Multistage thick film thermoelectric devices
First Claim
1. A multistage thermoelectric cooler, comprisinga plurality of p-type legs each having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of n-type legs each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the plurality of p-type legs being non-parallel to the longitudinal axes of the plurality of the n-type legs, the plurality of p-type legs and the plurality of n-type legs being coupled at a plurality of p-n junctions to form a plurality of thermoelectric cooling stages in which at least a portion of a current flowing, during operation of the cooler, through one stage is coupled into a subsequent stage,wherein at least one of said p or n-type legs is a unitary continuous leg spanning a plurality of cooling stages;
- wherein each of the plurality of cooling stages includes a p-n junction;
wherein the plurality of n-type legs are oriented at an oblique angle with respect to the plurality of p-type legs such that the p-type legs and the n-type legs are arranged in a cross-bar configuration in which at least one of the n-type legs forms contact p-n junctions with three different ones of the p-type legs at a first end region, a central region, and a second end region of the at least one of the n-type legs and at least one of the p-type legs forms contact p-n junctions with three different ones of the n-type legs at a first end region, a central region, and a second end region of the at least one of the p-type legs;
wherein the plurality of n-type legs are arranged entirely in a first single layer such that the longitudinal axes of the n-type legs are parallel to one another and entirely disposed in a first plane; and
wherein the plurality of p-type legs are arranged entirely in a second single layer such that the longitudinal axes of the p-type legs are parallel to one another and entirely disposed in a second plane, the second plane being parallel to the first plane and distinct from the first plane and the second single layer being distinct from the first single layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally provides multistage thermoelectric coolers and methods for their fabrication. For example, in one aspect, a multistage thermoelectric cooler is disclosed that includes at least two cooling stages, each of which comprises a p-type leg portion and an n-type leg portion coupled to form a p-n junction. The p-n junctions of the two stages are thermally and electrically coupled such that at least a portion of a current flowing, during operation of the device, through one stage is coupled to the other. Further, at least one of the p- or n-type leg portions of one stage forms a unitary structure with a corresponding p- or n-type leg portion of the other stage.
17 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multistage thermoelectric cooler, comprising
a plurality of p-type legs each having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of n-type legs each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the plurality of p-type legs being non-parallel to the longitudinal axes of the plurality of the n-type legs, the plurality of p-type legs and the plurality of n-type legs being coupled at a plurality of p-n junctions to form a plurality of thermoelectric cooling stages in which at least a portion of a current flowing, during operation of the cooler, through one stage is coupled into a subsequent stage, wherein at least one of said p or n-type legs is a unitary continuous leg spanning a plurality of cooling stages; -
wherein each of the plurality of cooling stages includes a p-n junction;
wherein the plurality of n-type legs are oriented at an oblique angle with respect to the plurality of p-type legs such that the p-type legs and the n-type legs are arranged in a cross-bar configuration in which at least one of the n-type legs forms contact p-n junctions with three different ones of the p-type legs at a first end region, a central region, and a second end region of the at least one of the n-type legs and at least one of the p-type legs forms contact p-n junctions with three different ones of the n-type legs at a first end region, a central region, and a second end region of the at least one of the p-type legs;wherein the plurality of n-type legs are arranged entirely in a first single layer such that the longitudinal axes of the n-type legs are parallel to one another and entirely disposed in a first plane; and wherein the plurality of p-type legs are arranged entirely in a second single layer such that the longitudinal axes of the p-type legs are parallel to one another and entirely disposed in a second plane, the second plane being parallel to the first plane and distinct from the first plane and the second single layer being distinct from the first single layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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7. A multistage thermoelectric cooler, comprising:
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at least first and second thermoelectric cooling stages comprising a plurality of p-type thermoelectric legs each having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of n-type thermoelectric legs each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the plurality of p-type thermoelectric legs being non-parallel to the longitudinal axes of the plurality of the n-type thermoelectric legs, the plurality of p-type legs and the plurality of n-type legs being coupled to one another so as to form a plurality of p-n junctions, each leg spanning both stages such that a first portion of each leg extending from one end thereof to one of said p-n junctions belongs to one stage and a second portion of that leg extending from said p-n junction to another end thereof belongs to the other stage, wherein said first and second portions of at least one of said legs form a physically undivided leg that spans said at least first and second cooling stages; wherein the plurality of n-type legs are oriented at an oblique angle with respect to the plurality of p-type legs such that the p-type legs and the n-type legs are arranged in a cross-bar configuration in which at least one of the n-type legs forms contact p-n junctions with three different ones of the p-type legs at a first end region, a central region, and a second end region of the at least one of the n-type legs and at least one of the p-type legs forms contact p-n junctions with three different ones of the n-type legs at a first end region, a central region, and a second end region of the at least one of the p-type legs; and wherein the plurality of p-type legs are entirely disposed in a first single layer and wherein the longitudinal axes of the p-type legs are parallel to one another and entirely disposed in a first plane; and wherein the plurality of n-type legs are entirely disposed in a second single layer and wherein the longitudinal axes of the n-type legs are parallel to one another and entirely disposed in a second plane, the second plane being parallel to the first plane and distinct from the first plane and the second single layer being distinct from the first single layer. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A multistage thermoelectric cooler, comprising
a plurality of legs formed of a p-type thermoelectric material and a plurality of legs formed of an n-type thermoelectric material, each of said legs having a first portion extending from a first end thereof to a p-n junction across which a first temperature gradient is generated and a second portion extending from the p-n junction to a second end thereof across which a second temperature gradient is generated, said portions forming a contiguous undivided thermoelectric leg, wherein said legs are bonded so as to form an electrically and thermally conductive contact junction; -
wherein the plurality of n-type legs are oriented at an oblique angle with respect to the plurality of p-type legs such that the p-type legs and the n-type legs are arranged in a cross-bar configuration in which at least one of the n-type legs forms contact p-n junctions with three different ones of the p-type legs at a first end region, a central region, and a second end region of the at least one of the n-type legs and at least one of the p-type legs forms contact p-n junctions with three different ones of the n-type legs at a first end region, a central region, and a second end region of the at least one of the p-type legs; and wherein the plurality of n-type legs are arranged entirely in a first single layer such that longitudinal axes of the n-type legs are parallel to one another and entirely disposed in a first plane; and wherein the plurality of p-type legs are arranged entirely in a second single layer such that longitudinal axes of the p-type legs are parallel to one another and entirely disposed in a second plane, the second plane being parallel to the first plane and distinct from the first plane and the second single layer being distinct from the first single layer;
wherein the longitudinal axes of the plurality of p-type legs being non-parallel to the longitudinal axes of the plurality of the n-type legs. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification