Fluidic electrostatic energy harvester
First Claim
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1. A tire sensor system, comprising:
- a variable capacitor comprising two electrically conductive electrodes, wherein at least one electrode is adapted to change size as the capacitor undergoes physical motion, thereby resulting in a change of capacitance;
an energy storage circuit configured to utilize the change in capacitance to store electrical energy;
a tire sensor module configured to use the stored electrical energy; and
a mount apparatus configured to mount the variable capacitor and sensor module onto a tire such that the variable capacitor will undergo physical motion as the tire moves.
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a variable capacitor that operates without moving mechanical parts. In this capacitor electrically conductive electrodes are separated by an enclosed chamber filled with an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material can freely vary its position within the chamber. The capacitance of the device will vary as position of the conductive material changes due to external mechanical motion (ex: rotation, vibration, etc.) of the device. Other embodiments of this device are also disclosed.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A tire sensor system, comprising:
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a variable capacitor comprising two electrically conductive electrodes, wherein at least one electrode is adapted to change size as the capacitor undergoes physical motion, thereby resulting in a change of capacitance; an energy storage circuit configured to utilize the change in capacitance to store electrical energy; a tire sensor module configured to use the stored electrical energy; and a mount apparatus configured to mount the variable capacitor and sensor module onto a tire such that the variable capacitor will undergo physical motion as the tire moves. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy, comprising:
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placing charges on two electrodes of a variable capacitor, wherein the charges are placed on the electrodes of the variable capacitor by including an electret material between the electrodes; generating an electrical energy through changing the location of the charges on the electrodes by changing the size of at least one electrode; and storing the generated electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy, comprising:
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placing charges on two electrodes of a variable capacitor; generating an electrical energy through changing the location of the charges on the electrodes by changing the size of at least one electrode as the capacitor undergoes physical motion, thereby resulting in a change of capacitance; storing the generated electrical energy and the variable capacitor in a tire sensor module configured to use the electrical energy; and configuring the tire sensor module to facilitate a mounting of the tire sensor module onto a tire such that the variable capacitor will undergo physical motion as the tire moves.
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Specification