JP2002190623A - Thermoelectric element array unit and manufacturing method of it, and thermoelectric module using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily manufacture a thermoelectric element array unit in which a plurality of thermoelectric elements of p-type and n-type is provided. SOLUTION: An element forming laminated body 23 is formed by arranging an upper mold 21 and a lower mold 22 respectively on upper side and lower side of an insulating spacer 15 comprising a plurality of integral through-holes 14. The molds 21 and 22 are provide with through-holes 20 of the same number, the same diameter and the same aligned positions as the insulating spacer 15. A p-n selecting means 24 comprising selection holes 25 for p-type hole selection is arranged on the lower side of the element forming laminated body 23. The laminated body 23 is immersed in a solution of a p-type material to fill the holes of the laminated body 23 which led to the selection holes 25 with the solution, followed by cooling to form p-type thermoelectric elements. Next, the p-n selecting means is replaced for that of n-type hole selection and the laminated body 23 is immersed in an n-type solution, thereby forming n-type thermoelectric elements in the rest of the holes of the laminated body 23. The p-n selecting means 24 and the molds 21 and 22 are removed, and the thermoelectric element array unit can be obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermoelectric element array unit in which thermoelectric elements such as a Peltier element for cooling and heating by applying a current and a Seebeck element for generating electric power are arranged and formed into a unit, and a production thereof. The present invention relates to a method and a thermoelectric module using a thermoelectric element array unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A Peltier device generally known as a thermoelectric device is obtained by adding an element such as antimony or selenium to an intermetallic compound such as bismuth tellurium.
An n-type element is formed, and the p-type and n-type elements are alternately arranged in series with an injection electrode interposed therebetween. A voltage is applied to both ends of the series element, and a current is caused to flow.
It is an element that produces a heating effect, and is shown in FIG.
The configuration shown in FIG. The specific configuration is p,
The insulating substrates 3 and 4 made of a thin ceramic plate or the like made of alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ) or the like having a thickness of about 0.3 to 1 mm on which electrodes 2 and the like for connecting the n thermoelectric elements 1 in series are formed. P-type and n-type bismuth having a diameter of about 0.6 to 3 mm and a length of about 0.5 to 3 mm between the electrodes 3 and 4.
A thermoelectric element 1 made of tellurium or the like is arranged. The thermoelectric element 1 and the electrodes 2 and the lead element electrodes 5 are fixed by solder or the like (not shown). In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes a lead terminal.

Conventionally, thermoelectric elements 1 are generally manufactured by the following two methods. Ingot cutting method: Bi ₂ Te ₃ is added with an appropriate amount of an element such as selenium, antimony, etc.
Using a Bridgman furnace or the like, an ingot having a diameter of several tens of centimeters was prepared from the melt maintained at 0 ° C. as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5B, the wafer 8 is cut by a cutting means such as a dicer 9 to form the device 1 having the predetermined dimensions. The p-type and n-type elements 1 are separately manufactured by adjusting the alloy composition.

In-mold growth method: As shown in the perspective view of FIG.
0, fixed by a positioning / fixing means (not shown), and immersed in a melt 11 maintained at 700 ° C. to 900 ° C. obtained by adding an appropriate amount of elements such as selenium and antimony to Bi ₂ Te ₃ as shown in FIG. Then, by pulling up the mold 10 from the melt, a prismatic or columnar element shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 14, the obtained element was attached to a fixing jig (not shown), and then was 0.5 to 3 m in length.
The thermoelectric element 1 is cut into a predetermined dimension of about m and incorporated into a module. The addition of selenium to Bi ₂ Te ₃ results in a p-type thermoelectric element material, and the addition of antimony to Bi ₂ Te ₃ results in an n-type thermoelectric element material.

Next, a method of assembling the thermoelectric element 1 to produce a thermoelectric module will be described. Conventionally, the following two manufacturing methods (assembly methods) have been adopted. Direct assembly method: As shown in FIG. 16, a ceramic alignment jig 12 made of alumina or the like is placed on a circuit board 4 made of alumina or the like on which electrodes 2 are formed in advance and solder is formed by plating or the like. The p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements 1 cut to a predetermined size are alternately placed in the arrangement holes 13 of the alignment jig 12, and are fixed between the thermoelectric elements 1 and the electrodes 2 of the substrate 4 in a tunnel furnace. After the fixing, the alignment jig 12 is removed, the circuit board 3 is placed on the upper side, the circuit board 3 is placed on the upper side, the heat treatment is performed in the same manner, and the thermoelectric module is fixed by soldering or the like.

