Method and apparatus for scavenging and using energy caused by changes in pressure

• US 7,178,389 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Jackson, Stephen Billings, Schmitz, Gregory Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US11/013,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 737/02, 731/463, 731/462, 731/468, 738/623.25
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel

Abstract

An apparatus to scavenge energy caused by changes in interior pressure of a container, including at least one flexible chamber containing a fluid at a predetermined pressure; a piezoelectric element coupled to the flexible chamber so as to generate electricity when the flexible chamber is flexed by a change in interior pressure of the container.

Claims

1. An apparatus to scavenge energy caused by changes in interior pressure of a container, comprising:

a pneumatic container having the interior pressure;

at least one flexible chamber containing a fluid at a predetermined pressure; and

a piezoelectric element coupled to the at least one flexible chamber and communicatively coupled to the interior pressure of the pneumatic container so as to generate electricity when the flexible chamber is flexed by a change in the interior pressure of the pneumatic container;

wherein the piezoelectric element is formed to surround the flexible chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an electricity storage device to store electricity generated by the piezoelectric element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one sensor to measure a condition relevant to the pneumatic container and powered by the electricity storage device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a tire rotation counter.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a transmitter to transmit data related to the measured condition;

a receiver to receive the transmitted data; and

a user interface to communicate the received data to a user.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the storage device includes a rectifier, a regulator and a capacitor.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the storage device includes a rectifier, a regulator and a battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible chamber is an aneroid chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible chamber serves as a sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is mounted to a valve.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a moving portion of the piezoelectric element is linked mechanically to the flexible chamber.

12. An apparatus to scavenge energy caused by changes in interior pressure of a container, comprising:

a pneumatic container having the interior pressure;

at least one bourdon tube; and

a piezoelectric element coupled to the at least one bourdon tube and communicatively coupled to the interior pressure of the pneumatic container so as to generate electricity when the bourdon tube is flexed by a change in the interior pressure of the pneumatic container;

wherein the piezoelectric element is formed to surround the at least one bourdon tube.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an electricity storage device to store electricity generated by the piezoelectric element.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

at least one sensor to measure a condition relevant to the pneumatic container and powered by the electricity storage device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a tire rotation counter.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a transmitter to transmit data related to the measured condition;

a receiver to receive the transmitted data; and

a user interface to communicate the received data to a user.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the voltage storage device includes a rectifier, a regulator and a capacitor.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the voltage storage device includes a rectifier, a regulator and a battery.

19. A pneumatic tire for a vehicle, comprising:

a wall defining an interior portion of the tire, the interior portion having a fluctuating pressure when the vehicle is moving;

at least one flexible chamber containing a fluid at a predetermined pressure;

a piezoelectric element coupled to the at least one flexible chamber and communicatively coupled to the interior pressure of the pneumatic container so as to generate electricity when the at least one flexible chamber is flexed by the fluctuating pressure of the interior portion;

an electricity storage device to store electricity generated by the piezoelectric element;

at least one sensor to measure a condition relevant to the pneumatic tire and powered by the electricity storage device; and

a transmitter to transmit data related to the sensed condition;

wherein the piezoelectric element is formed to surround the at least one flexible chamber.