JP2006120671A - Thermoelectric conversion module - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy-to-manufacture thermoelectric conversion module and its manufacturing process. <P>SOLUTION: P type and N type thermoelectric conversion elements 5(5a, 5b) are fitted in corresponding element fitting holes 3 of an insulating substrate 30, respectively, and a plurality of electrodes 2 are provided, while spaced apart from each other, on the upper and lower sides of the thermoelectric conversion element 5(5a, 5b) through a solder 9. The P type thermoelectric conversion element 5a and the N type thermoelectric conversion element 5b corresponding to each other through the electrode 2 are connected electrically, one by one, at connecting positions shifted on the upper and lower sides thus forming the circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element 5(5a, 5b). The solder 9 provided between each electrode 2 and the corresponding P type or N type thermoelectric conversion element 5(5a, 5b) is projected to the insulating substrate 30 side and its projecting end side is brought into contact with the side face of the insulating substrate 30. The thermoelectric conversion element 5(5a, 5b) is supported on the insulating substrate 30 while regulating the interval between the insulating substrate 30 and each electrode 2 at a preset interval S. <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. It concerns 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. 4 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, and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 is formed on the upper and lower sides of the insulating substrate 30. 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.

  The inner diameter of the element fitting hole 3 of the insulating substrate 30 is formed larger than the outer diameter of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b), whereby the element fitting of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is performed. The insertion operation into the hole 3 can be easily performed. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) inserted into the element fitting hole 3 and the element fitting hole 3 are filled so as to fill the gap. Each thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is fixed to the corresponding element fitting hole 3 by an adhesive 15 interposed between the conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) and the insulating substrate 30.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are provided on one end side (upper side) and the other end side (lower side) in the penetration direction to the element fitting hole 3. Are each provided with an electrode 2. All of these electrodes 2 are joined and provided via solder (not shown in the figure), and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is sandwiched between the electrodes 2 up and down. .

  The corresponding P-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5a and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5b are electrically connected in series via the respective electrodes 2 at the connection positions shifted from each other on the upper side and the lower side. Thus, a circuit (PN element pair) of the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) is formed. 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 this Peltier effect, this heat is transmitted to the 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 JP-A-10-178216

  However, as described above, the conventional thermoelectric conversion module uses the adhesive 15 to fix the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) in the element fitting hole 3 of the insulating substrate 30, and this adhesive In order to perform the fixing with 15 well, the adhesive 15 must be uniformly applied and dried uniformly, so that the operation is not easy and there is a problem that the production yield is reduced and the cost is increased. It was.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric conversion module that is easy to manufacture and inexpensive, and a method for manufacturing the same.

  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 electrodes arranged at intervals from each other on one end side and the other end side in the penetration direction to the element fitting hole of the thermoelectric conversion element are provided via solder. The thermoelectric conversion element is sandwiched vertically, and the P-type thermoelectric conversion element and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element corresponding to each other via the electrodes are positioned one above the other on the upper side and one on the lower side. A circuit of a thermoelectric conversion element is formed by being electrically connected at a shifted connection position, and the thermoelectric power is included in the solder provided between the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the respective electrodes. At least one of the solder provided on the upper side of the conversion element and the above-mentioned At least one of the solders provided on the lower side of the electric conversion element protrudes to the insulating substrate side, and the protruding tip side abuts on the surface of the insulating substrate side so that the insulating substrate and each electrode A configuration in which the interval is regulated to a predetermined set interval serves as a means for solving the problem.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect of the invention, the insulating substrate is formed in a rectangular shape, and at least between the thermoelectric conversion element provided in the rectangular portion of the insulating substrate and the corresponding electrode. Each of the solders provided on the substrate protrudes toward the insulating substrate and the protruding tip is in contact with the surface of the insulating substrate.

