Thermoelectric device having co-extruded P-type and N-type materials
AssigneeMarlow Industries, Inc.
InventorJeffrey W. Sharp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of forming thermoelectric materials includes combining at least one P-type extrusion with at least one N-type extrusion to form a first P/N-type billet. The P/N-type billet may be extruded to form a first P/N-type extrusion having at least one P-type region, and at least one N-type region. The P/N-type extrusion may be segmented into a plurality of P/N-type extrusion segments. In a particular embodiment, a plurality of the P/N-type extrusion segments may be combined to form a second P/N-type billet. The second P/N-type billet may be extruded to form a second P/N-type extrusion having a second plurality of P-type regions and a second plurality of N-type regions.
Claims18
A method of forming a thermoelectric material, comprising:
- combining at least one P-type extrusion with at least one N-type extrusion to form a first P/N-type billet;
- and
- extruding the first P/N-type billet to form a first P/N-type extrusion having at least one P-type region, and at least one N-type region.
A method of forming a thermoelectric circuit, comprising:
- extruding a P/N-type billet to form a P/N-type extrusion having a first plurality of P-type regions and a first plurality of N-type regions;
- slicing the P/N-type extrusion into a plurality of P/N-type wafers;
- applying a metalization to at least one of the plurality of P/N-type wafers;
- and
- bonding the wafer to a plate having a patterned metalization which forms a thermoelectric circuit.
A method of forming a thermoelectric device, comprising:
- extruding a P/N-type billet to form a P/N-type extrusion having a first plurality of P-type regions and a first plurality of N-type regions;
- slicing the P/N-type extrusion into a plurality of P/N-type wafers;
- applying a metalization to at least a subset of the P-type regions and N-type regions;
- coupling the thermoelectric circuit with a first plate at a first end of the thermoelectric circuit, the first plate having a first patterned metalization, to form a thermoelectric circuit wherein the subset of P-type regions and N-type regions are arranged electrically in series and thermally in parallel;
- and
- coupling the thermoelectric circuit with a second plate at a second end of the thermoelectric circuit, the second plate having a second patterned metalization.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.