Circuit module

• US 8,113,059 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Buck, Thomas, Reichenbach, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Kirkland, III, Freddie
• Application Number:
  US12/227,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20090205435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/465, 737/53, 310/322, 310/334, 310/339
• US Class Current: 73/753
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0411 Piezoelectric generators
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0022 of a piezoelectric element
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01

Abstract

A circuit module, in particular a tire sensor module, which at least includes: a substrate, on or in which at least one component is mounted, a piezoelement, which has at least one clamping region and at least one oscillatory region, the piezoelement being clamped in its clamping region on the substrate or on an arrangement secured to the substrate, and its oscillatory region being accommodated in a manner that permits oscillation, contacts provided on the piezoelement for tapping off a piezoelectric voltage, and a current-supply circuit, which receives the piezoelectric voltage generated by the piezoelement, being used as a voltage source for supplying power to the circuit module. The piezoelement is preferably clamped between at least two substrate elements, at least one cavity being formed within which the at least one oscillatory region of the piezoelement is accommodated in a manner that permits deflection, and is limited in its oscillation displacement.

Claims

1. A circuit module, comprising:

a substrate on or in which at least one component is mounted;

a piezoelement which has at least one clamping region and at least one oscillatory region, the piezoelement being clamped in clamping region on one of the substrate, or on an arrangement secured to the substrate, and the at least one oscillatory region being accommodated in a manner that permits oscillation, the piezoelement including contacts to tap off a piezoelectric voltage; and

a current-supply circuit which receives the piezoelectric voltage generated by the piezoelement and is used as a voltage source to supply power to the circuit module;

wherein a middle region of the piezoelement is clamped as the clamping region, and lateral outer end regions of the piezoelement are accommodated in a manner which allows the lateral outer end regions to oscillate freely as oscillatory regions;

wherein electrically conductive layers are applied to the clamping region of the piezoelement as the contacts to tap off the generated piezoelectric voltage, and wherein the contacts form a mechanical connection of the piezoelement with the substrate at the clamping region.

2. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, wherein, as the substrate, at least two substrate elements are provided between which the piezoelement is clamped, between the substrate elements, at least one cavity being formed within which the at least one oscillatory region of the piezoelement is accommodated in a manner that permits deflection, and is limited in its oscillation displacement.

3. The circuit module as recited in claim 2, wherein at least one stop arrangement for limiting the oscillation displacement is configured at least one of on the piezoelement and on at least one of the substrate elements.

4. The circuit module as recited in claim 2, wherein at least one of the components is accommodated in the at least one cavity between the substrate elements.

5. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layers include one of conductive adhesive layers or solder.

6. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, wherein the piezoelement is the only energy source of the circuit module which is free of self-consuming energy sources.

7. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, wherein the current-supply circuit has a rectifier and an energy storage device for buffering energy produced by the piezoelement.

8. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, wherein the current-supply circuit is made up of one or a plurality of components mounted on the substrate.

9. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the components is mounted on a top side of the substrate and is connected to the piezoelement by way of vias.

10. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one component includes at least one sensor component to measure at least one of pressure, temperature, and acceleration.

11. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuit module is accommodated in a housing.

12. The circuit module as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna to transmit antenna signals.

13. A vehicle tire, comprising:

a tire formed of a rubber material; and

a circuit module, one of;

i) vulcanized or bonded into the rubber material, or ii) held or clamped in a pocket of the tire, the circuit module including;

a substrate on or in which at least one component is mounted,

a piezoelement which has at least one clamping region and at least one oscillatory region, the piezoelement being clamped in its clamping region on one of the substrate, or on an arrangement secured to the substrate, and the at least one oscillatory region being accommodated in a manner that permits oscillation, the piezoelement including contacts to tap off a piezoelectric voltage, and

a current-supply circuit which receives the piezoelectric voltage generated by the piezoelement and is used as a voltage source to supply power to the circuit module;

wherein a middle region of the piezoelement is clamped as the clamping region, and lateral outer end regions of the piezoelement are accommodated in a manner which allows the lateral outer end regions to oscillate freely as oscillatory regions;

wherein electrically conductive layers are applied to the clamping region of the piezoelement as the contacts to tap off the generated piezoelectric voltage, and wherein the contacts form a mechanical connection of the piezoelement with the substrate at the clamping region.