Device and system for generation of power from intraluminal pressure changes

• US 20100140959A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,353,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/04 using pressure differences or thermal differences occurring in nature F03G7/06 takes precedence

Abstract

A device for generating power from intraluminal pressure changes may comprise: (a) a generator configured for intraluminal disposal; and (b) an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure.

A system for generating power from intraluminal pressure changes may comprise: means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change; and (b) means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator.

Claims

1. A power generation device comprising:

a generator configured for intraluminal disposal; and

an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to the generator.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure comprises:

an intraluminal fluid pressure change-receiving structure.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the intraluminal fluid pressure change-receiving structure comprises:

an intraluminal blood pressure change-receiving structure.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the intraluminal fluid pressure change-receiving structure comprises:

an intraluminal respiratory pressure change-receiving structure.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure comprises:

a resilient intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the resilient intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure comprises:

a resilient membrane intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the resilient intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure comprises:

a resilient polymeric intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure comprises:

an elastomeric intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

an electroactive polymeric generator configured for intraluminal disposal.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a piezoelectric generator configured for intraluminal disposal.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a piezoelectric semiconductor generator configured for intraluminal disposal.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a microelectromechanical device (MEMS) generator configured for intraluminal disposal.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal further comprises:

a mechanical generator configured for intraluminal disposal.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a ferromagnetic generator configured for intraluminal disposal.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a fluid displacement generator configured for intraluminal disposal.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a coupling between the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure and the generator configured for intraluminal disposal.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling between the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure and the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a mechanical coupling.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling between the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure and the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a fluid coupling.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling between the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure and the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a cantilevered beam coupling.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling between the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure and the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a trampoline coupling.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling between the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure and the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a camshaft coupling.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling between the intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure and the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a mechanical lever coupling.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a generator configured for intraluminal disposal encircling at least a portion of an intraluminal circumference.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the generator configured for intraluminal disposal comprises:

a lumen wall-coupling mechanism.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the lumen wall-coupling mechanism comprises:

a lumen wall-coupling mechanism configured to allow the generator configured for intraluminal disposal to move relative to a lumen wall.

26. A system comprising:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change; and

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change associated with an intraluminal fluid.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change associated with an intraluminal fluid comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change associated with a blood pressure change.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change associated with an intraluminal fluid comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change associated with a respiratory pressure change.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with a resilient intraluminal pressure receiving structure.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with a resilient intraluminal pressure receiving structure comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with a resilient membrane intraluminal pressure receiving structure.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with a resilient intraluminal pressure receiving structure comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with a resilient polymeric intraluminal pressure receiving structure.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an elastomeric intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator by a mechanical coupling.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator by a fluid coupling.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator by a cantilevered beam coupling.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator by a trampoline coupling.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator by a camshaft coupling.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for receiving an intraluminal pressure change with an intraluminal pressure change-receiving structure operably coupled to an intraluminal generator by a mechanical lever coupling.

41. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator encircling at least a portion of an intraluminal circumference.

42. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator coupled to a lumen wall.

43. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator moveable relative to a lumen wall.

44. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal elastomeric generator.

45. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal electroactive polymer generator.

46. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal piezoelectric generator.

47. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal piezoelectric semiconductor generator.

48. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal microelectromechanical system (MEMS) generator.

49. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal mechanical generator.

50. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal ferromagnetic generator.

51. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal generator comprises:

means for converting the intraluminal pressure change into energy with an intraluminal fluid displacement generator.