Cold point design for efficient thermoelectric coolers
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorUttam Shyamalindu Ghoshal
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Abstract
A thermoelectric device is provided. In one embodiment, the thermoelectric device includes a first portion of a thermoelement and a second portion of the thermoelement. The first portion of the thermoelement is thermally coupled to a hot plate. The second portion of a thermoelement is thermally coupled to a cold plate. One of the first and second portions of the thermoelement comprises a plurality of tips and the other one of the first and second portions of the thermoelement comprises a substantially planar surface. The tips and the substantially planar surface are arranged in proximity such that the first and second portions of the thermoelement are electrically coupled.
Claims20
A thermoelectric device, comprising:
- a first portion of a thermoelement thermally coupled to a hot plate;
- and
- a second portion of a thermoelement thermally coupled to a cold plate;
- wherein one of the two portions of the thermoelement comprises a plurality of tips and the other one of the two portions of the thermoelement comprises a substantially planar surface;
- and
- wherein the plurality of tips and the substantially planar surface are arranged in proximity to provide electrical coupling.
A thermoelement for use in a thermoelectric device, the thermoelement comprising:
- a first portion of thermoelectric material having a substantially planar surface;
- and
- a second portion of thermoelectric material having a plurality of tips;
- wherein the plurality of tips are proximate to the substantially planar surface such that an electrically conductive path exists between the first and second portions of the thermoelectric material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.