Thermoelectric apparatus

• US 6,073,449 A
• Filed: 06/24/1997
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitaka Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Technova, Inc. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Kazuya, Suzuki, Nobuhiko, Tezuka, Hirofusa, Watanabe, Hideo, Ogasawara, Mitsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US08/881,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 62/3.2, 62/3.3, 62/3.6, 62/3.7, 136/204
• US Class Current: 62/3.2
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/023 Mounting details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device

Abstract

A thermoelectric apparatus is composed of a heat-absorbing-side heat-exchanging base and a heat-dissipating-side heat-exchanging base having good thermal conductivity and arranged in a mutually opposing relationship with a group of thermoelectric elements interposed therebetween. The thermoelectric apparatus comprises a frame made of a synthetic resin material and holding one of the heat-absorbing-side heat-exchanging base and the heat-dissipating-side heat-exchanging base at an outer peripheral portion thereof. The frame and the other heat-exchanging base, which is not held by the frame, are both provided with extended portions extending substantially along and substantially in the same direction as a stacked direction of the heat-absorbing-side heat-exchanging base, the group of thermoelectric elements and the heat-dissipating-side heat-exchanging base. The extended portions are joined together.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric apparatus comprising:

a first heat-exchanging base and a second heat-exchanging base arranged in a mutually opposing relationship with a group of thermoelectric elements interposed therebetween;

a frame made of a synthetic resin material and joined with an outer peripheral portion of said first heat-exchanging base such that said frame surrounds an outer peripheral portion of said second heat-exchanging base,

a base-side extended portion arranged on said outer peripheral portion of said second heat-exchanging base such that said base-side extended portion extends substantially in a stacked direction of said first heat-exchanging base, said group of thermoelectric elements and said second heat-exchanging base, and

a frame-side extended portion arranged on said frame such that said frame-side extended portion extends in substantially the same direction as said base-side extended portion and is located opposite said base-side extended portion with a space interposed therebetween,

wherein said second heat-exchanging base is inserted in said frame, said outer peripheral portion of said second heat-exchanging base is at a part thereof in contact with a part of an inner peripheral portion of said frame, and said base-side extended portion and said frame-side extended portion are bonded together with an adhesive layer formed by pouring an adhesive into said space between said base-side extended portion and said frame-side extended portion, and

a free end portion of said frame-side extended portion and said adhesive layer remain out of contact with a heat-conductive member when said heat-conductive member is brought into contact with a side of said second heat-exchanging base, said side being located opposite said group of thermoelectric elements.

2. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second heat-exchanging base is in the form of a thick block, and an outer peripheral portion of said block forms said extended portion.

3. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising positioning pins extending through said extended portions.

4. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive layer is formed substantially in parallel with said extended portions.

5. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each frame is made of a material having a low thermal conductivity.

6. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each frame is made of a material having a low water vapor permeation.

7. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply member for feeding electric power to said group of thermoelectric elements, said power supply member being held by said frame.

8. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frame extends in a non-linear shape between a basal end portion of said frame, said basal end portion being joined with said first heat-exchanging base, and said extended portion of said frame.

9. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising reinforcing ribs arranged between a basal end portion of said frame, said basal end portion being joined with said first heat-exchanging base, and said extended portion of said frame.

10. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal transfer cutoff portion arranged between said first heat-exchanging base and said second heat-exchanging base.

11. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said thermal transfer cutoff portion is formed integrally with said frame.

12. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal barrier arranged on one of mutually-opposing surfaces of said first heat-exchanging base and said second heat-exchanging base.

13. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a resilient stress-absorbing member disposed in said group of thermoelectric elements.

14. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic thin film interposed between said group of thermoelectric elements and one of said first and second heat-exchanging bases.

15. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said thin film is made of a silicone gel having a high thermal conductivity.

16. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of said first and second heat-exchanging bases is a fin base.

17. A thermoelectric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second heat-exchanging bases are heat-absorbing-side and heat-dissipating-side heat exchange bases, respectively.