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:
Feb. 02, 2010
Filed:
Apr. 05, 2004
Brian Esser, Colchester, VT (US);
Dryver R. Huston, S. Burlington, VT (US);
James O. Plumpton, Burlington, VT (US);
Brian Esser, Colchester, VT (US);
Dryver R. Huston, S. Burlington, VT (US);
James O. Plumpton, Burlington, VT (US);
The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, Burlington, VT (US);
Abstract
A thermoelectric device () that includes at least one thermoelectric couple () that contains a thermoelectric junction () between two dissimilar materials (P, N) that allow exploitation of either the Seebeck effect or Peltier effect of the junction. The thermoelectric couple includes two thermoelements () that extend between the hot side () and cold side () of the device. Each thermoelement has a thermally insulating region () that insulates the hot side from the cold side and an electrical energy storage device () that stores electrical energy. When operating in a Seebeck mode, each storage device may be periodically discharged by harvesting circuitry () so as to harvest the energy stored therein. When operating in a Peltier mode, each storage device may be periodically charged by charging circuitry () so as to induce a temperature change at the thermoelectric junction.