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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7932459 | Thermal energy transfer circuit system A first conductive member and a second conductive member having different Seebeck coefficients are joined together by a joining member to form a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements, and these thermoelectric conversion elements are disposed in at least tw... | 04/26/2011 |
| 7812246 | Thermoelectric effect device, energy direct conversion system, and energy conversion system There is provided a self driving energy direct conversion system capable of restricting global warming by using a recycle-type and open-system thermoelectric effect device which uses a natural heat energy (reusable, non polluting, and omnipresent) and which is capab... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7340304 | Biothermal power source for implantable devices An implantable, rechargeable assembly comprised of an implantable device disposed within a living organism, an electrical storage device connected to the implantable device, and a thermoelectric charging assembly operatively connected to the electrical storage devic... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7317159 | Thermoelectric conversion element and method of manufacturing the same, and thermoelectric conversion device using the element The present invention provides a thermoelectric conversion element that has high efficiency even at reduced thickness. In this thermoelectric conversion element, striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts are arranged on one surface of an insulating layer, and s... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7178332 | Exhaust heat recovery system In an exhaust heat recovery system, electric power generation efficiency of a thermoelectric conversion element can be improved, and warming-up of a catalyst can be completed early, without using a complicated device. The exhaust heat recovery system according to th... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7140929 | Electronic connector terminal, a method for plating, and a terminal stack An electronic connector terminal and its method of formation comprising a terminal base material 2 formed from a thin metal plate including and a high cost metal plating layer 17, which covers the terminal base material 2. The terminal base mate... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7109408 | Solid state energy converter A solid-state energy converter with a semiconductor or semiconductor-metal implementation is provided for conversion of thermal energy to electric energy, or electric energy to refrigeration. In n-type heat-to-electricity embodiments, a highly doped n* emitter regio... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7100369 | Thermoelectric generating device A thermoelectric generating device has a thermoelectric element which utilizes an exhaust gas from an engine as a high temperature heat source and an engine coolant as a low temperature heat source in order to generate electricity. An introducing passage introduces ... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7034411 | Application of low-temperature and solid-state pyroelectric energy converter An application of low-temperature and solid-state pyroelectric energy converter for converting heat produced from low-temperature operations into electric energy, which utilizes man-made waste heat or waste heat from natural environments for producing changes in mat... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7004622 | Systems and methods for determining conditions of articles and methods of making such systems A system for measuring a condition of a turbine engine component comprises an assemblage of at least a film comprising an electrically conducting material disposed on a film of an electrically non-conducting material, the assemblage being disposed on a surface of th... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6958443 | Low power thermoelectric generator Disclosed is a foil segment for a thermoelectric generator comprising a top plate disposed in spaced relation above a bottom plate. An array of the foil segments is perpendicularly disposed in side-by-side arrangement between and in thermal contact with the bottom a... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6951456 | Microcombustor and combustion-based thermoelectric microgenerator A generally toroidal counterflow heat exchanger is the main element of a combustor that operates at a micro scale. The combustor includes a central combustion region with openings to a reactant gas channel and an exhaust gas channel. The reactant channel and exhaust... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6894215 | Thermoelectric module A thermoelectric module with a simple structure with less breakage by thermal stress is provided. For this purpose, the thermoelectric module includes p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements (13, 14) which are alternately placed, and outer electrodes (15... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6855880 | Modular thermoelectric couple and stack A thermoelectric semiconductor module (10) includes a plurality of semiconductor pellets (14, 18) having Peltier characteristics are mechanically interconnected and arranged in an electrical series circuit with heat transferring means (12, 16, 20 | 02/15/2005 |
| 6759586 | Thermoelectric module and heat exchanger Disclosed is a thermoelectric module, comprising a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements each comprising a p-type semiconductor having a skutterdite crystal structure, a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements each comprising a n-type semiconductor having ... | 07/06/2004 |
| 6700052 | Flexible thermoelectric circuit A flexible thermoelectric circuit is disclosed. Thermoelectric circuits have traditionally been of the rigid or substantially rigid form. Several different embodiments of thermoelectric circuits are disclosed which permit flexion in one or more directions... | 03/02/2004 |
| 6613972 | Microcombustor and combustion-based thermoelectric microgenerator A generally toroidal counterflow heat exchanger is the main element of a combustor that operates at a micro scale. The combustor includes a central combustion region with openings to a reactant gas channel and an exhaust gas channel. The reactant channel ... | 09/02/2003 |
| 6599011 | System for sensing temperature at multiple points within a vessel A temperature sensing assembly utilizing a multipoint thermocouple. The assembly comprises a vessel, e.g. a chemical reaction pressure vessel, into which a thermocouple is inserted. The thermocouple utilizes an elongated sheath having a plurality of senso... | 07/29/2003 |
| 6550963 | Multipoint thermocouple A multipoint thermocouple for sensing temperature. The thermocouple comprises a sheath having a plurality of conductor pairs disposed within the sheath. Each conductor pair has two conductors of dissimilar materials joined at a unique junction point along... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6150601 | Method and apparatus for generating electric power downhole Electric power is generated downhole in a well using a thermoelectric device. A temperature gradient or differential ƊT present in the well is applied to the thermoelectric device to produce a voltage potential across the output terminals of the device. ... | 11/21/2000 |
