Energy harvester using mass and mobile device including the energy harvester

• US 9,837,933 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Young-jun, Heo, Jin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDON, BRYAN P
• Application Number:
  US14/540,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20150061464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 310339, 310329
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/04 Friction generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/186 Vibration harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors

Abstract

Provided are an energy harvester using a mass, and a mobile device including the energy harvester. The energy harvester includes: a mass; first and second substrates spaced apart from each other, wherein one of the first and second substrates is connected to the mass; first and second electrodes provided on the first and second substrates; and an energy generator provided between the first and second electrodes, wherein the energy generator generates electric energy upon a relative movement between the first substrate and the second substrate caused by a movement of the mass.

Claims

1. An energy harvester comprising:

a mass;

a first substrate and a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate, wherein one of the first substrate and the second substrate is connected to the mass;

a first electrode disposed on the first substrate and a second electrode disposed on the second substrate; and

an energy generator connected between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the energy generator generates electric energy upon a relative movement between the first substrate and the second substrate caused by a movement of the mass,

wherein the energy generator comprises a triboelectric generator,

wherein the triboelectric generator comprises;

a first triboelectric layer provided on the first electrode and comprising a first dielectric or a metal; and

a second triboelectric layer provided on the second electrode and comprising a second dielectric that is different from the first dielectric.

2. The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate each are in a shape of a band-type structure, a flat-plate structure, or a core-shell structure.

3. The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the energy generator further comprises a piezoelectric generator.

4. The energy harvester of claim 3, wherein the piezoelectric generator comprises a plurality of piezoelectric nanowires provided between the first electrode and the second electrode.

5. The energy harvester of claim 4, wherein the piezoelectric generator further comprises a dielectric film provided between the second electrode and the plurality of piezoelectric nanowires.

6. The energy harvester of claim 3, wherein the piezoelectric generator comprises a piezoelectric thin-film layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode.

7. The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the triboelectric generator further comprises a plurality of first protrusions formed on a surface of the first triboelectric layer, and a plurality of second protrusions formed on a surface of the second triboelectric layer.

8. The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the first triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of first wires provided on the first electrode, and the second triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of second wires provided on the second electrode.

9. The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the first triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of first lines parallel to each other and provided on the first electrode, and the second triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of second lines parallel to each other and provided on the second electrode.

10. The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the first triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of first lines extending radially on the first electrode, and the second triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of second lines extending radially on the second electrode.

11. The energy harvester of claim 1, wherein a distance between the first triboelectric layer and the second triboelectric layer is about 0 mm to about 10 mm.

12. The energy harvester of claim 1, further comprising at least one spacer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.

13. A mobile device comprising:

a mobile device body;

a support which supports the mobile device body; and

an energy harvester provided in at least one of the mobile device body and the support, wherein the energy harvester generates electric energy upon application of a mechanical force on at least one of the mobile device body,

wherein the energy harvester comprises;

a mass;

a first substrate and a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate, wherein one of the first substrate and the second substrate is connected to the mass;

a first electrode disposed on the first substrate and a second electrode disposed on the second substrate; and

an energy generator connected between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the energy generator generates electric energy upon a relative movement between the first substrate and the second substrate caused by a movement of the mass,

wherein the energy generator comprises a triboelectric generator,

wherein the triboelectric generator comprises;

a first triboelectric layer provided on the first electrode and comprising a first dielectric or a metal; and

a second triboelectric layer provided on the second electrode and comprising a second dielectric that is different from the first dielectric.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the support comprises one of a band-type structure and a flat-plate structure.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the energy generator further comprises a piezoelectric generator.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric generator comprises a plurality of piezoelectric nanowires provided between the first electrode and the second electrode.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the piezoelectric generator further comprises a dielectric film provided between the second electrode and the plurality of piezoelectric nanowires.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric generator comprises a piezoelectric thin-film layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode.

19. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the triboelectric generator further comprises a plurality of first protrusions formed on a surface of the first triboelectric layer, and a plurality of second protrusions formed on a surface of the second triboelectric layer.

20. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the first triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of first wires provided on the first electrode, and the second triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of second wires provided on the second electrode.

21. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the first triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of first lines parallel to each other and provided on the first electrode, and the second triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of second lines parallel to each other and provided on the second electrode.

22. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the first triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of first lines extending radially on the first electrode, and the second triboelectric layer comprises a plurality of second lines extending radially on the second electrode.

25. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the support comprises a plurality of energy harvesters that are connected in parallel to each other.

26. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the support comprises a plurality of energy harvesters that are connected in series with each other.

23. A mobile device comprising:

a mobile device body;

a support which supports the mobile device body; and

an energy harvester provided in at least one of the mobile device body and the support, wherein the energy harvester generates electric energy upon application of a mechanical force on at least one of the mobile device body,

wherein the energy harvester comprises;

a substrate having a tube shape and a cavity formed therein;

a triboelectric layer provided on an inner surface of the substrate;

at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode disposed on the substrate; and

at least one mass which is movable along a longitudinal direction of the cavity inside the triboelectric layer in the cavity,

wherein when the at least one mass and the triboelectric layer rub against each other or a distance difference occurs between the at least one mass and the triboelectric layer, electric energy is generated between the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode due to a charge density difference occurred between the at least one mass and the triboelectric layer.

24. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the substrate is provided such that the cavity constitutes a closed circuit.

27. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein one of the triboelectric layer and the at least one mass comprises a first dielectric or a metal, and the other of the triboelectric layer and the at least one mass comprises a second dielectric that is different from the first dielectric.