Combined piezoelectric silent alarm/battery charger
First Claim
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1. A piezoelectric current generating device responsive to movement and vibration comprising:
- an elongated support beam extending along a first axis between first and second ends, said elongated support beam being flexible and resilient along a second axis, said second axis being substantially perpendicular to said first axis of said elongated support beam;
a weight member attached to said elongated support beam to cause flexure of said elongated support beam in response to vibration or movement of said support beam and said weight member;
first and second piezoelectric devices each having a positive side and a negative side, each of said negative sides in electrical contact with each other mounted to said elongated support beam;
a first conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said first piezoelectric device and a second conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said second piezoelectric device;
a rectifying device having an input and an output, said first and second conductors electrically connected to said input of said rectifying device and a selected load connected to said output of said rectifying device such that flexure of said elongated support beam causes distortion of said first and second piezoelectric devices thereby creating a current flow through said first and second conductors and then through said rectifying device and to said selected load; and
an AC power source and a switch connected between at least one of said first and second conductors and said rectifying device and being further connected to said AC power source, said switch operating to selectively connect only one of said rectifying device and said AC power source at a time to said first and second conductors such that when the rectifier is connected a DC charging current is generated and when the AC power source is connected the elongated beam and weight member are forced to vibrate.
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Abstract
A communication device such as a pager or cellular telephone which requires battery power, uses a piezoelectric device as both a vibrating silent alarm and a battery charger.
139 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A piezoelectric current generating device responsive to movement and vibration comprising:
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an elongated support beam extending along a first axis between first and second ends, said elongated support beam being flexible and resilient along a second axis, said second axis being substantially perpendicular to said first axis of said elongated support beam;
a weight member attached to said elongated support beam to cause flexure of said elongated support beam in response to vibration or movement of said support beam and said weight member;
first and second piezoelectric devices each having a positive side and a negative side, each of said negative sides in electrical contact with each other mounted to said elongated support beam;
a first conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said first piezoelectric device and a second conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said second piezoelectric device;
a rectifying device having an input and an output, said first and second conductors electrically connected to said input of said rectifying device and a selected load connected to said output of said rectifying device such that flexure of said elongated support beam causes distortion of said first and second piezoelectric devices thereby creating a current flow through said first and second conductors and then through said rectifying device and to said selected load; and
an AC power source and a switch connected between at least one of said first and second conductors and said rectifying device and being further connected to said AC power source, said switch operating to selectively connect only one of said rectifying device and said AC power source at a time to said first and second conductors such that when the rectifier is connected a DC charging current is generated and when the AC power source is connected the elongated beam and weight member are forced to vibrate. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A piezoelectric current generating device responsive to movement and vibration comprising:
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an elongated support beam extending along a first axis between first and second ends, said elongated support beam being flexible and resilient along a second axis, said second axis being substantially perpendicular to said first axis of said elongated support beam;
a weight member attached to said elongated support beam to cause flexure of said elongated support beam in response to vibration or movement of said support beam and said weight member;
first and second piezoelectric devices each having a positive side and a negative side, each of said negative sides in electrical contact with each other mounted to said elongated support beam;
a first conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said first piezoelectric device and a second conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said second piezoelectric device;
a full wave bridge rectifier having an input and an output, said first and second conductors electrically connected to said input of said rectifying device and a selected load connected to said output of said rectifying device such that flexure of said elongated support beam causes distortion of said first and second piezoelectric devices thereby creating a current flow through said first and second conductors and then through said rectifying device and to said selected load; and
an AC power source and a switch connected between at least one of said first and second conductors and said rectifying device and being further connected to said AC power source, said switch operating to selectively connect only one of said rectifying device and said AC power source at a time to said first and second conductors such that when the rectifier is connected a DC charging current is generated and when the AC power source is connected the elongated beam and weight member are forced to vibrate. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A piezoelectric current generating device responsive to movement and vibration comprising:
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an elongated support beam extending along a first axis between first and second ends, said elongated support beam being flexible and resilient along a second axis, said second axis being substantially perpendicular to said first axis of said elongated support beam;
a weight member attached to said elongated support beam to cause flexure of said elongated support beam in response to vibration or movement of said support beam and said weight member;
first and second piezoelectric devices each having a positive side and a negative side, each of said negative sides in electrical contact with each other mounted to said elongated support beam;
