Electromechanical generator for, and method of, converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy
First Claim
1. An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device having a vibratable mass adapted to resonate with an oscillation amplitude at a frequency and a regulator for regulating the oscillation amplitude to a value not greater than a maximum threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device having a vibratable mass adapted to resonate with an oscillation amplitude at a frequency and a regulator for regulating the oscillation amplitude to a value not greater than a maximum threshold.
93 Citations
20 Claims
- 1. An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device having a vibratable mass adapted to resonate with an oscillation amplitude at a frequency and a regulator for regulating the oscillation amplitude to a value not greater than a maximum threshold.
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18. A method of converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy using an electromechanical generator, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy at an electrical output of the electromechanical device, the electromechanical device having a vibratable mass adapted to resonate with an oscillation amplitude at a resonant frequency;
(b) vibrating the electromechanical device thereby to vibrate the vibratable mass thereby to generate an output voltage at the electrical output; and
(c) controlling the output voltage to below a predetermined maximum threshold value by short circuiting the electrical output when the output voltage is above the predetermined maximum threshold thereby to regulate the oscillation amplitude to a value not greater than a predetermined maximum threshold value.
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19. An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device having a vibratable mass adapted to resonate with an oscillation amplitude at a frequency, an electrical output for the electrical energy, and at least one voltage regulator for regulating an output voltage at the electrical output, the at least one voltage regulator being connected across the electrical output and being adapted to short circuit the electrical output of the electromechanical device when the output voltage exceeds a threshold voltage thereby to cause damping of the vibration of the vibratable mass.
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20. An electromechanical generator comprising an electromechanical device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical device having a vibratable mass adapted to resonate with an oscillation amplitude at a frequency, the vibratable mass comprising a first element selected from the group consisting of at least one coil and at least one magnet, and the vibratable mass being arranged to vibrate relative to a second element of the electromechanical device selected from the group consisting of at least one magnet and at least one coil, respectively;
- a detector for detecting an electrical output from the at least one coil of the electromechanical device;
a comparator for calculating a value of the electromotive force generated by the at least one coil of the electromechanical device, and to compare that value with a preset value of electromotive force;
a shunt impedance element, having variable impedance, connected across output terminals of the electromechanical device; and
a regulator, operable in response to the comparator, which is adapted to adjust the impedance of the shunt impedance element thereby to regulate the calculated value of the electromotive force to a value not greater than the preset value of electromotive force.
- a detector for detecting an electrical output from the at least one coil of the electromechanical device;
Specification