# US 12,130,056 B2 · Thermoelectric assembly sealing member with vapor barrier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,130,056 B2 - Document ID: US12130056B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/473,525 - Filed: 2023-09-25 - Published: 2024-01-11 - Granted: 2024-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-12 - Assignees: TE Technology, Inc. - Applicants: TE Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Michael J. Nagy; Zakary S. McLennan; Paul G. Lau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12130056B2 ## CPC - F25B 21/02: using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect - F25B 47/006: {for preventing frost} - F25B 2321/02: using Peltier effects; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effects - F25B 2321/023: Mounting details thereof - F25B 2321/0251: by a gas - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract A thermoelectric assembly includes a thermoelectric module having a hot side and a cold side, where a heat sink is coupled with the hot side of the thermoelectric module and a cold sink is coupled with the cold side of the thermoelectric module. A gasket is disposed between the heat sink and the cold sink and extends around a portion of the thermoelectric module. A vapor barrier is attached to and covers an outer surface of the gasket to prevent water vapor from penetrating the outer surface of the gasket. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermoelectric assembly comprising: a thermoelectric module having a hot side and a cold side; a heat sink coupled with the hot side of the thermoelectric module; a cold sink coupled with the cold side of the thermoelectric module; a gasket disposed between the heat sink and the cold sink and extending around a portion of the thermoelectric module; and a vapor barrier substantially covering an outer surface of the gasket, wherein the vapor barrier comprises a ceramic vapor barrier and has zero permeability to water vapor to prevent water vapor from penetrating the outer surface of the gasket, wherein the vapor barrier is attached at the outer surface of the gasket and extends between the heat sink and the cold sink. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 1, wherein the vapor barrier further comprises a glass vapor barrier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 1, wherein an adhesive sealant is disposed between the vapor barrier and the outer surface of the gasket to adhere the vapor barrier to the gasket. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the gasket is disposed around a periphery of the thermoelectric module and extends between the heat sink and the cold sink to define an exterior perimeter surface of the gasket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 1, wherein the gasket comprises a foam material, and wherein the vapor barrier is adhered to the outer surface of the gasket. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 1, wherein the ceramic vapor barrier comprises a plurality of sections. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 6, wherein an end of one section of ceramic vapor barrier overlaps with an adjacent section of ceramic vapor barrier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 1, wherein the ceramic vapor barrier includes an exterior protective coating disposed over the ceramic vapor barrier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 8, wherein the exterior protective coating comprises at least one of a film, tape, adhesive, and sealant. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 1, wherein the ceramic vapor barrier comprises multiple sections sized according to a given side of the gasket to which each section will be disposed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 10, wherein a metalized vapor barrier is applied to outer surfaces of adjacent ceramic vapor barrier sections to seal a seam there between. ### Claim 12 A thermoelectric assembly having a sealing member, and a thermoelectric module disposed between a heat sink and a cold sink, said sealing member comprising: a gasket configured to be disposed between the heat sink and the cold sink, wherein the gasket comprises a first interfacing surface configured to engage the heat sink and a second interfacing surface configured to engage the cold sink, and wherein the gasket comprises an opening that extends between the first and second interfacing surfaces and that provides an interior space that is configured to surround a periphery of the thermoelectric module; and a vapor barrier layer disposed at and covering an outer peripheral surface of the gasket that extends between the first and second interfacing surfaces around the gasket, wherein the vapor barrier layer is configured to prevent water vapor from penetrating into the interior space surrounded by the gasket, wherein the vapor barrier layer comprises a ceramic vapor barrier that is attached at the outer peripheral surface of the gasket and is configured to span between the heat sink and the cold sink of the thermoelectric assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 12, wherein a sealant is disposed between the vapor barrier layer and the outer peripheral surface of the gasket to attach the vapor barrier layer to the gasket and to prevent water vapor from entering between the vapor barrier layer and the gasket. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 12, wherein the gasket comprises a foam gasket. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 12, wherein the vapor barrier layer comprises a single piece that is disposed around and substantially covers the outer peripheral surface of the gasket. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 12, wherein the vapor barrier layer comprises multiple sections, and wherein each vapor barrier section is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the gasket. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 16, wherein each vapor barrier section is sized according to a given side of the gasket to which each vapor barrier section will be disposed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 17, wherein a metalized vapor barrier is applied to outer surfaces of adjacent vapor barrier sections to seal a seam between the adjacent vapor barrier sections. ### Claim 19 A thermoelectric assembly comprising: a thermoelectric module having a hot side and a cold side; a heat sink coupled with the hot side of the thermoelectric module; a cold sink coupled with the cold side of the thermoelectric module; a gasket disposed between the heat sink and the cold sink and extending around a portion of the thermoelectric module; and a vapor barrier disposed at and covering an outer peripheral surface of the gasket, wherein the vapor barrier comprises a ceramic material and has zero permeability to water vapor to prevent water vapor from penetrating the outer surface of the gasket, wherein the vapor barrier is attached at the outer surface of the gasket and extends between the heat sink and the cold sink. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 19, wherein the gasket comprises a foam gasket and wherein a sealant is disposed between the vapor barrier and the outer peripheral surface of the gasket to attach the vapor barrier to the gasket. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 19, wherein the vapor barrier comprises multiple sections. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 19, wherein the vapor barrier further comprise a glass material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The thermoelectric assembly of claim 19, an exterior protective coating is disposed over the vapor barrier or a metalized vapor barrier layer is applied to an outer surface of the vapor barrier.