Encapsulated thermoelectric heat pump and method of manufacture

• US 4,907,060 A
• Filed: 06/02/1987
• Issued: 03/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marlow Industries, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Marlow Industries, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Inventors: Gilley, Michael D., Nelson, John L., Johnson, Dwight A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edlow, Martin H.
• Application Number:
  US07/056,650
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 357/72, 357/87
• US Class Current: 136/200
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 257/93 Thermoelectric, e.g. peltier effect cooling

Abstract

An encapsulated thermoelectric heat pump, apparatus and method for manufacturing the encapsulated thermoelectric heat pump is disclosed. The encapsulated thermoelectric heat pump includes a plurality of spaced n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements arranged alternatively in rows and columns. The thermoelectric elements having opposing ends operatively connected to first and second metalized ceramic substrates. The first and second metalizations patterned to connect serially the thermoelectric elements. The space between the spaced thermoelectric elements is filled with a microballoon filled epoxy for substantially increasing the strength of the thermoelectric heat pump to withstand a stress of more than 2000 g'"'"'s. The apparatus includes a mold cup holding the encapsulating material, a mold holding the thermoelectric heat pump mounted in the mold cup, and a vacuum means connected to the mold for drawing the encapsulating material upwardly through the spaces of the plurality of thermoelectric elements to fill the spaces for curing.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric heat pump for use in high stress applications comprising:

a plurality of spaced n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in rows and columns of alternatively positioned n- and p-types;

first and second substrates, first and second metalizations formed on said substrates, the first and second metalizations operatively connecting the plurality of spaced n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements; and

encapsulating means positioned in the spaces between the plurality of spaced n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements, the encapsulating means having a specific gravity of less than about 0.8 and of sufficient strength to withstand gravitational forces exceeding 2,000 g'"'"'s, wherein the thermoelectric heat pump is substantially strengthened against gravitational forces.

2. A thermoelectric heat pump according to claim 1 wherein the encapsulating means is a syntactic foam.

3. A thermoelectric heat pump according to claim 2 wherein the syntactic foam is an epoxy substantially filled with hollow glass particles.

4. A thermoelectric heat pump according to claim 3, wherein the epoxy filled with hollow glass particles has a thermal conductivity of about 1.2 and a dielectric constant of about 3.7 at 60 Hz.

5. A thermoelectric heat pump suitable for applications involving stresses above 2,000 g'"'"'s comprising:

a plurality of spaced n-type and p-type conductivity thermoelectric elements arranged in an alternatively relationship, the thermoelectric elements having first and second opposing ends;

first and second insulating substrates having first and second metalizations of conductive material formed thereon, the first and second metalizations having preselected patterns for selectively connecting corresponding first and second ends of the thermoelectric elements to form a serially connected array of thermoelectric elements for a thermoelectric heat pump;

means connecting the first and second opposing ends of the thermoelectric elements to the corresponding first and second metalizations of the first and second substrates;

first and second leads connected, respectively, to the first n-type and last p-type thermoelectric elements of the serially connected array of thermoelectric elements for connection to a source or power; and

encapsulation material filling the spaces between the plurality of spaced n-type and p-type conductivity thermoelectric elements for strengthening the thermoelectric heat pump to withstand gravitational forces above about 2,000 g'"'"'s said encapsulation material including a plastic material substantially filled with hollow particles having a size in the range of about 30 to 180 microns and a wall thickness of about 1.5 microns for reducing substantially the specific gravity and increasing substantially the strength of the encapsulating material.