Method and apparatus for an ambient energy battery recharge system

• US 7,183,693 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sapurast Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Infinite Power Solutions, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Brantner, Paul, Pearce, Michael Baker, Trujillo, Adolph
• Primary Examiner(s): BUDD, MARK OSBORNE
• Application Number:
  US11/393,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 310/321, 310/319, 310/328, 310/338, 310/339
• US Class Current: 310/319
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/181 Circuits; Control arrangements or methods

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of battery and capacitor charging. In particular, the present invention provides pulsed current charging using changes, regardless of polarity, in the local energy environment to obtain power. The present invention relates, for example, to ambient energy charging thin film batteries, other batteries, or capacitors, via, for example, polyvinyladine fluoride homopolymer (PVDF), PVDF bi-axially poled, or other piezoelectric materials. Ambient energy may be defined as any change in energy within the local environment. Charging can be accomplished with, and is not limited to, positive or negative changes of the following energy types: thermal; visible light, including infrared and ultraviolet; mechanical motion or impact; triboelectric, including airflow or physical contact; movement in relation to a gravitational plane (increase or decrease in gravitational potential energy); and radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic energy, regardless of specific frequency.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use as a charger utilizing ambient energy comprising

a plurality of stacked piezoelectric elements of different geometrical sizes stacked from smallest to largest,

a rectification block on an output of each of said elements,

a plurality of capacitors arranged to accumulate charge from said rectification blocks, and

a blocking diode provided at an output of said plurality of capacitors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a charge storage device connected to an output of said blocking diode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rectification block is selected from the group consisting of a full-wave rectification block and a half-wave rectification block.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising five or more stacked piezoelectric elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a signal phase delay element provided between said one or more of said rectification blocks and said plurality of capacitors.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal phase delay element comprises an inductor.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said charge storage device comprises a battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said charge storage device comprises a capacitor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is optimized for changes in ambient power from gravitational effects on a structure rotating at an angle to the surface of a significant gravity source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said structure is a wheel.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said angle is approximately 90 degrees.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said gravity source is the earth.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is optimized for changes in ambient power from a heartbeat.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said heartbeat is a human heartbeat.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is optimized for changes in ambient power available from local electrical fields.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said electric field comprise a field in the approximate range of 50 to 60 Hz.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is optimized for changes in ambient power available from low power sound energy.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is optimized for changes in ambient power available from ultrasound energy.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus incorporates circuit board technology.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said capacitors are not discrete elements.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is optimized for changes in ambient power available from RF spectrum energy fields.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is optimized for changes in magnetic fields.

23. A method of manufacturing a charger utilizing ambient energy comprising

arranging a plurality of piezoelectric elements of different geometrical sizes into a stack from largest to smallest,

connecting a rectification block on an output of each of said elements,

arranging a plurality of capacitors to accumulate charge from said rectification blocks, and

providing a blocking diode at an output of said plurality of capacitors.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising connecting a charge storage device to an output of said blocking diode.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said rectification block is selected from the group consisting of a full-wave rectification block and a half-wave rectification block.

26. The method of claim 23, comprising arranging five or more stacked piezoelectric elements.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing a signal phase delay element between said one or more of said rectification blocks and said plurality of capacitors.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said signal phase delay element comprises an inductor.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said charge storage device comprises a battery.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein said charge storage device comprises a capacitor.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising optimizing said charger for changes in ambient power from gravitational effects on a structure rotating at an angle to the surface of a significant gravity source.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said structure is a wheel.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said angle is approximately 90 degrees.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said gravity source is the earth.

35. The method of claim 23, further comprising optimizing said charger for changes in ambient power from a heartbeat.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said heartbeat is a human heartbeat.

37. The method of claim 23, further comprising optimizing said charger for changes in ambient power available from local electrical fields.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said electric field comprises a field in the approximate range of 50 to 60 Hz.

39. The method of claim 23, further comprising optimizing said charger for changes in ambient power available from low power sound energy.

40. The method of claim 23, further comprising optimizing said charger for changes in ambient power available from ultrasound energy.

41. The method of claim 23, further comprising incorporating circuit board technology in said charger.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said capacitors are not discrete elements.

43. The method of claim 23, further comprising optimizing said charger for changes in ambient power available from RF spectrum energy fields.

44. The method of claim 23, further comprising optimizing said charger for changes in magnetic fields.