Back to results
US 2009/0211618 A1Published application
Thermoelectric Device and Thermoelectric Module
AssigneeKYOCERA Corporation
InventorKoichi Tanaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermoelectric device and a thermoelectric module are disclosed. The thermoelectric device comprises two thermoelectric materials bonded via first and second bonding surfaces. The first bonding surface comprises a region facing and electrically coupled to the second bonding surface and a region not facing the second bonding surface. Power generation and temperature control extensions to the thermoelectric module are further disclosed.
Claims19
A segment type thermoelectric device comprising:
- a first portion comprising a first thermoelectric material, wherein the first portion comprises a first primary bond surface;
- and
- a second portion comprising a second thermoelectric material different in composition from the first thermoelectric material, wherein the second portion comprises a second primary bond surface in contact with at least one part of the first primary bond surface, and
- wherein the first primary bond surface comprises:
- a first facing region facing the second primary bond surface and electrically coupled thereto, and
- a first non-facing region not facing the second primary bond surface.
3 more elements
A thermoelectric module comprising:
- a first substrate and a second substrate;
- a plurality of segment type thermoelectric devices arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the segment type thermoelectric devices comprise non-facing regions;
- and
- a plurality of electrodes operable to electrically couple the segment type thermoelectric devices adjacent to each other,
- wherein the segment type thermoelectric devices comprise:
- a first group of the segment type thermoelectric devices located in a central region of the first substrate, and in a central region of the second substrate, wherein the first group has a first average area of non-facing regions;
- and
- a second group of the segment type thermoelectric devices located in a peripheral region of the first substrate, and in a peripheral region of the second substrate, wherein the second group has a second average area of non-facing regions, and
- wherein the second average area is greater than the first average area.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.