Energy harvesting device

• US 9,407,184 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Liu, Monsen, Yeh, En-Hsiang, Wang, Chuei-Tang
• Primary Examiner(s): Quinone, Jose Gonzalez
• Application Number:
  US14/078,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 310/12.03, 310/20, 310/25, 310/36, 310/51, 310/81, 310/303, 310/339
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2201/18 Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/00 Motors with reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating magnet, armature or coil system arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with motors H02K7/00, e.g. H02K7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/00 Arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output

Abstract

An energy harvesting device comprises a semiconductor device, a first magnet core, and at least one second magnet core. The semiconductor device, disposed in a housing, includes a plurality of first sensors and a plurality of second sensors. The first magnet core, disposed over the semiconductor device, is configured to establish a magnetic field between the first sensors and move with respect to the semiconductor device. The at least one second magnet core, disposed between an inner wall of the housing and the semiconductor device, is configured to establish a magnetic field between the second sensors and move with respect to the semiconductor device.

Claims

1. An energy harvesting device, comprising:

a semiconductor device, disposed in a housing, comprising;

first sensors; and

second sensors;

a first magnet core, disposed over the semiconductor device, configured to establish a magnetic field for interaction with the first sensors in a direction and move with respect to the semiconductor device in the direction; and

a second magnet core configured to establish another magnetic field for interaction with the second sensors in another direction and move with respect to the semiconductor device in the other direction.

2. The energy harvesting device of claim 1 further comprising a first elastic component coupled between an inner wall of the housing and the first magnet core.

3. The energy harvesting device of claim 2, wherein the first elastic component includes one of a spring rod and an elastic cantilever.

4. The energy harvesting device of claim 1 further comprising a second elastic component coupled between an inner wall of the housing and the second magnet core.

5. The energy harvesting device of claim 4, wherein the second elastic component includes one of a spring rod and an elastic cantilever.

6. The energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device includes an integrated circuit (IC) configured to manage collected energy.

7. The energy harvesting device of claim 1 further comprising an IC external to the semiconductor device, wherein the IC is configured to manage collected energy.

8. The energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the first sensors include planar inductors and the second sensors include vertical inductors.

9. An energy harvesting device, comprising:

a semiconductor device, disposed in a housing, comprising;

first sensors; and

second sensors alternately arranged with the first sensors;

a first magnet core, disposed over the semiconductor device, configured to establish a magnetic field for interaction with at least one of the first sensors or the second sensors in a direction and move with respect to the semiconductor device in the direction; and

a second magnet core, configured to establish another magnetic field for interaction with the second sensors in another direction and move with respect to the semiconductor device in the other direction.

10. The energy harvesting device of claim 9 further comprising a first elastic component coupled between an inner wall of the housing and the first magnet core.

11. The energy harvesting device of claim 10, wherein the first elastic component includes one of a spring rod and an elastic cantilever.

12. The energy harvesting device of claim 9 further comprising a second elastic component coupled between an inner wall of the housing and the second magnet core.

13. The energy harvesting device of claim 12, wherein the second elastic component includes one of a spring rod and an elastic cantilever.

14. The energy harvesting device of claim 9, wherein the semiconductor device includes an integrated circuit (IC) configured to manage collected energy.

15. The energy harvesting device of claim 9 further comprising an IC external to the semiconductor device, wherein the IC is configured to manage collected energy.

16. An energy harvesting device, comprising:

a semiconductor device, disposed in a housing, comprising;

a sensor array, including first sensors; and

second sensors, surrounding the sensor array;

a first magnet core, disposed over the semiconductor device, configured to establish a magnetic field for interaction with the first sensors of the array in a direction and move with respect to the semiconductor device in the direction; and

a second magnet core configured to establish another magnetic field for interaction with the second sensors in another direction and move with respect to the semiconductor device in the other direction.

17. The energy harvesting device of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor device further includes an IC, configured to manage collected energy.

18. The energy harvesting device of claim 16 further comprising an IC external to the semiconductor device, wherein the IC is configured to manage collected energy.

19. The energy harvesting device of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor device includes another sensor array stacked over the sensor array.

20. The energy harvesting device of claim 16 further comprising a battery for storing collected energy.