Fluid Current Energy Capture Apparatus And Method
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- a frame;
a stalk member; and
a set of electrical terminal(s)wherein;
the stalk member comprises a frame connection portion that is at least substantially fixedly mechanically connected to the frame;
the stalk member includes a piezoelectric type material portion;
the stalk member is sized, shaped, connected, structured, located and/or has an appropriate degree of rigidity so that it will exhibit at least a first mode of cantilever motion when the device is placed in a fluid stream with the fluid stream having a first direction and the stalk member having a first orientation with respect to the fluid stream;
the piezoelectric type material portion is located so that the first mode of cantilever motion of the stalk will be transduced by the piezoelectric type material portion into transduced electrical energy; and
the set of electrical terminal(s) is electrically connected to the stalk so that the transduced electrical energy is communicated to the first set of electrical terminals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One aspect of the present invention involves investigation of the principles and feasibility of the harvesting energy from the wind in constrained spaces, such as around buildings, as an alternative to conventional rotary wind turbines. Some embodiments involve the idea of harvesting energy from wind induced vibration instead of wind driven rotation. Some embodiments are a tree-like generator for wind energy harvesting including multiple vibrating elements. Some embodiments include a “piezo stalk and leaf” as an element of a plant-like generator. In some embodiments, a leaf, made at least in part from piezoelectric type materials is capable of generating electrical power through wind induced vibrations. Some embodiments include a cantilever piezo-electric material containing stalk member that exhibits at least one mode of cantilever motion. Some embodiments include an elongated piezoelectric material containing stalk member (which may or may not qualify as a cantilever), where a pendular member (or leaf member) is mechanically connected to the stalk and extends in a direction substantially non-parallel (for example, perpendicular to) the direction of elongation of the stalk.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a frame; a stalk member; and a set of electrical terminal(s) wherein; the stalk member comprises a frame connection portion that is at least substantially fixedly mechanically connected to the frame; the stalk member includes a piezoelectric type material portion; the stalk member is sized, shaped, connected, structured, located and/or has an appropriate degree of rigidity so that it will exhibit at least a first mode of cantilever motion when the device is placed in a fluid stream with the fluid stream having a first direction and the stalk member having a first orientation with respect to the fluid stream; the piezoelectric type material portion is located so that the first mode of cantilever motion of the stalk will be transduced by the piezoelectric type material portion into transduced electrical energy; and the set of electrical terminal(s) is electrically connected to the stalk so that the transduced electrical energy is communicated to the first set of electrical terminals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device comprising:
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a frame; an elongated stalk member defining a direction of elongation, a first end and second end; a pendular member; and a set of electrical terminal(s) wherein; the stalk member comprises a frame connection portion that is at least substantially fixedly mechanically connected to the frame at its first end so that it extends away from its fixed connection to the frame in a stalk-extension direction that is at least approximately parallel to the direction of elongation; the stalk member includes a piezoelectric type material portion; the stalk member is sized, shaped, connected, structured and/or located so that it will exhibit a fluttering motion when the device is placed in a fluid stream with the fluid stream having a first direction and the stalk member having a first orientation with respect to the fluid stream; the piezoelectric type material portion is located so that the fluttering motion of the stalk member will be transduced into transduced electrical energy; the set of electrical terminal(s) is electrically connected to the stalk so that the transduced electrical energy is communicated to the first set of electrical terminals; and the pendular member is mechanically connected to the stalk member in the vicinity of its second end and extends from the stalk member in a direction that is at least substantially non-parallel to the direction of elongation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device comprising:
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a frame; an elongated stalk member; a pendular member; a hinge defining at least a first axis or rotation; and a set of electrical terminal(s) wherein; the stalk member comprises a frame connection portion that is at least substantially fixedly mechanically connected to the frame; the stalk member includes a piezoelectric type material portion; the stalk member is sized, shaped, connected, structured and/or located so that it will exhibit a fluttering motion when the device is placed in a fluid stream with the fluid stream having a first direction and the stalk member having a first orientation with respect to the fluid stream; the piezoelectric type material portion is located so that the fluttering motion of the stalk member will be transduced into transduced electrical energy; the set of electrical terminal(s) is electrically connected to the stalk so that the transduced electrical energy is communicated to the first set of electrical terminals; and the pendular member is rotatably mechanically connected to the stalk member by the hinge so that the pendular member may rotate with respect to the stalk member about at least the first axis of rotation.
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Specification