THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermoelectric device (10) with several, differently-doped and electrically-conductively interconnected semiconductors (12), at least one carrier substrate (14) arranged on a first side of the semiconductors (12), and at least one carrier substrate (16a-16d) arranged on a second side, opposite the first side, of the semiconductors (12), wherein at least one carrier substrate (14, 16a-16d) arranged on the first side or the second side of the semiconductors (12) has at least one recess (18a-18d, 20a-20d) which extends through the carrier substrate (14, 16a-16d) and is surrounded by substrate material, and which is designed to receive a fastening means (22a-22d).

Claims

1. Thermoelectric device comprising: several, differently-doped and electrically-conductively interconnected semiconductors, at least one carrier substrate arranged on a first side of the semiconductors, and at least one carrier substrate arranged on a second side, opposite the first side, of the semiconductors, wherein the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side or the second side of the semiconductors has at least one recess which extends through the carrier substrate and is surrounded by substrate material, and which is designed to receive a fastening means.

2. The thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side of the semiconductors and the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the second side of the semiconductors respectively have at least one recess which extends through the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side and the second side and is surrounded by a substrate material, and which includes a fastening means, and wherein the at least one recess of the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side of the semiconductors and the at least one recess of the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the second side of the semiconductors are arranged in alignment with one another.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. The thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein several of the at least one carrier substrates are arranged on the first side of the semiconductors and/or on the second side of the semiconductors, and wherein a number of the several of the at least one carrier substrates arranged on the first side of the semiconductors is smaller than a number of carrier substrates arranged on the second side of the semiconductors.

6. (canceled)

7. The thermoelectric device according to claim 5, wherein a number of recesses of the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side of the semiconductors and a number of recesses of the several of the at least one carrier substrates arranged on the second side of the semiconductors are identical.

8. The thermoelectric device according to claim 5, the several of the at least one carrier substrates arranged on the second side of the semiconductors respectively have only one recess and that the recesses of the several carrier substrates arranged on the second side of the semiconductors are arranged substantially in a center of the respective carrier substrate.

9. (canceled)

10. The thermoelectric device according to claim 5, wherein the several of the at least one carrier substrates arranged on the second side of the semiconductors respectively extend over a semiconductor group, and several or all of the semiconductor group respectively extend over an area of the same size and/or have an identical number of semiconductors.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. The thermoelectric device according to claim 10, wherein several or all of the semiconductor group are circumferentially sealed with a sealing material which reduces or prevents transport of moisture to the semiconductors.

14. The thermoelectric device according to claim 10, wherein a sealing material is arranged between adjacent ones of the semiconductor groups, the sealing material reducing or preventing transport of moisture to the semiconductors.

15. The thermoelectric device according to claim 13, wherein the sealing material is designed as silicone or comprises silicone.

16. The thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein one of the at least one recess, several, or all of the at least one recesses respectively have a seal which reduces or prevents transport of moisture to the semiconductors.

17. (canceled)

18. The thermoelectric device according to claim 16, wherein the one or more seals respectively support the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side of the semiconductors and the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the second side of the semiconductors against one another.

19. The thermoelectric device according to claim 16, wherein the one or more seals are partially or completely formed from plastic, and one, several, or all of the at least one carrier substrates are elastically deformable.

20. (canceled)

21. The thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein one, several, or all of the at least one carrier substrates are substantially free of ceramic material; wherein one or more fastening means, which respectively extend through the at least one recesses, arranged in alignment with one another, of the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side of the semiconductors and of the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the second side of the semiconductors; or both.

22. (canceled)

23. The thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device exclusively has fastening means surrounded by substrate material, and no additional stabilizing pins or stabilizing bars are arranged between the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side of the semiconductors and the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the second side of the semiconductors.

24. (canceled)

25. The thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein at least one heat transfer device is respectively arranged on a side, opposite the semiconductors, of the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side of the semiconductors and/or on a side, opposite the semiconductors, of the one or more carrier substrates arranged on the second side of the semiconductors.

26. (canceled)

27. The thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one recess of the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the first side of the semiconductors, the at least one recess of the at least one carrier substrate arranged on the second side of the semiconductors, and the at least one recess of the respective heat transfer devices are arranged in alignment with one another, and the at least one recess of the respective heat transfer devices has a depression for receiving a head of a fastening means or a thread for screwing in a corresponding thread of a fastening means.

