Thermoelectric cooling device and cold water generator having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023251043-A1
Application number	US-202118001302-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2021
Priority date	Jun 11, 2020
Publication date	Aug 10, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a thermoelectric cooling device comprising: a thermoelectric module; a heat sink having a body, which has on one side a contact surface coming into contact with a heating side of the thermoelectric module, and a plurality of heat dissipation fins, and emitting the heat transferred from the heating side of the thermoelectric module; a heat pipe coupled to a mounting groove which is formed on the contact surface of the heat sink, and for transferring heat by means of a working fluid stored therein; and a cooling fan for forming the airflow to the heat sink, wherein the heat pipe comprises a plurality of corner-extension heat pipes extending to a corner area of the heat sink from the central part of the heat sink on which the thermoelectric module is installed, and the shape of the mounting groove corresponds to the shape of the corner-extension heat pipes.

First claim

1 . A thermoelectric cooling device, comprising:
a thermoelectric module performing cooling by applying electricity; a heat sink having a body having a contact surface in contact with a heat generating side on one side, and a plurality of heat dissipation fins formed on the other side of the body, and emitting heat transferred from the heat generating side of the thermoelectric module; a heat pipe coupled to a mounting groove formed on the contact surface of the heat sink and performing heat transfer through a working fluid accommodated therein; and a cooling fan forming an air flow to the heat sink, wherein the heat pipe includes a plurality of corner-extension heat pipes having a shape extending from a central part of the heat sink in which the thermoelectric module is installed to a corner area of the heat sink, and wherein the mounting groove has a shape corresponding to a shape of the corner-extension heat pipe.

2 . The thermoelectric cooling device of claim 1 , wherein each of the corner-extension heat pipes extends from both sides of the central part such that respective ends of each of the corner-extension heat pipes reaches two corner areas of the heat sink.

3 . The thermoelectric cooling device of claim 2 ,
wherein the heat sink is formed in a quadrangular shape, and wherein the heat pipe includes at least two corner-extension heat pipes such that an end of the corner-extension heat pipe is disposed in four corner areas of the heat sink.

4 . The thermoelectric cooling device of claim 1 ,
wherein the heat sink is formed in a quadrangular shape, and wherein the corner area corresponds to four outermost areas when the contact surface of the heat sink is divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts on a plane.

5 . The thermoelectric cooling device of claim 3 , wherein the heat pipe further includes a central heat pipe disposed between the two corner-extension heat pipes.

6 . The thermoelectric cooling device of claim 3 , wherein a width of the thermoelectric module has a value greater than a central distance between the two corner-extension heat pipes.

7 . The thermoelectric cooling device of claim 1 , wherein, in the heat pipe, a part exposed externally of the heat sink while being coupled to the mounting groove has the same level as a level of the contact surface.

8 . The thermoelectric cooling device of claim 1 , wherein, in the heat pipe, a central part corresponding to a central part of the heat sink is disposed in a direction perpendicular to a direction of gravity.

9 . A cold water generator, comprising:
a thermoelectric cooling device in claim 1 ; and a tank body having a space for accommodating water therein, and cooling the water accommodated therein by a cooling side of the thermoelectric module.

10 . The cold water generator of claim 9 ,
wherein the tank body includes a first body formed of synthetic resin and a second body formed of metal, and wherein the cooling side of the thermoelectric module is configured to absorb heat from the second body.

Assignees

• Coway Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ye Byung-Hyo
• Lee Jung-Hwan
• Kim Jae-Man
• Yong Min-Chul
• Kim Chung-Lae
• Jang Jin-Hyeok
• Choi Young-Kwang
• Choi Jin-Woo
• Park Seong-Min
• Lee Young-Jae
• Youn Sang-Jin

Classifications

• F28D15/0275 Primary

  Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores · CPC title

• F28D2021/0031

  Radiators for recooling a coolant of cooling systems · CPC title

• F25B21/02 Primary

  using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect · CPC title

• F25B2321/023

  Mounting details thereof · CPC title

• F25B2321/0252

  by liquids or two-phase fluids · CPC title