Patent US3601887A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3601887A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fabrication of thermoelectric elements
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1969-03-12
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Granted: 1971-08-31
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Expires: 1989-03-12
Abstract
Abstract An isostatic hot compressing process step is employed to exert a pressure of from 5,000 p.s.i. to 50,000 p.s.i. on the exterior surfaces only of a hollow cylindrical thermoelectric element having thermoelectric material disposed between exterior and interior cylindrical shell members to plastically deform the exterior surfaces of the element and reducing the annular crosssectional area of the element from 1 percent to 15 percent to provide at least an intimate physical contact between the body of thermoelectric material contained therein and the inner and outer members of the element. The inner member of the element is in compression after the hot isostatic compression is removed. Isostatic cold compressing may be applied to the element prior to the isostatic hot compressing process step.
Inventors
- 👤 Phillip V Mitchell
- 👤 William P Blankenship
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:43
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N10/00; H10N10/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
In a process for producing an integral thermoelectric element comprising a hollow inner cylindrical member, a concentric outer cylindrical member and a body of thermoelectric material disposed in the compartment defined by the outer surface of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member, the steps comprising: 1. disposing the body of thermoelectric material in the compartment between the inner and the outer member, 2. sealing the ends of the compartment and the hollow of the inner member so that no fluid may enter therein, 3. evacuating the sealed body of thermoelectric material in the compartment, 4. compressing the members and the thermoelectric material at a temperature from about 250* C. to slightly below the melting temperature of the lowest melting material comprising the element by applying an isostatic pressure of from 5,000 p.s.i. to 50,000 p.s.i. only to exterior surfaces of the element until the element has been plastically deformed at its exterior surfaces and reduced in cross-sectional area by a value of from about 1 percent to 15 percent to provide at least an intimate physical contact between the body of thermoelectric material and the inner and outer members, and the inner cylindrical member is in compression after the isostatic pressure is removed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
In a process for producing an integral thermoelectric element comprising a hollow inner cylindrical member, a concentric outer cylindrical member and a body of thermoelectric material disposed in the compartment defined by the outer surface of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member, the steps comprising: 1. disposing the body of thermoelectric material in the compartment between the inner and the outer member, 2. sealing the ends of the compartment and the hollow of the inner member so that no fluid may enter therein, 3. evacuating the sealed body of thermoelectric material in the compartment, 4. compressing the members and the thermoelectric material at a temperature from about 250* C. to slightly below the melting temperature of the lowest melting material comprising the element by applying an isostatic pressure of from 5,000 p.s.i. to 50,000 p.s.i. only to exterior surfaces of the element until the element has been plastically deformed at its exterior surfaces and reduced in cross-sectional area by a value of from about 1 percent to 15 percent to provide at least an intimate physical contact between the body of thermoelectric material and the inner and outer members, and the inner cylindrical member is in compression after the isostatic pressure is removed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
sealing the ends of the compartment and the hollow of the inner member so that no fluid may enter therein,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
sealing the ends of the compartment and the hollow of the inner member so that no fluid may enter therein,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1 in which compressing the members results in a metallurgical bond between the body of thermoelectric material and the inner and outer members of the element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
disposing a plurality of washers of thermoelectric material on The ring members,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
disposing a plurality of washers of thermoelectric material on The ring members,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The process of claim 1 in which the hollow inner cylindrical member has a thin wall, sealing and evacuating a solid heat source disposed within the hollow of the inner member, and collapsing the thin wall upon the solid heat source by the application of the isostatic pressure at the elevated temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
10 words
evacuating the sealed body of thermoelectric material in the compartment,
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
10 words
evacuating the sealed body of thermoelectric material in the compartment,
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
disposing a plurality of outer bridging metal ring members on said thermoelectric washers, the ring members being electrically insulated from each other, disposing an insulated outer cylindrical metal member on the ring members, the assembly having a gap space of not above about 1 percent of the diameter of the outer cylindrical member,
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
disposing a plurality of outer bridging metal ring members on said thermoelectric washers, the ring members being electrically insulated from each other, disposing an insulated outer cylindrical metal member on the ring members, the assembly having a gap space of not above about 1 percent of the diameter of the outer cylindrical member,
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 1 including cold working the components comprising the element after assembly to reduce internal clearances and close gross voids prior to being subjected to the isostatic pressure at an elevated temperature.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
108 words
