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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 31, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 07, 1999
Uttam Shyamalindu Ghoshal, Austin, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Apparatus, method, and signal for sub-ambient cooling using thermoelectric dynamics in conjunction with configurations and activation schemes to maximize the mean time between failure (MTBF) of thermoelectric coolers. In one form, a signal is provided which periodically alters the state of the Peltier devices from an active state to a passive state. During the active state the Peltier device provides maximum cooling and during the passive state the Peltier device minimizes thermal leakage while reducing cooling. Preferable implementations provide multiple signals to thermoelectric arrays such that, for a predetermined time, a first set of the arrays are in the active state while a second set of the arrays are in the passive state to thereby minimize failures and maximize the MTBF of the thermoelectric arrays.