Vibration induced perpetual energy resource
First Claim
1. A bimorph piezoelectric device comprising:
- a plurality of micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) piezoelectric beams, said plurality of MEMS beams arranged as pairs of MEMS beams, each pair having a connecting end and a weighted end;
each of said pairs of MEMS beams being electrically and mechanically joined through its connecting end to at least one flexible sheath having a plurality of electrically conductive traces to form a joined array of MEMS beams each having its weighted end free to deflect; and
each weighted end of said pairs of MEMS beams of said joined array being deflectable to produce an electric current proportional to a quantity of said pairs of MEMS beams, said electric current collectable from each of said at least one flexible sheath.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A piezoelectric device connected to a vibration source converts vibration energy to electrical current. A plurality of pairs of oppositely polarized piezoelectric wafers deflect to produce an electrical current. Each pair of wafers are arranged back-to-back and electrically joined together. The plurality of pairs of wafers are each connected to a set of micro-machined parts. Each pair of wafers form a bimorph, configured as a cantilevered beam attached to a set of parts to form an element. Each cantilevered beam has a mass weighted first end and is fixedly attached to one or more flexible sheaths on a second end. A plurality of elements form a cell unit. A plurality of cell units form an array. The electrical current produced varies by the number of elements per cell unit, and/or with the number of cell units per array.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A bimorph piezoelectric device comprising:
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a plurality of micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) piezoelectric beams, said plurality of MEMS beams arranged as pairs of MEMS beams, each pair having a connecting end and a weighted end;
each of said pairs of MEMS beams being electrically and mechanically joined through its connecting end to at least one flexible sheath having a plurality of electrically conductive traces to form a joined array of MEMS beams each having its weighted end free to deflect; and
each weighted end of said pairs of MEMS beams of said joined array being deflectable to produce an electric current proportional to a quantity of said pairs of MEMS beams, said electric current collectable from each of said at least one flexible sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
said at least one flexible sheath being an upper sheath and a lower sheath;
an upper intermediate beam connecting a first of said opposed pairs of outer layers of electrically conductive material to said upper sheath;
a lower intermediate beam connecting a second of said opposed pairs of outer layers of electrically conductive material to said lower sheath.
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6. The device of claim 5, wherein both said upper intermediate beam and said lower intermediate beam are joined to each said flexible sheath by an electrically conductive adhesive.
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7. The device of claim 5, wherein each said flexible sheath provides a deflection limit for each adjacent weighted mass to prevent fracture of said piezoelectric material of each pair of MEMS beams by over-deflection of said piezoelectric material.
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8. The device of claim 7 wherein each said flexible sheath further comprises a plurality of perforations providing for flow of an etching solution.
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9. The device of claim 3 further wherein each pair of MEMS beams is connected at its connecting end to a single flexible sheath forming a vertical array of MEMS beams.
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10. The device of claim 9 wherein said weighted end of both MEMS beams forming each pair of MEMS beams form a pair of weighted ends having a single mass attached thereto.
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11. A piezoelectric device for converting vibration energy to electric current comprising:
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a plurality of pairs of oppositely polarized micro-electro-mechanical-system piezoelectric layers deflectable to produce an electrical current;
said plurality of pairs of layers each connected to a set of micro-electro-mechanical-system elements;
each said set of elements with said pairs of layers forming a bimorph, said bimorph configured as a cantilevered beam;
each said cantilevered beam being mass weighted on a first beam end and fixedly attached to at least one flexible sheath on a second beam end; and
a plurality of said bimorphs on said at least one flexible sheath forming an array. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
each said flexible sheath having a bimorph attachment side and a vibration body attachment side; and
said bimorph attachment side collects said electrical current from each bimorph attached thereto for one of extraction, storage, and distribution of said electrical current.
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13. The device of claim 12, wherein said vibration body attachment side is rigidly fixed to a vibration source to produce an oscillating deflection of each bimorph to generate said electrical current.
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14. The device of claim 13, wherein a quantity of said bimorphs within said array varies in direct proportion to a value of said electrical current.
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15. The device of claim 11, wherein said set of micro-electro-mechanical-system elements is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and titanium.
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16. The device of claim 11, further comprising:
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said array forms a first layer of a multilayer piezoelectric power generator; and
each layer of said power generator is a copy of said array.
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Specification