Thermoelectric device and method of manufacture
OwnerChris Macrisinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermoelectric device containing at least one thermoelement formed by powder metallurgical techniques including, but not limited to: hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, press and sinter and mechanical alloying.
Claims37
A thermoelectric device containing at least one thermoelement formed by powder metallurgical techniques wherein each thermoelement has a leg length range, in centimeters, equal to:
- K+0.026 centimeters to K+0.061 centimeters, wherein K is the thermoelement material's thermal conductivity value, given in watts/centimeter per degree Celsius.
A thermoelectric device design, providing at least one wafer containing at least two through-hole cavities to accept thermoelements, wherein the wafer thickness is equal to or less than 0.125 centimeters.
A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device, including at least one thermoelement, one heat rejecting interconnection member, one heat absorbing interconnection member, one wafer containing at least two through holes, each containing dissimilar thermoelectric material comprising the steps of:
- a. Simultaneously dispensing one type of thermoelectric element material to at least two wafer through holes;
- b. Simultaneously cold compacting more than one thermoelement with the wafer;
- c. Covering each wafer face with a heat resistant material;
- d. Applying hot isostatic pressure to the entire covered wafer;
- e. Removing the covering;
- f. Cleaning and electrochemically activating the entire wafer surface including the exposed faces of each thermoelement;
- g. Plating the entire wafer surface including all exposed faces of each thermoelement;
- h. Bonding a metallic sheet to each face of the wafer via the plated layer;
- i. Chemically removing part of each metallic sheet and all of the wafer material;
- j. Mounting the completed device to a substrate.
A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device, including at least one thermoelement, an envelope or covering, one wafer containing at least two through holes, each containing dissimilar thermoelectric material wherein a pressurized liquid or gas is utilized to compact the thermoelements by applying pressure against the envelope which is in direct contact with each thermoelement.
A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device, including at least one perforated metallic substrate with two or more through holes each filled with dissimilar thermoelement material in which the completed device is bonded to a perforated metallic substrate.
A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device, including at least one thermoelement, one wafer containing at least two through-holes, each containing thermoelement material and at least one sheet of deformable material wherein the wafer and sheet of deformable material are stacked, such that the deformable material interfaces the exposed thermoelement faces, and subjected to heat and pressure, thereby causing the deformable material to deform and compress the thermoelement material into the wafer through-holes.
A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device, including at least one thermoelement, one wafer containing at least two through-holes, each containing P and N-type thermoelement material wherein both the P and N-type thermoelement materials are hot isostatic pressed simultaneously.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.