KR-102962106-B1 - THERMOELECTRIC MODULE AND STEERING WHEEL HAVING THE SAME

KR102962106B1KR 102962106 B1KR102962106 B1KR 102962106B1KR-102962106-B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric module, comprising a first thermoelectric material unit including a first unit thermoelectric material arranged along a first direction and provided on the steering wheel of a vehicle, a second thermoelectric material unit including a second unit thermoelectric material arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction and electrically connected to the first thermoelectric material unit, and a heat sink provided on the steering wheel and connected to the second thermoelectric material unit, thereby obtaining an advantageous effect of improving heat transfer efficiency.

Inventors

이민재

Assignees

현대자동차주식회사
기아 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date: 20260511
Application Date: 20210310

Claims (19)

A first thermoelectric material unit comprising a first unit thermoelectric material arranged along a first direction and provided on the steering wheel of a vehicle; A second thermoelectric material unit that is provided on the steering wheel and includes a second unit thermoelectric material arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and is electrically connected to the first thermoelectric material unit; and A heat sink provided on the steering wheel and connected to the second thermoelectric material unit; Includes, The first direction is defined along the radial direction of the steering wheel, and The above second direction is a thermoelectric module defined along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel.
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In paragraph 1, In the first thermoelectric material unit, a first heat transfer path is defined along the first unit thermoelectric material, and In the second thermoelectric material unit, a second thermal movement path is defined along the second unit thermoelectric material, and The above-mentioned first column transfer path and the above-mentioned second column transfer path are thermoelectric modules connected in series.
In paragraph 3, The above first heat transfer path is a thermoelectric module defined in a straight line or a curved shape.
In paragraph 3, The above second column transfer path is a thermoelectric module defined in a straight line or a curved shape.
In paragraph 1, The above-mentioned first unit thermoelectric material is, A thermoelectric module comprising at least one of a first N-type thermoelectric material and a first P-type thermoelectric material arranged along the first direction.
In paragraph 6, The above-mentioned first thermoelectric material unit is, The first N-type thermoelectric material provided in the armature of the steering wheel along the first direction; The first P-type thermoelectric material spaced apart from the first N-type thermoelectric material and provided in the armature along the first direction; A first-1 electrode individually connected to one end of the first N-type thermoelectric material and one end of the first P-type thermoelectric material, respectively; and A first-second electrode that electrically connects the other end of the first N-type thermoelectric material and the other end of the first P-type thermoelectric material; A thermoelectric module including
In paragraph 1, The above second unit thermoelectric material is, A thermoelectric module comprising at least one of a second N-type thermoelectric material and a second P-type thermoelectric material arranged along the second direction.
In paragraph 8, The above second thermoelectric material unit is, The second N-type thermoelectric material provided in the armature of the steering wheel along the second direction; The second P-type thermoelectric material spaced apart from the second N-type thermoelectric material and provided in the armature along the second direction; A second-1 electrode individually connected to each of one end of the second-N type thermoelectric material and one end of the second-P type thermoelectric material; and A second-2 electrode that electrically connects the other end of the second-N type thermoelectric material and the other end of the second-P type thermoelectric material; A thermoelectric module including
In Article 7 or Article 9, The above amateur is, A rim having a circular shape; A hub provided in the central part of the above rim; and A spoke connecting the rim and the hub; comprising The first thermoelectric material unit, the second thermoelectric material unit, and the heat sink are thermoelectric modules provided in the rim.
In Paragraph 10, The heat sink is a thermoelectric module provided adjacent to the boundary between the rim and the spoke.
In paragraph 1, The heat sink is a thermoelectric module that is laminated to the second thermoelectric material unit along the first direction.
In Paragraph 12, The above heat sink is a thermoelectric module provided to form the same layer as the above first thermoelectric material unit.
In paragraph 1, A thermoelectric module comprising an insulating layer provided to surround at least a portion of the perimeter of the heatsink.
Amateur; A first thermoelectric material unit comprising a first unit thermoelectric material arranged along the radial direction of the armature and provided in the above armature; A second thermoelectric material unit that is provided in the above-mentioned armature and includes a second unit thermoelectric material arranged along the circumferential direction of the above-mentioned armature, and is electrically connected to the first thermoelectric material unit; and A heat sink provided in the above armature and connected to the above second thermoelectric material unit; A steering wheel including
In paragraph 15, The first unit thermoelectric material comprises at least one of a first N-type thermoelectric material and a first P-type thermoelectric material arranged along the radial direction of the armature. The second unit thermoelectric material comprises at least one of a second N-type thermoelectric material and a second P-type thermoelectric material arranged along the circumferential direction of the armature, A steering wheel in which a first thermal movement path is defined along the first unit thermoelectric material in the first thermoelectric material unit, a second thermal movement path is defined along the second unit thermoelectric material in the second thermoelectric material unit, and the first thermal movement path and the second thermal movement path are connected in series.
In paragraph 15, The above amateur is, A rim having a circular shape; A hub provided in the central part of the above rim; and A spoke connecting the rim and the hub; comprising The first thermoelectric material unit, the second thermoelectric material unit, and the heat sink are a steering wheel provided on the rim.
In Paragraph 17, The above heat sink is a steering wheel provided adjacent to the boundary between the rim and the spoke.
In Paragraph 17, A steering wheel comprising an insulating layer provided to wrap at least a portion of the perimeter of the heat sink.