[0006] Spacer assembling method: Thermoelectric element 1 is
As shown in (a), a plurality of insulating spacers 15 made of a thin ceramic or glass / epoxy resin or the like provided with through holes 14 corresponding to a predetermined number are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other, and a p-type, The n-type elements 1 are pierced alternately while keeping the rod shape, and an epoxy adhesive is applied between the through hole 14 and the thermoelectric element 1 and cured to be fixed. Thereafter, the integrated body is attached together with the spacer to a cutting jig (not shown), and the thermoelectric element 1 is cut along the cutting line 16 by a cutting means such as a dicing saw as shown in FIG. And
The thermoelectric element array unit shown in FIG.
Then, a spacer / element complex 17 in which a plurality of p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements 1 are alternately arranged and fixed is formed. After this step, the substrates 3 and 4 are arranged above and below the thermoelectric element array unit 17 by the same solder fixing method as the direct assembly method,
The thermoelectric module shown in FIG. 9B is obtained.

Incidentally, the thermoelectric element 1 based on Bi ₂ Te ₃ is usually difficult to make good electrical and mechanical connection by soldering directly to an electrode material made of copper or silver. Ni. In many cases, Au plating or the like is used. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, a coating 19 for insulation for forming a plating resist or the like is provided in a middle portion of the thermoelectric element 1 to form a plating 19.

[0008]

In both the ingot cutting method and the in-mold growth method, a small-diameter and short thermoelectric element 1 is required.
Is cut into p and n, respectively, when plating the ends, there is a problem that a plating short-circuit easily occurs between both terminals. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 10, one resist coating 18 for preventing the plating from adhering to the intermediate portion is surely applied, and the plating is performed so as not to impair the heat radiation characteristics of the thermoelectric element 1. Later, the coating 18 was completely removed. However, there was a problem that the process was complicated and a large number of steps were required to completely cover and remove the coating 18.

Moreover, many of the thermoelectric element 1 was made by mold growth method as shown in FIG. 17, in the method of gradually inserted into the through hole 14 of the insulating spacer 15, the Bi ₂ T
e ₃ alloy is extremely brittle, and because of its deformable properties to small stresses, the following elements 1 1 mm must take through holes themselves than 1.2 mm, in the element cooling surface of the thermoelectric module There is a problem that it is difficult to arrange the elements 1 at a high density, which is a condition for maintaining the heat uniformity.

Although this method has the advantage that the short-circuit phenomenon does not occur at both ends of the thermoelectric element due to the presence of the spacer 15, the application, drying and curing of an epoxy adhesive for integrating the spacer 15 and the through hole 14 is performed. And the disadvantage that it is difficult to remove the epoxy resin from the protruding portion so as not to impair the heat dissipation.

Further, in any of the methods, it is extremely troublesome to arrange the p and n elements 1 alternately by hand.
An expensive component insertion / placement machine has to be used for automation, and even in this case, there is a problem that it takes time to arrange each of them.

In the present invention, a large number of thermoelectric elements can be mounted without cutting or inserting each of the p and n thermoelectric elements, hardly causing a plating short circuit, and without using an epoxy resin or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermoelectric element array unit capable of being arranged at a high density, a method for manufacturing the same, and a thermoelectric module using the thermoelectric element unit.

[0013]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following structure to solve the problems. That is, in the thermoelectric element array unit of the present invention, a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element are alternately inserted and fixed in holes adjacent to the plurality of through holes in an insulating spacer having a plurality of through holes. In a thermoelectric element array unit in which thermoelectric elements protrude from both front and back surfaces of an insulating spacer, the thermoelectric elements are bonded in a molten state by solidification fixation, which is brought into contact with a through hole wall surface of the insulating spacer and then cooled and solidified. This is a means for solving the problem by having a configuration fixed and held in the through hole of the insulating space without using an agent.

