Tiered thermoelectric unit and method of fabricating same
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a thermoelectric unit employing a first and second thermoelectrc stage of the type having a plurality of first conductivity type elements and a plurality of second conductivity elements electrically connected alternatingly between said first conductivity type elements to form a series of thermal elements, comprising the steps of:
- forming a first interstage electrical connection pad on said first stage;
forming a second interstage electrical connection pad on said second stage;
arranging said first and said second thermoelectric stages in a superposed relationship;
interposing a unitary planar thermally conductive and electrically isolating coupler between said first and said second thermoelectric stages;
forming an electrically conductive path on said coupler for connecting said first and said second interstage electrical connection pads together; and
bonding the interstage electrical connection pads of said first and said second thermoelectric stage to said conductive path to thereby form an electrical circuit and a thermally conductive path between said stages.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermoelectric unit is disclosed having superposed PN semiconductor thermoelectric stages (10, 12) thermally and electrically connected together by a planar ceramic coupler (14) therebetween. The PN semiconductor blocks (16, 18) of each stage are connected by metallic bridging elements (20), which bridging elements are soldered to isolated metallized areas (40) on each face surface of the ceramic coupler (14) to thereby form a thermal path between the stages. Each stage further includes power source tabs (22,24; 26,28), the tabs (26,28) of one stage receiving power from the other stage through electrically conductive metallized edge paths (42, 44) on the ceramic coupler (14). This forms an interstage connection for connecting the PN semiconductor blocks of the one stage to the PN semiconductor blocks of the other stage.
43 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a thermoelectric unit employing a first and second thermoelectrc stage of the type having a plurality of first conductivity type elements and a plurality of second conductivity elements electrically connected alternatingly between said first conductivity type elements to form a series of thermal elements, comprising the steps of:
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forming a first interstage electrical connection pad on said first stage; forming a second interstage electrical connection pad on said second stage; arranging said first and said second thermoelectric stages in a superposed relationship; interposing a unitary planar thermally conductive and electrically isolating coupler between said first and said second thermoelectric stages; forming an electrically conductive path on said coupler for connecting said first and said second interstage electrical connection pads together; and bonding the interstage electrical connection pads of said first and said second thermoelectric stage to said conductive path to thereby form an electrical circuit and a thermally conductive path between said stages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of fabricating a thermoelectric unit employing a first and second thermoelectric stage of the type having a plurality of first conductive type elements, a plurality of second conductive type elements electrically connected alternatingly between said first conductivity type elements to form a series of thermal elements, comprising the steps of:
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forming a first interstage electrical connection pad on said first stage; forming a second interstage electrical connection pad on said second stage; arranging said first and said second thermoelectric stages in a superposed relationship; forming a plurality of metallized planes having high thermal conductivity on each said thermoelectric stage; forming a plurality of metallized areas having high thermal conductivity on said coupler in registry with each said metallized plane; interposing a unitary planar thermally conductive and electrically isolated coupler between said first and said second thermoelectric stages; and bonding each said metallized plane with one of said metallized areas in registry therewith so as to provide a thermal path from one said thermoelectric stage to the other stage. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A thermoelectric unit employing a first and second thermoelectric stage of the type having a plurality of first conductivity type elements and a plurality of second conductivity type elements electrically connected alternatingly between said first conductivity type elements to form a series of thermal elements, comprising:
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a first interstage electrical connection pad on said first stage; a second interstage electrical connection pad on said second stage; a unitary planar thermally conductive and electronically isolating coupler interposed between said first and said second thermoelectric stages; an electrically conductive path on said coupler for connecting said first and said second interstage electrical connection pads together; and means for bonding said interstage electrical connection pads of said first and said second thermoelectric stage to said conductive path to thereby form an electrical circuit and a thermally conductive path between said stages. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A thermoelectric unit employing a first and second thermoelectric stage of the type having a plurality of first conductive type elements, a plurality of second conductive type elements electrically connected alternatingly between said first conductivity type elements to form a series of thermal elements, comprising:
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a first interstage electrical connection pad on said first stage; a second interstage electrical connection pad on said second stage; a plurality of metallized planes having high thermal conductivity disposed on each said thermoelectric stage; a plurality of metallized areas having high thermal conductivity disposed on said coupler and in registry with each said metallized plane; a unitary planar thermally conductive and electrically isolated coupler interposed between said first and said second thermoelectric stage; and means for bonding each said metallized plane with one of said metallized areas in registry therewith so as to provide a thermal path from one said thermoelectric stage to the other stage. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification