Thermoelectric devices and systems
AssigneeMatrix Industries, Inc.
InventorsAkram I. Boukai, Douglas W. Tham, Haifan Liang, Eric C. Hale, Gregory L. Kress, Scott A. Steber, Brentley M. Wiles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides wearable electronic devices with thermoelectric devices. The wearable electronic device may comprise a user interface for displaying information to a user. The thermoelectric device may comprise a heat collecting unit, a thermoelectric element, and a heat expelling unit. During use, the thermoelectric element may generate power upon the flow of thermal energy from the heat collecting unit, across the thermoelectric element, and to the heat expelling unit.
Claims36
1-87. (canceled)
A wearable electronic device, comprising:
- an electronic display;
- and
- a power management unit operatively coupled to said electronic display, said power management unit comprising:
- one or more solar cells configured to generate power upon exposure to light;
- a thermoelectric device comprising (i) a heat collecting unit configured to collect thermal energy from a body surface of a user, (ii) a heat sink in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a thermoelectric power generator disposed between said heat collecting unit and said heat sink, wherein said thermoelectric power generator is configured to generate power upon flow of at least a portion of said thermal energy from said heat collecting unit to said heat sink;
- and
- an energy storage device configured to store power generated by said one or more solar cells or said thermoelectric power generator when said power is not used to power said electronic display.
A method for using a wearable electronic device, comprising:
- activating said wearable electronic device comprising:
- an electronic display;
- and
- a power management unit operatively coupled to said electronic display, said power management unit comprising:
- one or more solar cells configured to generate power upon exposure to light;
- a thermoelectric device comprising (i) a heat collecting unit configured to collect thermal energy from a body surface of a user, (ii) a heat sink in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a thermoelectric power generator disposed between said heat collecting unit and said heat sink, wherein said thermoelectric power generator is configured to generate power upon flow of at least a portion of said thermal energy from said heat collecting unit to said heat sink;
- and
- an energy storage device configured to store power generated by said one or more solar cells or said thermoelectric power generator when said power is not used to power said electronic display.
A method of manufacturing a wearable electronic device, comprising assembling (i) an electronic display and (ii) a power management unit operatively coupled to said electronic display to yield said wearable electronic device,
- wherein said power management unit comprises:
- one or more solar cells configured to generate power upon exposure to light,
- a thermoelectric device comprising (i) a heat collecting unit configured to collect thermal energy from a body surface of a user, (ii) a heat sink in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a thermoelectric power generator disposed between said heat collecting unit and said heat sink, wherein said thermoelectric power generator is configured to generate power upon flow of at least a portion of said thermal energy from said heat collecting unit to said heat sink, and
- an energy storage device configured to store power generated by said one or more solar cells or said thermoelectric power generator when said power is not used to power said electronic display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.