JP2005353833A - Thermoelectric conversion module - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermoelectric conversion module of low cost in which assembly is easy. <P>SOLUTION: A p-type and an n-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are made to penetrate and engaged with corresponding element engaging holes 3 of an insulating substrate 30, respectively. Sheet members 8 are arranged respectively on one end side (upper side) and the other end side (lower side) of a penetration direction of the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 to the element engaging holes 3. In the sheet member 8, a plurality of arrangement of electrodes 9 which are formed of electric conduction elastic members are formed on the surface of an insulated elastic sheet 7 through spacing mutually, and arrangement is performed by making a formation surface side of the electrodes 9 face a thermoelectric conversion element 5 side. The electrodes 9 of the sheet member 8 which is arranged on one end side of the thermoelectric conversion elements 5, and the electrodes 9 of the sheet member 8 which is arranged on the other end side, are made a state in which positions of the electrodes are mutually shifted, and the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 are connected through the corresponding electrodes 9. Each of the electrodes 9 is forcedly brought into contact with the end of the corresponding thermoelectric conversion element 5, respectively, by contact pressure to the thermoelectric conversion element 5 due to elastic deformation of the electrode 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention includes, for example, optical communication parts, physics and chemistry equipment, portable coolers, thermoelectric conversion modules that are used for process temperature management in semiconductor processes and the like, and thermoelectric modules that generate electricity using the Seebeck effect. Concerning the conversion module

  Thermoelectric conversion modules such as Peltier modules are used in various fields such as the optical communication field, and various configurations of thermoelectric conversion modules have been proposed. FIG. 7 shows an example of the structure of a typical thermoelectric conversion module. This thermoelectric conversion module is a Peltier module, and thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are inserted through the element fitting holes 3 of an insulating substrate (insulating support plate) 30 having a plurality of element fitting holes 3. (For example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  The Peltier module thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is generally known as a Peltier element, and is formed of a P-type (p-type) thermoelectric conversion element 5a formed of a P-type semiconductor and an N-type semiconductor. N-type (n-type) thermoelectric conversion element 5b. The P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are made of a semiconductor single crystal such as bismuth tellurium having a length of about 0.5 to 3.0 mm, for example.

  The insulating substrate 30 is made of, for example, an electrically insulating plate having a thickness of about 0.2 to 1.0 mm, for example, a glass epoxy plate. The P-type thermoelectric conversion element 5a and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element 5b are respectively inserted into the corresponding element fitting holes 3 so that (5a, 5b) protrudes, for example, by about 0.1 to 1.6 mm. They are fixed and alternately arranged.

  Electrodes 2 are respectively provided at one end side (upper side here) and the other end side (lower side here) of the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) in the penetrating direction to the element fitting hole 3. Has been placed. All of these electrodes 2 are joined to the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) by soldering, and the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are electrically connected via the corresponding electrodes 2 by this joining. A circuit (PN element pair) of the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) is formed in series. In FIG. 7, solder is not shown. Moreover, the circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is connected to a power supply circuit etc. via the lead terminal and lead wire which are not illustrated.

  When a current flows through the circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b), a current flows through the electrode 2 to the P-type thermoelectric conversion element 5a and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element 5b, and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a , 5b) and a cooling / heating effect at the junction (interface) between the electrode 2 and the electrode 2. That is, a so-called Peltier effect is generated in which one end portion of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is heated while the other end portion is cooled depending on the direction of the current flowing through the junction.

  When one end, for example, the upper end, of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is caused to generate heat by the Peltier effect, this heat is transmitted to a member provided on the upper side of the Peltier module, and this member is heated. Is called. On the contrary, when the upper end portion of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is cooled by the Peltier effect, the member provided on the upper side of the Peltier module is cooled (heat absorption).

