The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Aug. 16, 2022

Filed:

Oct. 15, 2020
Applicant:

Birmingham Technologies, Inc., Arlington, VA (US);

Inventor:

Joseph Birmingham, Arlington, VA (US);

Assignee:

Birmingham Technologies, Inc., Arlington, VA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01J 45/00 (2006.01); H01J 9/04 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01J 45/00 (2013.01); H01J 9/042 (2013.01);
Abstract

Embodiments relate to an apparatus that includes an electronics layer with at least one electronic component, and a thermal energy harvesting thermionic device to receive thermal energy and generate an electrical output for powering the electronic component. The thermionic device includes a cathode, an anode spaced from the cathode, and a plurality of nanoparticles in at least one medium contained between the cathode and the anode to permit electron transfer between the cathode and the anode. An intermediate layer is positioned between the thermionic device and the electronics layer. The intermediate layer is made of a gradient thermal expansion material (TEM). Related systems and methods are also provided.


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