Electrical heater, heating heat exchanger and vehicle air conditioner

Abstract

An electrical heater includes plural heating body plates arranged in parallel with each other to define an air passage between adjacent two thereof, a positive electrode member joined to one end side of each heating body plate, and a negative electrode member joined to the other end side of each heating body plate. In the electrical heater, the heating body plates are arranged to directly heat air passing through the air passage when electrical power is supplied to the heating body plates through the electrode members. Accordingly, the electrical heater can effectively heat air with a simple structure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An electrical heater comprising: 
 a plurality of heating body plates arranged in parallel with each other, to define an air passage through which air flows between adjacent two thereof;    a positive electrode member joined to one end side of each heating body plate; and    a negative electrode member joined to the other end side of each heating body plate,    wherein the heating body plates are arranged to directly heat air passing through the air passage when electrical power is supplied to the heating body plates through the electrode members.    
     
     
         2 . The electrical heater according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the heating body plates has a flat shape.  
     
     
         3 . The electrical heater according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the heating body plates is molded to have a wave shape.  
     
     
         4 . The electrical heater according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the heating body plates are arranged in such a manner that the wave shape is bent in a direction perpendicular to an air flow direction in the air passage;    the positive electrode member is arranged at one end side of each heating body plate in the air flow direction; and    the negative electrode member is arranged at the other end side of each heating body plate in the air flow direction.    
     
     
         5 . The electrical heater according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the heating body plates has protrusion portions protruding from at least one of face and back surfaces of each heating body plate to the air passage.  
     
     
         6 . The electrical heater according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the heating body plates is molded by using an electrically conductive resin in which an electrically conductive filler is mixed to have an electrical conductivity.  
     
     
         7 . The electrical heater according to  claim 6 , wherein the electrically conductive resin has a positive resistance temperature characteristic in which an electrical resistance increases at a predetermined temperature or more.  
     
     
         8 . The electrical heater according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the heating body plates is molded integrally with the positive electrode member and the negative electrode member.  
     
     
         9 . The electrical heater according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the heating body plates is partitioned into plural areas, the electrical heater further comprising 
 a control device which independently controls the electrical power to be supplied to the plural areas of the heating body plates.    
     
     
         10 . An electrical heater comprising: 
 a single heating body plate bent in a spiral shape by interposing an air gap portion at a predetermined interval, so as to define air passages by using the air gap portion;    a positive electrode member joined to one end side of the heating body plate; and    a negative electrode member joined to the other end side of the heating body plate,    wherein the heating body plate is disposed to directly heat air passing through the air passages when electrical power is supplied to the heating body plate through the electrode members.    
     
     
         11 . The electrical heater according to  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the positive electrode member is arranged at one end side of the heating body plate in an air flow direction of the air passages; and    the negative electrode member is arranged at the other end side of the heating body plate in the air flow direction.    
     
     
         12 . The electrical heater according to  claim 10 , wherein the heating body plate has protrusion portions protruding from at least one of face and back surfaces of the heating body plate to the air passage.  
     
     
         13 . The electrical heater according to  claim 10 , wherein the heating body plate is molded by using an electrically conductive resin in which an electrically conductive filler is mixed to have an electrical conductivity.  
     
     
         14 . The electrical heater according to  claim 13 , wherein the electrically conductive resin has a positive resistance temperature characteristic in which an electrical resistance increases at a predetermined temperature or more.  
     
     
         15 . The electrical heater according to  claim 10 , wherein the heating body plate is molded integrally with the positive electrode member and the negative electrode member.  
     
     
         16 . The electrical heater according to  claim 10 , wherein the heating body plate is partitioned into plural areas, the electrical heater further comprising 
 a control device which independently controls the electrical power to be supplied to the plural areas.    
     
     
         17 . An electrical heater comprising: 
 a block-shaped heating body having a plurality of ventilation hole through which air flows;    a positive electrode member joined to one end side of the block-shaped heating body; and    a negative electrode member joined to the other end side of the block-shaped heating body,    wherein the heating body is disposed to directly heat air passing through the ventilation holes when electrical power is supplied to the heating body through the electrode members.    
     
     
         18 . The electrical heater according to  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the heating body is molded to have a rectangular parallelepiped shape by using an electrically conductive resin in which an electrically conductive filler is mixed to have an electrical conductivity;    the positive electrode member is arranged at one of two opposite surfaces of the heating body, parallel to an air flow direction of the ventilation holes; and    the negative electrode member is arranged at the other one of the two opposite surfaces of the heating body.    
     
     
         19 . A vehicle air conditioner having the electrical heater according to  claim 1 , the vehicle air conditioner comprising 
 a heater core which heats air to be blown into a vehicle passenger compartment by using hot water as a heating source, wherein the electrical heater is disposed at a downstream air side of the heater core to heat air after passing through the heater core.    
     
     
         20 . A heating heat exchanger comprising: 
 a plurality of heat transfer plates arranged in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval, to define an air passage through which air flows between adjacent two thereof, each of the heat transfer plates having a plurality of fluid passages through which a fluid flows to heat air passing through the air passage; and    a plurality of heating body plates each of which is integrated with a corresponding one of the heat transfer plates, the heating body plates generate heat when electrical power is supplied thereto,    wherein the heat transfer plates and the heating body plates are arranged to heat air passing through the air passages by using the hot water and the generated heat as heating sources.    
     
     
         21 . The heating heat exchanger according to  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the heating body plates are made of an electrically conductive resin in which an electrically conductive filler is mixed to have an electrical conductivity; and    each of heating body plates is molded integrally with the corresponding one of the heat transfer plates.    
     
     
         22 . The heating heat exchanger according to  claim 20 , wherein the heating body plates are arranged to directly heat air when electrical power is supplied to the heating body plates.  
     
     
         23 . A vehicle air conditioner including the heating heat exchanger according to  claim 20 , wherein the heating heat exchanger is disposed to heat air to be blown into a vehicle passenger compartment.