HARVESTING ENERGY FROM VEHICULAR VIBRATIONS

• US 20100219798A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: NAMUDURI, CHANDRA S., ELLIOTT, ROBERT B., LI, YUNJUN, TALTY, TIMOTHY J., MCMAHON, NANCY
• Granted Patent: US 8,253,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 322/3
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1876 with reciprocating, linearly oscillating or vibrating parts

Abstract

An energy harvesting apparatus, for deployment on a vehicle, comprises a vehicle shock absorber including a dust tube, and a damper tube telescopically mounted within the dust tube and configured for oscillating translational movement with respect thereto. A magnet is fixedly coupled to one of the dust tube or the damper tube, and a coil is fixedly coupled to the other of the dust tube or the damper tube to achieve relative translational movement between the magnet and the coil to induce a current in the coil.

Claims

1. An energy harvesting apparatus, for deployment on a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle shock absorber, comprising;

a dust tube; and

a damper tube telescopically mounted within the dust tube and configured for oscillating translational movement with respect thereto;

a magnet fixedly coupled to one of the dust tube or the damper tube; and

a coil fixedly coupled to the other of the dust tube or the damper tube to achieve relative translational movement between the magnet and the coil inducing a current in the coil.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an energy converter coupled to the coil.

3. An apparatus according claim 2 further comprising an energy storage device coupled to the energy converter.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the energy storage device is a battery.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the energy storage device is a capacitor.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the coil is mounted on the damper tube.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the coil is mounted on the dust tube.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the energy converter is fixedly coupled to the damper tube.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the energy converter is fixedly coupled to the dust tube.

10. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the energy converter comprises a rectifier.

11. An energy harvesting apparatus for use on a vehicle of the type that includes a sprung mass, an unsprung mass, and a shock absorber coupled between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass, the shock absorber comprising a first member coupled to the sprung mass and a second member coupled to the unsprung mass, the second member configured for oscillating translational movement with respect to the first member, the apparatus comprising:

a coil mounted on one of the first member or the second member; and

a magnet coupled to the other of the first member or the second member to achieve relative translational movement between the magnet and the coil inducing a current in the coil.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the current is AC current and further comprising an energy converter coupled to the coil.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the energy converter is a rectifier assembly.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the coil and the rectifier assembly are mounted on the first member.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising an energy storage device coupled to the rectifier assembly.

16. An energy harvesting apparatus, for deployment on a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle shock absorber, comprising;

a dust tube; and

a damper tube telescopically mounted within the dust tube and configured for oscillating translational movement with respect thereto;

a magnet fixedly coupled on the damper tube; and

a coil fixedly coupled on the dust tube to achieve relative translational movement between the magnet and the coil.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the magnet is fixedly coupled to an outer surface of the damper tube.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the coil is mounted to an inner surface of the dust tube.

19. An apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising an energy converter coupled to the coil.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising an energy storage device coupled to the energy converter.