Woven Thermoelectric Ribbon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022246819-A1
Application number	US-202217592885-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2022
Priority date	Feb 4, 2021
Publication date	Aug 4, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A woven structure includes thermoelectric ribbons interwoven with thread. Each thermoelectric ribbon includes a folded matrix of thermoelectric elements, the matrix having an insulating substrate that supports plural rows of thermoelectric elements, a plurality of conductive elements, and two terminals. The conductive elements form a series connection of the thermoelectric elements between the two terminals. A set of first conductive elements have a first temperature and a set of second conductive contacts have a second temperature lower than the first temperature when a first current flows in a first direction between the first matrix terminal and the second matrix terminal. The folded matrix is configured to form spaced-apart alternating stacks of the first conductive contacts and second conductive contacts. Each length of the yard or thread is interwoven such that it passes alternately under stacks of first conductive contacts and over stacks of second conductive contacts.

First claim

1 . A woven structure comprising:
a plurality of thermoelectric ribbons interwoven with yarn or thread, each of the plurality of thermoelectric ribbons comprising a folded matrix of thermoelectric elements, the folded matrix comprising an insulating substrate, at least three rows of thermoelectric elements disposed on the substrate, a plurality of conductive elements, a first matrix terminal and a second matrix terminal, wherein the conductive elements are disposed on the substrate and operably connected to form a series connection the thermoelectric elements from the first matrix terminal to the second matrix terminal; wherein a set of first conductive elements have a first temperature and a set of second conductive contacts have a second temperature lower than the first temperature when a first current flows in a first direction between the first matrix terminal and the second matrix terminal, and wherein the folded matrix is configured to form spaced-apart alternating stacks of the first conductive contacts and second conductive contacts; and each length of the yard or thread is interwoven such that it passes alternately under stacks of first conductive contacts and over stacks of second conductive contacts.

2 . The woven structure of claim 1 , wherein the woven structure has a first side and a second side, and wherein each a plurality of threads or lengths of yarns is woven such that in at least a portion of the woven structure, all of the first conductive contacts are nearer the first surface than the second surface, and all of the second conductive contacts are nearer the second surface than the first surface.

3 . The woven structure of claim 1 , wherein a first thermoelectric ribbon includes thermoelectric element stacks interleaved between each of the set of first conductive elements and each of the set of second conductive elements.

4 . The woven structure of claim 1 , wherein each thermoelectric stack is disposed at least in part laterally between adjacent lengths of yarn or thread.

5 . The woven structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of thermoelectric ribbons comprising plurality of serially connected folded matrices of thermoelectric elements.

6 . The woven structure of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a thickness of approximately 1 micron or less.

7 . A woven thermoelectric assembly, comprising:
a plurality of threads; a plurality of thermoelectric ribbons interwoven with the plurality of threads, each of the plurality of thermoelectric ribbons comprising,
a first flexible substrate having an array of thermoelectric elements, the array including a plurality of rows, each row having a plurality of the thermoelectric elements, at least two of the plurality of rows folded to form a stack of at least three of the plurality of rows, wherein each row has alternating p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements coupled in series, and wherein the rows are electrically serially connected;
and wherein the ribbons are woven with the plurality of threads such that the threads create a vertical separation between a first side to a second side of each of the p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements.

8 . The woven structure of claim 7 , wherein the substrate has a thickness of approximately 1 micron or less.

9 . The woven structure of claim 8 , wherein the substrate comprises polyethylene.

10 . The woven structure of claim 8 , wherein each of the n-type elements and p-type elements has a thickness in the range of 2 to 10 microns, and each thread has a diameter of 10 to 100 microns.

Assignees

• Purdue Research Foundation
• Karlsruhe Institute Of Tech

Inventors

• Yazawa Kazuaki
• Shakouri Ali
• Lemmer Ulrich
• Roesch Andres Georg

Classifications

• D03D15/533

  antistatic; electrically conductive · CPC title

• D03D3/005

  Tapes or ribbons not otherwise provided for (D03D1/0005, D03D1/0011, D03D1/06, D03D1/08, D03D1/0094 take precedence) · CPC title

• D03D1/0088 Primary

  Fabrics having an electronic function · CPC title

• H01L35/32 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10N10/17 Primary

  characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device · CPC title