Magnetostrictive / piezo remote power generation, battery and method

• US 7,804,229 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company)
• Inventors: Tucker, Randall L., Carroll, Gary T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty; Thomas M
• Application Number:
  US12/380,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20090218914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 310/26, 310/311, 310/317, 310/319, 310/339
• US Class Current: 310/339
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 17/00 Structural combinations of capacitors or other devices covered by at least two different main groups of this subclass with other electric elements, not covered by this subclass, e.g. RC combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/00 Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N39/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 35/101 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. generators, sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power generation device generates power by subjecting a composite of magnetostrictive material and piezo material to a magnetic field. The composite of magnetostrictive material and piezo material may be incorporated in a battery or other storage device.

Claims

1. A battery comprising a structure having a first terminal and a second terminal and formed by the process of:

(a) positioning on said structure a composite of (i) a first material which stretches, flexes or is otherwise displaced when subjected to a magnetic field and (ii) a material which generates electricity when subjected to strain;

(b) positioning a voltage regulator in said enclosure between said composite and either said first terminal or said second terminal; and

(c) positioning a capacitor or ferro capacitor on the opposite side of said voltage regulator from said composite; and

(d) determining the natural resonant frequency of said composite when subjected to a magnetic field; and

(e) subjecting said composite to a pulsed or continuous magnetic field having a frequency in the range of 90 to 110% of the natural resonant frequency of the composite.

2. A battery according to claim 1 wherein said material which generates electricity is lead zirconate titanate (PZT).

3. A combination of a power generation system and a coil driver system for creating an electromagnetic field, said power generation system comprising a composite of:

(a) a magnetostrictive material which stretches, flexes or is otherwise displaced when subjected to a magnetic field, and

(b) a second material which generates electricity when subjected to strain, said second material being joined to said magnetostrictive material and placed in strain thereby upon stretching, flexing or other displacement of said magnetostrictive material;

said coil driver system including;

an oscillator transmitting a signal at a first frequency to a divider, said divider reducing the frequency of said signal and transmitting said reduced frequency signal to a nand gate , gated with data to toggle the signal output from an on to off position and from an off to on position, and

an inverter for creating two phases of said reduced frequency signal received from said nand gate and transmitting said phases, respectively, to first and second drivers, said first driver transmitting said reduced frequency signal to a first end of a coil-capacitor and said second driver transmitting said reduced frequency signal to a second end of said coil-capacitor.

4. A power generation system according to claim 3 wherein said second material is a compound of lead, zirconate and titanate (PZT).

5. A battery comprising:

(a) a plurality of power generating units mounted on a flexible substrate, each power generating unit including (i) a first material which stretches, flexes or is otherwise displaced when subjected to a magnetic field and (ii) a material which generates electricity when subjected to strain;

(b) a positive terminal and a negative terminal on said substrate, with power generating units positioned between said positive terminal and said negative terminal;

(c) a voltage regulator between power generating units and either said positive terminal or said negative terminal; and

(d) a capacitor or ferro capacitor on the opposite side of said voltage regulator from said power generating units.

6. A battery according to claim 5 further including a coil driver system for creating an electromagnetic field, said coil driver system including:

(e) an oscillator transmitting a signal at a first frequency to a divider, said divider reducing the frequency of said signal and transmitting said reduced frequency signal to a nand gate, and

(f) an inverter for creating two phases of said reduced frequency signal received from said nand gate and transmitting said phases, respectively, to first and second drivers, said first driver transmitting said reduced frequency signal to a first end of said capacitor or ferro capacitor and said second driver transmitting said reduced frequency signal to a second end of said capacitor or ferro capacitor.

7. A battery according to claim 5 further including a coil driver system for creating an electromagnetic field, said coil driver system including:

(e) an oscillator transmitting a signal at a first frequency to a divider, said divider reducing the frequency of said signal and transmitting said reduced frequency signal to a nand gate, gated with data to toggle the signal output from an on to off position and from an off to on position, and

(f) an inverter for creating two phases of said reduced frequency signal received from said nand gate and transmitting said phases, respectively, to first and second drivers, said first driver transmitting said reduced frequency signal to a first end of said capacitor or ferro capacitor and said second driver transmitting said reduced frequency sigal to a second end of said capacitor of ferro capacitor.