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. A cup holder for a vehicle, comprising: a receiving device, which is designed to receive a drinking vessel and provides a temperature control space for the drinking vessel; and one or more thermoelectric devices, which are coupled with the temperature control space in a heat-transferring manner; wherein the at least one thermoelectric device is designed according to claim 1.

33. A temperature control device for vehicle seats comprising: a conveying device designed to convey a fluid to a temperature control area; and a temperature control device which has one or more thermoelectric devices of claim 1 and is is configured to control the temperature of the fluid to be conveyed to the temperature control area.

34. A method for producing a thermoelectric device according to claim 1 comprising: firmly bonding the several, differently-doped semiconductors with several electrically-conductive connectors arranged on a first carrier substrate, and firmly bonding the several, differently-doped semiconductors with several electrically-conductive connectors arranged on a second carrier substrate, wherein a molded part is inserted into the one or more recesses before the several, differently-doped semiconductors are firmly bonded with the several electrically-conductive connectors arranged on the first carrier substrate and/or the second carrier substrate.

35. (canceled)

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein plastic is injected between the first carrier substrate and the second carrier substrate after the several, differently-doped semiconductors are firmly bonded with the several electrically-conductive connectors arranged on the first carrier substrate and/or the second carrier substrate.

Description

[0055] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention are explained and described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Shown are:

[0056] FIG. 1 an exemplary embodiment of the thermoelectric device according to the invention in a perspectival view;

[0057] FIG. 2 the thermoelectric device of FIG. 1 in a further perspectival view;

[0058] FIG. 3 parts of the thermoelectric device of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in a perspectival view;

[0059] FIG. 4 an exemplary embodiment of the thermoelectric device according to the invention in a sectional view;

[0060] FIG. 5 an arrangement of semiconductors of a thermoelectric device according to the invention in a perspectival view;

[0061] FIG. 6 parts of a thermoelectric device according to the invention in a sectional view;

[0062] FIG. 7a the load distribution in a thermoelectric device according to the invention in a sectional view;

[0063] FIG. 7b the load distribution in a further thermoelectric device according to the invention in a sectional view; and

[0064] FIG. 8 a further embodiment of the thermoelectric device according to the invention.

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a thermoelectric device 10 having several, differently-doped and electrically-conductively interconnected semiconductors (concealed), a carrier substrate 14 arranged on a first side of the semiconductors 12, and a total of four carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on a second side, opposite the first side, of the semiconductors 12. Consequently, the number of carrier substrates 14 arranged on the first side of the semiconductors 12 is smaller than the number of carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on the second side of the semiconductors 12. All carrier substrates 14, 16a-16d are designed to be elastically deformable and substantially free of ceramic material.

[0066] The carrier substrate 14 arranged on the first side of the semiconductors 12 has a total of four recesses 18a-18d extending through the carrier substrate 14 and surrounded by substrate material. A fastening means 22a-22d respectively extends through the recesses 18a-18d, wherein the fastening means 22a-22d are designed as screws and are designed to be screwed to an object. The thermoelectric device 10 thus exclusively has fastening means 22a-22d surrounded by substrate material.

[0067] All recesses 18a-18d each have a seal 36a-36d, which substantially prevents the transport of moisture to the semiconductors 12. The seals 36a-36d are designed to be annular, and each support a carrier substrate 14 arranged on the first side of the semiconductors 12 and a carrier substrate 16a-16d on the second side of the semiconductors 12 against one another. The seals 36a-36d are, furthermore, formed entirely of plastic, the plastic comprising an epoxy material.

[0068] The several, differently-doped and electrically-conductively interconnected semiconductors 12 are electrically-conductively connected to the electrical conductors 30a, 30b. Via the electrical conductors 30a, 30b, a voltage may, for example, be applied or tapped.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows that the four carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on the second side of the semiconductors 12 each have a recess 20a-20d extending through the carrier substrate 16a-16d and surrounded by substrate material. The number of recesses 18a-18d of the carrier substrate 14 arranged on the first side of the semiconductors 12 and the number of recesses 20a-20d of the carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on the second side of the semiconductors 12 are consequently identical. The recesses 20a-20d are designed to receive the fastening means 22a-22d shown in FIG. 1.

[0070] The four recesses 20a-20d of the several carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on the second side of the semiconductors 12 are arranged substantially in the center of the respective carrier substrate 16a-16d. The four recesses 18a-18d of the carrier substrate 14 arranged on the first side of the semiconductors 12 and the four recesses 20a-20d of the four carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on the second side of the semiconductors 12 are arranged in alignment with one another.

