Thermoelectric device and process for making the same

Abstract

There is disclosed a portable refrigerator which is formed by casting an insulating wall of foamed-in-place insulating foam in a manner which provides inner and outer shell portions on the insulating wall and a depression therein which exposes a surface of the internal thermal sink and, except for a pigtail and positive and negative contact points which points project through the outer shell portion in position to be connected with the positive and negative poles, respectively, of the thermoelectric element, completely imbeds the electrical connections. A thermoelectric element is disposed in the depression in heat-exchange with the surface of the internal thermal sink exposed by the depression and the positive and negative poles of the thermoelectric element are connected with the respective positive and negative contact points. An annular gasket of resilient and compressible sealing material is disposed on the outer shell in position such that it completely surrounds the depression and the thermoelectric element therein and covers the contact points. An external thermal sink is disposed in sealing contact with the sealing gasket and the two thermal sinks are drawn toward each other until the gasket is compressed and the thermal sinks are in heat-exchange with the thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric cooling device has a rim extending around but spaced from the external thermal sink of such height that the edge of the rim and the outermost surfaces of the external thermal sink are substantially in a common plane.