Heat-generating element and electric heating device containing such

Abstract

A heat-generating element for an electric heating device includes a heating element casing which comprises a casing element formed from a ceramic material and a casing mating element formed from a ceramic material. The two casing elements bear against each other in a sealing manner and enclose, in a sealing manner between each other, a PTC element and conductor tracks. The conductor tracks bear, in an electrically conductive manner, against the PTC element and are assigned different polarities for energizing the PTC element. The heating element casing carries contact strips connected in an electrically conductive manner to the associated conductor tracks. At least one of the conductor tracks is formed by an electrically conductive element which is provided with through holes and which, in a height direction of the conductor track, comprises discrete points of support that bear against the PTC element and one of casing element and casing mating element. The present invention further relates to an electric heating device with at least one heater casing with a heat-generating element of the type described here that is arranged in a circulation chamber with a heating element casing joining at least one PTC element and contact strips energizing the PTC element as a structural unit. The heat generating element has the contact strips electrically connected to the PTC element projecting over itself. A partition wall separates the circulation chamber from a connection chamber of the heater casing. The contact strips of the PTC heating element protrude through the partition wall and are exposed and electrically connected.