THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE HAVING CIRCUITRY THAT FACILITATES MANUFACTURE

1 . A thermoelectric device comprising:

a thermally conductive first plate comprising:

a layer comprising a plurality of electrically conductive portions and a plurality of electrically insulating portions separating the electrically conductive portions from one another; and

a plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies, each thermoelectric sub-assembly of the plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies comprising:

a thermally conductive second plate; and

a plurality of thermoelectric elements in a region between the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of thermoelectric elements in electrical communication with the electrically conductive portions of the first plate, in electrical communication with electrically conductive portions of the second plate, and in thermal communication with the first plate and the second plate,

at least some of the electrically conductive portions of the first plate positioned at least partially outside the region, in electrical communication with the plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies, and comprising:

a first electrically conductive portion configured to be in electrical communication with an input electrical conduit; and

a second electrically conductive portion configured to be in electrical communication with an output electrical conduit, the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion positioned at a first edge of the first plate without a thermoelectric sub-assembly of the plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies between the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion.

2 . The thermoelectric device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrically conductive portions comprises copper.

3 . The thermoelectric device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrically insulating portions does not contain an electrically conductive material.

4 . The thermoelectric device of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of electrically insulating portions comprises portions of the layer from which an electrically conductive material has been removed.

5 . The thermoelectric device of claim 1 , further comprising a series electrical circuit comprising the at least some of the electrically conductive portions of the first plate and the thermoelectric elements of the thermoelectric sub-assemblies with the first electrically conductive portion at a first end of the series electrical circuit and the second electrically conductive portion at a second end of the series electrical circuit.

6 . The thermoelectric device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one material along at least a first portion of a perimeter of the region, the at least one material in mechanical communication with the first plate and the second plate, wherein the at least one material extends over at least some of the electrically conductive portions of the first plate.

7 . A thermoelectric module for thermally conditioning a component, the module comprising:

the thermoelectric device of claim 1 ;

first and second heat spreaders spaced apart from one another and configured to respectively provide cold and hot sides and to be mechanically coupled together by at least one fastener, the first and second heat spreaders operatively engaged with the thermoelectric device; and

a material arranged between the first and second heat spreaders.

8 . The thermoelectric module of claim 7 , wherein the material has a thermal conductivity less than 10 W/mK and is configured to reduce heat transfer along a thermal path between the first and second heat spreaders that does not extend through the thermoelectric device.

9 . The thermoelectric module of claim 7 , wherein the material provides hermetic sealing and/or a moisture barrier for the volume occupied by the thermoelectric device.

10 . A method of fabricating a thermoelectric device, the method comprising:

providing a first plate comprising an electrically conductive layer; and

removing portions of the electrically conductive layer to form:

a first electrically conductive portion configured to be in electrical communication with an input electrical conduit and a series electrical circuit comprising a plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies;

a second electrically conductive portion configured to be in electrical communication with an output electrical conduit and the series electrical circuit; and

a plurality of third electrically conductive portions configured to be in electrical communication and in thermal communication with a plurality of thermoelectric elements of the plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies,

the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion positioned at a first edge of the first plate without the plurality of electrically conductive portions between the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein removing portions of the electrically conductive layer comprises forming a plurality of electrically insulating portions separating the first electrically conductive portion, the second electrically conductive portion, and the plurality of electrically conductive portions from one another.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein removing portions of the electrically conductive layer comprises etching the electrically conductive layer.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming the plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies on the first plate, wherein said forming the plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies comprises:

connecting the plurality of thermoelectric elements in electrical communication and in thermal communication with the plurality of electrically conductive portions of the first plate; and

connecting a plurality of second plates to the plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein each thermoelectric sub-assembly of the plurality of thermoelectric sub-assemblies comprises a corresponding portion of the plurality of thermoelectric elements in a region between the first plate and the corresponding second plate.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising depositing at least one material along at least a first portion of a perimeter of the region, the at least one material in mechanical communication with the first plate and the second plate.