6436results about "Mechanical power devices" patented technology

A novel capture device apparatus comprising: (a) a capture device portion, at least a part of which is adaptable for insertion into a patient and (b) a control unit. The capture device portion comprises one or more apertures and one or more electroactive polymer actuators that open and close the one or more apertures based on control signals sent from the control unit. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of capturing a specimen within a patient's body of provided. The method comprises (a) providing a capture device apparatus like that above, (b) inserting at least a portion of the capture device portion of the apparatus into the patient such that the capture device portion is adjacent the specimen; and (c) closing the one or more apertures using the control unit, thereby capturing the specimen.

An impeller according to an example of the present invention comprises a hub, and at least one blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which the impeller is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may comprise a plurality of blades, arranged in blade rows, to facilitate radial compression of the blades. The outer edge of a blade may have a winglet, and the base of the blade may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blade.

A control system for use with an ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a generator supplying electrical energy to an ultrasonic surgical instrument, the electrical energy supplied by the generator being controlled such that power applied by the instrument is maintained constant once a predetermined pressure threshold is met. The control system operates by assigning a nominal power at which the ultrasonic instrument is to operate and adjusting the current and voltage applied to the ultrasonic surgical instrument so as to maintain the power applied by the ultrasonic surgical instrument at approximately the nominal power.

An implantable fluid delivery apparatus for infusing medicinal fluids into a patient that includes a novel basal delivery system that includes a heat responsive polymer gel material which upon being heated by heater foil uniquely functions as an internal energy source for expelling basal doses of medicinal fluids from the device. The apparatus also includes a bolus delivery system that includes a magnetically responsive polymer gel which, upon being stimulated by an electro-magnet will delivery precise bolus doses of medicinal fluids to the patient.

An energy harvesting device includes a MEMS composite transducer. The MEMS composite transducer includes a substrate. Portions of the substrate define an outer boundary of a cavity. A MEMS transducing member includes a beam having a first end and a second end. The first end is anchored to the substrate and the second end cantilevers over the cavity. A compliant membrane is positioned in contact with the MEMS transducing member. A first portion of the compliant membrane covers the MEMS transducing member. A second portion of the compliant membrane is anchored to the substrate. The compliant member is configured to be set into oscillation by excitations produced externally relative to the energy harvesting device.

What has been created is a plurality and a variety of processes and a variety of devices correspondingly supportive to each process, wherein, a new partnership between; (1) a heat absorbing radiator compressed air pipes / tubes and (2) a gas turbine engine or a reciprocating piston engine,—is used to recapture and reconvert the, otherwise wasted, heat energies expelled by engines, by factories, by smelting plants, by distillation plants, by chillers / coolers / freezers, by cooking ovens, by lamps / stoves, by trash burners, and the heat energies created by the solar heat on the desert / ocean water,—into electric power and finally into hydrogen-deuterium fuel,—by having the engine's tailpipes submerged in cold compressed air inside the heat absorbing radiator pipes in reverse air flow, to further drive and re-drive the same engine; wherein, in order to capture fusion heat energy the hydrogen bomb is detonated in the deep ocean to catch the flames by the water and the hot water is used to energize the compressed air inside the heat absorbing radiator pipes; wherein, in order to produce fusion energy, an abundant electric arc is passed across liquid deuterium or across gaseous deuterium by the electro-plasma torch and sparkplug in the internal combustion engine, and by detonating a dynamite inside a liquid deuterium; wherein diamond is produced by placing carbon inside the hydrogen bomb; and wherein, deuterium fusion flame is used first in smelting glass to large sizes before running an engine.

A system of providing energy includes a transmitter for sending wirelessly a first type of energy and at least a second type of energy different from the first type of energy. The system includes a receiver for receiving wirelessly the first type of energy and converting it to usable energy. A transmitter for transmitting power wirelessly. A receiver for receiving wirelessly transmitted power. A method for providing energy.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating electrical power from multiple vehicles powered by fuel cells while the vehicles are parked in a parking lot. A plurality of spaced-apart electrical receptacles are provided for receiving an electric cable for connection to a parked vehicle for electrically connecting the fuel cell in each of the parked vehicles to the plurality of electrical receptacles. An electric power grid is electrically connected to the plurality of electrical receptacles for transferring D.C. electrical power from the fuel cells in the parked vehicles to the electric power grid. At least one electric power collection station is electrically connected to the electric power grid for collecting at a common point the D.C. electric power in the electric power grid. In addition, at least one inverter is electrically connected to the electric power collection station for converting the D.C. electric power to A.C. electric power. Apparatus is provided for supplying the A.C. electric power to a load or a utility grid.

