Method of manufacture and resulting thermoelectric module

• US 5,722,158 A
• Filed: 01/06/1997
• Issued: 03/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph R. Monkowski, Robert E. Fritz
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Monkowski, Robert E. Fritz
• Inventors: Monkowski, Joseph R., Fritz, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US08/778,948
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 29/825, 437/187, 437/189, 437/903, 437/8, 136/205, 136/204, 62/3
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module is provided. A first electrically conductive pattern is defined on a first substrate and a second electrically conductive pattern is defined on a second substrate. Alternating bars of a first thermoelectric material and a second thermoelectric material are arranged parallel to each other. The bars are fixed into place on the first conductive pattern by an effective thermal and electrical connection with the conductive pattern. One such connection means is soldering. Then the bars are separated into elements. The second substrate is positioned over the elements and fixed to the elements to complete the manufacture of the TEM.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an improved thermoelectric module, comprising

defining a first electrically conductive pattern on a first substrate;

defining a second electrically conductive pattern on a second substrate;

placing alternate and parallel bars of first thermoelectric material and second thermoelectric material in close proximity to each other;

connecting said bars to said first conductive pattern;

separating said bars into elements;

placing said second substrate over said elements;

connecting said elements to said second conductive pattern;

whereby an improved thermoelectric module with an increased number of elements is formed.

2. The improved thermoelectric module manufacturing method of claim 1 wherein said separating step comprises sawing said bars into said elements.

3. The improved thermoelectric module manufacturing method of claim 1 wherein said separating step comprises electric discharge machining said bars into said elements.

4. The improved thermoelectric module manufacturing method of claim 1 wherein said separating step comprises slicing said bars into said elements with a laser.

5. The improved thermoelectric module manufacturing method of claim 1 comprising defining said bars with a thickness in the range of 0.020 to 0.050 inches.

6. The improved thermoelectric module manufacturing method of claim 5 wherein said bar defining step comprises defining said bars with a thickness of approximately 0.030 inch.

7. The improved thermoelectric module manufacturing method of claim 1 wherein in said placing step, bars are placed at the top and bottom of said alternate and parallel bars, said top and bottom bars having a width approximately one-half that of the remaining bars.

8. The improved thermoelectric module manufacturing method of claim 1 wherein said separating step further comprises separating bars placed at the top and bottom of said alternate and parallel bars into half-widths.

9. A method of manufacturing an improved thermoelectric module, comprising

defining electrically conductive patterns on first and second substrates;

applying solder over said electrically conductive patterns;

applying a paste material over said first and second substrates, and over and between each electrically conductive pattern and said solder;

hardening said paste material;

removing portions of said paste material and said solder to form flat surfaces over said first and second substrates, said solder forming a pattern defined by said electrically conductive patterns at said flat surfaces;

placing alternate and parallel bars of first thermoelectric material and second thermoelectric material in close proximity to each other;

soldering said bars to said solder at a surface over said first substrate;

separating said bars into elements;

soldering said elements to said solder at a surface over said second substrate;

whereby an improved thermoelectric module with an increased number of elements is formed.

10. The manufacturing method of claim 9 herein said paste material comprises an electrically insulating material having a high melting temperature.

11. The manufacturing method of claim 9 herein said portion removing step comprises sanding said paste material and said solder.

12. The manufacturing method of claim 9 wherein solder applying step comprises wave-soldering said solder onto said conductive patterns.

13. The manufacturing method of claim 9 wherein said separating step comprises sawing said bars into said elements.

14. The manufacturing method of claim 9 wherein said separating step comprises electric discharge machining said bars into said elements.

15. The manufacturing method of claim 9 wherein said separating step comprises slicing said bars into said elements with a laser.

16. The manufacturing method of claim 9 comprising defining said bars with a thickness in the range of 0.020 to 0.050 inches.

17. The manufacturing method of claim 16 wherein said bar defining step comprises defining said bars with a thickness of approximately 0.030 inch.

18. The manufacturing method of claim 9 wherein in said placing step, bars are placed at the top and bottom of said alternate and parallel bars, said top and bottom bars having a width approximately one-half that of the remaining bars.

19. The manufacturing method of claim 9 wherein said separating step further comprises separating bars placed at the top and bottom of said alternate and parallel bars into half-widths.

