Thermoelectric module

Details Thermoelectric module Thermoelectric module

1999-09-29

2001-06-26

Gorgos, Kathryn (Department: 1741)

Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric

Thermoelectric

Processes

C136S203000, C136S205000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06252154

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thermoelectric module having a large number of thermoelectric elements arranged thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in
FIG. 7
, a conventional thermoelectric module
1
has been produced by cutting out prism thermoelectric elements
3
from an ingot of a thermoelectric material prepared by melt growth such as zone melting, bonding the thermoelectric elements
3
to upper and lower electrodes
4
made of an electrically conductive material by soldering and the like to provide a predetermined conducting pattern, and fixing a heat exchanger plate
5
on each outer side of electrodes
4
. When the thermoelectric element
3
and the electrode
4
are bonded with solder, there is formed a solder fillet
7
around the joint as shown in FIG.
8
. The thermoelectric module
1
thus completed has a neat structure and enjoys the advantage that the thermoelectric elements
3
exhibit constant heat and constant heat conduction. Having a flat surface on each side, the thermoelectric module
1
is suited to production of a panel type apparatus having a thermoelectric element bonded to each side thereof.
However, because the thermoelectric elements
3
(i.e., p-type thermoelectric elements
3
a
and n-type thermoelectric elements
3
b
) are made of brittle materials, they tend to develop cracks or breaks in case a shock or a load is imposed to the thermoelectric module
1
or in case a thermal stress is applied to the thermoelectric element
3
. In addition, because the thermoelectric elements
3
have poor moisture resistance, they tend to undergo corrosion in a high humidity atmosphere, resulting in deterioration of performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a thermoelectric module which has increased strength and improved moisture resistance and thereby exhibits improved operational reliability.
The invention provides a thermoelectric module which comprises p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements which are alternately arranged and electrically connected by electrodes provided on the top and the bottom sides of each thermoelectric element and a heat exchanger plate which is fixed on the electrodes on both sides of the thermoelectric elements, in which each thermoelectric element has a coating film of an insulating material on the sides thereof except the sides joined to the electrodes, and the thermoelectric elements are spaced apart.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the thermoelectric elements are elements cut out of a thermoelectric element blank and then coated with an insulating material.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the coating film is a polyimide film formed by chemical vapor deposition polymerization.
In still another preferred embodiment of the invention, the coating film is a poly(substituted or unsubstituted p-xylylene) film formed by chemical vapor deposition polymerization.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the parts in the vicinity of the upper and lower electrodes of the sides of each thermoelectric element other than the sides joined to the electrodes are not provided with the coating film of the insulating material.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6-237019 (1994-08-01), None
patent: 8-228027 (1996-09-01), None
patent: 11-68174 (1999-03-01), None

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