Further, a first invention of a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit is characterized in that a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element are formed in an insulating spacer having a plurality of through-holes adjacent to the plurality of through-holes. In the method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit in which the thermoelectric elements are alternately inserted and fixed and the thermoelectric elements protrude from both the front and back surfaces of the insulating spacer, at least a plurality of through holes corresponding to the plurality of through holes of the insulating spacer are provided. A pair of element forming means are aligned on the hole position and are superposed on the front and back surfaces of the insulating spacer to be removably integrated to form an element forming laminate, and a p-type is formed on at least one of the front and back sides of the element forming laminate. And a p provided with a selection hole for selectively selecting n-type
An n selection means is arranged, and the selection hole is aligned with a hole on one side of the p-type and the n-type of the element formation laminate, and one of the p-type and the n-type is selected, and then the element formation laminate is selected. The melt is filled in the melt of the material on one side of p and n, and the melt is filled into the hole of the element forming laminate from the select hole to the select hole, and then cooled and hardened to form a melt on one side of p and n. A thermoelectric element is formed in a selected hole of the element-forming laminate, and then a hole of the element-forming laminate on the other side of p and n is selected by pn selection means in the same manner. Is immersed in the melt on the other side of the selected p and n, and p and
The thermoelectric element on the other side of n is formed in the remaining hole of the element forming laminate, and then the pn selection means and the element forming means are removed from the insulating spacer to obtain a thermoelectric element array unit. Means to solve the problem.

Further, a second invention of a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit includes the structure of the manufacturing method of the first invention, wherein a plurality of sets in which pn selection means are arranged in an element forming laminate are provided. The means for solving the problem is a configuration in which a plurality of sets are arranged in the stacking direction, and a plurality of sets are collectively immersed in a melt selected by p and n to form a plurality of thermoelectric element array units at a time.

Further, a third invention of a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit includes the structure of the manufacturing method of the first or second invention, wherein the pn selection means is formed in a plate shape. It is characterized by.

Further, a fourth invention of a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit includes the structure of the manufacturing method of the first or second invention, wherein the pn selection means selects a p-type plate. And an n-type plate member for selecting the n-type. When selecting the p-type, the p-type plate-like member is arranged in the element forming laminate, and the n-type is selected. When selecting, arrange the n-type plate member in the element forming laminate,
It is characterized in that a p-type hole and an n-type hole of the element forming laminate are selectively selected.

Further, a fifth invention of a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit includes the structure of the manufacturing method of the first or second invention, wherein the pn selection means is formed in a mesh shape, and The mesh holes constitute selection holes for introducing the melt into the selected holes of the element-forming laminate, and the intersections of the mesh meshes prevent the introduction of the melt into the non-selection holes of the element-forming laminate. It is characterized in that it is an introduction blocking part.

Further, a sixth invention of a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit includes the structure of the manufacturing method according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein p is formed in a hole of the element forming laminate. After forming the type thermoelectric element and the n-type thermoelectric element,
The pn selection means is removed from the element forming laminate, the front and back surfaces of the element forming laminate where the end faces of the thermoelectric element are exposed are polished, and then a conductive metal is formed on both end faces of the thermoelectric element by plating. Later, the element molding means is removed from the insulating spacer.

Further, in the thermoelectric module according to the present invention, a thermoelectric element array unit having thermoelectric elements protruding from both front and back surfaces of an insulating spacer is disposed between upper and lower substrates, and an end of each thermoelectric element is disposed between upper and lower substrates. In a thermoelectric module in which p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements are connected to electrodes on each substrate side and are alternately connected in series, the thermoelectric element array unit may be any one of the first to sixth manufacturing methods. A thermoelectric element array unit manufactured by the above method is used.

In the present invention, pn selection means is disposed on at least one of the front and back surfaces of the element forming laminate.
The pn selection unit is set to the p-type selection position, and the integrated body of the element forming laminate and the pn selection unit is set to the pn selection unit, for example,
By immersing in the melt of the p-type material on the lower side, pn
The p-type material enters the p-type hole of the element-forming laminate from the selection hole of the selection means and is filled, and the p-type thermoelectric elements are collectively placed in the plurality of p-type holes of the element-forming laminate by cooling after being pulled up. Is formed.

Similarly, the pn selection means is set at the n-type selection position, and the integrated element forming laminate and the pn selection means are pn-selected.
By immersing the device in the melt of the n-type material with the selection means on the lower side and performing the same steps as in the formation of the p-type device, the n-type thermoelectric elements are collectively placed in the plurality of n-type holes of the element-formed laminate. Is formed.