| 6043423 | Thermoelectric device and thermoelectric module On a top surface of a substrate, a first and a second electrode are formed. A p-type semiconductor film is formed over substantially the entire exposed area on the top surface of the substrate and over the first electrode. An n-type semiconductor film is ... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6034318 | Thermoelectric generator unit The invention refers to a thermoelectric generator unit comprising a plurality of thermoelectric elements (1) of alternately p and n character and electrically series connected by means of metal connector members (2), the elements having essentially cylin... | 03/07/2000 |
| 6020671 | In-line thermoelectric module A thermoelectric module with a plurality of electricity generating units each having a first end and a second end, the units being arranged first end to second end along an in-line axis. Each unit includes first and second elements each made of a thermoel... | 02/01/2000 |
| 5837928 | Thermoelectric radiator A thermoelectric radiator for generating a direct current while providing at least a portion of the necessary cooling is formed with a first and second plurality of interdigitated thermoelectric lamella which are electrically joined and are connected to t... | 11/17/1998 |
| 5824947 | Thermoelectric device A thermoelectric device fabricated of at least two dissimilar thermoelements and at least one of the thermoelements has a conductor in parallel therewith increasing the Figure of Merit. The thermoelements are also surrounded by a conductor along the leg l... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5726380 | Thermo-electric power generation using porous metal blocks having a plurality of thermocouples connected in series A thermo-electric power generating element has the structure that two kinds of metal sheets, or foils, which form a thermocouple combination are laminated together and alternately connected at one end and the other end so as to form a plurality of thermoc... | 03/10/1998 |
| 5705770 | Thermoelectric module and method of controlling a thermoelectric module A thermoelectric module includes a switching circuit for switching the connection between a first thermoelectric element and a second thermoelectric element between series connection and parallel connection, a voltage detecting circuit for controlling the... | 01/06/1998 |
| 5644185 | Multi stage thermoelectric power generation using an ammonia absorption refrigeration cycle and thermoelectric elements at numerous locations in the cycle A thermoelectric generator system including a refrigerator of the of the absorption type having no moving parts and operating with ammonia, water and hydrogen to extract heat from a heat source and discharge heat from an absorber and having at least one t... | 07/01/1997 |
| 5618100 | Solar powered flat lamp night light The present invention is a solar powered flat, electroluminescent lamp night light adapted to be placed upon or attached to a window sill. The night light has a vertical upper portion which retains a solar cell unit that faces toward the window when the n... | 04/08/1997 |
| 5563368 | Thermoelectric power generating device A thermoelectric conversion member formed by a thermoelectric conversion element has a split ring shaped transverse cross section. Electrodes are disposed on ring ends of the thermoelectric conversion member facing each other. A magnetic field generating ... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5450869 | Heater mechanism including a light compact thermoelectric converter A heater mechanism incorporating a thermoelectric converter for use with a self-powered, solid, liquid or gaseous fueled, heater. During operation of the heater mechanism the thermoelectric converter supplies sufficient electrical power to (a) sustain the... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5430322 | Thermoelectric element sheet in which thermoelectric semiconductors are mounted between films A thermoelectric element sheet includes at least two layered structures having a plurality of thermoelectric elements which are arranged between insulating films. In each layered structure the thermoelectric semiconductors are arranged in pairs and electr... | 07/04/1995 |
| 5393351 | Multilayer film multijunction thermal converters Multijunction thermal converters are formed in an integral multifilm membrane form over a through opening in a nonmagnetic, dielectric substrate. Through the use of conventional photolithographic and etching techniques, very compact, rugged and precise in... | 02/28/1995 |
| 5393350 | Thermoelectric generator and magnetic energy storage unit A low voltage high amperage thermopile generating and electron storage unit is disclosed wherein current is formed by heating and cooling alternate junctions of dissimilar metals arranged in a circular fashion and may be enhanced with an electrical flux p... | 02/28/1995 |
| 5288336 | Thermoelectric energy conversion A thermopile 30 comprises a stacked assembly of bimetallic layers in which there is full conductor interface contact over the distance separating hot and cold surfaces 31, 32. The assembly may include dielectric layers forming a capacitor stack. A.C. curr... | 02/22/1994 |
| 5286304 | Thermoelectric device and method of manufacturing A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device including the steps of printing a patterned mask on both sides of a strip of copper foil, shielding one side and plating a pattern of nickel on the other side, removing the shield, securing the foil to a f... | 02/15/1994 |
| 5254178 | Thermoelectric transducer apparatus comprising N- and P-type semiconductors and having electronic control capabilities A thermoelectric transducer apparatus comprises a group of thermoelectric elements having N-type elements and P-type elements alternately arranged in a single line and a number of alternately arranged heat-absorbing-type and heat-liberating-type plate ele... | 10/19/1993 |
| 5232516 | Thermoelectric device with recuperative heat exchangers Thermoelectric heat pumps using recuperative heat exchange are described. These devices use sets of thermocouples (thermoelectric couples) arranged side-by-side to form a plate. The plate is positioned in a fluid-containing vessel and heat exchanging flui... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5232517 | Multipoint thermocouple assembly An assembly for permitting temperature measurements at a large number of locations within a vessel, which assembly has a spreader-reducer for compacting a significantly large number of thermocouple cables into a relatively small volume so as to permit pas... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5209786 | Integrity-enhanced thermoelectrics Disclosed are integrity-enhanced thermoelectric devices and methods of their preparation. Such devices have the following characteristics: (1) there is, on average, no greater than about 10% incidence of function loss (failure) of the device on applicatio... | 05/11/1993 |
