ENERGY HARVESTING DEVICE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An energy harvesting device comprising:
- a base;
a low frequency element movably attached to said base, said low frequency element having three-dimensional vibrational movement;
a first piezoelectric element attached to said base, said first piezoelectric element spaced apart from said low frequency element with vacant space therebetween;
said base, low frequency element and first piezoelectric element generally defining a first plane;
a second piezoelectric element attached to said base, said second piezoelectric element generally defining a second plane that is generally parallel to and spaced apart from said first plane;
wherein said low frequency element impacts said first piezoelectric element or said second piezoelectric element when said low frequency element vibrates;
impact of said piezoelectric element by said low frequency element elastically deforms said piezoelectric element; and
said piezoelectric element generates a voltage differential in response to elastically deforming.
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Abstract
The present invention discloses an energy harvesting device that converts small magnitude and low frequency vibrations into electrical energy. The device can include a base, a low frequency element, and a piezoelectric element. The low frequency element can be movably attached to the base and the piezoelectric element can also be attached to the base and be spaced apart from the low frequency element with a vacant space therebetween. Upon vibration of the low frequency element resulting from environmental vibrations, the low frequency element can impact the piezoelectric element and cause elastic deformation thereto.
35 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An energy harvesting device comprising:
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a base; a low frequency element movably attached to said base, said low frequency element having three-dimensional vibrational movement; a first piezoelectric element attached to said base, said first piezoelectric element spaced apart from said low frequency element with vacant space therebetween; said base, low frequency element and first piezoelectric element generally defining a first plane; a second piezoelectric element attached to said base, said second piezoelectric element generally defining a second plane that is generally parallel to and spaced apart from said first plane; wherein said low frequency element impacts said first piezoelectric element or said second piezoelectric element when said low frequency element vibrates; impact of said piezoelectric element by said low frequency element elastically deforms said piezoelectric element; and said piezoelectric element generates a voltage differential in response to elastically deforming. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23)
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18-20. -20. (canceled)
Specification