In the present invention, the p-n selection means selects p and n alternatively, and the element-forming laminate is simply immersed alternately in the p-type melt and the n-type melt, thereby providing insulation. A thermoelectric element array unit in which p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements are alternately and regularly arranged in a plurality of through holes of a conductive spacer can be easily produced. In the thermoelectric element array unit of the present invention, the fixing of the through hole wall surface of the insulating spacer and the thermoelectric element is fixed by the fixing force of solidification in which the thermoelectric element material in a molten state is solidified. This eliminates the need for complicated and inefficient operations such as applying and drying adhesives due to the use of adhesives, and also eliminates the factors that impede heat dissipation due to adhesives. The element arrangement unit can be provided at low cost, and the reliability and performance of the thermoelectric module using the thermoelectric element arrangement unit can be improved, and at the same time, the cost reduction of productivity can be achieved.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components as those of the conventional example will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted or simplified. The thermoelectric element array unit 17 according to the present invention is the same as that shown in FIG.
5 is a spacer / element composite in which a plurality of p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements are alternately arranged and formed. The feature of the composite is that the thermoelectric element 1 is bonded at the through hole 14 of the insulating spacer 15. That is, it is fixed and held without using an agent.
An embodiment of a method for manufacturing the thermoelectric element array unit 17 having this feature will be described below.

FIGS. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit 17 according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an insulating spacer 15 constituting the thermoelectric element array unit. And a heat-resistant substrate having a thickness of about 0.1 to 1 mm, and provided with a predetermined number (usually, the sum of the number of p-elements and n-elements of the same number). FIG. 1 shows a setup for the thermoelectric element arrangement unit (composite production), in which through holes 20 having the same number and the same diameter as the through holes 14 of the insulating spacer 15 are provided in the same arrangement. It has a heat-resistant upper mold 21 and a heat-resistant lower mold 22. The upper molding die 21 and the lower molding die 22 constitute element forming means.

The upper mold 21 is provided above the insulating spacer 15.
Is disposed on the lower side of the insulating spacer 15.
Are arranged and the positions of the holes are aligned with each other to form the lower mold 22.
The insulating spacer 15 and the upper mold 21 are laminated, and are mechanically integrated as an element forming laminated body 23 using an appropriate holding means (not shown) so as to be detachable and detachable.
Then, a pn selection means 24 of a plate-like member is arranged on the back surface side (lower surface side) of the element forming laminate 23.

In the present embodiment, the pn selection means 24 comprises a p-type selection plate-like member for selecting a p-type hole from among the plurality of holes (14, 20) of the element forming laminate 23;
It is composed of two types of plate members, i.e., an n-type selection plate member for selecting a hole to be a mold, and a p-type selection plate member (p-type plate member). The through-hole 25 is formed at the selected position of the p-type hole, and the n-type selected plate-like member (n-type plate-like member) has the n-type hole selected from the holes of the element forming laminate 23. A through hole 25 is formed at a position. The p-type and n-type plate members are selectively used for replacement.

Although not shown in the embodiment, the upper mold 21 and the insulating spacer 1 are not shown.
5. The four elements of the lower mold 22 and the pn selection means 24 are mechanically integrated, and a heat-resistant positioning means and a holding means for appropriately positioning the through holes formed in the respective elements are provided. . When the above four mechanically integrated elements (laminated integrated body of the element forming laminate 23 and the pn selection means 24) are immersed in the p-type and n-type melts 11 (when immersed in the p-type melt). Uses a p-type plate member 24 and, when immersed in an n-type melt, uses the n-type plate member 24 to immerse in the melt). ,
Further, a thermoelectric module is assembled using the produced thermoelectric element array unit 17, and a specific example thereof will be described below.

[0029]

EXAMPLES (Example 1) When manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit, first, as shown in FIG. 3A, a box-shaped melt bath 26 made of graphite or the like was placed in Bi ₂ Te ₃ and Sb ₂ T was placed.
The p-type thermoelectric element material that is generated by a solid solution of e ₃ 700
Heated and melted to ~ 800 ° C, 0.2mm in 10mm square
Insulating spacer 1 with 96% alumina spacer plate of m thickness
5 and the upper mold 21 and the lower mold are both 0.1.
It was formed by a graphite plate having a thickness of 3 mm. On the lower surface side of an element forming laminate 23 in which the upper molding die 21, the insulating spacer 15, and the lower molding die 22 are mechanically detachably integrated,
The p and n selection means (p-type plate-like member in the example of FIG. 3A) 24 made of a 0.2 mm thick graphite plate is replaced by a platinum fastener (not shown) provided on the side surface of the substrate. It was integrated and held by the positioning means. In addition,
Each member 21, 15, 23, 24 had a through hole diameter of 0.6 mm.

After the integration, this was preheated in a belt furnace at 400 ° C. for about 5 minutes (in this example, a through hole was formed by machining the alumina spacer, so that fine irregularities were formed in the through hole (wall surface of the through hole). This was done to avoid cracking when immersed directly in the melt 11, but the preheating step is not necessarily required if the inner surface is smooth-worked).

As shown in the figure, a pn selecting means (a plate having a through hole only in a portion corresponding to a hole for forming a p-type element of the element forming laminate 23 in this example) 24 is a platinum not shown below the laminate. And is immersed in the p melt so that the upper surface thereof is below the liquid level. In the immersion step, the holes on the non-selection side of the element forming laminate 23 are covered with the melt. However, the melt has a high viscosity, and one end of the holes on the non-selection side is formed by pn selection means (plate-like member) 24. Since it is closed, the melt does not enter these non-selected holes.

After immersion in the melt for 5 minutes, the p melt becomes p,
A through selection hole (p hole) 25 provided in the n selection means 24
From the lower mold 22, the spacer 15, and the upper mold 21 through the respective p through holes to be ejected onto the upper surface of the laminate as an ejected body and then solidified.
And the entirety of the pn selection means 24 from the melt 11 to 1 to 2
It is pulled up at a speed of mm / min, cooled, and the pn selection means 24 set for p-type (for p-type selection) is removed.

Next, after cutting and removing the p-element surplus portion 27 remaining at the lower portion of the element-forming laminate 23, as shown in FIG. A plate 24 provided with a through hole only in a portion corresponding to the hole for forming the n-type element of the element forming laminate 23
4 is attached to the back surface (lower surface) of No. 3 and combined by a positioning means and a holding means (not shown), and as shown in FIG. 4B, n 2 formed by dissolving Bi ₂ Se ₃ in Bi ₂ Te _3.
The thermoelectric element 1 is immersed in a melt bath (n-type) 26 filled with the mold melt, and the n-type element (n-type element) of the thermoelectric element 1 is similarly grown and solidified by cooling. Then, the pn selection means 24 is removed (see FIG. 5), and the upper and lower surfaces of the element forming laminate 23 are polished, whereby both end surfaces of the thermoelectric element 1 are flattened, and the upper and lower protrusion amounts from the insulating spacer 15 are obtained. Are constantly aligned.

When plating both end surfaces of the thermoelectric element 1, nickel plating or the like is performed after the polishing step before removing the lower mold 22 and the upper mold 21 from the insulating spacer 15. Then, after plating, the insulating spacer 15
By removing the lower molding die 22 and the upper molding die 21 from, the intended thermoelectric element array unit 17 as shown in FIG. 6 is obtained.

Thereafter, a known method shown in FIG. 9 (conventional example)
(Module assembly). That is, the thermoelectric element array unit 17 produced in the above embodiment is arranged between the substrates 3 and 4, and the electrode 2 on the substrate side and the end-plated portion of the thermoelectric element 1 are connected by soldering, whereby the thermoelectric module of the present invention is produced. You.

In this embodiment, a plate-like member is used as the p and n selecting means. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. It is also possible to use a mesh (metal net) having a high temperature resistance such as platinum having a wire diameter of about 3 or the like. In this case, the selection of p and n can be performed by moving the mesh. The melt material of the thermoelectric element 1 has a high viscosity, and as shown in FIG.
Is arranged, the melt does not enter into the through-hole 20 located at the intersection 30 of the mesh, so that the intersection 30 functions as a melt introduction preventing portion. Therefore, the melt selectively enters the through-hole 20 at a position facing (facing) the mesh hole 29 of the mesh 28. From this, FIG.
In the state shown in FIG. 3C, the n-type through hole 20 is selected by the mesh 28.

