POWER GENERATING ELEMENT AND POWER GENERATING DEVICE

• US 20170214338A1
• Filed: 01/09/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hideyuki Miyazawa, Junichiro Natori, Makito Nakashima, Mayuka Araumi, Megumi Kitamura, Mizuki Otagiri, Takahiro Imai, Tomoaki Sugawara, Tsuneaki Kondoh, Yuko Arizumi
• Inventors: OTAGIRI, Mizuki, SUGAWARA, Tomoaki, KONDOH, Tsuneaki, ARIZUMI, Yuko, KITAMURA, Megumi, NATORI, Junichiro, IMAI, Takahiro, ARAUMI, Mayuka, MIYAZAWA, Hideyuki, NAKASHIMA, Makito
• Granted Patent: US 11,018,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/04 Friction generators

Abstract

A power generating element is provided. The power generating element includes a pair of electrodes, an intermediate layer being insulating, and a substrate being flexible. The intermediate layer is disposed between the electrodes. The substrate is configured to support the electrodes and the intermediate layer. When the substrate undergoes a deformation, the intermediate layer is separated from or pressed against one of the electrodes.

Claims

1. A power generating element comprising:

a pair of electrodes;

an intermediate layer being insulating, disposed between the electrodes; and

a substrate being flexible, configured to support the electrodes and the intermediate layer,

wherein, when the substrate undergoes a deformation, the intermediate layer is separated from or pressed against one of the electrodes.

2. The power generating element of claim 1, further comprising an insulating member disposed along the substrate, with one end of the insulating member secured to the substrate,

wherein one of the electrodes is disposed on the insulating member and the other one of the electrodes is disposed on the substrate, with the electrodes facing with each other, and

wherein the intermediate layer is disposed on any one of the electrodes.

5. The power generating element of claim 1,

wherein the intermediate layer includes at least one of a rubber and a rubber composition, and

wherein a first side of the intermediate layer that is separated from or pressed against the one of the electrode has been subjected to at least one of a surface modification treatment and an inactivation treatment, which causes the first side and a second side opposite the first side to deform to different degrees of deformation when the same deformation imparting force is applied thereto and causes the first side to store charge.

6. The power generating element of claim 5, wherein the intermediate layer includes a silicone rubber.

7. The power generating element of claim 6,

wherein the intermediate layer includes an organosiloxane bond, and

wherein the intermediate layer has an oxygen concentration profile that increases from the first side toward the inside while exhibiting a local maximum value, and a carbon concentration profile that decreases from the first side toward the inside while exhibiting a local minimum value.

8. A power generating device comprising:

the power generating element of claim 1; and

an element driver configured to cause the substrate to deform as a moving body moves.

9. A power generating device comprising:

the power generating device of claim 1; and

a suspension member configured to cause the substrate to deform when receiving an external force.

3. A power generating element comprising:

a substrate being flexible; and

a plurality of units each including;

an insulating member disposed along the substrate, with one end of the insulating member secured to the substrate;

a first electrode disposed on one surface of the insulating member;

a second electrode disposed on the other surface of the insulating member; and

an intermediate layer being insulating, disposed on the first electrode,

wherein, when the substrate undergoes a deformation, the intermediate layer is separated from or pressed against the second electrode.

4. The power generating element of claim 3, wherein at least two of the units are disposed on one surface of the substrate and the other units are disposed on the other surface of the substrate.

10. The power generating element of claim 3,

wherein the intermediate layer includes at least one of a rubber and a rubber composition, and

wherein a first side of the intermediate layer that is separated from or pressed against the second electrode has been subjected to at least one of a surface modification treatment and an inactivation treatment, which causes the first side and a second side opposite the first side to deform to different degrees of deformation when the same deformation imparting force is applied thereto and causes the first side to store charge.

11. The power generating element of claim 10, wherein the intermediate layer includes a silicone rubber.

12. The power generating element of claim 11,

wherein the intermediate layer includes an organosiloxane bond, and

wherein the intermediate layer has an oxygen concentration profile that increases from the first side toward the inside while exhibiting a local maximum value, and a carbon concentration profile that decreases from the first side toward the inside while exhibiting a local minimum value.

13. A power generating device comprising:

the power generating element of claim 3; and

an element driver configured to cause the substrate to deform as a moving body moves.

14. A power generating device comprising:

the power generating device of claims 3; and

a suspension member configured to cause the substrate to deform when receiving an external force.