DE102017217120A1 - Process for coating substrates with thermoelectrically active material - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for coating substrates (1) with thermoelectrically active material (2, 3). An efficient and simple coating of the substrates (1) with thermoelectrically active material (2, 3) results from the fact that surfaces (11) of the substrates (1) to be coated relative to a material flow (15) of the thermoelectrically active material (2, 3 ) and coated with the thermoelectrically active material (2, 3).
The invention further relates to a thermoelectric component (37) with at least one substrate (1) produced in this way.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for coating substrates with thermoelectrically active material. The invention further relates to a thermoelectric component with a substrate produced in this way.

When coating substrates with thermoelectrically active material, the substrates are usually arranged in a material flow of the thermoelectrically active material and thus coated with thermoelectrically active material. Such substrates, in particular depending on their later use, have a surface to be coated, which usually constitutes part of the total surface area of the substrate. If such substrates are arranged in the material flow of the thermoelectrically active material and coated with thermoelectrically active material, thermoelectrically active material also reaches surface portions which lie outside the surface to be coated. As a result, more thermoelectric active material is consumed than needed. If thermoelectrically active material reaches surface sections not intended for this purpose, this can also lead to a reduced quality or efficiency of a subsequent application of the substrates coated with thermoelectrically active material.

The present invention therefore has the object of providing improved or at least other embodiments for a method for coating substrates with thermoelectrically active material and for a thermoelectric component with a substrate coated in this way, which are characterized in particular by a reduced consumption of thermoelectrically active material and / or an increased efficiency of the process and / or an increased efficiency of the component.

This object is achieved by the subjects of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The present invention is based on the general idea of arranging surfaces of a plurality of substrates to be coated relative to a material flow of a thermoelectrically active material with which the surfaces are to be coated so inclined that the thermoelectrically active material predominantly, preferably exclusively, on the surfaces to be coated arrives. The inclined arrangement of the surfaces to the material flow thus has the consequence that thermoelectrically active material is predominantly, in particular exclusively, coated on those regions of the substrates which are provided for this purpose, in particular for a later application or function of the substrates. As a result, on the one hand, the consumption of thermoelectrically active material for coating the substrates is reduced. On the other hand, less thermoelectrically active material reaches this not intended or unnecessary surface sections, resulting in an increased quality of thermoelectrically active material coated substrates and / or increased efficiency of the process and the substrates or an application in which the respective thermoelectrically active material provided substrate is used leads.

According to the idea of the invention, at least two substrates, advantageously three or more substrates, are provided, each having a surface to be coated with the thermoelectrically active material. The surface of the respective substrate extends in an associated extension direction. Suitably, the surface of the substrate to be coated is not the entire surface of the substrate, that is, part of the overall surface of the substrate. In addition, a coating device is provided which, during operation, dissociates a material flow of a thermoelectrically active material in a coating direction. The substrates are spaced in the coating direction of the coating device and arranged relative to the coating direction such that the respective surface to be coated facing the coating device and the extension direction of the respective surface to be coated, hereinafter also referred to as surface, inclined to the coating direction, wherein the respective extension direction forms a first angle of inclination with the coating direction. The corresponding position of the substrates is also called first position below. Subsequently, the substrates are coated by means of the coating device with the thermoelectrically active material. This means that the coating device dissociates the material flow in the coating direction and in this case coats the surfaces of the substrates to be coated with the thermoelectrically active material.

Dissociating thermoelectrically active material is understood here to mean any type of process in which the coating device emits the material flow of the thermoelectrically active material in the coating direction. These include, for example, deposition methods, in particular vacuum-based deposition methods, such as physical vapor deposition. Dissociation therefore means in particular deposition of the thermoelectrically active material.

In the present case, the relative arrangement of the substrates relative to the coating device means that the substrates are not necessarily arranged or moved or displaced relative to the coating device, but that an arrangement or movement or adjustment of the coating device relative to the substrates can take place. In other words, for realizing the position of the substrates to the coating device, it is conceivable to adjust or move the substrates and / or the coating device.

In advantageous embodiments, the substrates are after coating in the first position in a second position relative to the coating device in turn arranged such that the respective surface of the coating device faces and extends the direction of extension of the respective surface inclined to the coating device, wherein the respective surface with the coating device forms a second inclination angle. Here, the first position differs from the second position, whereas the magnitude value of the second angle of inclination may correspond to the absolute value of the first angle of inclination. Subsequently, the substrates are coated again by means of the coating device with thermoelectrically active material. In the second position, the substrates are again arranged in such a way to the material flow, that the thermoelectrically active material is coated predominantly on the surface to be coated and / or on the thermoelectrically active material already coated in the first position. It is conceivable, when coating in the second position, to coat again the thermoelectrically active material coated in the first position or another thermoelectrically active material. The coating of the surfaces to be coated in the second position makes it possible, in particular, to coat those areas of the surfaces to be coated which were not or insufficiently coated with thermoelectrically active material in the first position. In addition, this makes it possible to coat different surfaces of the respective substrate to be coated with thermoelectrically active material, in particular different thermoelectrically active materials.

