Patents by Inventor Toshinobu Tanimura

Toshinobu Tanimura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6815814
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric module which can achieve high heat release and heat absorption efficiencies and which can obviate any thermal stress-caused damages. A thermoelectric module (1) in an embodiment has a predetermined number of thermoelectric semiconductor elements P and N which are arranged in a flat plate configuration. Each of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements P and N has on one face thereof a one-side electrode (2) and has on the other face thereof an other-side electrode (3), thereby allowing all of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements P and N to be connected in series. The one-side electrodes (2, 2 . . . ) have heat release/heat absorption fins (heat transfer fins) (2F, 2F . . . ) and the other-side electrodes (3, 3 . . . ) have heat release/heat absorption fins (heat transfer fins) (3F, 3F . . . ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Rencai Chu, Kanichi Kadotani, Toshinobu Tanimura
  • Publication number: 20030102554
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric module which can achieve high heat release and heat absorption efficiencies and which can obviate any thermal stress-caused damages. A thermoelectric module (1) in an embodiment has a predetermined number of thermoelectric semiconductor elements P and N which are arranged in a flat plate configuration. Each of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements P and N has on one face thereof a one-side electrode (2) and has on the other face thereof an other-side electrode (3), thereby allowing all of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements P and N to be connected in series. The one-side electrodes (2, 2 . . . ) have heat release/heat absorption fins (heat transfer fins) (2F, 2F . . . ) and the other-side electrodes (3, 3 . . . ) have heat release/heat absorption fins (heat transfer fins) (3F, 3F . . . ).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Rencai Chu, Kanichi Kadotani, Toshinobu Tanimura
  • Publication number: 20030094265
    Abstract: In a thermoelectric power generation module (7) serving as a heat exchanger, a large number of protrusions (5a) at least the surface of which is made of a material with low wettability are formed with a height and width of less than 0.01 mm and arranged with a pitch of less than 0.01 mm on the heat transfer surface (5s) of a heat transfer plate 5, thereby to increase in heat exchange efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Rencai Chu, Kanichi Kadotani, Toshinobu Tanimura