Thermoelectric devices and systems

• US 10,580,955 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2019
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matrix Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Matrix Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Boukai, Akram I., Tham, Douglas W., Liang, Haifan, Hale, Eric C., Kress, Gregory L., Steber, Scott A., Wiles, Brentley M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luo, David
• Application Number:
  US16/354,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20200028057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 318117, 318 34
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 10/00 Arrangements of electric power supplies in time pieces circuits G04G19/00; mounting, assembling of components of electromechanical watches G04C3/008, of electronic watches G04G17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/04 Mounting of electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 19/00 Electric power supply circuits specially adapted for use in electronic time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 19/10 Arrangements for supplying back-up power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides wearable electronic devices with thermoelectric devices. The wearable electronic device may comprise a user interface for displaying information to a user. The thermoelectric device may comprise a heat collecting unit, a thermoelectric element, and a heat expelling unit. During use, the thermoelectric element may generate power upon the flow of thermal energy from the heat collecting unit, across the thermoelectric element, and to the heat expelling unit.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

an electronic display; and

a power management unit operatively coupled to said electronic display, said power management unit comprising;

one or more solar cells configured to generate power upon exposure to light;

a thermoelectric device comprising (i) a heat collecting unit configured to collect thermal energy from a body surface of a user, (ii) a heat sink in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a thermoelectric power generator disposed between said heat collecting unit and said heat sink, wherein said thermoelectric power generator is configured to generate power upon flow of at least a portion of said thermal energy from said heat collecting unit to said heat sink; and

an energy storage device configured to store power generated by said one or more solar cells or said thermoelectric power generator when said power is not used to power said electronic display.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a casing containing said electronic display and said power management unit.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein said casing is in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, said heat sink, or both.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein said heat sink is disposed adjacent to a side portion of said casing.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein one or more vents are disposed in a side portion of said casing, wherein said one or more vents are configured to expel thermal energy from said heat sink.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein said casing comprises one or more lugs in thermal communication with said heat sink, and wherein said one or more lugs are configured to dissipate heat.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein said casing comprises a bottom subassembly, wherein said bottom subassembly comprises a conductive backing, and wherein said conductive backing is configured to be in thermal communication with said body surface of said user when said wearable electronic device is in use.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 7, wherein said bottom subassembly comprises threads, wherein said bottom subassembly threads into said casing, and wherein said threads are thermally conductive.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein said solar cells are disposed in a top surface of said casing.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein said casing comprises a case top.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 10, wherein said case top comprises said heat sink.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said wearable electronic device is a watch.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 12, wherein said watch comprises a face, and wherein said one or more solar cells are disposed in said face.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 12, further comprising a band that comprises an additional thermoelectric power generator.

15. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said power management unit provides at least about 10% of a power requirement of said wearable electronic device.

16. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said electronic display is a capacitive touch screen.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said wearable electronic device is configured to be charged by an external power source.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said thermoelectric power generator comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 18, wherein a thermoelectric element of said plurality of thermoelectric elements comprises a semiconductor substrate.

20. The wearable electronic device of claim 19, wherein said semiconductor substrate includes pores.

21. The wearable electronic device of claim 20, wherein said pores are disordered.

22. The wearable electronic device of claim 20, wherein said pores have a non-uniform distribution throughout said semiconductor substrate.

23. The wearable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said plurality of thermoelectric elements comprises an n-type thermoelectric element in series with a p-type thermoelectric element.

24. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an insulator spacer between said heat collecting unit and said heat sink.

25. The wearable electronic device of claim 24, wherein said insulator spacer is disposed in voids around said thermoelectric power generator.

26. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an insulating ring that circumscribes said thermoelectric power generator.

27. A method for using a wearable electronic device, comprising:

activating said wearable electronic device comprising;

an electronic display; and

a power management unit operatively coupled to said electronic display, said power management unit comprising;

one or more solar cells configured to generate power upon exposure to light;

a thermoelectric device comprising (i) a heat collecting unit configured to collect thermal energy from a body surface of a user, (ii) a heat sink in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a thermoelectric power generator disposed between said heat collecting unit and said heat sink, wherein said thermoelectric power generator is configured to generate power upon flow of at least a portion of said thermal energy from said heat collecting unit to said heat sink; and

an energy storage device configured to store power generated by said one or more solar cells or said thermoelectric power generator when said power is not used to power said electronic display.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the wearable electronic device comprises a casing containing said electronic display and said power management unit.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said wearable electronic device further comprises one or more vents disposed in a side portion of said casing, wherein said one or more vents are configured to expel thermal energy from said heat sink.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said one or more solar cells are disposed in a top surface of said casing.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said wearable electronic device is a watch.

32. A method of manufacturing a wearable electronic device, comprising assembling (i) an electronic display and (ii) a power management unit operatively coupled to said electronic display to yield said wearable electronic device,

wherein said power management unit comprises:

one or more solar cells configured to generate power upon exposure to light,

a thermoelectric device comprising (i) a heat collecting unit configured to collect thermal energy from a body surface of a user, (ii) a heat sink in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a thermoelectric power generator disposed between said heat collecting unit and said heat sink, wherein said thermoelectric power generator is configured to generate power upon flow of at least a portion of said thermal energy from said heat collecting unit to said heat sink, and

an energy storage device configured to store power generated by said one or more solar cells or said thermoelectric power generator when said power is not used to power said electronic display.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said wearable electronic device further comprises a casing containing said electronic display and said power management unit, and wherein said one or more solar cells are disposed in a top surface of said casing.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said wearable electronic device is a watch.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said watch comprises a face, and wherein said one or more solar cells are disposed in said face.