For example, when the direction A is the moving direction of the mesh 28, the arrangement pitch of the through holes of the element forming laminate 23 in the direction A is s, and the arrangement pitch of the intersections 30 in the direction A is 2s, By moving the mesh 28 by s in the direction A from the state of FIG.
3, the p-type hole and the n-type hole can be selectively switched by moving the mesh position of the mesh 28 by a predetermined amount, and the p-type hole and the n-type hole can be selected. This is preferable because the selection can be easily performed.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which a plurality of thermoelectric element array units 17 are collectively formed.
In the second embodiment, a plurality of sets (two sets in FIG. 7) in which the element forming laminated body 23 and the pn selection means 24 described in the first embodiment are stacked and integrated are connected in the vertical direction via the intervening means 31. By alternately immersing the connecting set in the melt of the p-type material and the melt of the n-type material, the p-type and n-type holes are formed in the holes of the element formation laminate 23 in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. The thermoelectric element 1 is formed. In this manufacturing, of course, when a plurality of connecting sets are immersed in the melt of the p-type material, the pn selection means 24 is used.
When selecting a p-type hole and dipping it in a melt of an n-type material, selecting the n-type hole by the pn selection means 24 is the same as in the first embodiment.

After the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements 1 are formed in the holes in the element forming laminate 23, the intervening means 31 is cut to separate the connecting sets into individual sets. Pn from the integrated laminate of the element forming laminate 23 and the pn selecting means 24
The selection means 24 is removed. Then, the element forming laminate 23
After the front and back surfaces are polished and the end surface of each thermoelectric element 1 is plated with a conductive metal, the molding upper mold 21 and the molding lower mold 22 are removed from the insulating spacer 15 to obtain the intended thermoelectric element array unit 17. . Thereafter, a thermoelectric module is assembled and manufactured using the thermoelectric element array unit 17 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

The present invention can adopt various embodiments without being limited to the above embodiments and examples.
For example, in the above example, when a plate member is used as the pn selection means 24, p-type and n-type plate members are prepared and p
When immersed in the melt of the mold and when immersed in the melt of the n-type, they were used interchangeably, but as in the case of using the mesh,
One plate-like member is provided with both a p-type selection hole and an n-type selection hole, and the plate-like member is slid to select the p-type and n-type holes (for the element-forming laminate 23). (Selection of holes).

In the above example, the pn selection means 24 is provided only on the back side (lower side) of the element forming laminate 23, but may be provided only on the front side (upper side). 24 may be provided on both front and back surfaces of the element forming laminate 23. When provided on both the front and back surfaces in this way, when the element forming laminate 23 is immersed in the melt, the melt is more reliably prevented from entering the holes in the non-selected side element forming laminate 23. can do.

Furthermore, in the above example, conductor plating was applied to both end faces of the thermoelectric element 1. However, if a material having good solder connectivity is used as the material of the thermoelectric element 1, this plating step is omitted. Is also possible.

[0043]

According to the present invention, the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements are not individually cut and arranged, so that the element arrangement is incorrect, and the elements are brittlely damaged when handling the element arrangement. The problem described above can be eliminated, and a thermoelectric element having a large size and a large number of elements can be manufactured in almost the same time, resulting in high productivity.

Further, it is possible to arrange high-density thermoelectric elements having a small diameter.
Since a uniform cooling / heating effect can be obtained, it is effective as a temperature control module such as a communication laser diode.

Further, the end processing such as plating of the end face of the thermoelectric element is simple, and at the time of the plating processing, the coating processing on the peripheral surface between the ends of the thermoelectric element becomes unnecessary.
There is no need to remove the coating after plating.

Further, the melt comes into direct contact with the through hole of the insulating spacer, and a minute protrusion on the inner surface of the through hole (unevenness on the inner wall surface of the hole).
Since the melted element material penetrates into the material, etc., and the element material is solidified by subsequent cooling, the thermoelectric element is solidified and fixed in the through hole of the insulating spacer, so it adheres to the fixing between the thermoelectric element and the insulating spacer No adhesive is required, so that the bonding operation can be omitted, and of course, the step of removing the protruding portion of the adhesive which is necessary in the conventional example can be omitted.