[0071] The four carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on the second side of the semiconductors 12 are spaced apart from one another and respectively arranged in a corner of the thermoelectric device 10.

[0072] In conjunction with FIG. 3, it becomes clear that the four carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on the second side of the semiconductors 12 each extend over a semiconductor group 24a-24d. Each semiconductor group 24a-24d comprises a quarter of the semiconductors 12 of the thermoelectric device 10. The four semiconductor groups 24a-24d thus have an identical number of semiconductors 12. The semiconductor groups 24a-24d also respectively extend over an area of the same size.

[0073] The first semiconductor group 24a is electrically-conductively connected to the terminal 28a, wherein said terminal 28a is electrically-conductively connected to the electrical conductor 30a via the solder connection 32a. The first semiconductor group 24a is, furthermore, electrically-conductively connected to the second semiconductor group 24b via the group-connecting bridge 26a. The second semiconductor group 24b is electrically-conductively connected to the third semiconductor group 24c via the group-connecting bridge 26b. The third semiconductor group 24c is electrically-conductively connected to the fourth semiconductor group 24d via the group-connecting bridge 26c. The fourth semiconductor group 24d is electrically-conductively connected to the terminal 28b, wherein said terminal 28b is electrically-conductively connected to the electrical conductor 30b via the solder connection 32b.

[0074] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the semiconductor groups 24a-24d are circumferentially sealed with a sealing material 34, which substantially prevents the transport of moisture to the semiconductors 12. Arranged between adjacent semiconductor groups 24a-24d is also sealing material 34, which also substantially prevents the transport of moisture to the semiconductors 12. The sealing material 34 is formed as silicone.

[0075] FIG. 3 moreover shows that no additional stabilizing pins or stabilizing bars are arranged between the carrier substrate 14 arranged on the first side of the semiconductors 12 and the carrier substrates 16a-16d arranged on the second side of the semiconductors 12.

[0076] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the arrangement of the semiconductors 12 and the metallic connectors 38 electrically-conductively connected to the semiconductors 12. The semiconductors of a semiconductor group 24a-24d are equidistantly spaced from one another. The metallic connectors 38 each electrically-conductively interconnect two semiconductors 12 of a semiconductor group 24a-24d, so that a current flow through all semiconductors 12 of a semiconductor group 24a-24d can be realized. Together with the terminals 28a, 28b and the group-connecting bridges 26a-26c, a current flow through all semiconductors 12 of the thermoelectric device can be implemented.

[0077] FIG. 6 shows a thermoelectric device 10 having several, differently-doped and electrically-conductively interconnected semiconductors 12. On a first side of the semiconductors 12 is arranged a carrier substrate 14. On a second side of the semiconductors 12 are arranged a total of four carrier substrates, of which the carrier substrate 16a is shown. On the side of the carrier substrate 14 opposite the semiconductors 12, and on the side of the carrier substrate 16a opposite the semiconductors 12, a heat transfer device 40, 42 is respectively arranged. The heat transfer devices 40, 42 are shaped as flat plates and designed to dissipate heat from the respective carrier substrate 14, 16a or to supply heat to the respective carrier substrate 14, 16a.

[0078] Between the carrier substrate 14 and the heat transfer device 40, a heat-conducting medium 48 is arranged, which promotes the heat exchange between the carrier substrate 14 and the heat transfer device 40. The heat-conducting medium 48 is designed as a heat-conducting pad. The heat transfer devices 40, 42 and the carrier substrates 14, 16a have recesses 44a, 46a, 18a, 20a which are in alignment with one another and through which a fastening means 22a designed as a screw extends. The recesses 18a, 20a of the carrier substrates 14, 16a are designed as through-holes and have a substantially round cross-section. The recess 44a of the heat transfer device 40 is also designed as a through-hole, but has a depression 50. The depression 50 serves to receive the head of the fastening means 22a. The recess 46a of the heat transfer device 42 is formed as a blind hole and has a thread. A corresponding thread of the fastening means 22a is screwed into the thread in the recess 46a.

[0079] A support device 52a is arranged in the region of the recesses 18a, 20a of the carrier substrates 14, 16a arranged on the first and second sides of the semiconductors 12. The support device 52a is designed to be annular and surrounds the fastening means 22a. The support device 52a serves to support the carrier substrates 14, 16a and the heat transfer devices 40, 42 against one another, and is designed as an integral component of the carrier substrate 14 and of the carrier substrate 16a.

[0080] FIG. 7a and FIG. 7b show the influence of a support device 52a on the load distribution L in the region of the recesses 44a, 46a, 18a, 20a.