It is advantageous to arrange the respective surface in the first position and in the second position with respect to the coating direction on different sides. In other words, the coating direction is in a plane, wherein the respective surface, in particular the respective substrate, in the coating direction with the first inclination forming arrangement or in the first position on a first side of the plane and in the coating with the second inclination angle forming arrangement or in the second position on a side remote from the first side of the plane second side of the plane is arranged. In particular, the plane is spanned by the coating direction and a direction transverse to the coating direction and transverse to the surface direction. In this way it is in particular possible to coat the surface of the respective substrate to be coated from different sides with thermoelectrically active material. This makes it possible, in particular, to apply a uniform layer of thermoelectrically active material to the surface to be coated.

In principle, the respective substrate can be designed or configured as desired.

It is conceivable to use substrates which have a depression in which the surface to be coated is arranged. This means in particular that the surface to be coated is bounded laterally by edge portions of the substrate which protrude in comparison to the coated surface. In the case of such substrates, the surface to be coated can be coated particularly efficiently with thermoelectrically active material by the method according to the invention.

It is also conceivable to provide or use substrates, which have a main body and two spaced-apart electrical conductors, between which the surface to be coated is arranged. In this way, the surface to be coated is thus arranged in particular in a recess of the substrate, which is limited in particular by the electrical conductors. The coating may in this case be such that, as a result, at least one of the conductors, preferably both conductors, is in contact with thermoelectrically active material.

Embodiments in which a carrier structure is provided with carrier sections which can be adjusted relative to one another are advantageous, the respective substrate being mounted on an associated carrier section and the carrier sections for adjusting the substrates in at least one of the positions, also for adjusting between the first position and the second position , are moved relative to each other. In this way, the substrates can thus be simplified and quickly brought into the respective position, so that the process can be performed more efficiently overall.

The adjustment of the support structure in the respective position can be done in principle arbitrary.

Conceivable are variants in which the support structure has pivotally interconnected support sections, which thus relative to each other are adjustable and adjusted to adjust the substrates in the respective position.

Also conceivable are embodiments in which the support structure is elastically or plastically deformable, so that the support sections are adjustable relative to one another and adjusted for adjusting the substrates in the respective position. In a plastic deformability of the support structure, this is preferably reversible, so that the support structure between several positions adjustable and / or repeatedly used.

It is also conceivable to move or displace the carrier structure with the carrier sections entirely in order to adjust the substrates between the first position and the second position. With such a carrier structure, therefore, no relative adjustability between the carrier sections is necessary.

In principle, it is conceivable to use different substrates, which each have an associated first position or forms an associated first inclination angle with the coating direction. Advantageously, at least two of the substrates are the same or formed as equal parts. It is also preferred if the substrates in the respective position form the same angle of inclination with the coating direction. That is, the substrates preferably form in the first position with the coating direction substantially the same first inclination angle and / or in the second position the same second inclination angle.

It is advantageous if the substrates are arranged transversely to the coating direction adjacent to each other. That is, the substrates are arranged adjacent to each other in the first position and / or the second position transversely to the coating direction.

It should be understood that in addition to the method of coating the substrates with thermoelectrically active material, such coated substrates are also within the scope of this invention.

The substrates can already be finished components that are used in a corresponding application. The substrates can also be thermoelectric components which, for example, are used in a thermoelectric application, in particular in an air conditioning system, for example of a vehicle. It is also conceivable that the respective coated substrate forms a building block of such a thermoelectric component.

In addition to the method and the substrate, such a thermoelectric component is also part of the scope of this invention.

Other important features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, from the drawings and from the associated figure description with reference to the drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the particular combination given, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail in the following description, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally identical components.

• 1 eine Seitenansicht auf Substrate,
• 2 bis 4 jeweils eine Seitenansicht bei unterschiedlichen Verfahrensschritten zum Beschichten der Substrate,
• 5 und 6 die Ansichten aus den 3 und 4 bei einem anderen Ausführungsbeispiel,
• 7 eine Seitenansicht eines thermoelektrischen Bauteils in Explosionsdarstellung.