Further, since the length of the thermoelectric element is shorter than that of the direct growth method, the time of the element formation step can be shortened.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a setup state at the time of manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration explanatory view of an insulating spacer constituting the thermoelectric element array unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a melt immersion step of the method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a p-type melt bath and an n-type melt bath.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which a pn selection unit is removed from the element formation laminate after forming the thermoelectric element in the element formation laminate.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an upper mold 21 and a lower mold 22 of an element forming laminate.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the is removed from the insulating spacer 15.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of an embodiment in which a plurality of thermoelectric element array units are collectively manufactured.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit using a mesh as a pn selection means according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an assembled state of a thermoelectric module using the thermoelectric element array unit.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example in which both ends of a thermoelectric element are plated.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an assembly state of a general thermoelectric module.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the production of a thermoelectric element by an in-mold growth method.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a step of growing a thermoelectric element by an in-mold growth method.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view of cutting a material of a grown thermoelectric element to form a thermoelectric element of a predetermined length.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element by an ingot cutting method.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory view of a method of directly assembling a thermoelectric module.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of a spacer assembling method of the thermoelectric module.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermoelectric element 15 Insulating spacer 17 Thermoelectric element arrangement unit 21 Molding upper mold 22 Molding lower mold 23 Element formation laminated body 24 pn selection means 25 Selection hole (through hole)

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element are alternately inserted into and fixed to an insulating spacer having a plurality of through holes in holes adjacent to the plurality of through holes. In the thermoelectric element array unit in which the thermoelectric elements are protruded from, the thermoelectric elements are insulated without using an adhesive by solidification fixation, which is brought into contact with the through hole wall surface of the insulating spacer in a molten state and then solidified by cooling. A thermoelectric element array unit fixedly held in a through hole of a space. 2. An insulating spacer having a plurality of through holes, a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element are alternately inserted and fixed in holes adjacent to the plurality of through holes, and are fixed to both sides of the insulating spacer. In the method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit in which thermoelectric elements are protruded from at least one pair of element forming means having through holes corresponding to a plurality of through holes of an insulating spacer, the positions of the holes are aligned to adjust the insulating property. An element forming laminate is formed by being superposed on the front and back surfaces of the spacer so as to be detachably integrated, and a selection hole for selectively selecting p-type and n-type is provided on at least one side of the element forming laminate. P
An n selection means is arranged, and the selection hole is aligned with a hole on one side of the p-type and the n-type of the element formation laminate, and one of the p-type and the n-type is selected, and then the element formation laminate is selected. The melt is filled in the melt of the material on one side of p and n, and the melt is filled into the hole of the element forming laminate from the select hole to the select hole, and then cooled and hardened to form a melt on one side of p and n. A thermoelectric element is formed in a selected hole of the element-forming laminate, and then a hole of the element-forming laminate on the other side of p and n is selected by pn selection means in the same manner. Is immersed in the melt on the other side of the selected p and n, and p and
n of the other side of the thermoelectric element array unit is formed into the remaining hole of the element forming laminate, and then the pn selection means and the element molding means are removed from the insulating spacer to obtain a thermoelectric element array unit. Production method. 3. A plurality of sets in which pn selection means are arranged in the element forming laminate are arranged in the stacking direction, and the plurality of sets are collectively immersed in a melt selected from p and n to form a plurality of thermoelectric element arrays. 3. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit according to claim 2, wherein the units are collectively formed. 4. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit according to claim 2, wherein the pn selection means is formed in a plate shape. 5. The pn selection means is composed of two types of plate members, a p-type plate member for selecting a p-type and an n-type plate member for selecting an n-type. When the p-type plate member is arranged in the element forming laminate and n-type is selected, n
The thermoelectric element array unit according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the template-like member is disposed in the element-forming laminate, and the p-type hole and the n-type hole of the element-forming laminate are selectively selected. Manufacturing method. 6. The pn selection means is formed in a mesh shape,
The mesh holes of the mesh form selection holes for introducing the melt into the selected holes of the element-forming laminate, and the intersections of the mesh mesh prevent the introduction of the melt into the non-selection holes of the element-forming laminate. The method for producing a thermoelectric element array unit according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the melt introduction preventing portion is used. 7. After forming a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element in a hole of the element-forming laminate, the p-type thermoelectric element is removed from the element-forming laminate.
After removing the n-selecting means, the front and back surfaces of the element forming laminate where the end faces of the thermoelectric element are exposed are polished, and then a conductive metal is formed on both end faces of the thermoelectric element by plating. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric element array unit according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the element molding means is removed from the device. 8. A thermoelectric element array unit having thermoelectric elements protruding from both front and back surfaces of an insulating spacer is disposed between upper and lower substrates, and an end of each thermoelectric element is connected to an electrode on each of the upper and lower substrates. The thermoelectric element array unit according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are alternately connected in series.
A thermoelectric module, wherein a thermoelectric element array unit manufactured by the manufacturing method described in (1) is used.