[0081] The thermoelectric device 10 shown in FIG. 7a has no support device. In this case, the clamping force F of the fastening means 22a is absorbed exclusively by the semiconductors 12. In this case, comparatively large supporting forces S2, S3 act on the semiconductors 12 arranged directly on the fastening means 22a. Lower supporting forces S1, S4 act on the semiconductors 12, which are arranged in the second row behind the fastening means 22a. The semiconductors 12 which are arranged directly on the fastening means 22a and on which the supporting forces S2, S3 act, are subjected to a high mechanical load. Due to the high mechanical load, there is an increased risk of damage and failure in comparison to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7b.

[0082] The thermoelectric device 10 shown in FIG. 7b has an annular support device 52a surrounding the fastening means 22a. In this case, the clamping force F of the fastening means 22a is largely absorbed by the support device 52a. In this case, comparatively large supporting forces S2, S3 act on the support device 52a. Only smaller supporting forces 51, S4 act on the semiconductors 12, which are arranged behind the support device 52a. Since the clamping force F is absorbed largely by the support device 52a, the semiconductors 12 are subjected to only a low mechanical load, which considerably reduces the risk of damage and failure. A particularly preferred arrangement for semiconductor groups 24a-24d is shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, a carrier substrate 16 is equipped with a plurality of semiconductors 12 in the manner described above. In this case, the semiconductors 20 are arranged in several semiconductor groups 24a-24d. The semiconductor groups 24a-24d are preferably arranged next to one another in a constant length and width. They are each covered by a strip-shaped, covering carrier substrate 16a-16d.

[0083] Two semiconductor groups 24a-24d each are respectively spaced apart from one another by an interjacent separation zone 25a-25c and interconnected by a group-connecting bridge 26a-26c. It can be provided in this case that two semiconductor groups 24a-24d also be interconnected via several group-connecting bridges 26a-c or that at least one semiconductor group 24a-24d also be connected to several other semiconductor groups 24a-24d. The interconnection preferably takes place such that a closed conductor loop is formed. As a result, all semiconductors 12 of the thermoelectric device 10 are, preferably, electrically contacted with only two terminals 28a, b. In this arrangement, the covering carrier substrates 16a-16d are arranged to be substantially parallel to one another and respectively separated from one another by a distance.

[0084] The attachment of the thermoelectric device is effected by fastening pins (e.g., screws) penetrating and holding the carrier substrate 14 at a plurality of recesses 20a-20i.

[0085] At least one recess 20a-20i is provided in at least one separation zone 25a-25c. At least one recess 20a-20i is preferably provided in at least two or more separation zones 25a-25c. In at least one separation zone 25a-25c are preferably provided at least two or more recesses 20a-20i.

[0086] At least two or more recesses 20a-20i are preferably provided in at least two or more separation zones 25a-25c.

[0087] In contrast thereto, no recess 20a-i is provided in the region of at least one semiconductor group. All existing semiconductor groups 24a-c are, preferably, free of recesses 20a-20i. This is because penetration in the region of the semiconductor groups or of the covering carrier substrates 16a-16d is not necessary for holding the carrier substrate 14 and evenly distributing its load.

[0088] Since the fastening pins and the plurality of recesses 20a-20i in this embodiment penetrate only the carrier substrate 14, sealing the recesses 20a-20i and its support can be omitted.

[0089] This simplifies production and increases the strength of the thermoelectric device.

[0090] The holding is, expediently, carried out by clamping the thermoelectric device between two metal plates (for example, heat exchanger plates). This results in an even frictional clamping and a positive fixation relative to the plane of the carrier substrate.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0091] 10 Thermoelectric device [0092] 12 Semiconductor [0093] 14 Carrier substrate [0094] 16a-16d Carrier substrates [0095] 18a-18d Recesses [0096] 20a-20i Recesses [0097] 22a-22d Fastening means [0098] 24a-24d Semiconductor group [0099] 25a-25c Separation zone [0100] 26a-26c Group-connecting bridges [0101] 28a, 28b Terminals [0102] 30a, 30b Electrical conductor [0103] 32a, 32b Solder connection [0104] 34 Sealing material [0105] 36a-36d Seals [0106] 38 Connector [0107] 40 Heat transfer device [0108] 42 Heat transfer device [0109] 44a Recess [0110] 46a Recess [0111] 48 Heat-conducting medium [0112] 50 Depression [0113] 52a Support device [0114] L Load distribution [0115] F Clamping force [0116] S1-S4 Supporting forces