System and method for storing energy

• US 7,688,036 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Inventors: Morrison, John, Spencer, David Frazer, Yarger, Eric Jay, Christiansen, Dale W., Richardson, John Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fantu; Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US11/475,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20080074083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 320/137, 320/138, 455/573
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4264 with capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5033 used as charging means for another battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A self-recharging battery comprising a generator and an energy storage device contained within the battery case. The generator comprises a magnetic structure configured to generate a compressed magnetic field and a coil configured to focus the compressed magnetic field in electrical conductive elements of the coil.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising:

a case;

a coil contained within the case;

a magnetic structure contained within the case and configured to generate a compressed magnetic field;

a first energy storage device contained within the case;

a plurality of contact terminals coupled to the case; and

a control module contained within the case and coupled to the coil and the first energy storage device.

2. The battery of claim 1 wherein the magnetic structure comprises a plurality of spaced-apart rare earth magnets configured so that like-polarity poles face each other in neighboring magnets in the plurality of rare earth magnets.

3. The battery of claim 2 wherein the magnets in the plurality of magnets are held in position with respect to one another.

4. The battery of claim 2 wherein a space between two magnets in the plurality of magnets is substantially filled with a non-magnet substance.

5. The battery of claim 4 wherein the non-magnetic substance comprises air.

6. The battery of claim 4 wherein the non-magnetic substance comprises a fluoropolymer resin.

7. The battery of claim 1 wherein the case is evacuated and hermetically sealed.

8. The battery of claim 1 further comprising:

a suspension system coupled to the magnetic structure.

9. The battery of claim 8 wherein the suspension system is tuned to optimize conversion of expected patterns of movement into electrical energy.

10. The battery of claim 8 wherein the coil comprises:

an electrical conductive element; and

a magnetic conductive element.

11. The battery of claim 10 wherein the magnetic conductive element is configured to focus magnetic flux in the electrical conductive element.

12. The battery of claim 11 wherein the magnetic conductive element comprises a silver/nickel alloy.