Converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy
First Claim
1. An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device being a velocity damped resonator having a damping coefficient and a resonant frequency, a power detector for detecting the output electrical power from the electromechanical device, a controller, a damping coefficient adjuster for adjusting the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device, the controller being arranged to control the damping coefficient adjuster in response to the output electrical power detected by the power detector, and a resonant frequency adjuster for adjusting the resonant frequency of the electromechanical device, the controller being arranged to control the resonant frequency adjuster in response to the output electrical power detected by the power detector,wherein the resonant frequency adjuster is adapted to adjust the resonant frequency of the electromechanical device until a maximum power output has been detected by the power detector, the resonant frequency being adjusted to a particular resonant frequency, andwherein the damping coefficient adjuster is adapted to then adjust, at the particular resonant frequency, the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device until a maximum output electrical power is detected at the particular resonant frequency.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device being a velocity damped resonator having a damping coefficient and a resonant frequency, a power detector for detecting the output electrical power from the electromechanical device, a controller, and a damping coefficient adjuster for adjusting the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device, the controller being arranged to control the damping coefficient adjuster in response to the output electrical power detected by the power detector.
18 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device being a velocity damped resonator having a damping coefficient and a resonant frequency, a power detector for detecting the output electrical power from the electromechanical device, a controller, a damping coefficient adjuster for adjusting the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device, the controller being arranged to control the damping coefficient adjuster in response to the output electrical power detected by the power detector, and a resonant frequency adjuster for adjusting the resonant frequency of the electromechanical device, the controller being arranged to control the resonant frequency adjuster in response to the output electrical power detected by the power detector,
wherein the resonant frequency adjuster is adapted to adjust the resonant frequency of the electromechanical device until a maximum power output has been detected by the power detector, the resonant frequency being adjusted to a particular resonant frequency, and wherein the damping coefficient adjuster is adapted to then adjust, at the particular resonant frequency, the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device until a maximum output electrical power is detected at the particular resonant frequency.
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3. An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device being a velocity damped resonator having a damping coefficient and a resonant frequency, a power detector for detecting the output electrical power from the electromechanical device, a controller, and a damping coefficient adjuster for adjusting the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device, the controller being arranged to control the damping coefficient adjuster in response to the output electrical power detected by the power detector,
wherein the damping coefficient adjuster is preset to default to a preset first damping coefficient, and wherein the damping coefficient adjuster is one of: -
preset to default to the preset first damping coefficient upon detection of output electrical power above a preset threshold value by the power detector; adapted to reduce the damping coefficient from the preset first damping coefficient under control of the controller after the power detector has detected a maximum power output at a resonant frequency; and preset to default to a preset second damping coefficient, higher than the first damping coefficient, in the absence of the detection of output electrical power above a preset threshold value by the power detector.
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7. An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device being a velocity damped resonator having a damping coefficient and a resonant frequency, a power detector for detecting the output electrical power from the electromechanical device, a controller, and a damping coefficient adjuster for adjusting the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device, the controller being arranged to control the damping coefficient adjuster in response to the output electrical power detected by the power detector,
wherein the electromechanical generator further comprises a resonant frequency adjuster for adjusting the resonant frequency of the electromechanical device, the controller being arranged to control the resonant frequency adjuster in response to the output electrical power detected by the power detector, wherein the resonant frequency adjuster is preset to default to a preset first frequency, and wherein the resonant frequency adjuster is one of: -
preset to default to the preset first frequency upon detection of output electrical power above a preset threshold value by the power detector; adapted to change the frequency from the preset first frequency under control of the controller at a particular damping coefficient, the frequency being changed until a maximum power output has been detected by the power detector; and preset to default to a preset second frequency, different from the first frequency, in the absence of the detection of output electrical power above a preset threshold value by the power detector.
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18. A method of converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy using an electromechanical generator, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electromechanical device comprising a velocity damped resonator having a damping coefficient and a resonant frequency; vibrating the electromechanical device; detecting the output electrical power from the electromechanical device; adjusting the resonant frequency of the electromechanical device in response to the detected output electrical power; and adjusting the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device in response to the detected output electrical power, wherein the adjusting the resonant frequency comprises adjusting the resonant frequency until a maximum power output has been detected, the resonant frequency being adjusted to a particular resonant frequency, and wherein the adjusting the damping coefficient comprises then adjusting the damping coefficient, at the particular resonant frequency, until a maximum output electrical power is detected at the particular resonant frequency. - View Dependent Claims (19, 21, 22)
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20. A method of converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy using an electromechanical generator, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electromechanical device comprising a velocity damped resonator having a damping coefficient and a resonant frequency; vibrating the electromechanical device; detecting the output electrical power from the electromechanical device; and adjusting the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device in response to the detected output electrical power; wherein the method further comprises the step of presetting the damping coefficient to a preset first damping coefficient; and wherein the method further comprises the step of one of; presetting the damping coefficient to the preset first damping coefficient upon detection of output electrical power above a preset threshold value, reducing the damping coefficient from the preset first damping coefficient after detection of a maximum power output at a resonant frequency; and presetting the damping coefficient to preset second damping coefficient, higher than the first damping coefficient, in the absence of the detection of output electrical power above a preset threshold value.
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23. A method of converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy using an electromechanical generator, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electromechanical device comprising a velocity damped resonator having a damping coefficient and a resonant frequency; presetting the damping coefficient to a preset first damping coefficient; presetting the resonant frequency to a preset first frequency; vibrating the electromechanical device; detecting the output electrical power from the electromechanical device; changing the resonant frequency of the electromechanical device from the preset first frequency until a maximum output electrical power is detected at the preset first damping coefficient, the resonant frequency being changed to a final resonant frequency; and reducing, at the final resonant frequency, the damping coefficient of the electromechanical device from the preset first damping coefficient until a maximum output electrical power is detected at the final resonant frequency.
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Specification