Broad band energy harvesting system and related methods
First Claim
1. An energy harvesting apparatus configured to be positioned in vibration receiving communication with a structure, the energy harvesting apparatus comprising:
- a housing adapted to connect to a structure carrying a plurality of environmentally produced vibration frequencies distributed over a frequency range;
a base beam formed of a resilient material defining a resilient common backbone having a proximal fixed portion fixedly connected to the housing, a non-fixed distal portion, and a non-fixed medial portion extending therebetween to thereby form a cantilever; and
a plurality of cantilevered beams each fixedly connected to a non-fixed portion of the resilient common backbone and defining a corresponding plurality of energy harvesting generators, each energy harvesting generator having a preselected different resonant frequency defining a mode and configured to resonate at each of a plurality of frequencies adjacent the respective preselected resonant frequency defining a generator bandwidth, the plurality of generators collectively configured to provide energy harvesting over each of the plurality of generator bandwidths to thereby enhance energy harvesting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A broad band energy harvesting system to harvest energy from a structure and associated methods are provided. The system includes a structure carrying a plurality of environmentally produced vibration frequencies extending over a frequency range and an energy harvesting apparatus positioned in vibration receiving communication with the structure to harvest energy from the structure. Each energy harvesting apparatus includes broadly tuned energy harvesting generators having relatively low quality factor and corresponding relatively wide bandwidth. The energy harvesting generators collectively provide energy harvesting over multiple modes to thereby provide energy harvesting over a substantial portion of the frequency range. Each energy harvesting generator can include a cantilevered beam connected to a common backbone comprised of a resilient material configured to transfer energy between adjacent generators to further enhance energy harvesting.
38 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An energy harvesting apparatus configured to be positioned in vibration receiving communication with a structure, the energy harvesting apparatus comprising:
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a housing adapted to connect to a structure carrying a plurality of environmentally produced vibration frequencies distributed over a frequency range; a base beam formed of a resilient material defining a resilient common backbone having a proximal fixed portion fixedly connected to the housing, a non-fixed distal portion, and a non-fixed medial portion extending therebetween to thereby form a cantilever; and a plurality of cantilevered beams each fixedly connected to a non-fixed portion of the resilient common backbone and defining a corresponding plurality of energy harvesting generators, each energy harvesting generator having a preselected different resonant frequency defining a mode and configured to resonate at each of a plurality of frequencies adjacent the respective preselected resonant frequency defining a generator bandwidth, the plurality of generators collectively configured to provide energy harvesting over each of the plurality of generator bandwidths to thereby enhance energy harvesting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An energy harvesting apparatus configured to be positioned in vibration receiving communication with a structure, the energy harvesting apparatus comprising:
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a base beam adapted to connect to a structure carrying a plurality of environmentally produced vibration frequencies distributed over a frequency range, the base beam formed of a resilient material defining a resilient common backbone having a proximal fixed portion adapted to be fixedly connected to the structure, a non-fixed distal portion, and a non-fixed medial portion extending therebetween, the non-fixed medial and distal portions of the resilient common backbone being not substantially fixed in space to thereby form a cantilever; and a plurality of cantilevered beams each connected to a non-fixed portion of the resilient common backbone and defining a corresponding plurality of energy harvesting generators, each energy harvesting generator having a preselected different resonant frequency defining a mode and configured to resonate at each of a plurality of frequencies adjacent the respective preselected resonant frequency defining a generator bandwidth, the plurality of generators collectively configured to provide energy harvesting over each of the plurality of generator bandwidths to thereby enhance energy harvesting.
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18. An energy harvesting apparatus configured to be positioned in vibration receiving communication with a structure, the energy harvesting apparatus comprising:
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a housing adapted to connect to a structure carrying a plurality of environmentally produced vibration frequencies distributed over a frequency range; a base beam formed of a material defining a common backbone, the common backbone connected to the housing; and a plurality of cantilevered beams each separately connected to the common backbone and defining a corresponding plurality of energy harvesting generators, each energy harvesting generator having a preselected different resonant frequency to define a mode and configured to resonate at each of a plurality of frequencies adjacent the respective preselected resonant frequency when operationally employed to generate a predefined minimum amount of energy required by an energy consuming device responsive to environmental energy emanating from the structure at least one of the plurality of adjacent frequencies at an associated minimum energy level to define a generator bandwidth, an upper portion of the generator bandwidth of a first one of the plurality of energy harvesting generators overlapping a lower portion of the generator bandwidth of a second one of the plurality of energy harvesting generators and a lower portion of the generator bandwidth of the first one of the plurality of energy harvesting generators overlapping an upper portion of the generator bandwidth of a third one of the plurality of energy harvesting generators to thereby provide energy harvesting capability at the predefined minimum amount of energy over a substantial portion of the frequency range.
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Specification