Apparatus and method for energy harvesting
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for energy conversion, the apparatus comprising:
- a piezoelectric component comprising a first part configured to convert vibrational energy into electrical energy and to generate an AC voltage;
an AC-DC converter configured to convert the generated AC voltage to a DC voltage;
an output for sending a first portion of a generated current from the AC-DC converter to an electronic device; and
a feedback loop for feeding a second portion of the generated current to a second part of the piezoelectric component, the feedback loop comprising an oscillator configured to receive the second portion of the generated current, to generate an alternating voltage at an identical frequency to an effective resonant frequency of the piezoelectric component and to apply the generated alternating voltage to the second part of the piezoelectric component,wherein the second part of the piezoelectric component is coupled to the first part of the piezoelectric component and is configured to convert the second portion of the electrical energy into vibrational energy thereby causing the first part of the piezoelectric component to vibrate.
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Abstract
An apparatus for energy conversion, comprising a piezoelectric component comprising a first part configured to convert vibrational energy into electrical energy; and an output for sending a first portion of the generated electrical energy to an electronic device, and a feedback loop for feeding a second portion of the generated electrical energy to a second part of the piezoelectric component, wherein the second part of the piezoelectric component is coupled to the first part of the piezoelectric component and is configured to convert electrical energy into vibrational energy thereby causing the first part of the piezoelectric component to vibrate.
7 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An apparatus for energy conversion, the apparatus comprising:
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a piezoelectric component comprising a first part configured to convert vibrational energy into electrical energy and to generate an AC voltage; an AC-DC converter configured to convert the generated AC voltage to a DC voltage; an output for sending a first portion of a generated current from the AC-DC converter to an electronic device; and a feedback loop for feeding a second portion of the generated current to a second part of the piezoelectric component, the feedback loop comprising an oscillator configured to receive the second portion of the generated current, to generate an alternating voltage at an identical frequency to an effective resonant frequency of the piezoelectric component and to apply the generated alternating voltage to the second part of the piezoelectric component, wherein the second part of the piezoelectric component is coupled to the first part of the piezoelectric component and is configured to convert the second portion of the electrical energy into vibrational energy thereby causing the first part of the piezoelectric component to vibrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for energy conversion, the apparatus comprising:
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a piezoelectric component comprising a first part configured to convert vibrational energy into electrical energy; an output for sending a first portion of the electrical energy to an electronic device; and a feedback loop for feeding a second portion of the electrical energy to a second part of the piezoelectric component, wherein the second part of the piezoelectric component is coupled to the first part of the piezoelectric component and is configured to convert the second portion of the electrical energy into vibrational energy thereby causing the first part of the piezoelectric component to vibrate, and wherein surfaces of the first part of the piezoelectric component are interfaced by electrodes for collecting charges from the first part of the piezoelectric component and surfaces of the second part of the piezoelectric component are interfaced by electrodes for imparting charges into the piezoelectric component.
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6. An apparatus for energy conversion, the apparatus comprising:
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a piezoelectric component comprising a first part configured to convert vibrational energy into electrical energy; an output for sending a first portion of the electrical energy to an electronic device; and a feedback loop for feeding a second portion of the electrical energy to a second part of the piezoelectric component, wherein the second part of the piezoelectric component is coupled to the first part of the piezoelectric component and is configured to convert the second portion of the electrical energy into vibrational energy thereby causing the first part of the piezoelectric component to vibrate and wherein the first part of the piezoelectric component is separated from the second part of the piezoelectric component by an insulating layer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for energy conversion, the method comprising:
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converting vibrational energy using a first part of a piezoelectric component into electrical energy; converting an alternating voltage generated by the first part of the piezoelectric component by an AC-DC converter into a DC voltage; outputting a first portion of a generated current from the AC-DC converter to an electronic device; feeding a second portion of the generated current towards a second part of the piezoelectric component via a feedback loop, using an oscillator in the feedback loop to generate an alternating voltage at an identical frequency to an effective resonant frequency of the piezoelectric component; and converting, by the second part of the piezoelectric component, the second portion of the electrical energy into vibrational energy thereby causing the first part of the piezoelectric component coupled to the second part of the piezoelectric component to vibrate. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method for energy conversion, the method comprising:
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converting vibrational energy using a first part of a piezoelectric component into electrical energy; outputting a first portion of the electrical energy to an electronic device; feeding a second portion of the electrical energy towards a second part of the piezoelectric component via a feedback loop, converting, by the second part of the piezoelectric component, the second portion of the electrical energy into vibrational energy thereby causing the first part of the piezoelectric component coupled to the second part of the piezoelectric component to vibrate; and
collecting charges from the first part of the piezoelectric component on electrodes interfaced onto surfaces of the piezoelectric component, and using electrodes to interface surfaces of the second part of the piezoelectric component.
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13. A method for energy conversion, the method comprising:
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converting vibrational energy using a first part of a piezoelectric component into electrical energy; outputting a first portion of the electrical energy to an electronic device; feeding a second portion of the electrical energy towards a second part of the piezoelectric component via a feedback loop, converting, by the second part of the piezoelectric component, the second portion of the electrical energy into vibrational energy thereby causing the first part of the piezoelectric component coupled to the second part of the piezoelectric component to vibrate; and using an insulating layer to separate the first part of the piezoelectric component from the second part of the piezoelectric component. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification