Thermoelectric device

A thermoelectric device, comprising:

• a foam substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, and defining a plurality of apertures that extend from the upper surface to the lower surface, the apertures being spaced apart from adjacent apertures by a predetermined distance;
• a plurality of thermoelectric elements, the plurality of thermoelectric elements being inserted in corresponding ones of the plurality of apertures;
• and
• a plurality of metallic foil strip assemblies, each of the plurality of metallic foil strip assemblies including a foil strip and a corresponding wire having a first connector end, a second connector end and an insulated portion, the foil strip having a first end and a second end with the elongated portion being located therebetween, with the elongated portion being attached to insulation of the insulated portion of the wire, each of the elongated portions having a length that is at least the predetermined distance,
• a first group of the plurality of metallic foil strip assemblies being arranged end to end linearly along corresponding portions of the upper surface of the foam substrate with respective ones of first connector ends and the second connector ends of the wires electrically connecting a linearly adjacent pairs of plurality of thermoelectric elements in series, with a second group of the plurality of metallic foil strip assemblies being arranged end to end linearly along corresponding portions of the lower surface of the foam substrate aligned with the first group, with respective ones of the wires electrically connecting the linearly adjacent pairs of plurality of thermoelectric elements in series, and with the first ends of each of the foil strips and the second ends of each of the foil strips contacting respective ends of the plurality of thermoelectric elements for heat conduction therebetween.

A method of making a thermoelectric device, comprising:

• forming a foam substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface with a plurality of apertures that extend from the upper surface to the lower surface, the plurality of apertures defining a plurality of linear rows of apertures;
• inserting a plurality of thermoelectric elements into corresponding ones of the plurality of apertures;
• attaching a plurality of metallic foil strips to corresponding wires;
• attaching the wires to the plurality of thermoelectric elements defining a plurality of discrete rows of electrically connected thermoelectric elements, each row of thermoelectric elements being connected to one another in series with a first group of the wires extending along the upper surface of the foam substrate;
• and
• bringing the plurality of metallic foil strips into contact with corresponding ones of the thermoelectric elements such that heat can freely move between the metallic foil strips and the thermoelectric elements.