A method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of a combined cycle generation plant by assisting the vaporization of cold liquid including liquefied natural gas ("LNG") or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in a combined cycle power plant. Cold liquid vaporization is assisted by circulating a warm heat transfer fluid to transfer heat to a LNG / LPG vaporizer. The heat transfer fluid is chilled by LNG / LPG cold liquid vaporization and warmed by heat from a gas turbine. The heat transfer fluid absorbs heat from the air intake of a gas turbine and from a secondary heat transfer fluid circulating in a combined cycle power plant. Chilling the gas turbine air intake densifies the air and increases the gas turbine output. Chilling the steam condenser cooling water increases steam turbine output. The effects of chill recovery is higher output and better efficiency of the combined cycle plant.

An impeller according to an example of the present invention comprises a hub, and at least one blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which the impeller is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may comprise a plurality of blades, arranged in blade rows, to facilitate radial compression of the blades. The outer edge of a blade may have a winglet, and the base of the blade may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blade.

A wind energy turbine includes a tower, a nacelle rotatably supported by the tower, a rotor rotatably supported by the nacelle, and at least one unit to be cooled and arranged in the tower and / or the nacelle. The unit is adapted to be cooled by a cooling medium flowing in a cooling circuit from the unit to at least one heat exchanger. The at least one heat exchanger is located outside of the tower and / or nacelle and configured to be cooled by ambient air.

A self-driving vehicle with an integrated fully-active suspension system. The fully-active suspension utilizes data from one or more sensors used for autonomous driving (e.g. vision, LIDAR, GPS) in order to anticipate road conditions in advance. The system builds a topographical map of the road surface. Suspension and road data is delivered back to the vehicle in order to change autonomous driving behavior including route planning. Energy storage is regulated based on a planned route. Forward and lateral acceleration feel is mitigated through active pitch and tilt compensation. The fully-active suspension pushes and pulls the suspension in three or more operational quadrants in order to deliver superior ride comfort, handling, and / safety of the vehicle.

The invention relates to an air-powered engine assembly, which comprises an air tank, an air valve, an air distributor, an intake pipe, camshafts, an intake duct, an exhaust control device, air cylinders, pistons, crankshafts, couplers, clutches, automatic gearboxes and differentials connected with the outside. The assembly is characterized in that the air valve, a constant pressure chamber and a pressure controller are arranged between the air tank and the air distributor; the air distributor is connected with a plurality of air cylinders on an air cylinder gasket; each air cylinder is connected with an exhaust chamber through an exhaust manifold; the exhaust chamber is provided with a turbine generator which is connected with a storage batter; the air cylinders are provided with the camshafts for controlling the air intake and exhaust of the air cylinders; the air cylinders are provided inside with the pistons for driving the crankshafts to rotate; the camshafts and the crankshafts are connected by chains; and the crankshafts are connected with the differentials through the couplers, the clutches and the gearboxes in turn. Therefore, doing work through air compression rather than fuel, the air-powered engine assembly has the advantages of avoiding waste gas discharge and air pollution, along with reliable operation, convenient operation, economical efficiency, practicality and so on. In addition, due to recycle of the waste gas for power generation, the air-powered engine assembly saves energy and reduces costs.

A device for monitoring a rotating shaft is provided. The device measures strain in the shaft and provides angular velocity and torque in the shaft. The device includes a sensor, sensor conditioning circuitry, a microprocessor, and a transmitter, all located on a rotating shaft. The device obtains power by harvesting mechanical energy of the rotating shaft itself. Coils are provided rotating with the shaft and permanent magnets are mounted adjacent the rotating shaft so electrical energy is induced in the coils as they rotate through the magnetic field of the permanent magnets. A battery or capacitor is connected to the coils for storing energy. A microprocessor is connected to the sensors, the storage device, and the transmitter for managing power consumption and for monitoring the amount of electrical energy stored in the storage device and for switchably connecting the storage device to the transmitter when the stored energy exceeds a threshold.

