1. A thermoelectric system comprising:
a plurality of thermoelectric elements forming a thermoelectric array, the thermoelectric elements having a cooling side and a heating side;
at least one heat exchanger on at least one of the cooling side and the heating side, the heat exchanger being in thermal communication with at least some of the thermoelectric elements;
a substrate generally positioned between the thermoelectric elements and the heat exchange element, the substrate comprising:
a gap-free electrical isolation layer;
at least one support element configured to receive the at least one heat exchanger; and
a plurality of interconnecting tabs configured to place adjacent thermoelectric elements in electrical communication with one another;
wherein the substrate is configured to alleviate thermal stress on said substrate when the thermoelectric elements are electrically energized;
wherein portions of the substrate do not include at least one of a support element and an interconnecting tab along the same lateral location of the substrate;
wherein at least some portions of the substrate do not include a support element and an interconnecting tab, wherein such portions of the substrate that do not include a support element and an interconnecting tab are at least partially laterally aligned along at least one gap;
wherein the substrate comprises at least one bridge configured to connect at least two adjacent support segments positioned on either side of the at least one gap;
wherein the at least one support element comprises at least two support segments, wherein the at least one support element is provided in the substrate as a unitary member such that the at least two support segments are connected by the at least one bridge;
wherein the electrical isolation layer of said substrate is positioned between the at least one support element and the plurality of interconnecting tabs, said electrical isolation layer comprising a film that comprises a continuous, unitary structure that extends across the at least one gap and across spaces formed between adjacent interconnecting tabs; and
wherein the at least one bridge is integrally formed and substantially planar with the at least one support element and extends past an edge of the at least one support element.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the bridge is configured to be selectively removed once the substrate is secured to the heat exchanger and the thermoelectric elements.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the bridge is configured to hold at least two of the at least two support elements in place during soldering or assembling and to accommodate thermal stress.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical isolation layer comprises polyimide.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical isolation layer comprises ceramic.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one support element comprises copper.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to extend across at least one gap.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to not extend across at least one gap.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sealant positioned within the at least one gap, the sealant being configured to protect the thermoelectric elements.
10. A thermoelectric assembly comprising:
a plurality of thermoelectric elements forming a thermoelectric array, the thermoelectric elements having a cooling side and a heating side;
fins located on at least one of the cooling side and the heating side, the fins being in thermal communication with at least some of the thermoelectric elements;
a substrate generally positioned between the thermoelectric elements and the fins, the substrate comprising:
a gap-free electrical isolation layer; and
at least one support element configured to receive at least one of the fins;
wherein the substrate is configured to reduce thermal stress on said substrate;
wherein the substrate comprises at least one portion that does not include the at least one support element and an interconnecting tab, the interconnecting tab being configured to electrically couple two adjacent thermoelectric elements;
at least one gap defined in portions of the substrate that do not include at least one support element and the interconnecting tab along the same lateral location;
wherein the electrical isolation layer comprises a unitary structure and is generally continuous such that said electrical isolation layer extends across the at least one gap;
wherein the substrate comprises at least one interconnecting bridge;
wherein the at least one support element comprises at least two support segments, wherein the at least one support element is provided in the substrate as a unitary member such that the at least two support segments are connected by the at least one interconnecting bridge, wherein the at least one interconnecting bridge is configured to connect adjacent support elements of the at least one support element;
wherein the electrical isolation layer is positioned generally between the at least one support element and the plurality of thermoelectric elements; and
wherein the at least one interconnecting bridge is integrally formed and substantially planar with the adjacent support elements and extends past an edge of the adjacent support elements.
11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one interconnecting bridge is configured to be selectively removed once the substrate is secured to the fins and the thermoelectric elements.
12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the electrical isolation layer comprises polyimide.
13. A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric assembly, comprising:
attaching a plurality of thermoelectric elements to a substrate having at least one gap, the substrate comprising:
a gap-free electrical isolation layer comprising a film that extends continuously along an entire substrate, including extending across the at least one gap;
at least one support element configured to receive at least one heat exchanger, the at least one support element comprising at least two support segments;
wherein the at least one gap separates the at least two support segments, the at least one gap being at least partially aligned laterally with a spacing between at least two interconnecting tabs that electrically couple adjacent thermoelectric elements; and
at least one bridge connecting adjacent segments of the support element across the at least one gap, said at least one bridge at least partially originating from and at least partially forming a unitary structure with said adjacent segments of the support element;
positioning the at least one support element and the at least one bridge as a unitary structure adjacent the gap-free electrical isolation layer;
attaching the at least one heat exchanger to the substrate;
wherein the at least one bridge is configured to either remain on the substrate or be removed from the substrate after the substrate has been secured to at least some of the plurality of the thermoelectric elements and the at least one heat exchanger; and
wherein the electrical isolation layer is positioned generally between the at least one support element and the plurality of thermoelectric elements; and
at least partially removing at least one bridge from the substrate or cutting at least one bridge when the substrate has been secured to at least one of the plurality of thermoelectric elements and the at least one heat exchanger.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising positioning a housing at least partially around the assembly.
15. A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric assembly, comprising:
attaching a plurality of thermoelectric elements to a substrate having at least one gap, the substrate comprising:
at least one support element configured to receive at least one heat exchanger, the at least one support element comprising at least two support segments, wherein the at least one gap separates the at least two support segments; and
at least one bridge connecting the at least two adjacent segments of the at least one support element across the at least one gap, said at least one bridge at least partially forming a unitary structure with the adjacent segments of the support element; and
an electrical isolation layer positioned between the at least one support element and the thermoelectric elements;
positioning the at least one support element and the at least one bridge as a unitary structure adjacent the electrical isolation layer;
attaching at least one heat exchanger to the at least one support substrate;
wherein the at least one gap is at least partially laterally aligned with a spacing between interconnecting members that electrically couple adjacent thermoelectric elements;
wherein the at least one bridge is configured to either remain on the substrate or be removed from the substrate after the substrate has been secured to at least some of the plurality of the thermoelectric elements and the at least one heat exchanger; and
at least partially removing at least one bridge from the at least two adjacent segments of the at least one support element of the substrate or cutting at least one bridge from the at least two adjacent segments of the at least one support element of the substrate when the substrate has been secured to at least one of the plurality of thermoelectric elements and the at least one heat exchanger.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An extractor for removing agricultural tubing from soil of a field, the extractor comprising:
a frame;
a pivot frame disposed on the frame, the pivot frame having a pivot axis around which at least a portion of the pivot frame is pivotal;
a first roller secured to the frame; and
a second roller secured to the pivot frame so that the second roller is movable by pivoting the pivot frame about the pivot axis to form an angle as measured from a plane between the first and second rollers and a plane approximately parallel with a surface of the soil with the first roller positioned closer to the soil than the second roller so that a tubing to be extracted is threadable under the first roller and over the second roller.
2. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, the first roller being positionable below the bottom surface of the frame and the second roller being positionable above the top surface of the frame.
3. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises at least one wheel and a hitch to permit the frame to be pulled by a vehicle.
4. The extractor according to claim 1, further comprising a locking element that is engageable with the pivot frame to lock the pivot frame at different angles with the first roller positioned closer to the soil than the second roller.
5. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the angle as measured from a plane between the first and second rollers and a plane approximately parallel with a surface of the soil is determined based on at least one of a depth at which the tubing is buried in the soil, conditions of the soil, or a composition of the soil.
6. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the angle as measured from a plane between the first and second rollers and a plane approximately parallel with a surface of the soil is approximately 45\xb0.
7. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the angle as measured from a plane between the first and second rollers and a plane approximately parallel with a surface of the soil is greater than approximately 45\xb0.
8. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a first side and a second side and the pivot frame comprises a first arm attached to the first side of the frame and a second arm attached to the second side of the frame creating the pivot axis among the first and second arms and the frame.
9. The extractor according to claim 8, wherein the first roller is positioned between the first and second arms on the first side of the pivot axis and the second roller is positioned between the first and second arms on the second opposite side of the pivot axis.
10. The extractor according to claim 8, wherein the second roller is positioned between the first and second arms and the pivot axis is formed by attaching the first and second arms of the pivot frame to the frame inside of the position of the first roller such that the pivot axis is in front of the first roller in a direction of travel during use of the extractor.
11. The extractor according to claim 10, wherein the second roller is positioned in a location outside of the first roller such that the second roller is behind the first roller with the second roller following the first roller in the direction of travel.
12. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a first side and a second side and the pivot frame comprises a first upper arm and first lower arm attached to the first side of the frame and a second upper arm and second lower arm attached to the second side of the frame with the first upper arm and the second upper arm being pivotal about the pivot axis.
13. The extractor according to claim 12, wherein the first roller is positioned between the first and second lower arms and the second roller is positioned between the first and second upper arms with the first and second lower arms being stationary.
14. The extractor according to claim 12, wherein the first roller is adjustable along the first and second lower arms of the pivot frame.
15. The extractor according to claim 1, further comprising a controller for pivoting the pivot frame about the pivot axis.
16. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the first roller is positioned in the pivot frame and at least one of the first and second rollers are adjustable along the pivot frame relative to the pivot axis.
17. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the second roller is adjustable along the pivot frame relative to the pivot axis to adjust a distance between the first roller and the second roller.
18. The extractor according to claim 1, further comprising a third roller positionable within the frame between the first and second rollers.
19. The extractor according to claim 18, wherein the first, second and third rollers are positioned relative to one another so that a tubing to be extracted is threadable under the first roller and over the third and second rollers in an s-curve with the tubing being approximately linear between the third roller and the second roller.
20. The extractor according to claim 18, wherein the third roller is positioned in and is adjustable along the pivot frame between the first roller and the second roller to adjust at least one of a distance between the first roller and the third roller or a distance between the second roller and the third roller.
21. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the soil and the first roller is adjustable.
22. The extractor according to claim 21, wherein the first roller is positioned in the pivot frame and the distance between the soil and the first roller is adjustable by pivoting the pivot frame about the pivot axis.
23. The extractor according to claim 21, wherein the first roller is positioned in the pivot frame and the distance between the soil and the first roller is adjustable by moving the first roller between an end of the pivot frame and the pivot axis.
24. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the first and second rollers are a length that permits multiple rows of agricultural tubing to be pulled from the soil.
25. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the tubing to be extracted is threadable under the first roller and over the second roller in an s-curve.
26. The extractor according to claim 1, wherein the first and second rollers are free spooling.
27. A method of extracting agricultural tubing from a soil of a field, the method comprising:
providing an extractor comprising:
a frame;
a pivot frame disposed on the frame, the pivot frame and the frame creating a pivot axis around which the pivot frame is pivotal; and
a first roller secured to the frame; and
a second roller secured to the pivot frame so that the second roller is movable by pivoting the pivot frame about the pivot axis;
positioning at least a portion of the pivot frame to form an angle as measured from a plane between the first and second rollers and a plane approximately parallel with a surface of the soil with the first roller positioned closer to the soil than the second roller;
threading a tubing to be extracted under the first roller and over the second roller;
moving the extractor over the soil from which the tubing is to be removed; and
pulling the tubing from the soil with the tubing moving under the first roller and over the second roller as the extractor moves over the field.
28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the step of positioning the pivot frame of the extractor comprises positioning the second roller above a top surface of the frame of the extractor with the first roller below a bottom surface of the frame of the extractor.
29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the frame comprises a wheel and a hitch and the step of moving the extractor comprises pulling the extractor with a vehicle.
30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising locking the pivot frame at different angles with the first roller positioned closer to the soil than the second roller depending upon at least one of a depth at which the tubing is buried in the soil, conditions of the soil, or a composition of the soil.
31. The method according to claim 27, further comprising determining the angle as measured from a plane between the first and second rollers and a plane approximately parallel with a surface of the soil based on at least one of a depth at which the tubing is buried in the soil, conditions of the soil, or a composition of the soil.
32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the angle is approximately 45\xb0.
33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the angle is greater than approximately 45\xb0.
34. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first roller is positioned in the pivot frame and further comprising adjusting at least one of the first roller or the second roller along the pivot frame relative to the pivot axis.
35. The method according to claim 27, further comprising adjusting the second roller along the pivot frame relative to the pivot axis to adjust a distance between the first roller and the second roller.
36. The method according to claim 27, further comprising securing a third roller in the frame between the first and second rollers.
37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the step of threading comprises threading the tubing to be extracted under the first roller and over the third and second rollers in an s-curve with the tubing being approximately linear between the third roller and the second roller.
38. The method according to claim 37, further comprising adjusting the third roller between the first roller and the second roller to adjust at least one of a distance between the first roller and the third roller or a distance between the second roller and the third roller.
