Miniature kinetic energy harvester for generating electrical energy from mechanical vibrations
First Claim
1. A miniature kinetic energy harvester for generating electrical energy, comprising:
- a support,a planar first element,a cavity formed in a plane of the first element, wherein the cavity is defined by interior walls of the first element,at least one spring positioned in the plane of the first element and mounted between the first element and the support, the spring being arranged to cause the first element to oscillate in at least one direction of oscillation parallel to the plane of the first element,a transducer positioned in the plane of the first element between the first element and the support, wherein the transducer is configured to convert oscillation of the first element in the at least one direction of oscillation into an electrical signal, andat least one second element housed within the cavity and configured to freely move within the cavity so as to impact the interior walls of the first element when the harvester is subjected to vibrations, wherein the at least one second element contacting the walls of the first element causes the first element to oscillate in at least one direction of oscillation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a miniature kinetic energy harvester for generating electrical energy, comprising a support, a first element having walls surrounding at least one cavity, at least one spring mounted between the first element and the support, the spring being arranged so that the first element may be brought into oscillation relative to the support according to at least one direction of oscillation, a transducer arranged between the first element and the support for converting oscillation of the first element relative to the support into an electrical signal, at least one second element housed within the cavity and mounted to freely move within the cavity relative to the first element so as to impact the walls of the cavity when the harvester is subjected to vibrations.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A miniature kinetic energy harvester for generating electrical energy, comprising:
-
a support, a planar first element, a cavity formed in a plane of the first element, wherein the cavity is defined by interior walls of the first element, at least one spring positioned in the plane of the first element and mounted between the first element and the support, the spring being arranged to cause the first element to oscillate in at least one direction of oscillation parallel to the plane of the first element, a transducer positioned in the plane of the first element between the first element and the support, wherein the transducer is configured to convert oscillation of the first element in the at least one direction of oscillation into an electrical signal, and at least one second element housed within the cavity and configured to freely move within the cavity so as to impact the interior walls of the first element when the harvester is subjected to vibrations, wherein the at least one second element contacting the walls of the first element causes the first element to oscillate in at least one direction of oscillation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification