Tracker and micro power generator thereof

• US 10,581,299 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2017
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Shih-Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgdorf, Stephen R
• Application Number:
  US15/495,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20180048214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 1/00 Spring motors spring-driven toys A63H; springs in general F16F; precision time mechanisms, e.g. for clocks or watches, G04B
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/10 Structural association with clutches, brakes, gears, pulleys or mechanical starters
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1853 driven by intermittent forces
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1861 driven by animals or vehicles H02K7/1853 takes precedence

Abstract

A micro power generator is provided, including a cam structure, an electromagnetic unit, a first clutch, and a first energy converting unit. The electromagnetic unit is partially disposed in the cam structure, which includes a central shaft and a first shaft gear. The first shaft gear is rotated with the central shaft. The first clutch is telescoped on the central shaft, and rotated with the first shaft gear. The first energy converting unit is connected to the first shaft gear of the electromagnetic unit. In an energy-storing state, the first clutch is connected to the cam structure and is moved with the cam structure and the first shaft gear to move the first energy converting unit and to store the kinetic energy of the cam structure to the first energy converting unit. In a power-generating state, the first clutch is separated from the cam structure.

Claims

1. A micro power generator, comprising:

a cam structure;

an electromagnetic unit, partially disposed in the cam structure, wherein the electromagnetic unit comprises a central shaft and a first shaft gear, and the first shaft gear is rotated with the central shaft;

a first clutch, axially slidable on the central shaft, wherein the first clutch is rotated with the first shaft gear; and

a first energy converting unit, connected to the first shaft gear of the electromagnetic unit, wherein in an energy-storing state, the first clutch is connected to the cam structure and is moved with the cam structure and the first shaft gear to drive the first energy converting unit and to store kinetic energy of the cam structure to the first energy converting unit, and in a power-generating state, the first clutch is separated from the cam structure, and the first energy converting unit rotates the central shaft, and the electromagnetic unit generates electricity due to the rotation of the central shaft,

wherein the first shaft gear is axially slidable on the central shaft, the first energy converting unit comprises a first clockwork gear, a first unidirectional stopper, a first clockwork and a first switch mechanism, the first energy converting unit is moved with the first shaft gear by meshing the first clockwork gear and the first shaft gear, the first clockwork is moved with the first clockwork gear, and the first switch mechanism is connected to the first clockwork, wherein in the energy-storing state, the first unidirectional stopper abuts the first clockwork gear, and in the power-generating state, the first switch mechanism pushes against the first clutch thereby separating the first clutch from the cam structure, and the first clutch releases the first unidirectional stopper from the first clockwork gear.

2. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first shaft gear and the first clockwork gear are ratchet wheels, in the energy-storing state, the first clockwork gear is rotated in a first direction, and in the power-generating state, the first clockwork gear is rotated in a second direction, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

3. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic unit comprises a motor, the motor comprises a stator unit and a rotor unit, the stator unit is coaxially disposed with the rotor unit, the stator is disposed in the cam structure, and the central shaft passes through and rotates with the rotor.

4. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first switch mechanism comprises a first rod and a first pushing member, the first rod is connected to the first clockwork, and when the micro power generator is switched to the power-generating state from the energy-storing state, the first clockwork moves the first rod to push against in order to raise the first clutch to separate the first clutch from the cam structure.

5. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first clockwork is a torsion spring, the first clockwork comprises a first outer loop, the first rod comprises a first holder, and the first holder is linked to the first outer loop.

6. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a first positioning shaft, the first clockwork gear rotates about the first positioning shaft, and the first rod slidably pivots along the first positioning shaft.

7. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first rod comprises a first slot, and the first rod slidably pivots on the first positioning shaft through the first slot.

8. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first clutch comprises a first clutch positioning portion, the cam structure comprises a first cam structure positioning portion, in the energy-storing state, the first clutch positioning portion is connected to the first cam structure positioning portion, and in the power-generating state, the first clutch positioning portion is separated from the first cam structure positioning portion.

9. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a second clutch, telescoped on the central shaft, wherein the second clutch is axially slidable on the central shaft; and

a second energy converting unit, wherein in the energy-storing state, the second clutch is connected to the cam structure and is moved with the cam structure to store the kinetic energy of the cam structure to the second energy converting unit, and in the power-generating state, the second clutch is separated from the cam structure, and the second energy converting unit rotates the central shaft, and the electromagnetic unit generates electricity power from the rotation of the central shaft, wherein the cam structure is located between the first clutch and the second clutch.

10. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a rectifier; and

a charging chip, wherein the electromagnetic unit is coupled to the rectifier, the rectifier is coupled to the charging chip, and the charging chip is coupled to a power storage device.

11. A micro power generator adapted to be operated in an energy-storing state and a power-generating state, the micro power generator comprising:

a cam structure, rotatable about a central shaft and having a motor coaxially disposed therein, wherein the motor is rotatable about the central shaft;

a first clutch, slidably movable along the central shaft to be connected to or separated from the cam structure;

a first shaft gear, disposed on and interlocked to the first clutch, and being slidably movable along the central shaft with the first clutch;

a first clockwork gear, meshed with the first shaft gear;

a first clockwork, connected and interlocked to the first clockwork gear, and capable of being winded to store kinetic energy;

a first unidirectional stopper, interlocked to the first clutch and being moved to mesh with or release from the first clockwork gear, wherein the first unidirectional stopper only allows the first clockwork gear to rotate in a winding direction of the first clockwork when meshing with the first clockwork gear;

a first switch mechanism, connected and interlocked to the first clockwork to be moved toward or away from the first clutch, wherein when the micro power generator is operated in the energy-storing state, the first clutch is connected to the cam structure, the first unidirectional stopper is meshed with the first clockwork gear, and the motion of the cam structure drives the first clockwork gear to be rotated in the winding direction to wind up the first clockwork for storing kinetic energy, and when the micro power generator is operated in the power-generating state, the first switch mechanism moves toward and pushes against the first clutch to separate the first clutch from the cam structure, the first unidirectional stopper releases from the first clockwork gear, and the first clockwork releases the kinetic energy stored and drives the motor to generate electricity power.

12. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first shaft gear and the first clockwork gear are ratchet wheels.

13. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the motor comprises a stator unit and a rotor unit, the stator unit is coaxially disposed with the rotor unit, the stator is disposed in the cam structure, and the central shaft passes through and rotates with the rotor.

14. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first switch mechanism comprises a first rod and a first pushing member, the first rod is interlocked to the first clockwork, and when the micro power generator is switched to the power-generating state from the energy-storing state, the first clockwork moves the first rod to push against in order to raise the first clutch to separate the first clutch from the cam structure.

15. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first clockwork is a torsion spring, the first clockwork comprises a first outer loop, the first rod comprises a first holder, and the first holder is linked to the first outer loop.

16. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a first positioning shaft, the first clockwork gear rotates about the first positioning shaft, and the first rod slidably pivots along the first positioning shaft.

17. The micro power generator as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a rectifier; and

a charging chip, wherein the electromagnetic unit is coupled to the rectifier, the rectifier is coupled to the charging chip, and the charging chip is coupled to a power storage device.

18. A tracker, capable of generating and delivering location signals, the tracker comprising:

a power storage supply;

a communication transceiver, electrically connected to the power storage supply;

a micro power generator, electrically connected to the power storage supply, the micro power generator comprising;

a cam structure;

an electromagnetic unit, partially disposed in the cam structure, wherein the electromagnetic unit comprises a central shaft and a first shaft gear, and the first shaft gear is rotated with the central shaft;

a first clutch, axially slidable on the central shaft, wherein the first clutch is rotated with the first shaft gear; and

a first energy converting unit, connected to the first shaft gear of the electromagnetic unit, wherein in an energy-storing state, the first clutch is connected to the cam structure and is moved with the cam structure and the first shaft gear to drive the first energy converting unit and to store kinetic energy of the cam structure to the first energy converting unit, and in a power-generating state, the first clutch is separated from the cam structure, and the first energy converting unit rotates the central shaft, and the electromagnetic unit generates electricity due to the rotation of the central shaft,

wherein the first shaft gear is axially slidable on the central shaft, the first energy converting unit comprises a first clockwork gear, a first unidirectional stopper, a first clockwork and a first switch mechanism, the first energy converting unit is moved with the first shaft gear by meshing the first clockwork gear and the first shaft gear, the first clockwork is moved with the first clockwork gear, and the first switch mechanism is connected to the first clockwork, wherein in the energy-storing state, the first unidirectional stopper abuts the first clockwork gear, and in the power-generating state, the first switch mechanism pushes against the first clutch thereby separating the first clutch from the cam structure, and the first clutch releases the first unidirectional stopper from the first clockwork gear.