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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7728218 | High efficiency thermoelectric power generation using Zintl-type materials The invention disclosed herein relates to thermoelectrically-active p-type Zintl phase materials as well as devices utilizing such compounds. Such thermoelectric materials and devices may be used to convert thermal energy into electrical energy, or use electrical en... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7723607 | High performance thermoelectric materials and their method of preparation The present invention provides an indium-doped Co4Sb12 skutterudite composition in which some Co on the cubic lattice structure may be replaced with one or more members of the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt; some Sb on the pl... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7435896 | Thermoelectric conversion material, thermoelectric conversion element using the material, cooling device and electric apparatus using the element, and electric power generation method and cooling method using the element With conventional thermoelectric conversion materials, their thermoelectric conversion performance has been insufficient, and a problem has been to achieve stable performance in an oxidizing atmosphere and an air atmosphere. In view of this, according to the present... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7321157 | CoSb-based thermoelectric device fabrication method A method of fabricating a CoSb3-based thermoelectric device is disclosed. The method includes providing a high-temperature electrode, providing a buffer layer on the high-temperature electrode, forming composite n-type and p-type layers, attaching the buf... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7312392 | Thermoelectric conversion device, and cooling method and power generating method using the device The present invention provides a thermoelectric conversion device having high thermoelectric conversion performance. In this device, electrodes are arranged so that electric current flows in an interlayer direction of a layered substance, unlike the arrangements der... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7309830 | Nanostructured bulk thermoelectric material A thermoelectric material comprises two or more components, at least one of which is a thermoelectric material. The first component is nanostructured, for example as an electrically conducting nanostructured network, and can include nanowires, nanoparticles, or othe... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7294899 | Nanowire Filament A method of manufacturing a nanowire filament includes forming and fusing actions. In a forming action, close proximity conductors are formed. In another forming action, a junction oxide is formed between the close proximity conductors. In a fusing action, a nanowir... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7262360 | Underwater power generation using underwater thermocline Underwater power generation for an underwater vessel is provided when the vessel transits through an underwater thermocline. At least a portion of the shell of the vessel is made from a thermally conductive material. Thermo-to-electric energy converters are electric... | 08/28/2007 |
| RE39640 | Conductive isostructural compounds A family of isostructural compounds have been prepared having the general formula AnPbmBinO2n+m. These compounds possess a NaCl lattice type structure as well as low thermal conductivity and controlled electrical conductiv... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7166796 | Method for producing a device for direct thermoelectric energy conversion In devices used for the direct conversion of heat into electricity, or vice versa, known in the art as thermoelectric power generators, thermoelectric refrigerators and thermoelectric heat pumps, the efficiency of energy conversion and/or coefficient of performance ... | 01/23/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7098393 | Thermoelectric device with multiple, nanometer scale, elements A thermoelectric device formed of nanowires on the nm scale. The nanowires are preferably of a size that causes quantum confinement effects within the wires. The wires are connected together into a bundle to increase the power density. ... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7067733 | Thermoelectric material having crystal grains well oriented in certain direction and process for producing the same Thermoelectric material is produced through a process sequence including a liquid quenching, a primary solidification such as a hot pressing or extrusion and an upset forging; although the C-planes of the crystal grains are directed in parallel to the direction in w... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7002071 | Thermoelectric conversion material and method of producing the same A thermoelectric conversion material is formed of a polycrystal structure of crystal grains composed of a silicon-rich phase, and an added element-rich phase in which at least one type of added element is deposited at the grain boundary thereof, the result of which ... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6991370 | Temperature measuring apparatus of high melting point metal carbide-carbon system material thermocouple type, and method for producing the apparatus The temperature measuring apparatus according to the present invention is of the high melting point metal carbide—carbon system material thermocouple type. According to this temperature measuring apparatus, it is possible to measure temperatures from a room temper... | 01/31/2006 |
| 6969679 | Fabrication of nanoscale thermoelectric devices In a method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device, a first electrode pattern is formed on a substrate, wherein the first electrode pattern includes bottom electrodes and a first set of connections which connects the bottom electrodes to form first and sec... | 11/29/2005 |
| 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 |
| 6902809 | Rhenium tantalum metal alloy The present invention provides a method for preparing a rhenium-tantalum alloy with improved strength and ductility characteristics. The method includes mixing powders of rhenium and tantalum with a weight ration of approximately 97% rhenium to approximately 3% tant... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6833083 | Thermoelectric material and thermoelectric converting element using the same Compounds are expressed by general formula of AxBC2−y where 0≦x≦2 and 0≦y | 12/21/2004 |
| 6774298 | Thermoelectric module and method of producing the same A thermoelectric module which includes case 1, heat-radiation side insulating substrate 4a, heat-absorption side insulating substrate 4b, first soldering layer 5a formed of a first soldering agent to connect the heat-... | 08/10/2004 |
| 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 |
| 6756536 | Thermoelectric microactuator A thermoelectric microactuator on a substrate includes a first temperature control element having a first surface bonded to the substrate and having a second surface. A first electrically nonconductive layer has a first surface bonded to the second surface of the fi... | 06/29/2004 |
| 6743973 | Thermoelectric material improved in figure of merit, process for producing thereof and peltier module using the same Thermoelectric material of (Bi, Sb)(Te, Se) system is produced through a liquid quenching method and an extrusion from a die unit having an inlet portion and an outlet portion crossing each other at 30-150 degrees so that the crystal grains have an average grain siz... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6696635 | Thermoelectrically cooling electronic devices A thermoelectric cooler utilizing superlattice and quantum-well materials may be deposited directly onto a die using thin-film deposition techniques. The materials may have a figure-of-merit of greater than one.... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6670539 | Enhanced thermoelectric power in bismuth nanocomposites A thermoelectric material that exhibits enhanced thermoelectric power, and thus an improvement in the thermoelectric figure of merit. Bismuth, as elemental bismuth, a bismuth alloy, a bismuth intermetallic compound, a mixture of these, or any of these inc... | 12/30/2003 |
| 6670538 | Thermal radiation sensor A radiation sensor which includes a thermopile for detecting radiant energy. The thermopile and a support rim for the thermopile are fabricated as an integrated unit to form a support chip. The support chip is mated to a mating chip so that the thermopile... | 12/30/2003 |
| 6653548 | Thermoelectric conversion material, method for manufacturing same, and thermoelectric conversion element A cuboid p-type and an n-type thermoelectric conversion material having a composite of an alloy powder for a rare earth magnet and a bismuth-based thermoelectric conversion material that has been rendered a p-type semiconductor or an n-type semiconductor ... | 11/25/2003 |
| 6620994 | Thermoelectric generators A thermoelectric module including a couple formed between two bismuth telluride thermoelectrodes. The first thermoelectrode is doped with palladium, selenium, or a combination of the two. The second thermoelectrode is doped with antimony, gold, or a combi... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6596226 | Process for producing thermoelectric material and thermoelectric material thereof A process for producing a thermoelectric material based on two or more elements selected in the group constituted by Bi, Sb, Te and Se, which process comprises: i. an alloying step wherein determined amounts of the elements Bi, Sb, Te or Se are mixed unti... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6563039 | Thermoelectric unicouple used for power generation A high-efficiency thermoelectric unicouple is used for power generation. The unicouple is formed with a plurality of legs, each leg formed of a plurality of segments. The legs are formed in a way that equalized certain aspects of the different segments. D... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6552255 | Thermoelectric composition The thermoelectric properties (resistivity, thermopower and thermal conductivity) of single crystals of the low-dimensional pentatelluride materials are disclosed. The pentatellurides are well suited for use in thermoelectric devices. In general, the pent... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6525260 | Thermoelectric conversion material, and method for manufacturing same A silicon-based polycrystal powder, which contains no more than 30 at % Ge, C, Sn, or another such element that does not generate carriers as well as an added element that does generate carriers, and which has a crystal structure including crystal grains ... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6444896 | Quantum dot thermoelectric materials and devices Quantum-dot superlattice (QLSL) structures having improved thermoelectric properties are described. In one embodiment, PbSex Te1-x /PbTe QDSLs are provided having enhanced values of Seebeck coefficient and thermoelectric figure of me... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6403875 | Process for producing thermoelectric material A process for producing a thermoelectric material comprising mixing at least two of bismuth, tellurium, selenium, and antimony and, if desired, a dopant, melting the mixture, grinding the resulting alloy ingot, forming the powder, and sintering the green ... | 06/11/2002 |
| 6399871 | Thermoelectric materials: ternary penta telluride and selenide compounds Ternary tellurium compounds and ternary selenium compounds may be used in fabricating thermoelectric devices with a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 1.5 or greater. Examples of such compounds include Tl2 SnTe5, Tl2 G... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6384312 | Thermoelectric coolers with enhanced structured interfaces A thermoelectric device with enhanced structured interfaces for improved cooling efficiency is provided. In one embodiment, the thermoelectric device includes a first thermoelement comprising a supetlattice of p-type thermoelectric material and a second t... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6342668 | Thermoelectric materials with filled skutterudite structure for thermoelectric devices A class of thermoelectric compounds based on the skutterudite structure with heavy filling atoms in the empty octants and substituting transition metals and main-group atoms. High Seebeck coefficients and low thermal conductivities are achieved in combina... | 01/29/2002 |
| 6340787 | Power converter for supplying electricity from a difference in temperature An energy converting circuit, boosting the voltage supplied by a low direct voltage source, comprising a self-oscillating circuit, operating at very low voltage, using a voltage boosting transformer generating control signals of two chopper-boosters opera... | 01/22/2002 |
| 6312617 | Conductive isostructural compounds A family of isostructural compounds have been prepared having the general formula An Pbm Bin Q2n+m. These compounds possess a NaCl lattice type structure as well as low thermal conductivity and controlled electr... | 11/06/2001 |
| 6307143 | Thermoelectric materials and thermoelectric conversion element Thermoelectric materials having a high performance index and thermoelectric elements are provided. The present thermoelectric materials are constituted by at least one element selected from the group consisting of Bi and Sb, at least one element selected ... | 10/23/2001 |