compressing the members and the thermoelectric material at a temperature from about 250* C. to slightly below the melting temperature of the lowest melting material comprising the element by applying an isostatic pressure of from 5,000 p.s.i. to 50,000 p.s.i. only to exterior surfaces of the element until the element has been plastically deformed at its exterior surfaces and reduced in cross-sectional area by a value of from about 1 percent to 15 percent to provide at least an intimate physical contact between the body of thermoelectric material and the inner and outer members, and the inner cylindrical member is in compression after the isostatic pressure is removed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
108 words
compressing the members and the thermoelectric material at a temperature from about 250* C. to slightly below the melting temperature of the lowest melting material comprising the element by applying an isostatic pressure of from 5,000 p.s.i. to 50,000 p.s.i. only to exterior surfaces of the element until the element has been plastically deformed at its exterior surfaces and reduced in cross-sectional area by a value of from about 1 percent to 15 percent to provide at least an intimate physical contact between the body of thermoelectric material and the inner and outer members, and the inner cylindrical member is in compression after the isostatic pressure is removed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
sealing the ends of the cylindrical metal members to provide a sealed enclosure for the components therein,
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
sealing the ends of the cylindrical metal members to provide a sealed enclosure for the components therein,
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
sealing the end of the hollow cylindrical metal member so that no fluid can enter therein,
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
sealing the end of the hollow cylindrical metal member so that no fluid can enter therein,
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 4 in which the cold working is performed by isostatic pressure applied only to the exterior surface of the assembled components at room temperature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 1 in which the hollow of the inner member is filled with an inert gas and sealed prior to the assembled element being subjected to the isostatic pressure at an elevated temperature.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
9 words
evacuating the internal spaces within the sealed assembly, and
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
9 words
evacuating the internal spaces within the sealed assembly, and
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
11 words
In a process for producing a thermoelectric element, the steps comprising:
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
11 words
In a process for producing a thermoelectric element, the steps comprising:
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
133 words
compressing the members and the components contained therebetween at a temperature of from 250* C. to slightly below the melting temperature of the lowest melting temperature component in the assembly by applying an isostatic pressure of from 5,000 p.s.i. to 50,000 p.s.i. to the exterior surface only of the assembly until plastic deformation occurs at the outer portions and until there is a reduction in cross-sectional area of the space between the inner and outer cylindrical members of from 1 percent to 15 percent whereby to provide a metallurgical bond between the bridging metal ring members and the thermoelectric washers so that an applied or induced electric current will meet a low electrical resistance flow between said washers, and the element in use at elevated temperatures maintains a high electrical and thermal conductivity.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
133 words
compressing the members and the components contained therebetween at a temperature of from 250* C. to slightly below the melting temperature of the lowest melting temperature component in the assembly by applying an isostatic pressure of from 5,000 p.s.i. to 50,000 p.s.i. to the exterior surface only of the assembly until plastic deformation occurs at the outer portions and until there is a reduction in cross-sectional area of the space between the inner and outer cylindrical members of from 1 percent to 15 percent whereby to provide a metallurgical bond between the bridging metal ring members and the thermoelectric washers so that an applied or induced electric current will meet a low electrical resistance flow between said washers, and the element in use at elevated temperatures maintains a high electrical and thermal conductivity.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 7 including: cold working the assembled members and components of the element prior to compressing the members and the components isostatically at an elevated temperature to reduce internal clearances within the element.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 8 in which cold working is performed by isostatic pressure on exterior surfaces only of the element at about room temperature.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
52 words
The process of claim 7 in which the hollow inner cylindrical member has a thin wall, sealing and disposing a solid heat source disposed within the hollow of the inner member, and collapsing the thin wall upon the solid heat source by the application of the isostatic pressure at the elevated temperature.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 7 in which the hollow of the inner member is filled with an inert gas and sealed prior to the assembled element being subjected to the isostatic pressure at an elevated temperature.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
75 words
The process of claim 7 in which each of the washers of thermoelectric material comprise at least two different varieties of the same type thermoelectric material each variety of thermoelectric material having an optimum range of thermoelectric efficiency different from each of the other varieties, one variety of one type thermoelectric material comprising one radial portion of the washer and second variety said one type thermoelectric material comprising the second radial portion of the washer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
76 words
The process of claim 9 in which the washers of thermoelectric comprise at least two varieties for each type of thermoelectric material each variety having of same type thermoelectric material having an optimum range of thermoelectric efficiency different from each of the other varieties, one variety of one type thermoelectric material comprising one radial portion of the washer and a second variety of said one type thermoelectric material comprising the second radial portion of the washer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |