POWER GENERATING ELEMENT AND POWER GENERATING DEVICE

• US 20170149357A1
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Mizuki Otagiri
• Inventors: Sugawara, Tomoaki, OTAGIRI, Mizuki, Kitamura, Megumi, Kondoh, Tsuneaki, Arizumi, Yuko, Natori, Junichiro, Araumi, Mayuka, Imai, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,298,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: H02N 1/00 Electrostatic generators or motors using a solid moving electrostatic charge carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/04 Friction generators

Abstract

A power generating element is provided. The power generating element includes an electrode pair and an intermediate layer. The electrode pair includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The intermediate layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The intermediate layer is insulating and has a first side facing the first electrode and a second side facing the second electrode. The first electrode and the intermediate layer together operate as a contact/separation mechanism configured to perform a contact/separation operation, when an external force is applied to the power generating element to generate power. In the contact/separation operation, the contact/separation mechanism transitions between a contact or close state in which the first electrode and the first side are brought into contact with each other or close to each other, and a separation state in which the first electrode and the first side are separated from each other.

Claims

1. A power generating element comprising:

an electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode; and

an intermediate layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the intermediate layer being insulating and having a first side facing the first electrode and a second side facing the second electrode,

wherein the first electrode and the intermediate layer together operate as a contact/separation mechanism configured to perform a contact/separation operation, when an external force is applied to the power generating element to generate power, and

wherein, in the contact/separation operation, the contact/separation mechanism transitions between a contact or close state in which the first electrode and the first side are brought into contact with each other or close to each other, and a separation state in which the first electrode and the first side are separated from each other.

2. The power generating element of claim 1, wherein the contact/separation mechanism includes a plurality of pairs of the first electrode and the intermediate layer.

3. The power generating element of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer includes a silicone rubber.

4. The power generating element of claim 3, wherein the first side of the intermediate layer has been surface-modified, so that the first side and the second side of the intermediate layer deform at different degrees of deformation when the external force is applied to the power generating element.

5. The power generating element of claim 1, wherein one longitudinal ends of the electrode pair and the intermediate layer are put together while the other longitudinal ends of the electrode pair and the intermediate layer are free, to allow the contact/separation mechanism to transition between the contact or close state and the separation state.

6. The power generating element of claim 5, further comprising at least two cover members,

wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode is secured to the respective cover members, and the intermediate layer is secured to one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

7. A power generating device comprising:

the power generating element of claim 1; and

a suspension member to suspend the power generating element such that the contact/separation operation is performed when the power generating element receives a vibration as the external force.

8. The power generating device of claim 7, wherein the suspension member has elasticity to be stretchable in a direction of the vibration.

9. The power generating device of claim 8, wherein the suspension member includes a coil spring.

10. The power generating device of claim 7, further comprising a casing,

wherein the casing stores the power generating element and the suspension member.

11. The power generating device of claim 7, further comprising a separation member to forcibly separate the first electrode and the first side of the intermediate layer from each other in the separation state.

12. The power generating device of claim 11, further comprising a casing,

wherein the casing stores the power generating element, the suspension member, and the separation member.

13. The power generating device of claim 12, wherein the separation member is integrated with the casing.

14. The power generating device of claim 11, wherein one longitudinal end of the power generating element closer to the separation member is heavier than the other longitudinal end of the power generating element.