Back to results
US 6,492,585 B1Granted
Thermoelectric device assembly and method for fabrication of same
AssigneeMarlow Industries, Inc.
InventorsJohn M. Zamboni, Christopher S. Bettis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermoelectric device operable at below ambient, ambient or high temperatures and a method of fabricating the same is provided. The thermoelectric device is made of first and second ceramic plates. An array of thermoelectric elements are coupled between the plates with metal filled glass. The metal filled glass is capable of attaching the thermoelectric elements to the plates, as well as electrically and thermally coupling the thermoelectric elements to the plates. The thermoelectric devices are fabricated by applying metal filled glass to a plate, positioning thermoelectric elements in the metal filled glass in an electrically serpentine manner and curing the metal filled glass to affix the plates and the thermoelectric elements together.
Claims57
A thermoelectric device comprising:
- first and second plates having respective first and second surfaces;
- a plurality of leads operably coupled to the first and second plates;
- the leads operable to couple the thermoelectric device to a power source;
- an array of thermoelectric elements, having respective first and second ends;
- metal filled glass operable to couple the first surface of the first plate with the first ends of the thermoelectric elements;
- and
- the second ends of the thermoelectric elements operably coupled to the first surface of the second plate.
4 more elements
A thermoelectric device comprising:
- a first plate and a second plate with at least one array of alternatively positioned n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements disposed there between;
- the thermoelectric elements having a respective first end and second end;
- a plurality of metal filled glass interconnects formed on the first plate and the second plate to respectively connect the first ends of adjacent n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements in series and the second ends of adjacent n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements in series for electrically connecting the array of n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements in a serpentine manner;
- and
- first and second leads operably coupled to the thermoelectric element array.
2 more elements
A method of fabricating a thermoelectric device comprising:
- applying metal filled glass in a desired pattern to a first surface of a first plate and to a first surface of a second plate;
- positioning an array of thermoelectric elements, each thermoelectric element having a first end and a second end, on the metal filled glass pattern;
- and
- curing the metal filled glass such that the thermoelectric elements are operably coupled to each plate.
1 more element
A method of fabricating a thermoelectric device comprising:
- applying metal filled glass to a first surface of a first plate and to at least a first surface of a second plate in a desired pattern;
- positioning first ends of first adjacent n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements into the metal filled glass on the first surface of the first plate;
- positioning second ends of first adjacent n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements into the metal filled glass on at least the first surface of the second plate such that the first adjacent n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in a serpentine manner;
- and
- curing the metal filled glass.
2 more elements
A thermoelectric device comprising:
- a first plate and a second plate;
- respective interconnects formed on a first surface of the first plate and on a first surface of the second plate;
- a plurality of thermoelectric elements having respective first ends and second ends disposed between the first and second plates;
- and
- metal filled glass coupling the first and second ends of each thermoelectric elements with the respective interconnects.
2 more elements
A thermoelectric device, comprising:
- first and second plates having respective first and second surfaces;
- a plurality of leads electrically coupled to the first and second plates;
- the leads operable to couple the thermoelectric device to a power source;
- an array of thermoelectric elements, having respective first and second ends;
- the first and second ends of the thermoelectric elements operably coupled to the first surface of the first plate, and the first surface of the second plate, respectively;
- and
- metal filled glass operable to couple at least one of the plurality of leads to the first or second plate.
4 more elements
A thermoelectric device, comprising:
- a first plate and a second plate;
- at least one interconnect formed on a first surface of the first plate;
- a plurality of thermoelectric elements having respective first ends and second ends disposed between the first and second plates;
- and
- metal filled glass coupling the interconnect to the first plate.
2 more elements
A thermoelectric device, comprising:
- a first plate and a second plate;
- a plurality of thermoelectric elements, each having respective first ends and second ends, disposed between the first and second plates;
- and
- first and second diffusion barriers formed from metal filled glass and disposed on the first end and the second end of at least one thermoelectric element, respectively.
1 more element
A thermoelectric device, comprising:
- a first plate and a second plate;
- at least one interconnect formed on a first surface of the first plate;
- at least one lead electrically coupled to the interconnect, the lead operable to couple the thermoelectric device and a power supply;
- a plurality of thermoelectric elements, each having respective first ends and second ends, disposed between the first and second plates;
- and
- metal filled glass coupling the lead wire to the interconnect.
3 more elements
A thermoelectric device, comprising:
- a first plate and a second plate;
- a plurality of thermoelectric elements, each having respective first ends and second ends, disposed between the first and second plates;
- a post coupled with the first plate and extending generally perpendicular to a first surface of the first plate;
- and
- metal filled glass forming the coupling between the post and the first plate.
2 more elements
A thermoelectric device, comprising:
- a first plate and a second plate;
- at least one interconnect formed on a first surface of the first plate;
- a plurality of thermoelectric elements having respective first ends and second ends disposed between the first and second plates;
- a post extending from the interconnect, generally perpendicular to a surface of the interconnect;
- and
- metal filled glass forming the coupling between the post and the interconnect.
3 more elements
A multistage thermoelectric device, comprising:
- a plurality of components, the components including first, second and third plates, and first and second arrays of thermoelectric elements;
- the first array of thermoelectric elements being coupled to and disposed between the first and second plates, and the second array of thermoelectric elements being coupled to and disposed between the second and third plates;
- and
- metal filled glass, wherein the metal filled glass couples at least two of the components.
1 more element
A thermoelectric device, comprising:
- a first plate and a second plate;
- a plurality of thermoelectric elements each having respective first ends and second ends, disposed between the first and second plates;
- a diffusion barrier disposed adjacent each of the first and second ends of at least one of the thermoelectric elements;
- and
- wherein at least one of the diffusion barriers include metal filled glass.
2 more elements
A method for fabricating a multistage thermoelectric device, comprising:
- providing a plurality of components, the components including first, second and third plates, and first and second arrays of thermoelectric elements;
- coupling the first array of thermoelectric elements to a first surface of the first plate and a first surface of the second plate, the first array of thermoelectric elements being disposed between the first and second plates;
- coupling the second array of thermoelectric elements to a second surface of the second plate and a first surface of the third plate, the second array of thermoelectric elements being disposed between the second and third plates;
- and
- using metal filled glass to form the coupling between at least two of the components.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.