# US 2019/0378967 A1 · Flexible thermoelectric conversion element and method for manufacturing same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0378967 A1 - Document ID: US20190378967A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/480,141 - Filed: 2018-01-24 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-27 - Assignees: Lintec Corporation - Applicants: Lintec Corporation - Inventors: Wataru MORITA; Kunihisa KATO; Tsuyoshi MUTOU; Takeshi KONDO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378967A1 ## CPC - H10N 10/01: Manufacture or treatment - C09J 7/38: Pressure-sensitive adhesives [PSA] - H02N 11/00: Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means (by hydrostatic pressure F03B17/04; {by mechanical means F03G7/10;} by dynamo-electric means, {including arrangements of permanent magnets interacting with other permanent magnets,} H02K53/00) - H10N 10/13: characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - C09J: ADHESIVES; NON-MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF ADHESIVE PROCESSES IN GENERAL; ADHESIVE PROCESSES NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; USE OF MATERIALS AS ADHESIVES (preparation of glue or gelatine C09H) - H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Provided are a flexible thermoelectric conversion device having high thermoelectric performance and capable of imparting a sufficient temperature difference in an in-plane direction to the thermoelectric elements inside the thermoelectric conversion module therein, and a method for producing the device. The flexible thermoelectric conversion device includes a thermoelectric conversion module having P-type thermoelectric elements and N-type thermoelectric elements alternately arranged to be adjacent to each other on one face of a film substrate, and includes a high thermally conductive layer composed of a high thermally conductive material in a part of a position on one face of the thermoelectric conversion module, which is on the side of the other face of the film substrate, among both faces of the thermoelectric conversion module, in which the thermal conductivity of the high thermally conductive layer is 5 to 500 (W/m·K), and the production method produces the device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flexible thermoelectric conversion device, comprising: a thermoelectric conversion module comprising a P-type thermoelectric element and an N-type thermoelectric element, wherein the P-type thermoelectric element and the N-type thermoelectric element are alternately arranged to be adjacent to each other on one face of a film substrate; and a first high thermally conductive layer composed of a first high thermally conductive material in a part of a position on a first face of the thermoelectric conversion module, which is on the side of the other face of the film substrate, wherein a thermal conductivity of the first high thermally conductive layer is from 5 to 500 (W/m·K). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second high thermally conductive layer composed of a second high thermally conductive material in a part of a position on a second face of the thermoelectric conversion module opposite to the first face of the thermoelectric conversion module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the first high thermally conductive layer is arranged via a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first high thermally conductive layer is from 40 to 550 μm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the first high thermally conductive material is copper or stainless. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a proportion of the first high thermally conductive layer positioned is from 0.30 to 0.70 relative to an entire width in a serial direction occupied by a pair of the P-type thermoelectric element and the N-type thermoelectric element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, which satisfies L/R≤0.04, where L represents a maximum length of the first high thermally conductive layer in a direction parallel to a direction of the P-type thermoelectric element and the N-type thermoelectric element; and R represents a minimum radius of curvature in terms of a face on which the thermoelectric conversion module is to be mounted, with the proviso that a minimum radius of curvature is determined as follows: an electric resistance value between output extraction electrodes of the flexible thermoelectric conversion device is measured before and after the flexible thermoelectric conversion device is mounted on a curved face having a known radius of curvature, and a minimum value of the radius of curvature at which the electric resistance increment is 20% or less is designated as the minimum radius of curvature. ### Claim 8 A method for producing a flexible thermoelectric conversion device which comprises a thermoelectric conversion module comprising a P-type thermoelectric element and a N-type thermoelectric element alternately arranged on one face of a film substrate to be adjacent to each other, and a high thermally conductive layer composed of a high thermally conductive material in a part on at least the other face of the film substrate, in which a thermal conductivity of the high thermally conductive layer is from 5 to 500 (W/m·K); the method comprising: forming the P-type thermoelectric element and the N-type thermoelectric element on one face of the film substrate, and forming a high thermally conductive layer on a part on the other face of the film substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 2, wherein the second high thermally conductive layer is arranged via a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the second high thermally conductive layer is from 40 to 550 μm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The flexible thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 2, wherein the second high thermally conductive material is copper or stainless.