Flexible woven thermoelectric fabrics for thermal management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11417817-B2
Application number	US-201916970867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	Mar 8, 2018
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

Woven flexible thermoelectric fabrics are provided. The fabric is a woven material that includes a series of longitudinal threads interwoven with a series of transverse threads. Within the longitudinal series, the threads have a repeating thread pattern of an n-type thermoelectric thread, a p-type thermoelectric thread, and an insulating thread. Within the transverse series, the threads have a repeating thread pattern of a first double-sided thread with conducting side down and insulating side up, a second double-sided thread with conducting side down and insulating side up, and a third double-sided thread with conducting side up and insulating side down.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermoelectric fabric comprising a woven material comprising:
a series of longitudinal threads, the series of longitudinal threads having a repeating thread pattern, the repeating thread pattern comprising an n-type thermoelectric thread, a p-type thermoelectric thread, and an insulating thread; and
a series of transverse threads that are interwoven with the longitudinal threads, the series of transverse threads having a repeating thread pattern, the repeating thread pattern comprising a first double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive bottom surface and an oppositely facing insulating top surface, a second double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive bottom surface and an oppositely facing insulating top surface, and a third double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive top surface and an oppositely facing insulating bottom surface,
wherein the first double-sided threads in the series of transverse threads provide[s] electrically conductive paths between p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, but not between n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, the second double-sided threads in the series of transverse threads provide[s] electrically conductive paths between the n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, but not between the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, and the third double-sided threads provide[s] electrically conductive paths between the n-type thermoelectric threads and the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads.

2. The fabric of claim 1 , wherein the n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads comprise n-type thermoelectric particles in a polymer matrix.

3. The fabric of claim 2 , wherein the n-type thermoelectric particles comprise n-type bismuth telluride.

4. The fabric of claim 2 , wherein the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads comprise p-type thermoelectric particles in a polymer matrix.

5. A thermoelectric fabric powered device comprising an electronic device connected across a thermoelectric fabric, such that a thermoelectric current generated by the thermoelectric fabric powers the electronic device, the thermoelectric fabric comprising a woven material comprising:
a series of longitudinal threads, the series of longitudinal threads having a repeating thread pattern, the repeating thread pattern comprising an n-type thermoelectric thread, a p-type thermoelectric thread, and an insulating thread; and
a series of transverse threads that are interwoven with the longitudinal threads, the series of transverse threads having a repeating thread pattern, the repeating thread pattern comprising a first double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive bottom surface and an oppositely facing insulating top surface, a second double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive bottom surface and an oppositely facing insulating top surface, and a third double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive top surface and an oppositely facing insulating bottom surface,
wherein the first double-sided threads provide electrically conductive paths between p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, but not between n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, the second double-sided threads provide electrically conductive paths between the n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, but not between the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, and the third double-sided threads provide electrically conductive paths between the n-type thermoelectric threads and the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads.

6. The thermoelectric fabric powered device of claim 5 , wherein the n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads comprise n-type thermoelectric particles in a polymer matrix.

7. The thermoelectric fabric powered device of claim 6 , wherein the n-type thermoelectric particles comprise n-type bismuth telluride.

8. The thermoelectric fabric powered device of claim 6 , wherein the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads comprise p-type thermoelectric particles in a polymer matrix.

9. An article of clothing comprising: an article of clothing having a thermoelectric fabric incorporated therein, the thermoelectric fabric comprising a woven material comprising:
a series of longitudinal threads, the series of longitudinal threads having a repeating thread pattern, the repeating thread pattern comprising an n-type thermoelectric thread, a p-type thermoelectric thread, and an insulating thread; and
a series of transverse threads that are interwoven with the longitudinal threads, the series of transverse threads having a repeating thread pattern, the repeating thread pattern comprising a first double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive bottom surface and an oppositely facing insulating top surface, a second double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive bottom surface and an oppositely facing insulating top surface, and a third double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive top surface and an oppositely facing insulating bottom surface,
wherein the first double-sided threads provide electrically conductive paths between p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, but not between n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, the second double-sided threads provide electrically conductive paths between the n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, but not between the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads, and the third double-sided threads provide electrically conductive paths between the n-type thermoelectric threads and the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads.

10. The article of clothing of claim 9 , further comprising an electronic device connected across the thermoelectric fabric, such that a thermoelectric current generated by the thermoelectric fabric powers the electronic device.

11. The article of clothing of claim 9 , wherein the n-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads comprise n-type thermoelectric particles in a polymer matrix.

12. The article of clothing of claim 11 , wherein the n-type thermoelectric particles comprise n-type bismuth telluride.

13. The article of clothing of claim 11 , wherein the p-type thermoelectric threads in the series of longitudinal threads comprise p-type thermoelectric particles in a polymer matrix.

14. An adhesive tape comprising a thermoelectric fabric and an adhesive backing affixed to the thermoelectric fabric, the thermoelectric fabric comprising a woven material comprising:
a series of longitudinal threads, the series of longitudinal threads having a repeating thread pattern, the repeating thread pattern comprising an n-type thermoelectric thread, a p-type thermoelectric thread, and an insulating thread; and
a series of transverse threads that are interwoven with the longitudinal threads, the series of transverse threads having a repeating thread pattern, the repeating thread pattern comprising a first double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive bottom surface and an oppositely facing insulating top surface, a second double-sided thread comprising an electrically conductive bottom surface and an oppositely facing insulating top surface, and

Assignees

• Univ Northwestern

Inventors

• Grayson Matthew
• Shah Ramille
• Peng Jun
• Jakus Adam
• Geisendorfer Nicholas

Classifications

• D03D15/283

  synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres (cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225) · CPC title

• D10B2401/16

  antistatic; conductive · CPC title

• D03D15/50 Primary

  characterised by the properties of the yarns or threads · CPC title

• D10B2501/04

  Outerwear; Protective garments · CPC title

• A41D1/002

  adapted to accommodate electronic equipment (patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085) · CPC title