39. The method according to claim 27, further comprising adjusting a distance between the surface of the soil and the first roller.
40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the first roller is positioned in the pivot frame and the step of adjusting comprises pivoting the pivot frame about the pivot axis to adjust the distance between the surface of the soil and the first roller.
41. The method according to claim 39, wherein the first roller is positioned in the pivot frame and the step of adjusting comprises moving the first roller between an end of the pivot frame and the pivot axis to adjust the distance between the surface of the soil and the first roller.
42. The method according to claim 27, wherein the step of threading comprises threading multiple rows of agricultural tubing to be pulled from the soil around the first and second rollers.
43. The method according to claim 27, further comprising securing in a stationary position an exposed end of the tubing that has been threaded around the first and second rollers.
44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the first and second rollers are free spooling and further comprising distributing forces across circumferences of the first and second rollers as the first and second rollers pull the tubing from the soil as the extractor moves over the field.
45. The method according to claim 27, wherein the step of threading comprises threading a tubing to be extracted under the first roller and over the second roller in an s-curve.
46. The method according to claim 27, wherein the frame comprises a first side and a second side and the pivot frame comprises a first upper arm attached to the first side of the frame and a second upper arm attached to the second side of the frame with the first upper arm and the second upper arm being pivotal about the pivot axis.
47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the second roller is positioned between the first and second arms and the pivot axis is formed by attaching the first and second upper arms of the pivot frame to the frame inside of the position of the first roller such that the pivot axis is in front of the first roller in a direction of travel during use of the extractor.
48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the second roller is positioned in a location outside of the first roller such that the second roller is behind the first roller with the second roller following the first roller in the direction of travel.
49. The method according to claim 46, wherein the step of positioning at least a portion of the pivot frame at an angle further comprises rotating the first and second upper arms.
50. The method according to claim 49, wherein the pivot frame comprises a first lower arm attached to the first side of the frame and a second lower arm attached to the second side of the frame and the first roller is positioned between the first and second lower arms and the second roller is positioned between the first and second upper arms with the first and second lower arms being stationary.
51. The method according to claim 50, further comprising adjusting the first roller along the first and second lower arms of the pivot frame.
52. The method according to claim 27, further comprising controlling the pivoting of the pivot frame about the pivot axis with a controller.
53. An extractor for removing agricultural tubing from soil of a field, the extractor comprising:
a frame comprising a first side and a second side;
a pivot frame disposed on the frame, the pivot frame having a pivot axis and comprising a first upper arm and first lower arm attached to the first side of the frame and a second upper arm and second lower arm attached to the second side of the frame with at least the first upper arm and the second upper arm being pivotal about the pivot axis;
a first roller secured to the pivot frame between the first and second lower arms and a second roller secured to the pivot frame positioned between the first and second upper arms; and
the first upper arm and the second upper arm being positionable to from an acute angle of the pivot frame as measured from a plane between the first and second rollers and a plane approximately parallel with a surface of the soil with the first roller positioned closer to the soil than the second roller so that a tubing to be extracted is threadable under the first roller and over the second roller.
54. The extractor according to claim 53, wherein the first and second lower arms are stationary.
55. The extractor according to claim 53, wherein the first roller is adjustable along the first and second lower arms of the pivot frame.
56. The extractor according to claim 53, wherein the first and second upper arms of the pivot frame are pivotable at the pivot axis to permit the angle to be variable.
57. The extractor according to claim 53, further comprising a controller for pivoting the first and second upper arms of the pivot frame about the pivot axis to permit the angle of the pivot frame to be variable.
58. The extractor according to claim 53, wherein the first and second rollers are adjustable along the pivot frame relative to the pivot axis.
59. The extractor according to claim 53, further comprising a third roller secured to the pivot frame between the first and second rollers.
60. The extractor according to claim 59, wherein the first, second and third rollers are positioned relative to one another on the pivot frame so that a tubing to be extracted is threadable under the first roller and over the third and second rollers in an s-curve with the tubing being approximately linear between the third roller and the second roller.
61. The extractor according to claim 60, wherein the third roller is adjustable along the pivot frame between the first roller and the second roller to adjust at least one of a distance between the first roller and the third roller or a distance between the second roller and the third roller.