THERMOELECTRIC FLEXIBLE MAT

Abstract

A thermoelectric flexible mat may include a first large surface and a second large surface. The mat may also include a plurality of p-doped elements and a plurality of n-doped elements disposed in an alternating manner with one another and electrically interconnected to a series circuit via a plurality of electrically conductive conductor bridges. The plurality of conductor bridges of the series circuit may be assigned, at least in regions, to the first large surface and the second large surface such that the first large surface defines a hot side and the second large surface defines a cold side. An absorptive absorption structure may connect the hot side and the cold side. The absorption structure may be structured and arranged such that any liquid present on the cold side is absorbable into the absorption structure and transportable to the hot side via the absorption structure.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric flexible mat comprising: a first large surface and a second large surface disposed opposite the first large surface; a plurality of p-doped elements and a plurality of n-doped elements disposed in an alternating manner with one another and electrically interconnected to a series circuit via a plurality of electrically conductive conductor bridges; wherein the plurality of conductor bridges of the series circuit are assigned, at least in regions, to the first large surface and the second large surface such that the first large surface defines a hot side and the second large surface defines a cold side; and wherein an absorptive absorption structure connects the hot side and the cold side the absorption structure structured and arranged such that any liquid present on the cold side is absorbable into the absorption structure and transportable to the hot side via the absorption structure.

2. The mat according to claim 1, wherein: the mat is structured as a fabric and includes a plurality of first threads and a plurality of second threads; the plurality of first threads define a plurality of warp threads of the fabric and the plurality of second threads define weft threads of the fabric; the plurality of first threads are defined by a plurality of p-doped first thread portions and a plurality of n-doped first thread portions disposed in an alternating manner, and a plurality of electrically conductive first thread portions and a plurality of electrically conductive second thread portions arranged in between; the plurality of p-doped first thread portions define the plurality of p-doped elements and the plurality of n-doped first thread portions define the plurality of n-doped elements; and the plurality of first thread portions and the plurality of second thread portions define the plurality of conductor bridges.

3. The mat according to claim 1, wherein the absorption structure is defined by a plurality of absorption threads.

4. The mat according to claims 2, wherein the absorption structure is defined by a plurality of absorption threads, and wherein at least one of: at least some of the plurality of absorption threads adjacently follow the plurality of first threads; at least some of the plurality of absorption threads are embedded, at least in regions, in the plurality of second threads; and at least some of the plurality of absorption threads are arranged between adjacent second threads of the plurality of second threads.

5. The mat according to claim 3, wherein at least some of the plurality of absorption threads extend between the cold side and the hot side perpendicularly thereto.

6. The mat according to claim 3, wherein at least one of: a cross section of at least some of the plurality of absorption threads is one of round oval, and quadrangular; a diameter of at least some of the plurality of absorption threads is 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm; and at least some of the plurality of absorption threads are braided threads defined by a plurality of individual threads.

7. The mat according to claim 1, wherein the absorption structure includes at least one of hydrophilic fibres, hydrophilic particles, and hydrophilic moulding compounds.

8. The mat according to claim 1, wherein the absorption structure includes at least one of synthetic organic materials, natural organic materials and inorganic materials.

9. The mat according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: the absorption structure is defined by at least one of conjugate fibres mixed spinning fibres and staple fibres; the absorption structure is defined by at least one of a non-woven fabric, a fabric, a knitted fabric, and a twisted cloth; the absorption structure is defined by at least one of hollow fibres and solid fibres.

10. The mat according to claim 1, wherein the absorption structure includes a plurality of two-part fibres each having a core and a sheathing.

11. The mat according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the core and the sheathing include at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene-vinyl-acetate copolymerisate, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate isophthalate-copolymerisate, polyamide, and polyhexamethylene adipic acid amide.

12. The mat according to claim 2, wherein at least one of: the absorption structure includes a plurality of coated fibres; and at least some components of the fabric are formed of a metal foam.

