Electric heating – Heating devices – Resistive element: igniter type
Patent
1996-11-26
1999-03-16
Jeffery, John A.
Electric heating
Heating devices
Resistive element: igniter type
219267, B60N 314, F23Q 700
Patent
active
058833595
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cigar lighters, especially for motor vehicles, and more particularly it relates to the removable heating plug which forms part such a cigar lighter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As is well known, a cigar lighter comprises a lighter body which is secured on a fixed wall of the vehicle, such as a console or the fascia of the latter.
This body, firstly, carries electrical power supply components together with a current take-off member which is usually in the form of a bimetal strip, and, secondly, serves as a receptacle for the removable heating plug, which comprises two parts, one of which is movable axially with respect to the other against the action of axially acting resilient return means, in the manner which is described for example in the document FR-A-2 701 438.
More precisely, the movable part comprises a knob made of electrically and thermally insulating material, which is fixed to an electrically conductive support member that carries, and is insulated from, a terminal shroud which receives within it an electrical heating resistance of spiral form.
When the knob is pushed in, the shroud comes into engagement with the hooks of the current take-off bimetal strip, and an electrical circuit is set up which causes the heating resistance to become hot.
Once the said resistance reaches the desired temperature, the leaves of the bimetal strip dilate, and the knob reverts to its initial position under the action of the resilient return means. It then only remains for the plug to be removed, for a cigarette, for example, to be lit.
It is therefore important to obtain a reliable mechanical and electrical connection between the outermost turn of the spiral of the heating resistance and the inner wall of the shroud that receives the heating resistance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
For this reason, the document FR-A-2 457 787 provides that the wall of the metallic shroud be deformed on to the outer periphery of the heating resistance, with a metallic ring being interposed.
This arrangement enables a reliable cigar lighter, and connection of the heating resistance without soldering, to be obtained.
Nevertheless, and in particular for cost reasons, it is desirable to reduce the number of components of the plug, and therefore to eliminate the metallic ring.
An object of the present invention is to respond to this desire, while preserving a reliable mechanical and electrical connection and without having any soldering between the shroud and the heating resistance.
According to the invention, a heating plug of the type described above, in which the assembly pin has a flange with an inclined upper shoulder facing away from the base of the shroud, is characterised in that the base of the shroud has, for contact with the outer end of the heating resistance, a plurality of annular sectors embossed towards the interior of the shroud, in that the outer end of the heating resistance is gripped between the said sectors and the wall of the shroud, which is deformed inwardly, while the inner end of the heating resistance hugs the profile of the inclined upper shoulder of the flange of the assembly pin, and in that the said sectors are located at the junction of the base with the rounded zone joining the latter to the wall of the shroud.
The invention enables the resistance to be fitted mechanically without any soldering, and the number of components is reduced, no ring being necessary.
In addition, the embossed sectors provide precentring for the electrically insulating ring which is interposed in the usual way between the base of the shroud and the flange of the pin by which it is assembled to the support member of the plug.
This arrangement enables any modification to be avoided in the assembly pin and in the electrically insulating ring which is interposed between the bases of the shroud and support member.
In addition, the sectors are easy to form, and they preserve mechanical strength due to the formation of free space between the embossed sectors. These
REFERENCES:
patent: 3909587 (1975-09-01), Mattis
patent: 4204109 (1980-05-01), Horwitt et al.
patent: 4731521 (1988-03-01), Spector et al.
patent: 5132517 (1992-07-01), Von Gaisberg et al.
patent: 5506388 (1996-04-01), Martina
Jeffery John A.
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