Wireless power supply method

• US 6,635,818 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Government of Japan)
• Original Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Government of Japan)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Makoto, Morikawa, Yasushi, Ozaki, Koichi, Ichiki, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAMOND, ALAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/935,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20020027390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 136/244, 136/291, 136/293, 252/62.9 R, 252/62.9 PZ, 606/418, 310/303, 310/309, 310/311, 310/357, 310/358
• US Class Current: 136/244
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/008 Laterally driven motors, e.g. of the comb-drive type
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/00 Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N39/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/291 Applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/293 Circuits

Abstract

There is provided a wireless-type power supply method that is applied to the case where an object to which energy is to be transmitted is relatively small, such as a micromachine, and that allows high-voltage electrical energy to be transmitted without using a wire. In this method, the optical energy from an light source is converted into high-voltage electrical energy by means of an energy transducer formed of either a piezoelectric element or a photovoltaic element on the above-described object, and the high-voltage electrical energy is supplied to an actuator, whereby the construction of the receiving side of the energy transmission is simplified.

Claims

1. A method for wireless power supply, which is applied to the case where an object to which energy is to be transmitted, is relatively small, said method comprising:

converting optical energy from a light source into a high-voltage electrical energy by a bimorph energy transducer formed of either a piezoelectric element generating thermal strain or a dielectric photovoltaic element on said object; and

supplying said high-voltage electrical energy to an actuator.

2. A method for wireless power supply in accordance with claim 1, wherein a thermal excitation light source emitting visible infrared region laser light is used as the light source, and wherein a piezoelectric element generating a thermal strain due to optical absorption is used as the energy transducer.

3. A method for wireless power supply in accordance with claim 2, wherein a piezoelectric material comprised of lead zirconate titanate, lead lanthanum zirconate titanate, barium titanate, or lead titanate is used for the piezoelectric element generating a thermal strain.

4. A method for wireless power supply in accordance with claim 1, wherein a photovoltaic light source laser or an ultraviolet irradiation lamp is used as the light source, and wherein a photovoltaic element generating a photovoltaic effect is used as the energy transducer.

5. A method for wireless power supply in accordance with claim 4, wherein a photovoltaic functional material comprised of lead titanate zirconate lanthanate, lithium niobate, or lithium tantalate is used for said photovoltaic element.

6. A method for wireless power supply in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 5, wherein an electrostatic actuator is used as an actuator.

7. A method for wireless power supply in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 5, wherein said object to which energy is to be transmitted, is a micromachine.