Miniature milliwatt electric power generator

US6207887A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hi-2 Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

• John C. Bass · Village of La Jolla, US
• Norbert B. Elsner · Village of La Jolla, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 7, 1999
• Grant date: Mar 27, 2001
• Expiry date: Jul 7, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N10/01

Abstract

A miniature thermoelectric module for generating electric power from low power heat sources in the range of a fraction of a Watt to a few Watts. The module comprises an array of thermoelectric elements, each element having a cross section of less than 0.001 square inch and a length of at least 0.25 inch. The elements are separated from each other with a polyimide insulator sheet in a checkerboard array. In a preferred embodiment, the modules are fabricated by hot pressing a stack of alternating plates of p and n doped thin plates all separated by thin sheets of a polyimide insulator material to produce a pressed stack of p and n doped layers. The stack is then sliced to produce layered plates which are then stacked with insulating polyimide layers positioned between the layered plates to produce the checkerboard array of p and n thermoelectric elements. Contacts are applied to electrically connect all of the elements. In a preferred embodiment, the contacts are applied by first sputtering a thin layer of gold, then welding gold tabs, and then blasting away the excess sputtered gold. In one preferred embodiment, the contacts connect all of the elements in series. In another preferre…