EP-4258848-B1 - THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENT

Inventors

• PARK, JIN GYEONG

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20190910

Claims (10)

1. A thermoelectric element comprising: a first metal substrate (170); a first resin layer (110) arranged on the first metal substrate (170); a first electrode (120) partially embedded in the first resin layer (110); a thermoelectric leg (130, 140) arranged on the first electrode (120); a second electrode (150) arranged on the thermoelectric leg (130, 140); a second resin layer (160) arranged on the second electrode (150); and a second metal substrate (180) arranged on the second resin layer (160), characterized in that an upper surface of the first resin layer(110) includes a first electrode arrangement surface on which the first electrode is disposed, and a first concave surface disposed around the first electrode arrangement surface and toward the first metal substrate(170), wherein a lower surface of the second resin layer(160) includes a second electrode arrangement surface on which the second electrode(150) is disposed, and a second concave surface disposed around the second electrode arrangement surface and toward the second metal substrate(180), wherein a thickness of the first resin layer arranged on a side of the first electrode (120) is thicker than a thickness of the first resin layer arranged on a lower surface of the first electrode (120).
2. The thermoelectric element of claim 1, wherein the first concave surface is disposed closer to the first metal substrate (170) than an upper surface of the first electrode (120), and the second concave surface is disposed closer to the second metal substrate (180) than a lower surface of the second electrode (150).
3. The thermoelectric element of claim 1, wherein a partial region of the first concave surface and a partial region of the second concave surface are vertically overlapped.
4. The thermoelectric element of claim 1, wherein the first electrode arrangement surface of the first resin layer (110) includes a first flat surface corresponding to a lower surface of the first electrode (110), and the second electrode arrangement surface of the second resin layer (160) includes a second flat surface corresponding to an upper surface of the second electrode(150).
5. The thermoelectric element of claim 4, wherein a partial region of the first electrode arrangement surface and a partial region of the second electrode arrangement surface are vertically overlapped with each other.
6. The thermoelectric element of claim 1, wherein the first resin layer (110) includes a first region of which an upper surface is the first electrode arrangement surface and a second region of which an upper surface is the first concave surface.
7. The thermoelectric element of claim 6, wherein a thickness of the first region and a minimum thickness of the second region differ from each other.
8. The thermoelectric element of claim 7, wherein a thickness of the second region increases as it approaches the first electrode (120).
9. The thermoelectric element of claim 1, wherein the first electrode includes a first surface coming into contact with the first resin layer, a second surface opposite the first surface and on which the thermoelectric leg is arranged, and a first protruding part arranged along an edge of the second surface.
10. The thermoelectric element of claim 9, wherein the first protruding part includes a carbide.

Description

[Technical Field] The present invention relates to a thermoelectric element, and more specifically, to an electrode of a thermoelectric element. [Background Art] A thermoelectric phenomenon is a phenomenon which occurs due to movement of electrons and holes in a material and refers to direct energy conversion between heat and electricity. A thermoelectric element is a generic term for a device using the thermoelectric phenomenon and has a structure in which a P-type thermoelectric material and an N-type thermoelectric material are joined between metal electrodes to form a PN junction pair. Thermoelectric elements can be classified into a device using temperature changes of electrical resistance, a device using the Seebeck effect, which is a phenomenon in which an electromotive force is generated due to a temperature difference, a device using the Peltier effect, which is a phenomenon in which heat absorption or heat generation by current occurs, and the like. The thermoelectric element is variously applied to home appliances, electronic components, communication components, or the like. For example, the thermoelectric element can be applied to a cooling device, a heating device, a power generation device, or the like. Accordingly, the demand for thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric element is increasing more and more. The thermoelectric element includes substrates, electrodes, and thermoelectric legs, wherein a plurality of thermoelectric legs are arranged in an array form between an upper substrate and a lower substrate, a plurality of upper electrodes are arranged between the plurality of thermoelectric legs and the upper substrate, and a plurality of lower electrodes are arranged between the plurality of thermoelectric legs and the lower substrate. Generally, a plurality of electrodes can be aligned on a jig and then bonded to the substrates. In this case, in order to align the plurality of electrodes on the jig and bond the plurality of electrodes to the substrates, since a predetermined time and process are required, a process of transferring and removing a silicon tape is also required, and the jig should be manufactured for each size or design of the thermoelectric element, this can become a factor which increases process costs. Further, when the plurality of electrodes are bonded to the substrates, a pressure applied to the plurality of electrodes may not be uniform, and accordingly, some of a material bonding between the plurality of electrodes and the substrates can go over to the plurality of electrodes. When foreign matter is present even in portions of the plurality of electrodes, electrical conductivity of the thermoelectric element can be affected. Further, since bonding strength between the plurality of electrodes and the substrates is not uniform, some of the electrodes can be peeled from the substrate due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the substrates and the electrodes at a high-temperature part side. Meanwhile, one pair of a P-type thermoelectric leg and an N-type thermoelectric leg can be arranged on each of the plurality of electrodes. To this end, after printing a solder layer on each electrode, the P-type thermoelectric leg and the N-type thermoelectric leg can be bonded to the solder layer. In this case, when the P-type thermoelectric leg and the N-type thermoelectric leg slide and tilt on the solder layer or are bonded to each other, the solder layer flows out of the electrodes and overflows, and thus a short circuit failure can occur. US 2010096357 A1 discloses a thermoelectric module configured with lower electrodes formed on the inside surface of a lower substrate, placed in opposition to an upper substrate, on the inside surface of which are formed upper electrodes; the end faces of thermoelectric elements are soldered to the lower electrodes and upper electrodes. US 2013081663 A1 discloses a thermoelectric module including a metal layer surface treated for securing roughness at one surface thereof and a top substrate and a bottom substrate made of an insulating film formed on the surface treated one surface. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem] The present invention is directed to providing an electrode structure of a thermoelectric element. [Technical Solution] One aspect of the present invention provides a thermoelectric element comprising: a first metal substrate; a first resin layer arranged on the first metal substrate; a first electrode partially embedded in the first resin layer; a thermoelectric leg arranged on the first electrode; a second electrode arranged on the thermoelectric leg; a second resin layer arranged on the second electrode; and a second metal substrate arranged on the second resin layer, wherein an upper surface of the first resin layer includes a first electrode arrangement surface on which the first electrode is disposed, and a first concave surface disposed around the first electrode arrangement surface and toward