Show, in each case schematically,

• 1 a side view on substrates,
• 2 to 4 each a side view at different process steps for coating the substrates,
• 5 and 6 the views from the 3 and 4 in another embodiment,
• 7 a side view of a thermoelectric component in exploded view.

In 1 are substrates 1 to see which with thermoelectrically active material 2 . 3 (see, for example. 2 to 6 ), purely exemplarily four substrates 1 are shown. The substrates 1 are formed in the example shown as identical parts and each have one, in particular electrically insulating, body 4 on, the plate-like or as a plate 5 is trained. On one side of the main body 4 are two spaced electrical conductors 6 , in particular conductor tracks 7 , attached, between which thus a recess 8th formed. The respective substrate 1 is thus as a building block 9 or chip 10 trained in the depression 8th one with thermoelectrically active material 2 . 3 to be coated surface 11 which extends in an extension direction 12 extends. In 1 are the substrates 1 arranged with the same orientation and in a common plane, such that the surfaces 11 the substrates 1 the same extension direction 12 exhibit.

For coating the substrates 1 or the surfaces 11 with thermoelectrically active material 2 . 3 comes a coating device 13 to the Use, as in 2 is shown greatly simplified. The coating device 13 dissociates thermoelectrically active material during operation 2 . 3 in a coating direction 14 , That is, the coating device 13 during operation a material flow 15 a thermoelectrically active material 2 . 3 in the coating direction 14 dissociated, in particular separates. For coating the substrates 1 These are relative to the coating device 13 in the coating direction 14 from the coating device 13 spaced apart. The arrangement of the substrates 1 relative to the coating direction is such that the respective surface 11 the coating device 13 facing and the extension direction 12 the respective surface 11 inclined to the coating direction 14 runs. In this position 16 , below also first position 16 called, forms the respective extension direction 12 with the coating direction 14 a sharp angle of inclination 17 , hereinafter also the first angle of inclination 17 called. Here are the substrates 1 each arranged such that they are aligned with the coating direction 14 the same first inclination angle 17 form. In addition, the substrates 1 in the coating direction 14 at the same distance from the coating device 13 and in a direction transverse to the coating direction 14 extending transverse direction 18 arranged consecutively or adjacent. The substrates 1 are in the example shown on a support structure 19 attached, the several carrier sections 20 having, wherein the substrates 1 each on such a support section 20 are attached. The carrier sections 20 are adjustable relative to each other, in which case they in the example shown on joints 21 are hinged together. Thus, it is possible in particular, the substrates 1 relative to each other and to the coating direction 14 to adjust to the first position 16 , in particular the angle of inclination 17 to adjust.

Are the substrates 1 in the first position 16 , these are how in 3 represented with a thermoelectrically active material 2 , hereinafter also the first thermoelectrically active material 2 called coated with the aid of the coating device 13 in the coating direction 14 is dissociated. Due to the inclined arrangement of the substrates 1 relative to the coating direction 14 and the arrangement of the surfaces to be coated 11 in the depression 8th passes the first thermoelectrically active material 2 mostly on the surface 11 of the respective substrate 1 , so that on the respective surface 11 a first section of material 22 of the first thermoelectrically active material 2 forms.

Corresponding 4 become the substrates 1 then in a second position 23 arranged, extending from the first position 19 different. For adjusting the substrates 1 between the first position 16 and the second position 23 become the relatively adjustable support sections 20 adjusted and / or the support structure 19 moved, in particular turned. In the second position 23 are the surfaces to be coated 11 as in the first position 16 , relative to the coating direction 14 arranged such that the respective surface 11 the coating device faces and the extension direction 12 the respective surface 11 inclined to the coating direction 14 runs and thereby with the coating direction 14 a sharp angle of inclination 24 , hereinafter also the second angle of inclination 24 called forms. In the second position 23 are the substrates 1 relative to the coating direction 14 arranged such that they each with the coating direction 14 the same second inclination angle 24 form. In addition, the substrates 1 arranged such that the second inclination angle 24 has an amount value equal to the absolute value of the first inclination angle 17 equivalent. From a synopsis of 3 and 4 is also to recognize that the surfaces 11 in the first position 16 or at the with the coating direction 14 the first inclination angle 17 forming arrangement on a first page 25 one level 26 lie, the surfaces weighed 11 in the second position 23 or the one with the coating direction 14 against second angle of inclination 24 forming arrangement on one of the first page 25 remote second side 27 the level 26 are arranged. The level 26 is determined by the coating direction 14 and one across the surface 11 or to the extension direction 12 running, not shown direction spanned.

