Laminated thermoelectric conversion element

An elongated laminated body extending along a central axis such that the laminated body has a center and opposed first and second lateral ends located at opposite sides of the central axis, the laminated body comprising:

• opposing heat absorption and heat release surfaces;
• a plurality of insulating layers;
• a plurality of p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion layers extending between the heat absorption and heat release surfaces, the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion layers being arranged to alternate between the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion layers with one insulating layer of the plurality of insulating layers located between each adjacent pair of thermoelectric conversion layers;
• a first set of insulating layers of the plurality of insulating layers extending perpendicular to the central axis from the heat absorption surface toward the heat release surface but not reaching the heat release surface such that each insulating layer of the first set of insulating layers is spaced from the heat release surface by a respective length as measured in a direction perpendicular to the central axis;
• a second set of insulating layers of the plurality of insulating layers extending perpendicular to the central axis from the heat release surface toward the heat absorption surface but not reaching the heat absorption surface such that each insulating layer of the second set of insulating layers is spaced from the heat absorption surface by a respective length as measured in a direction perpendicular to the central axis;
• the first set of insulating layers including at least one first laterally outermost insulating layer located closer to the first lateral end of the elongated laminated body than the remaining insulating layers of the first set of insulating layers, the length that the at least one first laterally outermost insulating layer is spaced from the heat release surface as measured in a direction perpendicular to the central axis being longer than the respective length that the remaining insulating layers of the first set of insulating layers are spaced from the heat release surface as measured in the direction perpendicular to the central axis;
• and
• the second set of insulating layers including at least one second laterally outermost insulating layer located closer to the second lateral end of the elongated laminated body than the remaining insulating layers of the second set of insulating layers, the length that the at least one second laterally outermost insulating layer is spaced from the heat absorption surface as measured in the direction perpendicular to the central axis being longer than the respective length that the remaining insulating layers of the second set of insulating layers are spaced from the heat absorption surface as measured in the direction perpendicular to the central axis.