JP-A-9-181362 Japanese Patent Application No. 8-354136

  However, in the thermoelectric conversion module of the type in which the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are fixed to the insulating substrate 30 as described above, one end side of each thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) and the other The operation of arranging a plurality of electrodes 2 corresponding to the end sides and joining them to the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) by soldering is difficult. For this reason, it takes time to manufacture the thermoelectric conversion module, and soldering may not be performed accurately, resulting in a decrease in manufacturing yield and an increase in cost.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive thermoelectric conversion module that is easy to assemble.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration as means for solving the problems. That is, the first invention has an insulating substrate in which a plurality of element fitting holes are formed, and P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements are respectively fitted through the corresponding element fitting holes of the insulating substrate. A plurality of electrode portions formed of a conductive elastic member on the surface of the insulating elastic sheet are provided on one end side and the other end side of the thermoelectric conversion element in the penetration direction to the element fitting hole with a space between each other. The arrayed sheet members are arranged with the electrode portion forming surface side facing the thermoelectric conversion element side, and are arranged on the electrode member and the other end side of the sheet member arranged on one end side of the thermoelectric conversion element. Thus, the P-type thermoelectric conversion element and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element are electrically connected to each other through a corresponding electrode portion so that the electrode portions of the sheet member are displaced from each other. A circuit of a conversion element is formed, and each of the electrode portions And a means for solving the problems with the configuration are respectively pressed against the end of the corresponding thermoelectric conversion elements are by contact pressure to the thermoelectric conversion element according to the elastic deformation of the electrode portion.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect of the invention, at least one of the sheet members disposed on both ends of the thermoelectric conversion element has an insulating elastic property on an electrode portion formed of a conductive elastic member. Instead of being formed on the surface of the sheet, a structure is provided in which the electrode portions are fitted and fixed to the electrode portion fitting holes of the insulating elastic sheet in which a plurality of electrode portion fitting holes are formed at intervals. As a means to solve the problem.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of electrode portions formed of a conductive elastic member on the surface of the insulating elastic sheet are arranged at intervals on one end side and the other end side in the penetration direction of the thermoelectric conversion element into the element fitting hole. A sheet in which a plurality of electrode portions are formed with a space between each other by fitting and fixing the electrode portions of the conductive elastic member to the electrode forming surface side of the formed sheet members or the electrode portion fitting holes of the insulating elastic sheet. Since the members are arranged, unlike the case where the electrodes are individually provided in a manner in which the corresponding thermoelectric conversion elements are connected to each other, the end of the corresponding thermoelectric conversion element is collectively arranged by the arrangement of the sheet member. Can be placed opposite to each other.

  Further, in the present invention, each electrode part is in pressure contact with the corresponding end part of the thermoelectric conversion element by the contact pressure to the thermoelectric conversion element due to elastic deformation of the electrode part. Even if it is not fixed, the thermoelectric conversion element and the electrode part can be electrically connected to each other and can be assembled very easily, so that the manufacturing yield can be improved and the cost can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same name portions as in the conventional example, and the duplicate description is omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of a thermoelectric conversion module according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the thermoelectric conversion module 1 of the present embodiment also has an insulating substrate 30 as in the thermoelectric conversion module shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of element fitting holes 3 are formed in the insulating substrate 30 with a space therebetween, and these element fitting holes 3 are formed as shown in FIG. The corresponding thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are fitted and fixed. The insulating substrate 30 is formed of, for example, a glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin plate, and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is fixed to the element fitting hole 3 using, for example, an adhesive. An appropriate method is used.

  Further, the present embodiment example has a characteristic configuration different from that of the conventional example as described below. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, one end side (upper side here) and the other end side (lower side here) of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) in the penetrating direction to the element fitting hole 3 are respectively A sheet member 8 is disposed. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the sheet member 8 is formed by forming a plurality of electrode portions 9 formed of a conductive elastic member on the surface of the insulating elastic sheet 7 with a space therebetween, As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet member 8 is disposed with the formation surface side of the electrode portion 9 facing the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) side.

  In this embodiment, the insulating elastic sheet 7 is formed of insulating rubber (for example, silicon rubber), and the electrode portion 9 is formed of conductive rubber (for example, silicon rubber containing carbon). Is also excellent in thermal conductivity.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electrode portion 9 of the sheet member 8 disposed on one end side (upper side here) of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) and the other end side (lower side here) And the electrode part 9 of the sheet member 8 arranged in the above-mentioned position are shifted from each other, and the P-type thermoelectric conversion element 5a and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element 5b are interposed via the corresponding electrode parts 9. Are electrically connected to form a circuit of thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b). The circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is connected to an appropriate electric circuit such as a power supply circuit via a lead terminal 27 and a lead wire 28.

  The most characteristic configuration of the present embodiment is that each electrode portion 9 of the sheet member 8 disposed on both ends of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is thermoelectrically generated by elastic deformation of the electrode portion 9. That is, the contact pressure to the conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is respectively pressed (fixed by pressure contact) to the corresponding end of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b).

  The present embodiment is configured as described above. When the thermoelectric conversion module 1 is manufactured, each thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is formed. In addition, surface treatments, such as a plating process, are given to the both ends (contact part with the electrode part 9) of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b). This surface treatment is performed for facilitating electrical connection with the electrode portion 9, and an appropriate treatment such as laminating a gold plating layer or a solder plating layer on a nickel plating base material is performed.

  And as shown to Fig.4 (a), the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) corresponding to each in the element fitting hole 3 of the insulating board | substrate 30 is penetration-fitted and fixed. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4B, sheet members 8 are provided on both upper and lower sides of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) (one end side and the other end side in the penetration direction to the element fitting hole 3). Then, the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is sandwiched by the sheet member 8 with the electrode formation surface (formation surface of the electrode portion 9) side of the sheet member 8 facing the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) side.

  Then, as indicated by the arrows, pressure is applied toward the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) side, the electrode portion 9 is elastically deformed, and is pressed and fixed by contact pressure to the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b). .

  Further, if necessary, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a metal plate 11 is provided on the upper side of the thermoelectric conversion module 1, a heat sink 12 is provided on the lower side of the thermoelectric conversion module 1, and the metal plate 11 and the heat sink 12 are screwed together. The member 13 is used by being fixed. Instead of the heat sink 12, a metal plate can also be provided on the lower side of the thermoelectric conversion module 1.

