Patent · US Expired

Flexible ceramic PTC electric heater assembly

US4368380A · kind A · utility

19Cited by
7References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 16, 1980
Grant dateJan 11, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 16, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T10/12
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A flexible barium titanate ceramic PTC heater for use in, for example, an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine to heat the air-fuel gas mixture is formed as a thin disc-shaped ceramic sheet constituted by a plurality of individual coplanar ceramic segments having interior edges positioned in spaced side-by-side relationship. The juxtaposed edges of the ceramic segments are united to each other by a flexible, heat-resistant, electrically non-conductive rubber band disposed in the space between the segments and bonded thereto by an electrically non-conductive adhesive to form the segments into a thin disc-shaped sheet which can be flexed without causing flexing of any of the individual segments. The ceramic heater is positioned in a metallic casing with one planar face thereof bonded to the inner surface of the casing by an electrically conductive adhesive. A stainless steel wool cushioning member engages the other planar face of the ceramic heater to support the heater in the metallic casing.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.