US 2017/0256697 A1 · Thermoelectric device and manufacturing process therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermoelectric device including a pair of different conductors joined at one head end to form a thermocouple junction, the opposite tail ends being free. The conductors have a circular or elliptical section, are arranged side-by-side in proximity of the head end and are joined by laser welding. Several pairs of conductors may be connected together by joining also the tail ends of a conductor of a pair with the tail end of the different conductor of another pair to form a thermopile comprising thermocouple junctions in series. The invention further relates to a process of manufacturing the device.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A thermoelectric device, particularly a thermopile, comprising:

at least a pair of different conductors composing a first and a second element (1, 2) and joined at one head end to form a thermocouple junction (12), opposite tail ends being free,
wherein said conductors (1, 2) have a circular or elliptical section, are arranged side-by-side in proximity of the head end, and are joined by laser welding.

A method of manufacturing thermopiles comprising:

(a) providing two metal wires made of a different material with a round, circular or elliptical section, and for each wire performing the following treatments:
(b) washing the wires;
(c) straightening the wires;
(d) oxidizing and cutting to size the two metal wires;
(e) mating with each other metal elements obtained from the two wires in a sequence of metal elements side-by-side made of a different metal, alternately with each other;
(f) laser welding ends of said metal elements for a given length of end portions;
(g) winding to form a corrugated or zig-zag element;
(h) performing a stabilization thermal treatment, which includes baking for stabilizing in a tubular or cylindrical shape the corrugated or zig-zag element;
(i) providing a housing tube and insulating the housing tube;
(j) inserting incoherent or fluid insulating material in the housing tube;
(k) inserting the wound or zig-zag corrugated element stabilized with the cylindrical shape in the housing tube;
(l) optionally, vibrating the housing tube with the insulating material and the corrugated element inserted and strengthening by a heat treatment of the insulating material;
(m) preparing drawing conductors together with a fastening nut and pre-inserting into a closing terminal of the housing tube shaped as a cap or cup;
(n) laser welding the drawing conductors to the corresponding metal elements;
(o) insulating the welds with an insulating sheath;
(p) filling the cup terminal with cement and fitting on the housing tube;
and
(q) drying the cement.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/447,115Filed 2 Mar 2017

Priority

IT 1020160000228294 Mar 2016

Published

7 Sep 2017

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H10N 19/101
Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one thermoelectric or thermomagnetic element covered by groups…:…
G01K 7/02
Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat ; Power supply therefor, e.g. using…: using…
H10N 10/82
Constructional details: interconnections
H10N
Electric solid-state devices not otherwise provided for

Thermoelectric device and manufacturing process therefor

Life of this patent

Thermoelectric device and manufacturing process therefor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14