Self-corrugating laminates useful in the manufacture of thermoelectric devices and corrugated structures therefrom

摘要

Self-corrugating laminates useful in the manufacture of thermoelectric devices are disclosed. The laminates include an upper and a lower shrinkable film layer and a non-shrinkable core with a thermoelectric pattern formed thereon bonded between said upper and lower shrinkable film along bond lines arranged parallel, substantially parallel, radially, or annularly. The bond lines that bond the upper shrinkable film layer to top surface of the nonshrinkable core are staggered relative to the bond lines that bond the lower shrinkable film layer to the bottom surface of the non-shrinkable core such that upon shrinkage of the shrinkable film layers, structural corrugations are formed in the non-shrinkable core. Thermoelectric modules or devices and methods for forming them from the self-corrugating laminates are also described.

主权项

1. A self-corrugating laminate useful in the manufacture of thermoelectric devices said laminate comprising an upper and a lower shrinkable film layer each having an axis of shrinkage and a non-shrinkable core having a top surface and a bottom surface and bonded between said upper and lower shrinkable film layers along bond lines, wherein the bond lines that bond the upper shrinkable film layer to said top surface of said non-shrinkable core are staggered relative to the bond lines that bond said lower shrinkable film layer to said bottom surface of said non-shrinkable core such that upon shrinkage of said shrinkable film layers, structural corrugations are formed in said non-shrinkable core,
wherein at least a portion of the bond lines are arranged substantially perpendicular to an axis of shrinkage of the shrinkable film layer to which the bond lines are attached, and wherein said non-shrinkable core further includes a thermoelectric pattern on at least one surface thereof.