As in 4 can be seen, the respective substrate 1 or the surface 11 of the respective substrate 1 in the second position 23 again with the first thermoelectrically active material 2 coated, again because of the inclined arrangement of the surfaces 1 relative to the coating direction 14 the first thermoelectrically active material 2 mostly on the surface 11 is coated, so that a second material section 28 of the first thermoelectrically active material 2 forms, in the example shown such that the first material section 22 and the second material section 28 one the depression 8th filling, continuous layer 29 of the first thermoelectrically active material 2 form. The respective, with the first thermoelectrically active material 2 coated substrate 1 is then from the support structure 19 solved and can be further processed and / or used.

According to the 5 and 6 is it analogous to that in the 3 and 4 shown positions 16 . 23 and coatings possible, the surfaces 11 the substrates 1 with another thermoelectrically active material 3 , hereinafter second thermoelectrically active material 3 called, to coat, where 5 the first position 16 and 6 the second position 23 the substrates 1 relative to the coating direction 14 of the material flow 15 of the second thermoelectrically active material 3 demonstrate. In the first position 16 So is a first section of material 30 of the second thermoelectrically active material 3 coated while in the second position 23 a second material section 31 of the second thermoelectrically active material 3 is coated, which together a the recess 8th filling, continuous layer 32 of the second thermoelectrically active material 3 form.

In the in the 5 and 6 embodiment shown is in contrast to that in the 3 and 4 example shown a support structure 19 used, which is deformable or flexible, such that the carrier sections 20 are adjustable relative to each other.

Corresponding 7 can do with the thermoelectrically active material 2 . 3 coated substrates 1 or building blocks 9 or chips 10 in a thermoelectric component 37 which is in 7 can be seen in an exploded view, are used. In this example, building blocks become 9 with the first thermoelectrically active material 2 and building blocks 9 with the second thermoelectrically active material 3 alternately arranged and connected in series, wherein the interconnection via the conductor tracks 7 can be done. As a result, in particular, a thermoelectric converter 38 , eg a Peltier element 39 , assembled or manufactured. The thermoelectric component 37 Especially in an air conditioner, not shown, for example. A vehicle, not shown, is used.

Claims (10)

Process for coating substrates (1) with thermoelectrically active material (2, 3), wherein at least two substrates (1) are provided, each having a surface (11) to be coated with the thermoelectrically active material (2, 3), the surface (11) extending in an associated extension direction (12), a coating device (13) is provided which, during operation, dissociates a material flow (15) of a thermoelectrically active material (2, 3) in a coating direction (14), - The substrates (1) in a first position (16) in the coating direction (14) from the coating device (13) spaced and arranged relative to the coating direction (14) such that the respective surface (11) of the coating device (13) faces and the extension direction (12) of the respective surface (11) extends inclined to the coating direction (14) and forms a first angle of inclination (17) with the coating direction (14), - The substrates (1) by means of the coating device (13) with the thermoelectrically active material (2, 3) are coated. Method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the substrates (1) after coating with the thermoelectrically active material (2, 3) in a second position (23) relative to the coating direction (14) are arranged such that the respective surface (11) of the coating device (13) facing and the extension direction (12) of the respective surface (11) inclined to the coating direction (14), wherein the respective extension direction (12) of the respective surface (11) with the coating direction (14) has a second inclination angle (24) forms, - that the substrates (1) again with thermoelectrically active material (2, 3) are coated. Method according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the coating direction (14) in a plane (26), wherein the respective surface (11) in the coating direction (14) the first inclination angle (17) forming arrangement on a first side (25) of the plane (26) and in which with the coating direction (14) the second inclination angle (24) forming arrangement on a side facing away from the first side (25) second side (27) of the plane (26) is arranged. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that substrates (1) are provided, whose respective surface (11) to be coated is arranged in a depression (8) of the substrate (1). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4 characterized in that - a support structure (19) is provided with support sections (20) which are adjustable relative to one another, - the respective substrate (1) is mounted on an associated support section (20), - the support sections (20) are adapted to displace the support sections Substrates (1) in the first position (16) and / or in the second position (23) are adjusted relative to each other. Method according to Claim 5 , characterized in that a support structure (19) is provided, whose support sections (20) are hinged together and thus adjustable. Method according to Claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that a support structure (19) is provided, which is deformable, so that the support portions (20) are adjustable relative to each other. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that substrates (1) are provided which have a base body (4) and two spaced electrical conductors (6), between which the surface to be coated (11) is arranged. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 8th , characterized in that the substrates (1) are arranged transversely to the coating direction (14) adjacent to each other. Thermoelectric component (37) having at least one substrate (1) which has a surface (11) coated with thermoelectrically active material (2, 3), wherein at least one of the substrates (1) according to the method of any of Claims 1 to 9 coated with thermoelectrically active material (2, 3).

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