13. A thermoelectric flexible mat, comprising: a plurality of first threads and a plurality of electrically insulating second threads structured and arranged to define a fabric having a first large surface and a second large surface disposed opposite one another; each of the plurality of first threads defined by a plurality of p-doped thread portions, a plurality of n-doped thread portions, and a plurality of electrically conductive thread portions, the plurality of p-doped thread portions and the plurality of n-doped thread portions disposed in an alternating manner and electrically interconnected to one another via the plurality of electrically conductive thread portions to define a series circuit; wherein the plurality of electrically conductive thread portions includes a first subset of tread portions assigned to the first large surface and a second subset of thread portions assigned to the second large surface, the first subset of thread portions and the second subset of thread portions disposed in an alternating manner such that the first large surface defines a hot side of the fabric and the second large surface defines a cold side of the fabric; and wherein an absorptive absorption structure connects the hot side and the cold side, the absorption structure structured and arranged such that liquid present on the cold side is absorbable into the absorption structure and transportable to the hot side via the absorption structure.

14. The mat according to claim 13, wherein the absorption structure is defined by a plurality of absorption threads that extend along and adjacent to the plurality of first threads.

15. The mat according to claim 13, wherein the absorption structure is defined by a plurality of absorption threads that extend from the cold side to the hot side and that are arranged between adjacent second threads of the plurality of second threads.

16. The mat according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of second threads are at least partially composed of a foam material.

17. The mat according to claim 13, wherein one of: the plurality of first threads and the plurality of second threads are woven together such that the plurality of first threads define warp threads of the fabric and the plurality of second threads define weft threads of the fabric; and the plurality of first threads and the plurality of second threads are woven together such that the plurality of first threads define weft threads of the fabric and the plurality of second threads define warp threads of the fabric.

18. The mat according to claim 13, wherein the absorption structure is defined by a plurality of braided absorption threads.

19. The mat according to claim 13, wherein the absorption structure is defined by a plurality of absorption threads having a diameter of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

20. The mat according to claim 13, wherein the absorption structure is defined by a plurality of coated fibres.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] It shows, in each case schematically

[0019] FIGS. 1 and 2 show sectional views of a thermoelectric material according to the invention with in each case a differently configured absorptive absorption structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 show sectional views of a thermoelectric mat 12 according to the invention, in particular for temperature-controlling a vehicle seat of a motor vehicle. In this exemplary embodiment, the mat 12 is a thermoelectric fabric 1. Basically, however, other embodiments of the mat 12 are also conceivable. The fabric 1 has a first large surface 13a and a second large surface 13b, which are arranged opposite one another. The fabric 1, furthermore, comprises a plurality of first threads 2only one visible hereand a plurality of second threads 3. Here, the first threads 2 form the warp threads 2a and the second threads 3 the weft threads 3a of the fabric 1. The first threads 2 are alternately formed by p-doped thread portions 4 and n-doped thread portions 5 as well as electrically conductive first thread portions 6 and electrically conductive second thread portions 7 arranged in between. The first threads 2 of the fabric 1 thus constitute a series circuit. The individual threads 2only one shown here howevercan be electrically interconnected. The first thread portions 6 are assigned to the first large surface 13a and then form a hot side 8 of the fabric 1 and the second thread portions 7 are assigned to the second large surface 13b of the fabric 1 and then form a cold side 9 of the fabric 1. The second threads 3 are preferentially electrically insulating.

[0021] Furthermore, the fabric 1 comprises an absorptive absorption structure 10, which connects the hot side 8 and the cold side 9. The absorption structure 10 is formed of multiple absorption threads 11. In FIG. 1, the absorption threads 11only one visible hereadjacently follow the first threads 2 of the fabric 1. In FIG. 2, the multiple absorption threads 11 are orientated perpendicularly to the cold side 9 and to the hot side 8 and lie between the adjacent second threads 3. In the fabric 1, the heat is absorbed on the cold side 9 and on the hot side 8, the absorbed heat plus the consumed electric power is then dissipated. Regardless of its configuration, the absorptive absorption structure 10 connects the hot side 8 and the cold side 9 and can absorb the liquidfor example condensate or perspirationpresent on the cold side 9 by way of the capillary effect or by way of the Marangoni effect or by way of the suction effect. By way of the capillary force, the absorbed liquid can be transported via the absorption threads 11 to the hot side 8 and evaporate there. Because of this, any wetting-through of the fabric 1 that can occur in an extreme case can be prevented.