Electrical energy generator

• US 7,989,971 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tremont Electric Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tremont Electric Incorporated
• Inventors: Lemieux, Aaron Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuevas; Pedro J.
• Application Number:
  US12/353,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.R, 310/15
• US Class Current: 290/1.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems

Abstract

An electrical energy generator that converts kinetic energy harvested from voluntary motor activity of a human or animal to electrical energy. The electrical energy generator includes a housing, a coil of electrically conductive material, a reciprocally movable electromagnetically active mass, springs connecting the mass to either the housing or to adjustment means engaged with said housing, and, optionally, means for constraining non-linear motion of the electromagnetically active mass, and/or means of mitigating motion retardation of the electromagnetically active mass within any existing housing atmosphere. The electrical energy generator may be associated with a carried item, such as a backpack.

Claims

1. An electrical energy generator comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis, an interior cavity, an interior cavity surface, and an exterior surface;

electrically conductive material engaged about at least a portion of said exterior surface of said housing and extending along at least a portion of said longitudinal axis, said electrically conductive material comprising an induction coil;

an electromagnetically active mass positioned within said housing reciprocally movable along at least a portion of said longitudinal axis;

a first spring having first and second ends, wherein one of said ends is engaged to said electromagnetically active mass; and

a second spring having first and second ends, wherein one of said ends is engaged to said electromagnetically active mass; and

at least one spring deflection adjustor engaged with said housing and at least one of said springs;

wherein said electromagnetically active mass does not comprise a permanent magnet, and said generator comprises a shroud at least partially covering said induction coil, wherein said shroud comprises a permanent magnet.

2. The electrical energy generator of claim 1, wherein said spring deflection adjustor comprises:

a threaded receiver engaged with said housing; and

a threaded member rotatably engaged with said threaded receiver to permit helical motion of said threaded member with respect to said housing.

3. The electrical energy generator of claim 2, wherein said threaded members comprise male threaded shafts.

4. The electrical energy generator of claim 2, wherein said threaded receivers comprise female threads integrally formed in said housing.

5. The electrical energy generator of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a cylinder or tube.

6. The electrical energy generator of claim 1, wherein said springs comprise coil springs.

7. The electrical energy generator of claim 6, wherein said coil springs comprise extension springs.

8. The electrical energy generator of claim 6, wherein said coil springs comprise compression springs.

9. The electrical energy generator of claim 7, wherein the entirety of said electromagnetically active mass is adapted to pass through the entirety of said induction coil twice during a single reciprocation period.

10. The electrical energy generator of claim 9, wherein said generator further comprises a shroud at least partially covering said induction coil, said shroud having a high magnetic permeability.

11. The electrical energy generator of claim 10, wherein said shroud comprises a ferromagnetic material.

12. The electrical energy generator of claim 1, further comprising means to mitigate motion retardation, wherein said means to mitigate motion retardation of said electromagnetically active mass within the housing comprises:

(i) a sub-atmospheric pressure within said housing;

(ii) at least one aperture communicating between the interior of said housing and the external environment,

(iii) fluid connections between regions of said housing;

or

(iv) a combination of two or more of (i), (ii), and (iii).

13. The electrical energy generator of claim 12, wherein said means to mitigate motion retardation of said electromagnetically active mass within the housing comprises:

a sub-atmospheric pressure within said housing.

14. The electrical energy generator of claim 12, wherein said means to mitigate motion retardation of said electromagnetically active mass within the housing comprises:

at least one aperture communicating between the interior of said housing and the external environment.

15. The electrical energy generator of claim 1, wherein said generator is in electrical connection with an electronic device.

16. An electrical energy generator comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis, an interior cavity, an interior cavity surface, and an exterior surface;

electrically conductive material engaged about at least a portion of said exterior surface of said housing and extending along at least a portion of said longitudinal axis;

an electromagnetically active mass positioned within said housing reciprocally movable along at least a portion of said longitudinal axis;

a first spring having first and second ends, wherein one of said ends is engaged to said electromagnetically active mass;

a second spring having first and second ends, wherein one of said ends is engaged to said electromagnetically active mass;

at least one spring deflection adjustor engaged with said housing and at least one of said springs; and

means to mitigate motion retardation of said electromagnetically active mass within the housing comprising fluid connections between regions of said housing.

17. The electrical energy generator of claim 16, wherein said spring deflection adjustor comprises:

a threaded receiver engaged with said housing; and

a threaded member rotatably engaged with said threaded receiver to permit helical motion of said threaded member with respect to said housing.

18. The electrical energy generator of claim 17, wherein said threaded members comprise male threaded shafts.

19. The electrical energy generator of claim 17, wherein said threaded receivers comprise female threads integrally formed in said housing.

20. The electrical energy generator of claim 16, wherein said electrically conductive material comprises an induction coil.

21. The electrical energy generator of claim 20, wherein said springs comprise coil springs.

22. The electrical energy generator of claim 21, wherein the entirety of said electromagnetically active mass is adapted to pass through the entirety of said induction coil twice during a single reciprocation period.

23. The electrical energy generator of claim 22, wherein said mass comprises a permanent magnet.

24. The electrical energy generator of claim 23, wherein said generator further comprises a shroud at least partially covering said induction coil, said shroud having a high magnetic permeability.

25. The electrical energy generator of claim 24, wherein said shroud comprises a ferromagnetic material.

26. The electrical energy generator of claim 16, wherein said generator is in electrical connection with an electronic device.