. The heater assembly of claim 1,

the fuse fixing part is used for enabling the fuse part to contact the heating element and be fixed;

the fuse fixing portion fixes the fuse portion by an elastic force pressing the heating element.

3. The heating apparatus according to claim 2,

the fuse fixing portion includes an elastic force applying portion provided on an opposite side of the heating element with the fuse portion interposed therebetween to apply the elastic force to the fuse portion, and a sandwiching portion extending from the elastic force applying portion in a direction of the heating element to sandwich the fuse portion.

4. The heater apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a gap is provided between the sandwiching portion and the heating element.

5. The heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fuse fixing portion and the heating element are made of the same material.

6. The heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fuse fixing portion has a rod shape, one end side is fixed to the housing by a screw, and the other end side is fixed by fitting a protrusion and a hole.

7. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fuse portion is fixed to an upwind side with respect to the heating element.

8. The heater according to claim 7, wherein the fuse portion is housed in a range in which the heating element extends toward an upwind side.

9. The heater assembly of claim 1,

the fuse portion has a thermal fuse and a lead wire extending from the thermal fuse,

the heater unit further includes a wire fixing portion having a fastening portion fastened to the case portion by a screw and a path determining portion extending from the fastening portion and determining a path of the wire,

when the fastening portion is rotated in a rotational direction during fastening with a screw, the wire fixing portion is fixed to the housing in a posture in which the path determining portion moves the wire in a direction away from the thermal fuse.

10. The heater assembly of claim 3,

a concave portion depressed in a direction away from the heating element is formed in the fuse fixing portion,

the heater unit further includes a binding band that binds the thermal fuse and the fuse fixing portion together at the portion of the recess.