Patent US3106835A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3885992A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Thermocouple and method of making same
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1974-01-09
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Granted: 1975-05-27
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Expires: 1994-01-09
Abstract
Abstract A method for making thermocouples and the thermocouples produced thereby including superposing an elongate conductive member and a normally solid, electrically insulative and binder material between first and second layers of thermoelectric material, heating the sandwiched assembly to at least partially liquidize or soften the insulative material and pressing the conductive member against the thermoelectric material layers, continuing the heating and pressing to join or react the conductive member with the thermoelectric material layers and wet the thermoelectric materials and conductive member surfaces in contact with liquidized insulative material, and then cooling the materials to solidify and bind the same together. The thermoelectric materials are of different conductivity types and additional layers of insulative materials, conductive members and thermoelectric materials of alternating conductivity types may be stacked and pressed and heated.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul D Wilcox
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 17:59
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N10/00; H10N10/10; H10N10/17; H10N10/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A THERMOLECTRIC COUPLE COMPRISING AN N-TYPE THERMOELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL PLATE, A P-TYPE THERMOELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL PLATE OVERLYING A SPACED FROM SAID N-TYPE PLATE WITH A SURFACE AND EDGES COEXTENSIVE WITH AND GENERALLY PARALLEL TO A SURFACE AND EDGES OF SAID N-TYPE PLATE, AN ELONGATED ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE METAL MEMBER SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID PLATES ADJACENT TO AND ALONG COEXTENSIVE EDGES THEREOF AND THERMALLY JOINED INTO INTERBONDED AND ELCTRICAL CONTACT THEREWITH ALONG ITS LENGTH WITH SAID COEXTENSIVE SURFACES OF SAID THERMOLECTRIC PLATES TO FORM A THERMOLECTRIC JUNCTION BETWEEN SAID PLATE ALONG SAID MEMBER LENGTH AND COEXTENSIVE EDGES, AND AN ELECTRICAL INSULATOR FUSED GLASS LAYER MEANS FOR FILLING SPACE BETWEEN SAID COEXTENSIVE SURFACES AND AROUND UNBONDED PORTIONS OF SAID CONDUCTIVE MEMBER AND FOR BONDING SAID PLATES AND SAID CONDUCTIVE MEMBER TOGETHER FROM THERMAL WETTING AND COOLING OF SAID GLASS LAYER MEANS IN PLACE SIMULTANEOUS WITH THERMAL JOINING OF SAID PLATES AND CONDUCTIVE MEMBER.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
A THERMOLECTRIC COUPLE COMPRISING AN N-TYPE THERMOELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL PLATE, A P-TYPE THERMOELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL PLATE OVERLYING A SPACED FROM SAID N-TYPE PLATE WITH A SURFACE AND EDGES COEXTENSIVE WITH AND GENERALLY PARALLEL TO A SURFACE AND EDGES OF SAID N-TYPE PLATE, AN ELONGATED ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE METAL MEMBER SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID PLATES ADJACENT TO AND ALONG COEXTENSIVE EDGES THEREOF AND THERMALLY JOINED INTO INTERBONDED AND ELCTRICAL CONTACT THEREWITH ALONG ITS LENGTH WITH SAID COEXTENSIVE SURFACES OF SAID THERMOLECTRIC PLATES TO FORM A THERMOLECTRIC JUNCTION BETWEEN SAID PLATE ALONG SAID MEMBER LENGTH AND COEXTENSIVE EDGES, AND AN ELECTRICAL INSULATOR FUSED GLASS LAYER MEANS FOR FILLING SPACE BETWEEN SAID COEXTENSIVE SURFACES AND AROUND UNBONDED PORTIONS OF SAID CONDUCTIVE MEMBER AND FOR BONDING SAID PLATES AND SAID CONDUCTIVE MEMBER TOGETHER FROM THERMAL WETTING AND COOLING OF SAID GLASS LAYER MEANS IN PLACE SIMULTANEOUS WITH THERMAL JOINING OF SAID PLATES AND CONDUCTIVE MEMBER.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The thermoelectric couple of claim 1 including an interreacted zone of said thermoelectric materials and said conductive metal member along and throughout said interbonded and electrical contact between remaining portions of said conductive member and said plates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
The thermoelectric couple of claim 1 including additional pairs of plateS of alternating type of thermoelectric material overlying said N and P-type thermoelectric plates and coextensive therewith and forming a stack of pairs of said plates, each pair of adjoining plates having disposed therebetween a said elongated electrically conductive metal member and said electrical insulator fused glass layer means and with said electrically conductive members traversing the widths of cooperating pairs of said plates adjacent oppositely disposed ends of alternate pairs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermoelectric couple of claim 1, wherein said used glass insulator layer means is normally solid at operating temperatures of said thermoelectric couple.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A thermoelectric couple of claim 4, wherein said metal conductive member is a platinum wire.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermoelectric couple of claim 4, wherein said glass is a glass ceramic and said metal conductive member is a platinum-rhodium alloy wire.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
A thermoelectric couple comprising an N-type thermoelectric semiconductor material plate, a P-type thermoelectric semiconductor material plate overlying and spaced from said N-type plate with a surface generally parallel to a surface of said N-type plate, an elongated electrically conductive metal member sandwiched between said plates at an end thereof and in electrical and interbonded contact with adjacent surfaces of each of said plates along its length to form a thermoelectric junction between said plates along said end, and a fused glass electrical insulator layer between said plate surfaces bonding said plates together with conductive member therebetween.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
A thermoelectric couple comprising an N-type thermoelectric semiconductor material plate, a P-type thermoelectric semiconductor material plate overlying and spaced from said N-type plate with a surface generally parallel to a surface of said N-type plate, an elongated electrically conductive metal member sandwiched between said plates at an end thereof and in electrical and interbonded contact with adjacent surfaces of each of said plates along its length to form a thermoelectric junction between said plates along said end, and a fused glass electrical insulator layer between said plate surfaces bonding said plates together with conductive member therebetween.
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) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |