Thermoelectric device and thermoelectric manifold

A thermoelectric manifold having a cooling end side and a heating end side, said thermoelectric manifold comprising:

• a manifold body having an interior;
• a plurality of thermoelectric modules each having an endothermic surface capable of becoming cooled when an electric current is supplied and an exothermic surface capable of becoming heated when the electric current is supplied, said thermoelectric modules being juxtaposed with the endothermic surface of one of said thermoelectric modules being in face-to-face relation with the exothermic surface of an adjacent one of said thermoelectric modules;
• and
• an O-ring member mounted on said cavity defining member and held in engagement with a peripheral edge portion of one of said thermoelectric modules,
• wherein said interior of said manifold body is divided into a cooling cavity that is adjacent to an endothermic surface of one of said thermoelectric modules that is located on said cooling end side, a heating cavity that is adjacent to an exothermic surface of another of said thermoelectric modules that is located on said heating end side, and a heat transfer cavity that is between two of said thermoelectric modules and that is between the cooling cavity and the heating cavity, and the heat transfer cavity is capable of containing therein a heat transfer medium.

A thermoelectric device having a cooling end side and a heating end side, said thermoelectric device comprising:

• a plurality of thermoelectric modules each having an endothermic surface capable of becoming cooled when an electric current is supplied and an exothermic surface capable of becoming heated when the electric current is supplied, said thermoelectric modules being juxtaposed with the endothermic surface of one of said thermoelectric modules being in face-to-face relation with the exothermic surface of an adjacent one of said thermoelectric modules;
• a cavity defining member for defining a heat transfer cavity between adjacent thermoelectric modules, the heat transfer cavity being capable of containing therein a heat transfer medium;
• an O-ring member mounted on said cavity defining member and held in engagement with a peripheral edge portion of one of said thermoelectric modules;
• and
• a stirring member for stirring a fluid within the heat transfer cavity when the heat transfer cavity contains therein a fluid.

A thermoelectric manifold having a cooling end side and a heating end side, said thermoelectric manifold comprising:

• a manifold body having an interior;
• a plurality of thermoelectric modules each having an endothermic surface capable of becoming cooled when an electric current is supplied and an exothermic surface capable of becoming heated when the electric current is supplied, said thermoelectric modules being juxtaposed with the endothermic surface of one of said thermoelectric modules being in face-to-face relation with the exothermic surface of an adjacent one of said thermoelectric modules;
• an O-ring member mounted on said cavity defining member and held in engagement with a peripheral edge portion of one of said thermoelectric modules;
• a cooling stirring member;
• a heating stirring member;
• and
• a heat transfer stirring member;
• wherein said interior of said manifold body is divided into a cooling cavity that is adjacent to an endothermic surface of one of said thermoelectric modules that is located on said cooling end side, a heating cavity that is adjacent to an exothermic surface of another of said thermoelectric modules that is located on said heating end side, and a heat transfer cavity that is between two of said thermoelectric modules and that is between the cooling cavity and the heating cavity, the heat transfer cavity is capable of containing therein a heat transfer medium,
• wherein said cooling stirring member is disposed in the cooling cavity for stirring a cooling fluid within the cooling cavity when the cooling cavity contains a cooling fluid therein,
• wherein said heating stirring member is disposed in the heating cavity for stirring a heating fluid within the heating cavity when the heating cavity contains a heating fluid therein, and
• wherein said heat transfer stirring member is disposed in the heat transfer cavity for stirring a heat transfer fluid within the heat transfer cavity when the heat transfer cavity contains a heat transfer fluid therein.