Patent ID: 8404960

Claim:
A thermoelectric generator device comprising: a top layer; a bottom layer; a first electrical conductor, thermal insulator layer in contact with said top layer; a second electrical conductor, thermal insulator layer in contact with said bottom layer wherein both the first and second electrical conductor, thermal insulator layers are disposed between said top and bottom layers; a p-type material between the first and second electrical conductor, thermal insulator layers; an n-type material between the first and second electrical conductor, thermal insulator layers; and an electrical and thermal insulating layer between the p-type material and the n-type material, wherein a first end of said electrical and thermal insulating layer between the p-type material and the n-type material contacts the first electrical conductor, thermal insulator layer and does not contact the top layer, and wherein a second end of said electrical and thermal insulating layer between the p-type material and the n-type material contacts the second electrical conductor, thermal insulator layer as well as the bottom layer, thereby providing an electrical separation within the second electrical conductor, thermal insulator layer, wherein each of said top and bottom layers comprise an electrical insulator, thermal conductor layer which is non-electrically conductively contactable with a device, and said thermoelectric generator device is configured to covert heat generated by the device into electric power.