Patent ID: 7956277

Claim:
A thermoelectric module comprising: a first support substrate having a first inner surface, a first outer surface and a plurality of first connecting electrodes formed on the first inner surface; a second support substrate having a second inner surface opposed to the first inner surface, a second outer surface and a plurality of second connecting electrodes formed on the second inner surface; a plurality of P-type thermoelectric elements and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric elements, which are provided alternately between the first inner surface and the second inner surface; a temperature-detecting element provided on the first inner surface; a sealing member formed in a periphery of the first support substrate and the second support substrate to form a sealed space for sealing the plurality of P-type thermoelectric elements and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric elements between the first inner surface and the second inner surface, the sealing member comprising a first sealing material and a second sealing material which has a hardness higher than the first sealing material, wherein each of the first connecting electrodes and the second connecting electrodes connects one of the P-type thermoelectric elements with neighboring one of the N-type thermoelectric elements to form a series connection, wherein the first and second support substrates have a square shape, the sealing materials formed so as to correspond to its two sides opposed to each other are equivalent and the sealing materials formed so as to correspond to its two sides contiguous to each other have different hardnesses.