ELECTRIC ENERGY HARVESTER USING ULTRASONIC WAVE

• US 20170005258A1
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energy Mining Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SungKyunKwan University's Research & Business Foundation (SungKyunKwan University)
• Inventors: HINCHET, Ronan, Khan, Usman, KIM, Sang Woo, KIM, Seong Su, SEUNG, Wan Chul, YOON, Hong Joon, LEE, Ju-Hyuck
• Granted Patent: US 10,170,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/02 making use of electrical energy B06B1/18, B06B1/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0207 Driving circuits specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclass, e.g. G01; circuits for steering transducer arrays G10K11/34; basic circuits H03
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/04 Friction generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/08 with conductive charge carrier, i.e. capacitor machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors

Abstract

There is provided an electric energy generator system comprising: an ultrasonic-wave emission device configured to generate an ultrasonic-wave and emit the ultrasonic-wave; and an electric energy generator device configured to generate an electric energy upon a receipt of the emitted ultrasonic-wave.

Claims

1. An electric energy generator system comprising:

an ultrasonic-wave emission device configured to generate an ultrasonic-wave and emit the ultrasonic-wave; and

an electric energy generator device configured to generate an electric energy upon a receipt of the emitted ultrasonic-wave.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic-wave emission device comprises:

an ultrasonic-wave generator configured to generate the ultrasonic-wave; and

ultrasonic-wave emitter configured to emit the generated ultrasonic-wave.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device has a closed inner space defined therein and the electric energy generator device is insertable into a living body.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a substrate;

an electrode on the substrate;

a first friction-charged member on the electrode;

a spacer disposed on the substrate so as to surround the electrode and the first friction-charged member; and

a second friction-charged member disposed on the spacer to be spaced from the first friction-charged member, wherein the second friction-charged member repeatedly contacts or is separated from the first friction-charged member,

wherein a closed inner space is defined between the first friction-charged member and the second friction-charged member and the spacer,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, a pressure in the inner space changes, to allow deformation of the second friction-charged member and thus repetitions of the contact and separation between the first and second friction-charged members, to generate a triboelectric energy.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a load electrically coupled to the electrode.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the load includes an electric device, an electronic device or a condenser.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a rectifier diode electrically coupled to and between the electrode and the load.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic-wave has an intensity smaller than or equal to 1 W/cm².

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic-wave has a frequency of 20 kHz to 50 kHz.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a lower substrate;

a lower electrode on the lower substrate;

a piezoelectric layer on the lower electrode;

an upper electrode on the piezoelectric layer;

an insulator disposed on the lower substrate so as to surround the lower electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the upper electrode; and

an upper substrate disposed on the upper electrode and the insulator,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, the electric energy generator device vibrates and thus the piezoelectric layer deforms to generate an electric energy.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a lower substrate;

a lower electrode on the lower substrate;

a first electret on the lower electrode;

a spacer disposed on the lower substrate so as to surround the lower electrode and the first electret;

a second electret disposed on the spacer to be spaced from the first electret, wherein the first and second electrets have opposite polarization directions to each other;

an upper electrode on the second electret;

an insulator disposed on the spacer so as to surround the second electret and the upper electrode; and

an upper substrate disposed on the upper electrode and the insulator,

wherein a closed inner space is defined between the first electret and the second electret and the spacer,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, a pressure in the inner space changes, to change a spacing between the first electret and the second electret to generate an electric energy.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a lower substrate;

a lower electrode on the lower substrate;

an electret on the lower electrode;

a spacer disposed on the lower substrate so as to surround the lower electrode and the electret;

an upper electrode disposed on the spacer to be spaced from the electret;

an insulator disposed on the spacer so as to surround the upper electrode; and

an upper substrate disposed on the upper electrode and the insulator, wherein a closed inner space is defined between the electret and the upper electrode and the spacer,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, a pressure in the inner space changes, to change a spacing between the electret and the upper electrode to generate an electric energy.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a lower substrate;

a lower electrode on the lower substrate;

a spacer disposed on the lower substrate so as to surround the lower electrode;

an electret disposed on the spacer to be spaced from the lower electrode;

an upper electrode disposed on the electret;

an insulator disposed on the spacer so as to surround the upper electrode and the electret; and

an upper substrate disposed on the upper electrode and the insulator, wherein a closed inner space is defined between the electret and the lower electrode and the spacer,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, a pressure in the inner space changes, to change a spacing between the electret and the lower electrode to generate an electric energy.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a load electrically coupled to the lower electrode and the upper electrode.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a rectifier diode electrically coupled to and between the lower electrode and the load and/or between the upper electrode and the load.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a lower substrate having a coil buried therein;

an electrode on the lower substrate;

a first friction-charged member on the electrode;

a spacer disposed on the lower substrate so as to surround the electrode and the first friction-charged member;

a second friction-charged member disposed on the spacer to be spaced from the first friction-charged member, wherein the second friction-charged member repeatedly contacts or is separated from the first friction-charged member; and

an upper substrate on the second friction-charged member, wherein the upper substrate is magnetic,

wherein a closed inner space is defined between the first friction-charged member and the second friction-charged member and the spacer,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, a pressure in the inner space changes, to deform the second friction-charged member to generate a first electric energy via a triboelectric effect between the first and second friction-charged members and a second electric energy via an electromagnetic induction between the upper and lower substrates.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a lower substrate having a coil buried therein;

an electrode on the lower substrate;

a first electret on the electrode;

a spacer disposed on the lower substrate so as to surround the electrode and the first electret;

a second electret disposed on the spacer to be spaced from the first electret, wherein the first and second electrets have opposite polarization directions to each other; and

an upper substrate on the second electret, wherein the upper substrate is magnetic,

wherein a closed inner space is defined between the first and second electrets and the spacer,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, a pressure in the inner space changes, to change a spacing between the first and second electrets, to generate a first electric energy via a potential difference using the first and second electrets, and a second electric energy via an electromagnetic induction between the upper and lower substrates.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a lower substrate having a coil buried therein;

a lower electrode on the lower substrate;

a first friction-charged member on the lower electrode;

a spacer disposed on the lower substrate so as to surround the first electrode and the first friction-charged member;

a second friction-charged member disposed on the spacer to be spaced from the first friction-charged member, wherein the second friction-charged member repeatedly contacts or is separated from the first friction-charged member;

an upper electrode on the second friction-charged member;

an insulator disposed on the spacer so as to surround the upper electrode and the second friction-charged member; and

an upper substrate on the upper electrode and the insulator, wherein the upper substrate is magnetic,

wherein a closed inner space is defined between the first friction-charged member and the second friction-charged member and the spacer,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, a pressure in the inner space changes, to deform the second friction-charged member to generate a first electric energy via a triboelectric effect between the first and second friction-charged members and a second electric energy via an electromagnetic induction between the upper and lower substrates.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy generator device comprises:

a lower substrate having a coil buried therein;

a lower electrode on the lower substrate;

a first electret on the lower electrode;

a spacer disposed on the lower substrate so as to surround the lower electrode and the first electret;

a second electret disposed on the spacer to be spaced from the first electret, wherein the first and second electrets have opposite polarization directions to each other;

an upper electrode on the second electret;

an insulator disposed on the spacer so as to surround the upper electrode and the second electret; and

an upper substrate on the upper electrode and the insulator, wherein the upper substrate is magnetic,

wherein a closed inner space is defined between the first and second electrets and the spacer,

wherein when the electric energy generator device receives the emitted ultrasonic-wave, a pressure in the inner space changes, to change a spacing between the first and second electrets, to generate a first electric energy via a potential difference using the first and second electrets, and a second electric energy via an electromagnetic induction between the upper and lower substrates.