  According to the present invention, the corresponding P-type thermoelectric conversion element and N-type thermoelectric conversion element are respectively connected to the upper side and the lower side via electrodes provided via solder on the upper and lower sides of the thermoelectric conversion element. In the solder provided between the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the respective electrodes, the upper side of the thermoelectric conversion elements Each one or more of the lower side protrudes to the insulating substrate side, and the protruding tip side abuts on the surface of the insulating substrate side so that the interval between the insulating substrate and each electrode is set in advance. Therefore, the position of the thermoelectric conversion element in the penetrating direction to the insulating substrate can be restricted, and the thermoelectric conversion element can be supported without being fixed to the insulating substrate.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, it is very easy to assemble without the need for uniform application and uniform drying of the adhesive necessary for fixing each thermoelectric conversion element to the corresponding element fitting hole with an adhesive. Therefore, the manufacturing yield can be improved and the cost can be reduced.

  Further, in the present invention, the insulating substrate is formed in a rectangular shape, and solder provided between at least the thermoelectric conversion element provided in the square portion of the insulating substrate and the corresponding electrode is provided on the insulating substrate. According to the configuration in which the protruding tip side is in contact with the surface on the insulating substrate side and protrudes to the side, it is easy to regulate the interval between the insulating substrate and each of the previous electrodes to a predetermined set interval. The production yield can be improved.

  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 names as those in the conventional example, and the duplicate description is omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic side 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 formed of, for example, a glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin, similarly to the thermoelectric conversion module shown in FIG. A plurality of element fitting holes 3 are formed in the insulating substrate 30 at intervals. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the insulating substrate 30.

  Also in the present embodiment example, as in the conventional example, the corresponding thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) are fitted and fixed in the respective element fitting holes 3, and the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a) are fixed. , 5b), a plurality of electrodes 2 are arranged on one end side and the other end side in the penetrating direction to the element fitting hole 3 in the same manner as in the conventional example with a gap therebetween. However, the present embodiment has a characteristic configuration as shown below.

  That is, in this embodiment, the solder 9 provided between each pair of P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) corresponding to each electrode 2 is connected to the insulating substrate 30 side. And the protruding tip side abuts against the surface on the insulating substrate 30 side to regulate the interval S between the insulating substrate 30 and each electrode 2 to a predetermined set interval. To do. Note that the size of the interval S is not particularly limited and is set as appropriate. In the present embodiment, for example, the size is set to 0.15 mm.

  In this embodiment, most of the solders 9 among the solders 9 provided between the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) corresponding to the respective electrodes 2 are insulated substrates. The protrusion 9 protrudes toward the side 30 and the protruding tip side is in contact with the surface on the insulating substrate 30 side. The number of solders 9 protruding toward the insulating substrate 30 is appropriately set.

  That is, the solder 9 provided between the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) corresponding to the respective electrodes 2 is provided above the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b). At least one of the solder 9 and at least one of the solder 9 provided on the lower side of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) protrude to the insulating substrate 30 side, and the protruding tip side is the insulating substrate 30. If it is in contact with the side surface, the distance S between the insulating substrate 30 and each of the electrodes 2 can be regulated to a predetermined set interval.

  Further, the insulating substrate 30 is formed in a rectangular shape, and solder 9 provided between the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) provided in at least the square portions of the insulating substrate 30 and the corresponding electrodes 2 is provided. When each of the protrusions protrudes toward the insulating substrate 30 and the leading end of the protrusion is brought into contact with the surface of the insulating substrate 30, the interval S between the insulating substrate 30 and the front electrodes 2 is set in advance. It is preferable because it is easy to regulate.

  The present embodiment is configured as described above. Next, a method for manufacturing the thermoelectric conversion module of the present embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 2A, P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5 a, 5 b) are respectively fitted through the corresponding element fitting holes 3 of the insulating substrate 30. At this time, for example, the insulating substrate 30 is fixed to the jig 17 having the recess 16, and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5 a, 5 b) is supported by the recess 16.

  In addition, surface treatments, such as a plating process, are given beforehand to the both ends (contact part with the electrode 2) of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b), for example. This surface treatment is performed for facilitating electrical connection with the electrode 2. For example, an appropriate treatment such as laminating a gold plating layer or a solder plating layer on a nickel plating base material is performed.

  Then, after the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is inserted into the element fitting hole 3, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), a plurality of electrodes arranged and fixed on the surface of the heat-resistant tape 18 with a gap therebetween. 2 is provided on the upper side of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) through the solder 9. The solder 9 is provided on the surface of the electrode 2 by printing or the like. The relationship between the amount of the solder 9 and the amount of protrusion toward the insulating substrate 30 when the solder 9 is melted and solidified is obtained in advance by experiments or the like so that the amount of protrusion is equal to the interval S. Then, the amount of solder 9 is set.