  In this example, a member to be cooled (not shown) is mounted on the metal plate 11, and the member to be cooled is cooled by the thermoelectric conversion module 1. In this case, the lower side of the thermoelectric conversion module 1 (thermoelectric Since the lower end side of the conversion element 5 is a heating surface, if the heat sink 12 cools the member to be cooled by the thermoelectric conversion module 1 is more efficiently cooled.

  According to this embodiment, as described above, the electrode forming surface side of the sheet member 8 in which a plurality of electrode portions 9 are formed on the surface of the insulating elastic sheet 7 is directed to the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) side. Since an appropriate pressure is applied to the sheet member 8 and the electrode portion 9 is pressed against and fixed to the end portion of the corresponding thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) by the contact pressure due to its elastic deformation. Unlike the case where the electrodes 2 are individually provided, the electrode portions 9 can be collectively disposed by disposing the sheet member 8, and the electrode portions 9 and the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) can be arranged without soldering. Can be satisfactorily conducted and can be assembled very easily.

  Therefore, the present embodiment can realize a thermoelectric conversion module that can reliably improve the manufacturing yield and reduce the cost.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the thermoelectric conversion module 1 is sandwiched between the metal plate 11 and the heat sink 12, the electrode 9 of the thermoelectric conversion module 1 and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) are fixed by pressing. Can be performed more reliably, and the arrangement of the member to be cooled mounted on the metal plate 11 can be made more stable.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment example, Various aspects can be taken. For example, in the embodiment described above, the sheet members 8 disposed on both ends of the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are formed by replacing the electrode portions 9 formed by the conductive elastic members 5 (5a, 5b) with the insulating elastic sheet 7. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the electrode portions 9 are respectively fitted in the electrode portion fitting holes 4 of the insulating elastic sheet 7 in which a plurality of electrode portion fitting holes 4 are formed at intervals. It is good also as the sheet | seat member 8 formed by combining.

  Further, the material of the insulating elastic sheet 7 and the material of the electrode part 9 are not particularly limited, and are appropriately set. For example, a material that is applied to a calculator or a remote control button that is currently on the market. The insulating rubber is used as the insulating elastic sheet 7, and the conductive rubber is used as the electrode portion 9.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion module has the planar shape of the insulating substrate 30 formed in a substantially square shape, but may be a thermoelectric conversion module to which the insulating substrate 30 having a substantially circular planar shape is applied. The shape, thickness, material and the like of the insulating substrate 30 are not particularly limited, and are appropriately set.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is an element having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, but the shape of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately selected. For example, an element having a circular cross-sectional shape or an element having another shape may be used.

  Furthermore, although the above description has been given by taking an example of the structure of the Peltier module as the thermoelectric conversion module, the structure of the thermoelectric conversion module of the present invention is also applicable to the structure of a thermoelectric conversion module that generates power using the Seebeck effect. it can.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically one embodiment of the structure of the thermoelectric conversion module which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing shown by the top view which looked at the sheet member (a) of an upper arrangement | positioning and the sheet member (b) of a lower arrangement applied to the thermoelectric conversion module of the said embodiment example from the electrode formation surface side. It is a plane explanatory view of the insulating substrate applied to the thermoelectric conversion module of the above-mentioned embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a manufacturing process of the thermoelectric conversion module of the said embodiment example. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the use condition example of the thermoelectric conversion module of the said embodiment example. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the other embodiment example of the thermoelectric conversion module which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the conventional thermoelectric conversion module.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermoelectric conversion module 3 Element fitting hole 4 Electrode part fitting hole 5, 5a, 5b Thermoelectric conversion element 7 Insulating sheet 8 Sheet member 9 Electrode part 27 Lead terminal 28 Lead wire 30 Insulating substrate

Claims (2)

  The thermoelectric conversion element includes an insulating substrate having a plurality of element fitting holes, and P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements are respectively fitted through the corresponding element fitting holes of the insulating substrate. A sheet member in which a plurality of electrode portions formed of a conductive elastic member are arranged on the surface of the insulating elastic sheet with a space between each other is provided on one end side and the other end side in the penetrating direction to the element fitting hole. A surface of the sheet member is disposed toward the thermoelectric conversion element side, and an electrode portion of the sheet member disposed on one end side of the thermoelectric conversion element and an electrode portion of the sheet member disposed on the other end side Is in a state of being shifted from each other, and the P-type thermoelectric conversion element and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element are electrically connected through corresponding electrode portions to form a circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element. Each of the electrode portions is caused by elastic deformation of the electrode portions. Thermoelectric conversion module, characterized in that it is pressed against the respective end of the corresponding thermoelectric element by the contact pressure to the thermoelectric conversion element.   At least one of the sheet members respectively disposed on both ends of the thermoelectric conversion element is not formed on the surface of the insulating elastic sheet with the electrode portion formed by the conductive elastic member, but the electrode portion fitting holes are spaced from each other. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of insulating elastic sheets is a sheet member formed by fitting and fixing the electrode portions into the electrode portion fitting holes.

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