Patent ID: 9455389
Filing Date: 2016-09-27
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. A thermoelectric conversion element comprising: a plurality of particles, composed of thermoelectric material; the plurality of particles being sequentially arranged and directly connected to each other in series so that an overall structure of the thermoelectric conversion element forms a columnar arrangement of adjacent particles; adjacent particles, of the plurality of particles in the columnar arrangement, form an adjacent pair of the plurality of particles; a narrowed portion being formed between each adjacent pair of the plurality of particles in the columnar arrangement; and a protrusion being located between and coupling each adjacent pair of the plurality of particles to each other sequentially in series, and the protrusion being formed from thermoelectric material which protrudes outwardly from a connection point of the respective protrusion with each adjacent pair of the plurality of particles; wherein the protrusion has one of: