Method of making thermoelectric devices

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF FORMING A THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF (1) ARRANGING IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION AN ELONGATED BAR OF P-TYPE AND AN ELONGATED BAR OF N-TYPE THEREMOELECTRIC MATERIAL; (2) ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVELY BONDING FIRST CONTACT PLATE MEANS TO ONE SIDE OF BOTH BARS AND SECOND CONTACT PLATE MEANS TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF BOTH BARS; (3) FORMING A PLURALITY OF FIRST SLOTS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID P-TYPE BAR AND THE PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES BONDED THERETO TO DIVIDE THE P-TYPE BAR INTO A PLURALITY OF SPACED P-TYPE THERMOELEMENTS; AND (4) FORMING A PLURALITY OF SECOND SLOTS IN SAID N-TYPE BAR AND IN THE PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES BONDED THERETO TO DIVIDE THE N-TYPE BAR INTO A PLURALITY OF SPACED N-TYPE THERMOELEMENTS, EACH OF WHICH FIRST SLOTS CONNECTS THROUGH THE FIRST PLATE TO ONE OF SAID SECOND SLOTS IN SAID N-TYPE BAR AND ALSO CONNECTS THROUGH THE SECOND PLATE TO A SECOND SLOT IN SAID N-TYPE BAR NEXT ADJACENT SAID ONE OF SAID SECOND SLOTS TO DIVIDE SAID FIRST CONTACT PLATE MEANS INTO A PLURALITY OF SPACED FIRST THERMOJUNCTION MEMBERS AND SAID SECOND CONTACT PLATE MEANS INTO A PLURALITY OF SPACED SECOND THERMOJUNCTION MEMBERS; EACH OF SAID FIRST MEMBERS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING A P-TYPE THERMOELEMENT TO AN N-TYPE THERMOELEMENT AND EACH OF SAID SECOND MEMBERS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING ONE P-TYPE THERMOELEMENT TO AN N-TYPE THERMOELEMENT NEXT ADJACENT THE N-TYPE THERMOELEMENT TO WHICH SAID ONE P-TYPE THERMOELEMENT IS CONNECTED BY A SAID FIRST MEMBER, THEREBY PROVIDING A GENERALLY HELICAL CURRENT FLOW PATH THROUGH THE DEVICE.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF FORMING A THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF (1) ARRANGING IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION AN ELONGATED BAR OF P-TYPE AND AN ELONGATED BAR OF N-TYPE THEREMOELECTRIC MATERIAL; (2) ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVELY BONDING FIRST CONTACT PLATE MEANS TO ONE SIDE OF BOTH BARS AND SECOND CONTACT PLATE MEANS TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF BOTH BARS; (3) FORMING A PLURALITY OF FIRST SLOTS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID P-TYPE BAR AND THE PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES BONDED THERETO TO DIVIDE THE P-TYPE BAR INTO A PLURALITY OF SPACED P-TYPE THERMOELEMENTS; AND (4) FORMING A PLURALITY OF SECOND SLOTS IN SAID N-TYPE BAR AND IN THE PORTIONS OF SAID PLATES BONDED THERETO TO DIVIDE THE N-TYPE BAR INTO A PLURALITY OF SPACED N-TYPE THERMOELEMENTS, EACH OF WHICH FIRST SLOTS CONNECTS THROUGH THE FIRST PLATE TO ONE OF SAID SECOND SLOTS IN SAID N-TYPE BAR AND ALSO CONNECTS THROUGH THE SECOND PLATE TO A SECOND SLOT IN SAID N-TYPE BAR NEXT ADJACENT SAID ONE OF SAID SECOND SLOTS TO DIVIDE SAID FIRST CONTACT PLATE MEANS INTO A PLURALITY OF SPACED FIRST THERMOJUNCTION MEMBERS AND SAID SECOND CONTACT PLATE MEANS INTO A PLURALITY OF SPACED SECOND THERMOJUNCTION MEMBERS; EACH OF SAID FIRST MEMBERS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING A P-TYPE THERMOELEMENT TO AN N-TYPE THERMOELEMENT AND EACH OF SAID SECOND MEMBERS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING ONE P-TYPE THERMOELEMENT TO AN N-TYPE THERMOELEMENT NEXT ADJACENT THE N-TYPE THERMOELEMENT TO WHICH SAID ONE P-TYPE THERMOELEMENT IS CONNECTED BY A SAID FIRST MEMBER, THEREBY PROVIDING A GENERALLY HELICAL CURRENT FLOW PATH THROUGH THE DEVICE.