20. A method of manufacturing an improved thermoelectric module, comprising

defining electrically conductive patterns on first and second substrates;

creating apertures in first and second layers of masking material, said apertures in said first masking material layer matching said electrically conductive pattern on said first substrate, said apertures in said second masking material layer matching said electrically conductive pattern on said second substrate;

fixing said first mask material layer to said first substrate to expose said electrically conductive pattern on first substrate and said second mask material layer to said second substrate to expose said electrically conductive pattern on second substrate;

applying solder over said electrically conductive patterns;

removing portions of said solder to form flat solder surfaces over said first and second substrates in patterns defined by said electrically conductive patterns on said first and second substrates;

placing alternate and parallel bars of first thermoelectric material and second thermoelectric material in close proximity to each other;

soldering said bars to said flat solder surfaces over said first substrate;

separating said bars into elements;

soldering said elements to said flat solder surfaces over said second substrate;

whereby an improved thermoelectric module with an increased number of elements is formed.

21. The manufacturing method of claim 20 wherein said masking material comprises an electrically insulating material having a high melting temperature.

22. The manufacturing method of claim 21 wherein said masking material comprises a polymer.

23. The manufacturing method of claim 22 wherein said masking material comprises mylar.

24. The manufacturing method of claim 20 wherein said solder removing step comprises removing solder extending above said masking material layers on said first and second substrates.

25. The manufacturing method of claim 24 wherein said solder removing step comprises removing said solder to a predetermined height above said masking material layers.

26. The manufacturing method of claim 25 wherein said solder removing step comprises sanding said solder.

27. The manufacturing method of claim 20 wherein solder applying step comprises wave-soldering said solder onto said conductive patterns.

28. The manufacturing method of claim 20 wherein said separating step comprises sawing said bars into said elements.

29. The manufacturing method of claim 20 wherein said separating step comprises electric discharge machining said bars into said elements.

30. The manufacturing method of claim 20 wherein said separating step comprises slicing said bars into said elements with a laser.

31. The manufacturing method of claim 20 comprising defining said bars with a thickness in the range of 0.020 to 0.050 inches.

32. The manufacturing method of claim 31 wherein said bar defining step comprises defining said bars with a thickness of approximately 0.030 inch.

33. The manufacturing method of claim 20 wherein in said placing step, bars are placed at the top and bottom of said alternate and parallel bars, said top and bottom bars having a width approximately one-half that of the remaining bars.

34. The manufacturing method of claim 20 wherein said separating step further comprises separating bars placed at the top and bottom of said alternate and parallel bars into half-widths.

35. A improved method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module, comprising

defining electrically conductive patterns on first and second substrates;

applying solder over said electrically conductive patterns;

applying a paste material over said first and second substrates, and over and between each electrically conductive pattern and said solder;

hardening said paste material;

removing portions of said paste material and said solder to form flat surfaces over said first and second substrates, said solder forming a pattern defined by said electrically conductive patterns at said flat surfaces;

placing first thermoelectric material elements and second thermoelectric material elements in close proximity to each other;

soldering said elements to said solder at a surface over said first substrate; and

soldering said elements to said solder at a surface over said second substrate.

36. The manufacturing method of claim 35 wherein said paste material comprises an electrically insulating material having a high melting temperature.

37. The manufacturing method of claim 35 wherein said portion removing step comprises sanding said paste material and said solder.

38. The manufacturing method of claim 35 wherein solder applying step comprises wave-soldering said solder onto said conductive patterns.

39. A improved method of manufacturing an improved thermoelectric module, comprising

defining electrically conductive patterns on first and second substrates;

creating apertures in first and second layers of masking material, said apertures in said first masking material layer matching said electrically conductive pattern on said first substrate, said apertures in said second masking material layer matching said electrically conductive pattern on said second substrate;

fixing said first mask material layer to said first substrate to expose said electrically conductive pattern on first substrate and said second mask material layer to said second substrate to expose said electrically conductive pattern on second substrate;

applying solder over said electrically conductive patterns;

removing portions of said solder to form flat solder surfaces over said first and second substrates in patterns defined by said electrically conductive patterns on said first and second substrates;

placing first thermoelectric material elements and second thermoelectric material elements in close proximity to each other;

soldering said elements to said flat solder surfaces over said first substrate; and

soldering said elements to said flat solder surfaces over said second substrate.

40. The manufacturing method of claim 39 wherein said masking material comprises an electrically insulating material having a high melting temperature.

41. The manufacturing method of claim 40 wherein said masking material comprises a polymer.

42. The manufacturing method of claim 41 wherein said masking material comprises mylar.

43. The manufacturing method of claim 39 wherein said solder removing step comprises removing solder extending above said masking material layers on said first and second substrates.

44. The manufacturing method of claim 43 wherein said solder removing step comprises removing said solder to a predetermined height above said masking material layers.

45. The manufacturing method of claim 44 wherein said solder removing step comprises sanding said solder.

46. The manufacturing method of claim 39 wherein solder applying step comprises wave-soldering said solder onto said conductive patterns.