Autonomous intracorporeal capsule with piezoelectric energy harvesting
First Claim
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1. An intracorporeal autonomous capsule, comprising:
- a body enclosing electronic circuitry including a power supply;
a transducer to convert an external force applied to the capsule into electric potential, the transducer comprising at least two piezoelectric strips arranged in series and having concave portions opposite in polarity, wherein the at least two piezoelectric strips arranged in series comprise a first side and a second side, wherein the first side of the piezoelectric strips are coupled to a movable actuating member having a rigid surface which directly receives said external force and which is coupled to the first side of the piezoelectric strips, and wherein the second side of the piezoelectric strips are fixed to the body of the capsule; and
an energy storage and management module powered by the transducer under the effect of deformation of the piezoelectric strips due to the external force.
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Abstract
An intracorporeal capsule for placement in a heart and for energy harvesting using blood pressure variations is shown and described. The capsule includes a capsule body and a piezoelectric strip coupled to a rigid surface for receiving blood pressure force. The piezoelectric strip is normally perpendicular to the direction of the force on the rigid surface. The piezoelectric strip is disconnected from the capsule body along at least two edges of the piezoelectric strip such that the blood pressure force can move the rigid surface, and thereby deform the piezoelectric strip for energy harvesting.
94 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An intracorporeal autonomous capsule, comprising:
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a body enclosing electronic circuitry including a power supply; a transducer to convert an external force applied to the capsule into electric potential, the transducer comprising at least two piezoelectric strips arranged in series and having concave portions opposite in polarity, wherein the at least two piezoelectric strips arranged in series comprise a first side and a second side, wherein the first side of the piezoelectric strips are coupled to a movable actuating member having a rigid surface which directly receives said external force and which is coupled to the first side of the piezoelectric strips, and wherein the second side of the piezoelectric strips are fixed to the body of the capsule; and an energy storage and management module powered by the transducer under the effect of deformation of the piezoelectric strips due to the external force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification