Piezoelectric Kinetic Energy Harvester
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a device housing;
a holder configured to retain a battery;
a first piezoelectric element coupling the holder to the device housing and configured to receive, as a result of acceleration of the device housing and along a first axis, a first portion of a force of imposed by a mass of a battery retained in the holder;
a second piezoelectric element coupling the holder to the device housing and configured to receive, as a result of the device housing acceleration and along a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis, a second portion of the force imposed by the mass of the battery retained in the holder; and
a controller configured to receive electrical energy output by the first and second piezoelectric elements in response to the first and second force portions and to make the received electrical energy available for at least one ofsatisfying at least part of an electrical load satisfiable by the battery retained in the holder, andrecharging the battery retained in the holder.
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Abstract
A battery for an electronic device is contained within a first frame that is coupled to a second frame by one or more piezoelectric elements. The second frame is coupled to a device chassis by one or more additional piezoelectric elements. In response to translation and/or rotation of the electronic device, portions of forces induced by the battery mass are transferred to the piezoelectric elements. Electrical energy output by these piezoelectric elements is received in a power controller and can be applied to the battery. Additional device components can also be contained within the first frame so as to increase the total mass that induces forces applied to the piezoelectric elements.
28 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a device housing; a holder configured to retain a battery; a first piezoelectric element coupling the holder to the device housing and configured to receive, as a result of acceleration of the device housing and along a first axis, a first portion of a force of imposed by a mass of a battery retained in the holder; a second piezoelectric element coupling the holder to the device housing and configured to receive, as a result of the device housing acceleration and along a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis, a second portion of the force imposed by the mass of the battery retained in the holder; and a controller configured to receive electrical energy output by the first and second piezoelectric elements in response to the first and second force portions and to make the received electrical energy available for at least one of satisfying at least part of an electrical load satisfiable by the battery retained in the holder, and recharging the battery retained in the holder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A apparatus comprising:
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a device housing; first and second holding frames; at least one electrical component held within the first holding frame; a first piezoelectric element coupling the first holding frame to the second holding frame; a second piezoelectric element coupling the second holding frame to the device housing; and a third piezoelectric element coupling the second holding frame to the device housing. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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means for retaining a battery; a plurality of piezoelectric components; means for transferring to the piezoelectric components, along a plurality of nonparallel axes, forces imposed by a mass of a battery held within the retaining means in response to an acceleration of the apparatus; and a controller configured to receive electrical energy output by the piezoelectric elements in response to the imposed forces and to make the received electrical energy available for at least one of satisfying at least part of an electrical load satisfiable by the battery held with the retaining means, and recharging the battery held with the retaining means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A apparatus comprising:
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a chassis; a first holding frame configured to retain a battery; a display, a keypad and a transceiver held within the first holding frame; a second holding frame; first and second piezoelectric strips, each of the first and second piezoelectric strips having two ends attached to one of the first and second holding frames and a middle attached to the other of the first and second holding frames; third, fourth, fifth and sixth piezoelectric strips, each of the third and fourth piezoelectric strips having ends attached to the second holding frame, each of the fifth and sixth piezoelectric strips having ends attached to the chassis, the third piezoelectric strip having a middle attached to a middle of the fifth piezoelectric strip, and the fourth piezoelectric strip having a middle attached to a middle of the sixth piezoelectric strip; and a controller configured to receive electrical energy output by the piezoelectric strips in response to the forces imposed by masses of a battery retained in the first holding frame, the display, the keypad and the transceiver in response to acceleration of the chassis, and to make the received electrical energy available for at least one of satisfying at least part of an electrical load satisfiable by the battery retained in the first holding frame, and recharging the battery retained in the first holding frame.
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17. A method comprising:
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accelerating a device housing; receiving, along a first axis and at a first piezoelectric element, a first portion of a force induced by a mass of a battery in response to accelerating the device housing; receiving, at a second piezoelectric element and along a second axis that is nonparallel to the first axis, a second portion of the force induced by the mass of a battery in response to accelerating the device housing; and receiving electrical energy output by the first and second piezoelectric elements in response to the first and second force portions, making the received electrical energy available for at least one of satisfying at least part of an electrical load satisfiable by the battery, and recharging the battery. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification