CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Stage Application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT Application No. PCT/KR2018/014165, filed Nov. 19, 2018, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2017-0167652, filed Dec. 7, 2017 and 10-2018-0141828, filed Nov. 16, 2018, whose entire disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric module, and more particularly, to a thermoelectric module with improved heat flow performance therein.

BACKGROUND ART

A thermoelectric effect is a phenomenon caused due to movements of electrons and holes in a material and means direct energy conversion between heat and electricity.

A thermoelectric element is a generic term for a device which uses a thermoelectric effect and has a structure in which a P-type thermoelectric material and an N-type thermoelectric material are disposed between metal electrodes and bonded to form a pair of PN junctions.

The thermoelectric element may be classified into an element using a temperature variation in electrical resistance, an element using the Seebeck effect in which an electromotive force is generated due to a temperature difference, and an element using the Peltier effect which is a phenomenon in which heat absorption or heat radiation occurs due to a current and the like.

Thermoelectric elements are widely applied to household appliances, electronic parts, and communication parts. For example, the thermoelectric elements may be applied to cooling devices, heating devices, power generation devices, and the like. Accordingly, the demand for thermoelectric performance of the thermoelectric elements is gradually increasing.

The thermoelectric modules can be applied to refrigerators or water purifiers when used for cooling, but there is a problem in that the thermoelectric elements are corroded by condensation and moisture due to low temperature implementation. In order to solve the above problem, in the related art, a sealing material is directly disposed on a side surface of a thermoelectric element to prevent moisture infiltration. However, since the sealing material is directly bonded to the thermoelectric element, there is a problem in that heat flow performance is degraded in the thermoelectric module.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

The present invention is directed to providing a thermoelectric module with improved heat flow performance therein by securing a heat flow space in a side surface of the thermoelectric element.

Problems to be solved in the embodiments are not limited to the above-described problems, and objects and effects which can be determined from the solutions and the embodiments of the problems described below are also included.

Technical Solution

One aspect of the present invention provides a thermoelectric module including a first thermally conductive plate; a thermoelectric element disposed on the first thermally conductive plate; a second thermally conductive plate disposed on the thermoelectric element; and a cover frame disposed on the first thermally conductive plate and configured to form an accommodation space to accommodate the thermoelectric element in the accommodation space, wherein the thermoelectric element includes a first substrate; a plurality of thermoelectric legs disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate disposed on the plurality of thermoelectric legs; and electrodes including a plurality of first electrodes disposed between the first substrate and the plurality of thermoelectric legs and a plurality of second electrodes disposed between the second substrate and the plurality of thermoelectric legs, and wherein the cover frame includes an outer frame disposed to be spaced apart from the thermoelectric element on the first thermally conductive plate, and an upper frame extending to the second thermally conductive plate to be inclined downward from an upper end of the outer frame.

An angle between the outer frame and a top surface of the upper frame may be an acute angle.

The thermoelectric module may further include a first sealing member disposed between the outer frame and the first thermally conductive plate, and a second sealing member disposed between the upper frame and the second thermally conductive plate.

The upper frame may be separated from the second thermally conductive plate, and the second sealing member may be disposed between the side surface of the upper frame and the side surface of the second thermally conductive plate.

The second sealing member may be disposed between a top surface of the upper frame and the side surface of the second thermally conductive plate.

The thermoelectric module may further include lead lines including a first lead line electrically connected to at least one among the plurality of first electrodes and a second lead line electrically connected to at least one among the plurality of second electrodes, and the lead line may pass through a through-hole of the outer frame or a through-hole of the upper frame.

The second thermally conductive plate may include a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface and a fourth side surface, the upper frame may include a first upper frame corresponding to the first side surface of the second thermally conductive plate, a second upper frame corresponding to the second side surface of the second thermally conductive plate, a third upper frame corresponding to the third side surface of the second thermally conductive plate, and a fourth upper frame corresponding to the fourth side surface of the second thermally conductive plate, and a length of the first upper frame may be greater than that of each of the second upper frame, the third upper frame, and the fourth upper frame.

The through-hole of the upper frame may be disposed in the first upper frame.

A first angle between the outer frame and a top surface of the first upper frame may be greater than a second angle between the outer frame and a top surface of each of the second upper frame, the third upper frame, and the fourth upper frame.

The first substrate may include a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface, and a fourth side surface, the outer frame may include a first outer frame corresponding to the first side surface of the first substrate, a second outer frame corresponding to the second side surface of the first substrate, a third outer frame corresponding to the third side surface of the first substrate, and a fourth outer frame corresponding to the fourth side surface of the first substrate, and a thickness of the first outer frame may be greater than that of each of the second outer frame, the third outer frame, and the fourth outer frame.

The through-hole of the outer frame may be disposed in the first outer frame.

The thermoelectric module may further include a third sealing member disposed between the through-hole and the lead line.

A center of the side surface of the second thermally conductive plate may be disposed to be collinear with a corner formed by the top surface and the side surface of the upper frame in a height direction.

A corner formed by a bottom surface and the side surface of the second thermally conductive plate may be disposed to be collinear with a corner at which a bottom surface and the side surface of the upper frame meet.

A corner formed by the top surface and the side surface of the upper frame may be disposed below a center of the side surface of the second thermally conductive plate in the height direction.

A corner formed by the bottom surface and the side surface of the second thermally conductive plate may be disposed to be collinear with a center of the side surface of the upper frame in the height direction.

A corner formed by the top surface and the side surface of the upper frame may be disposed below a center of the side surface of the second thermally conductive plate in the height direction.

An area of the first thermally conductive plate may be larger than that of the second thermally conductive plate, the first thermally conductive plate may be disposed at a hot side of the thermoelectric element, and the second thermally conductive plate may be disposed at a cold side of the thermoelectric element.

Advantageous Effects

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a thermoelectric element with excellent waterproof performance and excellent dust-proof performance can be provided. In particular, in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, a thermoelectric element with improved heat flow performance can be provided.

Various beneficial advantages and effects of the present invention are not limited by the detailed description and should be easily understood through a description of a detailed embodiment of the present invention.

