US3945854A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Long-life thermoelectric generator
Assignee: Alcatel CIT SA
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Filing: 1973-01-22
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Granted: 1976-03-23
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Expires: 1993-01-22
Abstract
Abstract Thermoelectric long-lasting microgenerator which may be implanted in the human body, using a cylinder containing a radioactive isotope as a heat source and the human body as a cold source. The connection between the heat source and the thermoelectric element is effected by means of a supple substance which is a poor conductor of electricity. The rest of the heat source is surrounded by a volume affording a very high impedance to the propagation of heat.
Inventors
- 👤 Michel Alais
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:36
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21H; G21H1/00; G21H1/10; G21H1/103; H; H10; H10N; H10N10/00; H10N10/80; H10N10/81; H10N10/817
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting metallic casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing; said thermoelectric generator consisting of a plurality of P and N semiconductor elements connected in series; first means for mechanically and thermally connecting said thermoelectric generator to the heat source; second means for mechanically and thermally connecting said thermoelectric generator to the cold source; and a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said first and second means each comprising a layer of resilient resin, being electrically insulating and having a low heat resistance in relation to the resistance of said highly insulating medium confined by the external casing; and said highly insulating medium being a resilient microporous mineral substance which is a poor heat conductor, degassed vigorously, set in a rarefied heavy gas atmosphere.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting metallic casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing; said thermoelectric generator consisting of a plurality of P and N semiconductor elements connected in series; first means for mechanically and thermally connecting said thermoelectric generator to the heat source; second means for mechanically and thermally connecting said thermoelectric generator to the cold source; and a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said first and second means each comprising a layer of resilient resin, being electrically insulating and having a low heat resistance in relation to the resistance of said highly insulating medium confined by the external casing; and said highly insulating medium being a resilient microporous mineral substance which is a poor heat conductor, degassed vigorously, set in a rarefied heavy gas atmosphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 1, wherein said layers of resilient resin basically consist of silicone substances.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 2, wherein the P and N semiconductor elements in the thermoelectric generator comprise a solid bismuth telluride solution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 3, wherein the P semiconductor elements in the thermoelectric generator include solid bismuth telluride and antimony telluride highly doped with lead.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 4, wherein the N semiconductors in the thermoelectric generator include solid solution of bismuth telluride and bismuth selenide highly doped with metallic halides.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 5, wherein the outer wall of the heat source is polished.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 6, wherein the inner wall of the outer enclosure of the microgenerator is polished.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A very long lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 2, wherein the heat source including the casing of said heat source completely covered with a very thin layer of alumina.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 2, wherein the casing of said heat source is completely covered with a layer of zirconium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 2, wherein the causing of said heat source is completely covered with a layer of boron nitride.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 2, further including, at the upper part of the space between the outer wall of the heat source and the outer casing, a getter element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 5, further including, at the upper part of the space between the outer wall of the heat source and the outer enclosure, a getter element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 12, wherein the outer wall of the heat source is surrounded by an extra metallic wall polished on the inside and the space between the outer wall of the heat source and the extra metallic wall is kept under a very high vacuum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
102 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting metallic casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source; a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said highly insulating medium being resilient microporous mineral substance which is a poor heat conductor, degassed vigorously, set in a rarefied heavy gas atmosphere.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
102 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting metallic casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source; a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said highly insulating medium being resilient microporous mineral substance which is a poor heat conductor, degassed vigorously, set in a rarefied heavy gas atmosphere.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 14, wherein said high output thermoelectric generator is mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source with respective layers of resilient resin material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
125 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; said conducting casing having an outer layer of Platinum; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source; said thermoelectric generator consisting of a plurality of P and N semiconductor elements connected in series and comprising a solid bismuth telluride solution; a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said outer layer of Platinum being completely covered with a very thin layer of boron nitride.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
125 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; said conducting casing having an outer layer of Platinum; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source; said thermoelectric generator consisting of a plurality of P and N semiconductor elements connected in series and comprising a solid bismuth telluride solution; a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said outer layer of Platinum being completely covered with a very thin layer of boron nitride.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
124 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; said conductive casing having an outer layer of Platinum; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source; said thermoelectric generator consisting of a plurality of P and N semiconductor elements connected in series and comprising a solid bismuth telluride solution; a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said outer layer of Platinum being completely covered with a very thin layer of alumina.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
124 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; said conductive casing having an outer layer of Platinum; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source; said thermoelectric generator consisting of a plurality of P and N semiconductor elements connected in series and comprising a solid bismuth telluride solution; a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said outer layer of Platinum being completely covered with a very thin layer of alumina.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
124 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; said conducting casing having an outer layer of Platinum; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source; said thermoelectric generator consisting of a plurality of P and N semiconductor elements connected in series and comprising a solid bismuth telluride solution; a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said outer layer of Platinum being completely covered with a very thin layer of zirconium.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
124 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator comprising an outer casing acting as a cold source; a heat source disposed inside said outer casing and including a fluid-tight heat conducting casing containing, in the vicinity of one of its walls, a radioactive source; said conducting casing having an outer layer of Platinum; a high output thermoelectric generator within said outer casing mechanically connected to the heat source and to the cold source; said thermoelectric generator consisting of a plurality of P and N semiconductor elements connected in series and comprising a solid bismuth telluride solution; a highly insulating medium filling in the rest of the space confined by the outer casing; said outer layer of Platinum being completely covered with a very thin layer of zirconium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 18, wherein the outer wall of the heat source is polished.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 19, wherein the inner wall of the outer enclosure of the microgenerator is polished.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
A very long-lasting thermoelectric microgenerator according to claim 20, further including, at the upper part of the space comprised between the outer wall of the heat source and the outer enclosure a getter element.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-03-23 | 1979-09-22 | 1980-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-03-23 | 1983-09-22 | 1984-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-03-23 | 1987-09-22 | 1988-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |