Electromechanical Rotation Converter and a Method for Generating Electrical Energy using an Electromechanical Rotation Converter

• US 20090218915A1
• Filed: 02/24/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EnOcean GmbH
• Original Assignee: EnOcean GmbH
• Inventors: SCHMIDT, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,830,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/339
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01

Abstract

An electromechanical rotation converter having at least one fastening element, an oscillating element, a connecting element and an electromechanical conversion device. The fastening element is designed to fasten the rotation converter to a rotating body. The connecting element forms a movable connection between the fastening element and the oscillating element, and the movement of the oscillating element drives the electromechanical converter. The connection between the fastening element and the oscillating element is such that the center of mass of the oscillating element follows a curved path in such a way that the path describes the perimeter of a surface, the normal to the surface being at an angle to the axis of rotation that is less than 90 degrees and greater than 0 degrees.

Claims

1. An electromechanical rotation converter comprising:

at least one fastening element, an oscillating element, a connecting element and an electromechanical conversion device,

wherein the fastening element is adapted to fasten the rotation converter to a rotating body,

wherein the connecting element forms a movable connection between the fastening element and the oscillating element, and the movement of the oscillating element drives the electromechanical conversion device,

wherein the connection between the fastening element and the oscillating element is such that the center of mass of the oscillating element follows a curved path in such a way that the path describes the perimeter of a surface, the normal to the surface forming an angle to the axis of rotation that is less than 90° and

greater than 0°

.

2. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electromechanical converter device is a piezo-electric element.

3. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 2, wherein the electromechanical converter device takes the form of a flexural converter with trapezoidal geometry.

4. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electromechanical converter device takes the form of an electromagnetic generator.

5. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electromechanical converter device is in the form of a magnetostrictive generator.

6. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting element comprises at least one spring.

7. The electromechanical converter in accordance with claim 6, wherein the spring comprises a leaf spring.

8. The electromechanical converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting element comprises at least one bearing.

9. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening device comprises at least a part of the housing that holds the rotation converter.

10. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 9, wherein the housing is fastened to a wheel rim by a valve fastening and has at least two contact points to position the housing in its fitting orientation on the wheel rim.

11. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 9, wherein the housing is fastened to the rim by means of a tape or cable element that runs around the rim.

12. The electromechanical rotation converter in accordance with claim 10, wherein the contact points are located at different distances from the valve fastening.

13. A method for generating electrical energy with an electromechanical converter device, wherein the converter device is driven by an oscillating element, and the oscillating element is made to oscillate about a rest point by rotational movement in which it is guided along a curved path that describes the perimeter of a surface, the normal to which surface is at an angle of less than 90°

and more than 0°

to the axis of rotation.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the oscillating element is made to oscillate by the rotational movement of a rotating body.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the rotating body itself oscillates with a component of its motion being in the direction of the rotational movement, and this component drives the oscillating element.