  Next, the solder 9 is heated and melted in a heating furnace or the like, and as shown in FIG. 2C, the solder 9 is projected to the surface 13 side of the insulating substrate 30, and then cooled and solidified. Thereafter, the heat-resistant tape 18 is peeled off, and the insulating substrate 30 is turned over as shown in FIG. 2D, and the same operation as described above is performed. As shown in FIG. The solder 9 is also projected on the back surface 14 side. Thereafter, the heat-resistant tape 18 is peeled off and the lead terminals 27 and the lead wires 28 are connected as shown in FIG. 1 to complete the thermoelectric conversion module.

  In this embodiment, as described above, between the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) corresponding to the electrodes 2 respectively provided above and below the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b). The solder 9 is provided on the insulating substrate 30, and the solder 9 is protruded toward the insulating substrate 30 and the protruding tip side is brought into contact with the surface (the front surface 13 and the back surface 14) on the insulating substrate 30 side. Since the distance from the electrode 2 is regulated to a predetermined set distance S, the position of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) in the penetration direction to the insulating substrate 30 can be regulated.

  In addition, since the space | interval of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) and the element fitting hole 3 of the insulating substrate 30 is very small, the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) fixed to the electrode 2 is insulative. There is almost no movement in the surface direction of the substrate 30.

  Therefore, if the position of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) in the penetration direction to the insulating substrate 30 is restricted, the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is not fixed to the insulating substrate 30. Since the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) can be supported on the insulating substrate 30, in this embodiment, each thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) is fixed to the element fitting hole 3 by the adhesive 15. This eliminates the need for uniform application and uniform drying of the adhesive 15, and is very easy to assemble, so that the manufacturing yield can be improved and the cost can be reduced.

  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 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.

  Moreover, the height (length in the vertical direction) of the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b), the thickness of the insulating substrate 30, and the like are not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate. The protrusions above and below the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) (in the penetration direction to the insulating substrate 30) determined by the thickness of the insulating substrate 30 and the height of the thermoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b). Since the distance S between the electrode 2 and the surface of the insulating substrate 30 is determined by the length, the solder 9 provided between the electrode 2 and the thermoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) corresponding to this distance S The amount may be set appropriately.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment example, each of the thermoelectric conversion modules is formed in a substantially quadrangular planar shape, but the shape of the thermoelectric conversion module is not particularly presented and is appropriately set, for example, A thermoelectric conversion module having a substantially circular planar 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 with a side view. 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 an example of the insulating board | substrate applied to the said thermoelectric conversion module. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the conventional thermoelectric conversion module with a side view. It is sectional explanatory drawing which shows the example of the thermoelectric conversion element fixing method to the insulating board | substrate in the conventional thermoelectric conversion module.

Explanation of symbols

2 Electrode 3 Element fitting hole 5, 5a, 5b Thermoelectric conversion element 9 Solder 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 plurality of electrodes arranged with a gap between each other are provided on one end side and the other end side in the penetrating direction to the element fitting hole, and the thermoelectric conversion element is sandwiched vertically by the electrodes. The P-type thermoelectric conversion element and the N-type thermoelectric conversion element corresponding to each other via the electrodes are electrically connected at a connection position in which the positions are shifted from each other on the upper side and the lower side, respectively. The circuit of the thermoelectric conversion element is formed by being connected, and is provided on the upper side of the thermoelectric conversion element among the solders provided between the P-type and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the respective electrodes. At least one of the solder and provided below the thermoelectric conversion element At least one of the solders is projected to the insulating substrate side, and the leading end side of the solder is in contact with the surface of the insulating substrate side so that the distance between the insulating substrate and each electrode is set to a predetermined set interval. A thermoelectric conversion module that is regulated.   The insulating substrate is formed in a rectangular shape, and at least the solder provided between the thermoelectric conversion element provided in the square portion of the insulating substrate and the corresponding electrode protrudes toward the insulating substrate and protrudes from the insulating substrate. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1, wherein a tip side is in contact with a surface on the insulating substrate side.

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