Method and Apparatus for Energy Harvesting Using Energy Storage and Release

• US 20080164701A1
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veryst Engineering, LLC
• Sponsoring Entity: N/A
• Inventors: Hendrickson, Brian S., Brown, Stuart B.
• GRANTED PATENT: US 7,605,482 B2
• Time in USPTO: 0 Days
• US Class Current: 290/1E
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 : recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 : with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 : producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01

Abstract

An energy harvester is provided for converting an input force into electrical energy and also allowing for energy to be stored and then released at a later time. The energy harvester includes a receiver, energy collector, converter, and holder, and operates in three stages. The receiver receives the input force and the energy collector is moved by the receiver with an input displacement. The energy collector is then held in a catch position. The input force changes direction, and the energy collector is released by the holder and moves with an output displacement that is different from the input displacement. The converter generates electrical energy from the motion created.

Claims

1. . An energy harvester comprising:

an energy collector,

a receiver for receiving an input force and displacing the energy collector to a catch position according to an input displacement,

a holder for temporarily holding the energy collector in the catch position with a constant displacement and releasing the energy collector from the catch position, so that the energy collector moves with an output displacement different from the input displacement, and

a converter for transforming the motion of the energy collector into electric energy.

2. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the output displacement has a higher frequency than a frequency of the input displacement.

3. . The energy harvester of claim 2, wherein a ratio of the frequency of the input displacement to the frequency of the output displacement is greater than approximately 1:

10.

4. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the output displacement has a higher top speed than a top speed of the input displacement.

5. . The energy harvester of claim 4, wherein the top speed of the input displacement to the top speed of the output displacement is greater than approximately 1:

10.

6. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the receiver moves away from the energy collector while the holder is holding the energy collector.

7. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the energy collector includes a linear spring.

8. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the receiver travels with a linear motion.

9. . The energy harvester of claim 7, wherein the linear spring is housed inside a guide.

10. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the energy collector includes a deformable chamber of gas.

11. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the energy collector includes a resilient material.

12. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the converter uses magnetic induction.

13. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the converter includes a magnet attached to the energy collector.

14. . The energy harvester of claim 13, wherein the converter includes a coil surrounding the magnet.

15. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the converter includes a piezoelectric material.

16. . The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the receiver and input force do not impede the output displacement of the energy collector.

17. . A method for harvesting energy comprising:

displacing an energy collector at an input displacement,

capturing the energy collector for a period of time at a constant displacement,

releasing the energy collector at an output displacement, and

converting the motion of the energy collector into electric energy.

18. . A method for harvesting energy comprising:

an input stage during which a energy collector is displaced by an input force,

a hold stage during which the energy collector is held and the input force changes direction, and

an output stage during which the energy collector is released and a output displacement of the energy collector is converted to electricity.