a first conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said first piezoelectric device and a second conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said second piezoelectric device;
a rectifying device having an input and an output, said first and second conductors electrically connected to said input of said rectifying device and a selected load connected to said output of said rectifying device such that flexure of said elongated support beam causes distortion of said first and second piezoelectric devices thereby creating a current flow through said first and second conductors and then through said rectifying device and to said selected load;
wherein said elongated beam includes a conductive portion and said negative sides of each of said first and second piezoelectric devices are in electrical contact with said conductive portion of said elongated support beam and said rectifying device comprises a pair of diodes having their anodes connected one each to said first and second conductors and the cathodes of both diodes connected to said conductive portion of said elongated support beam. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A piezoelectric current generating device responsive to movement and vibration comprising:
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an elongated support beam extending along a first axis between first and second ends, said elongated support beam being flexible and resilient along a second axis, said second axis substantially perpendicular to said first axis of said elongated support beam;
a weight member attached to said elongated support beam to cause flexure of said elongated support beam in response to movement of said support beam and said weight member;
a piezoelectric device having a positive side and a negative side, said negative side mounted to said elongated support beam;
a first conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said piezoelectric device and a second conductor electrically connected to said negative side of said piezoelectric device;
a rectifier having an input and an output, said first and second conductors electrically connected to said input of said rectifying device and a selected load connected to said output of said rectifying device such that flexure of said elongated support beam causes distortion of said piezoelectric device thereby creating a current flow through said first and second conductors and then through said rectifying device to said selected load; and
an AC power source and a switch connected between at least one of said first and second conductors and said rectifying device and being further connected to said AC power source, said switch operating to selectively connect only one of said rectifying device and said AC power source at a time to said first and second conductors such that when the rectifier is connected a DC charging current is generated and when the AC power source is connected the elongated beam and weight member are forced to vibrate. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A piezoelectric current generating device responsive to movement and vibration comprising:
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an elongated support beam extending along a first axis between first and second ends, said elongated support beam being flexible and resilient along a second axis, said second axis being substantially perpendicular to said first axis of said elongated support beam;
a weight member attached to said elongated support beam to cause flexure of said elongated support beam in response to vibration or movement of said support beam and said weight member;
first and second piezoelectric devices each having a positive side and a negative side, each of said negative sides in electrical contact with each other mounted to said elongated support beam;
a first conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said first piezoelectric device and a second conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said second piezoelectric device;
a rectifying device having an input and an output, said first and second conductors electrically connected to said input of said rectifying device and a selected load connected to said output of said rectifying device such that flexure of said elongated support beam causes distortion of said first and second piezoelectric devices thereby creating a current flow through said first and second conductors and then through said rectifying device and to said selected load; and
a support structure and an elongated torsion spring member having one end rigidly connected to said support structure and wherein said elongated support beam is a cantilever having said first end rigidly attached to and extending from the unattached end of said elongated torsion spring, and said second end free to move, said weight member being attached to said cantilever proximate said second end and said elongated torsion spring being selected to provide a natural vibration of between about 25 Hz to about +250 Hz to said device. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A piezoelectric current generating device responsive to movement and vibration comprising:
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an elongated support beam extending along a first axis between first and second ends, said elongated support beam being flexible and resilient along a second axis, said second axis substantially perpendicular to said first axis of said elongated support beam;
a weight member attached to said elongated support beam to cause flexure of said elongated support beam in response to movement of said support beam and said weight member;
a piezoelectric device having a positive side and a negative side, said negative side mounted to said elongated support beam;
a first conductor in electrical contact with said positive side of said piezoelectric device and a second conductor electrically connected to said negative side of said piezoelectric device;
a rectifier having an input and an output, said first and second conductors electrically connected to said input of said rectifying device and a selected load connected to said output of said rectifying device such that flexure of said elongated support beam causes distortion of said piezoelectric device thereby creating a current flow through said first and second conductors and then through said rectifying device to said selected load; and
a support structure and an elongated torsion spring member having one end rigidly connected to said support structure and wherein said elongated support beam is a cantilever having said first end rigidly attached to and extending from the unattached end of said elongated torsion spring, and said second end free to move, said weight member being attached to said cantilever proximate said second end and said elongated torsion spring being selected to provide a natural vibration of between about 25 Hz to about 250 Hz to said device. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification