Piezoelectric generator
First Claim
1. An apparatus for extracting electrical energy from mechanical motion, comprising:
- at least two transducers coupled to a waved surface by couplers in contact with the waved surface for movement following the waved surface, such that an elastic portion of energy in one transducer is transferable to at least one other of the at least two transducers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of extracting electrical energy from mechanical motion includes reusing an elastic portion of energy in a transducer by transferring the elastic portion of energy to another transducer. An apparatus for extracting electrical energy from mechanical motion includes at least two transducers coupled such that an elastic portion of energy in one transducer is transferable to the other transducer. The transducers are coupled by a member defining a waved surface, and each transducer defines a coupler in contact with the waved surface for movement following the waved surface. Couplers of two transducers are positioned such that they move out-of-phase relative to each other. The transducers are bound to a plate positioned between members such that the plate is deformed. The plate and members are configured such that relative rotation therebetween produces a wave that travels along the plate.
68 Citations
46 Claims
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1. An apparatus for extracting electrical energy from mechanical motion, comprising:
at least two transducers coupled to a waved surface by couplers in contact with the waved surface for movement following the waved surface, such that an elastic portion of energy in one transducer is transferable to at least one other of the at least two transducers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for extracting electrical energy from mechanical motion, comprising:
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a first transducer having a first coupler;
a second transducer having a second coupler; and
a wave plate defining a first waved surface, the first and second couplers in contact with the first waved surface, respectively coupling the first and second transducers to the wave plate, and allowing the first and second transducers to follow a movement pattern defined by the first waved surface, such that an elastic portion of energy in each transducer is transferable to the other transducer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for extracting electrical energy from mechanical motion, comprising:
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a first plate;
a second plate;
an intermediate plate including a segmented transducer disk sandwiched between, and rotatable relative to, the first plate and the second plate;
first rolling elements disposed between the first plate and the intermediate plate; and
second rolling elements disposed between the second plate and the intermediate plate, the first and second rolling elements acting on the intermediate plate to produce a mechanical deformation of the intermediate plate corresponding to a wave traveling along a surface of the segmented transducer disk, the deformation causing the segmented transducer disk to generate electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification