Multipolar electromagnetic generator

• US 9,048,717 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EcoHarvester, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EcoHarvester, Inc.
• Inventors: Takahashi, Eri, Roundy, Shadrach Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LEDA T
• Application Number:
  US12/855,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20110063059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 310/12.12, 310 1201- 1233, 310/13, 310/14, 335/78, 335/181
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/34 Reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating parts of the magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/00 Generators with reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating coil system, magnet, armature or other part of the magnetic circuit arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with generators H02K7/00, e.g. H02K7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/04 with moving coil systems and stationary magnets

Abstract

A power generator includes a first array of magnets or a first sheet magnet, a first conductor, and a power management circuit. The first array comprises a one dimensional or two dimensional array of magnets. The first sheet magnet includes a one dimensional or two dimensional array of alternating magnetic poles. The first conductor comprises a first serpentine conductor that is on a plurality of layers of a first multilayer printed circuit board or a first serpentine conductor that is on one or more planes. The power management circuit provides DC power as a result of relative motion between the first array of magnets or the first sheet magnet and the first conductor.

Claims

1. A power generator comprising:

a first array of magnets positioned on a planar surface, wherein the first array comprises a one dimensional or two dimensional array of magnets, wherein the first array of magnets comprises a sheet magnet with stripes of alternating magnetic poles;

a serpentine conductor, wherein the serpentine conductor is on a plurality of layers of a multilayer printed circuit board, wherein the serpentine conductor comprises a first plurality of serpentines wired in series on a single layer of the multilayer printed circuit board, wherein a serpentine of the first plurality of serpentines wired in series comprises a first conductor running parallel to a magnetic stripe coupled to a second conductor running across the same magnetic stripe, and the second conductor coupled to a third conductor running parallel to the same magnetic stripe, and the third conductor coupled to a fourth conductor running across an adjacent magnetic stripe, wherein the second conductor and fourth conductor running across the magnetic stripe is shorter than the first conductor and the third conductor running parallel to the magnetic stripe, wherein the adjacent magnetic stripe is of a different magnetic orientation;

and

a power management circuit, wherein the power management circuit provides DC power as a result of relative motion between the first array of magnets and the serpentine conductor, wherein the DC power comprises an average power of less than 200 mW over a period of 20 mSec, and wherein the relative motion has a resonant frequency of less than 200 Hz.

2. A power generator as in claim 1, wherein the serpentine conductor further comprises a second plurality of serpentines wired in series on a second layer of the multilayer printed circuit board.

3. A power generator as in claim 2, wherein the second plurality of serpentines on the second layer of the multilayer printed circuit board is connected to the first plurality of serpentines through one or more vias.

4. A power generator as in claim 1, wherein the relative motion comprises motion parallel to the planar surface.

5. A power generator as in claim 1, wherein the relative motion comprises motion perpendicular to a polarity direction of the first array.

13. A power generator as in claim 1, wherein the first plurality of serpentines includes 5 or more serpentines wired in series on the single layer of the multilayer printed circuit board.

14. A power generator as in claim 1, wherein the first array of magnets includes a first magnet with no physical separation from a second magnet, the first magnet having an opposite north-south orientation from the second magnet.

15. A power generator as in claim 1, further comprising a suspension sheet coupled to the first array of magnets, wherein the suspension sheet comprises flexures that is capable of oscillation of the first array of magnets over the serpentine conductor on the multilayer printed circuit board.

16. A power generator as in claim 15, wherein the suspension sheet is made using stamping and cutting.

17. A power generator as in claim 1, further comprising a suspension sheet coupled to the multilayer circuit board, wherein the suspension sheet comprises a flexure that is capable of oscillation the multilayer circuit board over the first array of magnets.

18. A power generator as in claim 1, wherein a weight is added to multilayer circuit board.

19. A power generator as in claim 1, wherein the serpentine conductor comprises the first plurality of serpentines to loop back on a same layer to form a conductor parallel to the first plurality of serpentines on a single layer of the multilayer printed circuit board.

6. A method of generating power comprising:

providing DC power, through a power management circuit, as a result of relative motion between a first array of magnets and a serpentine conductor, wherein the DC power comprises an average power of less than 200 mW over a period of 20 mSec, and wherein the relative motion has a resonant frequency of less than 200 Hz, wherein;

the first array of magnets positioned on a planar surface comprises a one dimensional or two dimensional array of magnets, wherein the first array of magnets comprises a sheet magnet with stripes of alternating magnetic poles;

the serpentine conductor is on a plurality of layers of a multilayer printed circuit board, wherein the serpentine conductor comprises a first plurality of serpentines wired in series on a single layer of the multilayer printed circuit board, wherein a serpentine of the first plurality of serpentines wired in series comprises a first conductor running parallel to a magnetic stripe coupled to a second conductor running across the same magnetic stripe, and the second conductor coupled to a third conductor running parallel to the same magnetic stripe, and the third conductor coupled to a fourth conductor running across an adjacent magnetic stripe, wherein the second conductor and fourth conductor running across the magnetic stripe is shorter than the first conductor and the third conductor running parallel to the magnetic stripe, wherein the adjacent magnetic stripe is of a different magnetic orientation.

7. A power generator comprising:

a first sheet magnet, wherein the first sheet magnet includes a thin sheet with a one dimensional or two dimensional array of alternating magnetic poles, wherein the one or two dimensional array of alternating magnetic poles comprises stripes of alternating magnetic poles;

a first conductor, wherein the first conductor comprises a first serpentine conductor that is on one or more planes, the first serpentine conductor including 2 or more serpentines wired in series on a single layer of the multilayer printed circuit board, wherein a serpentine of the 2 or more serpentines comprises a s-shape going back and forth across a layer of the multilayer printed circuit board, wherein the 2 or more serpentines are arranged to line up with the stripes of alternating magnetic poles of the sheet magnet;

and

a power management circuit, wherein the power management circuit provides DC power as a result of relative motion between the first sheet magnet and the first conductor, wherein the DC power comprises an average power of less than 200 mW over a period of 20 mSec, and wherein the relative motion has a resonant frequency of less than 200 Hz.

8. A power generator as in claim 7, wherein the first conductor is electrically connected to a second serpentine conductor on a second plane of the multilayer printed circuit board, wherein the second serpentine conductor includes a second two or more serpentines wired in series.

9. A power generator as in claim 7, wherein the first conductor comprises two or more serpentine conductors wired in series on a single layer of a multilayer printed circuit board, wherein the two or more serpentine conductors are similar in pattern to each other and nested within each other on the same plane of the multilayer printed circuit board.

10. A power generator as in claim 7, wherein the relative motion comprises motion parallel to the planar surface.

11. A power generator as in claim 7, wherein the relative motion comprises motion perpendicular to a polarity direction of the first array.

12. A method of generating power comprising:

providing DC power, through a power management circuit, as a result of relative motion between a first sheet magnet and a first conductor, wherein the DC power comprises an average power of less than 200 mW over a period of 20 mSec, and wherein the relative motion has a resonant frequency of less than 200 Hz, wherein;

the first sheet magnet comprises a thin sheet with a one dimensional or two dimensional array of alternating magnetic poles, wherein the one or two dimensional array of alternating magnetic poles comprises stripes of alternating magnetic poles,

the first conductor comprises a first serpentine conductor that is on one or more planes, the first serpentine conductor including a plurality of serpentines wired in series on a single layer of the multilayer printed circuit board, wherein a serpentine of the 2 or more serpentines comprises a s-shape going back and forth across a layer of the multilayer printed circuit board, wherein the 2 or more serpentines are arranged to line up with the stripes of alternating magnetic poles of the sheet magnet.