THERMOELECTRIC POWER GENERATOR

• US 20160126442A1
• Filed: 11/03/2014
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JTouch Corporation
• Original Assignee: JTouch Corporation
• Inventors: YEH, YU-CHOU, WANG, YU HSIN, WU, CHEN-CHI, YEH, TSUNG-HER, LIN, TING-CHING, TSUI, CHIU CHENG, CHENG, BO RUEI, YEH, CHUN TING, WANG, YU JU, HU, CHIH-MING
• Application Number:
  US14/530,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20160126442A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0212 of electric power, current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device

Abstract

Disclosure is related to a thermoelectric power generator. The generator essentially includes a thermoelectric thin-film element which is such as a thin film used to generate voltages according to a temperature difference. The output electric signals are converted to energy stored in an energy storage element. An output circuit is included to output power. In an exemplary embodiment, the thermoelectric power generator has a contact interface for sensing external temperate. The thermoelectric thin-film element is enabled to output voltages when temperature difference is induced. The generator further has a switch, which is used to control if the power is output. The output element is such as a light-emitting element.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric power generator, comprising:

a thermoelectric thin-film element, being a thin-film element used to generate electric signals in response to a temperature difference, and with an electric connection interface used to output the electric signals;

an energy storage element, electrically connected with the electric connection interface of the thermoelectric thin-film element, receiving the electric signals and converting the electric signals to energy to be stored; and

an output circuit, electrically connected with the energy storage element, used to output electric power.

2. The thermoelectric power generator of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric thin-film element is disposed with a contact interface which is used to sense external temperature.

3. The thermoelectric power generator of claim 2, wherein the contact interface is a heat transmission device provided to sense temperature when a user'"'"'s finger is placed on the contact interface.

4. The thermoelectric power generator of claim 1, further comprising a switching element, electrically connected with the energy storage element and the output circuit, used to control outputting electric power or blocking outputting electric power.

5. A thermoelectric power generator, comprising:

a casing, on which a switch is disposed, inside the casing having;

a thermoelectric thin-film element with a contact interface used to sense external temperature, wherein the thermoelectric thin-film element is a thin-film element used to generate electric signals in response to a temperature difference as compared with the external temperature;

an energy storage element used to store energy;

a power conversion circuit, electrically connected with the thermoelectric thin-film element and the energy storage element, used to convert the electric signals generated by the thermoelectric thin-film element to the energy charging the energy storage element;

a switching element, electrically connected with the energy storage element, connected with the switch on the casing, used to control the energy storage element if outputting electric power; and

a driving circuit, electrically connected with the switching element, used to drive a load element which is powered by the electric power outputted from the energy storage element.

6. The thermoelectric power generator of claim 5, wherein the load element is a light-emitting element.

7. The thermoelectric power generator of claim 6, wherein the light-emitting element is a laser module to be a light beam pointer.

8. The thermoelectric power generator of claim 6, wherein the light-emitting element is an incandescent light bulb to be an illuminator or a light-emitting diode module.

9. The thermoelectric power generator of claim 5, wherein the power conversion circuit further comprises a charging circuit for electrically charging the energy storage element, and a protection circuit.

10. The thermoelectric power generator of claim 5, wherein the switch is a DIP switch or a push-button switch disposed on the casing.