Description

Thermoelectric Module and Steering Wheel Having the Same The present invention relates to a thermoelectric module, and more specifically, to a thermoelectric module capable of improving heat transfer efficiency and enhancing stability and reliability. A steering wheel is a device mounted on a vehicle that allows the driver to arbitrarily control the vehicle's direction of travel. It is configured to change the vehicle's direction according to the driver's intention by changing the direction of the suspension wheels through a steering mechanism consisting of a steering column, rack, and pinion, using the steering force applied by the driver. However, there is a problem in that vehicle steering wheels develop a surface temperature so high that it is difficult for the driver to grip them due to direct exposure to intense sunlight during the hot summer months, and a surface temperature so low that it is difficult for the driver to grip them during the cold winter months. Accordingly, various studies are currently being conducted to directly cool or heat the steering wheel using thermoelectric elements capable of heating and cooling, in order to enhance product value beyond the basic functions of the steering wheel. Thermoelectric devices are devices that convert thermal energy and electrical energy, and are also referred to by terms such as thermoelectric modules, Peltier devices, and TEC (Thermoelectric Cooler). They are widely used as a means of cooling or heating by utilizing the Peltier effect, in which one end of a circuit made of different conductors is heated and the other end is cooled when current is passed through both ends of the circuit. Generally, thermoelectric modules are fabricated by connecting multiple thermoelectric materials (e.g., P-type and N-type thermoelectric materials) in series (series circuit) on a substrate, and have the advantage of low heat loss and rapid temperature control. However, conventional thermoelectric modules have a problem in that it is difficult to improve the heat transfer efficiency (e.g., heat dissipation performance) of the thermoelectric module beyond a certain level, because, as multiple thermoelectric materials are arranged in a specific unidirectional direction (e.g., vertical or horizontal), the path through which heat travels from the thermoelectric materials (heat transfer path) can also only be defined along that specific unidirectional direction. In particular, since the path of heat movement in conventional thermoelectric modules can only be defined along a specific unidirectional direction, there is a problem in that it is difficult to evenly distribute the heat flow generated from the thermoelectric module along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel (rim) in areas with large curvature, such as the rim of the steering wheel. Accordingly, various studies have recently been conducted to freely mount thermoelectric modules in response to the structure and shape of the target object while ensuring the thermal transfer efficiency of the thermoelectric module; however, these efforts are still insufficient, and further development is required. FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a first thermoelectric material unit as a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a plan view for explaining a second thermoelectric material unit as a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a second thermoelectric material unit as a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the heat transfer path when cooling a steering wheel, as a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the heat transfer path when heating a steering wheel, as a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a drawing for explaining a heat sink as a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to some of the described embodiments but can be implemented in various different forms, and within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, one or more of the components among the embodiments may be select