US 11,737,363 B2
Thermoelectric cell, thermoelectric cell manufacturing method, and thermoelectric body manufacturing method
Biao Mei, Koga (JP); and Sachiko Matsushita, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Sanoh Industrial Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP); and TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/418,169
Filed by Sanoh Industrial Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP); and TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Dec. 6, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/047967
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 24, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/137468, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-248082 (JP), filed on Dec. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0077373 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. H10N 10/17 (2023.01); H10N 10/01 (2023.01)
CPC H10N 10/17 (2023.02) [H10N 10/01 (2023.02)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermoelectric cell comprising:
a thermoelectric body including heat-utilizing power generating elements in each of which a thermoelectric conversion layer and a solid electrolyte layer are layered, the thermoelectric body being configured to convert thermal energy into electrical energy;
a conductive case including a first case body and a second case body which are combined and accommodating the thermoelectric body, the first case body including a first plate and a first side wall extending along an edge of the first plate, and the second case body including a second plate and a second side wall extending along an edge of the second plate;
an insulating member configured to electrically insulate the first case body or the second case body and the solid electrolyte layer on a side surface of the thermoelectric body while the insulating member is configured to electrically insulate the first case body and the second case body; and
a compressible conductor accommodated in the case and maintained in a compression state by being sandwiched between the thermoelectric body and the case such that the compressible conductor fills a gap formed between the thermoelectric body and the case,
wherein the first case body, the thermoelectric body, and the second case body are electrically connected in a stacked direction of the thermoelectric conversion layer and the solid electrolyte layer by disposing the compressible conductor on a side of at least one of the first case body and the second case body wherein the solid electrolyte layer is in contact with the compressible conductor.