A system for the metering and delivery of small discrete volumes of liquid is comprised of a small or minimal number of inexpensive components. One such component is a movable member, such as a miniature precision reciprocating displacement pump head, which is driven by an actuator that comprises a shape memory alloy material. The operating mechanism of the system is of little or minimal complexity. The system facilitates the precise metering and delivery of the small discrete volumes of liquid. Potential applications for the system include subcutaneous, long-term, automated drug delivery, for example, the delivery of insulin to a person with diabetes. In such an application, the small, simple and inexpensive nature of the invention would allow for its use as both a portable and a disposable system.

There has been invented a method for producing geothermal energy using supercritical fluids for creation of the underground reservoir, production of the geothermal energy, and for heat transport. Underground reservoirs are created by pumping a supercritical fluid such as carbon dioxide into a formation to fracture the rock. Once the reservoir is formed, the same supercritical fluid is allowed to heat up and expand, then is pumped out of the reservoir to transfer the heat to a surface power generating plant or other application.

A regenerative shock absorber that include a housing and a piston that moves at least partially through the housing when the shock is compressed or extended from a rest position. When the piston moves, hydraulic fluid is pressurized and drives a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor, in turn, drives an electric generator that produced electric energy. The electric energy may be provided to a vehicle, among other things. The regenerative shock absorber may also provide ride performance that comparable to or exceeds that of conventional shock absorbers.

A motion control system includes an actuator having an actuation member, the actuation member having a proximal end attached to the actuator on a first side of a joint and a distal end attached to an anchor element attachment point on a second side of the joint. A first sensor is configured to output signals defining a gait cycle and a second sensor is configured to output signals representing a tensile force in the at least one actuation member. A controller receives the output signals from the sensors and actuates the actuator, during a first portion of the gait cycle, to apply a force greater than a predetermined threshold tensile force to the anchor element attachment point via the actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the joint and to automatically actuate the actuator.

An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.

Disclosed is a MEMS device which comprises at least one shape memory material such as a shape memory alloy (SMA) layer and at least one stressed material layer. Examples of such MEMS devices include an actuator, a micropump, a microvalve, or a non-destructive fuse-type connection probe. The device exhibits a variety of improved properties, for example, large deformation ability and high energy density. Also provided is a method of easily fabricating the MEMS device in the form of a cantilever-type or diaphragm-type structure.

A system a first mobile body configured to support a turbine engine and an auxiliary skid communicatively and fluidly coupled to the turbine engine. The auxiliary skid includes one or more interconnects configured to support a turbine engine component. The system also includes a second mobile body configured to support a generator. The first and second mobile bodies are configured to align a removable coupling between the turbine engine and the generator.

A system includes a first mobile body configured to support a turbine engine and an air intake section coupled to the turbine engine. The system also includes a second mobile body configured to support a generator. The first and second mobile bodies are configured to guide a removable coupling between the turbine engine and the generator. The system also includes a third mobile body configured to support one or more partially assembled components associated with the turbine engine and the generator.

An electrostatically actuated fluidic device capable of providing a variable focal length lens is disclosed. The device includes an elastic capacitor section, an elastic lens section in fluid communication with the capacitor section, the elastic lens section being characterized by a focal length and a fluid capable of fluid motion disposed at least partially in the capacitor and lens sections. A voltage may be applied to the capacitor section causing it to deform, which causes a portion of the fluid to flow into or out of the lens section. As a result, a change in volume of fluid in the lens section causes it to deform resulting in a variation in the focal length of the lens section.

An apparatus comprising a mechanical-to-electrical energy converting device having a plurality of electrodes and a fluidic body which comprises spatially separated conductive and dielectric liquid regions. Said fluidic body is configured to reversibly move as a whole with respect to said plurality of electrodes under the influence of a mechanical force. Each cycle of said reversible motion of said fluidic body causes multiple alternations of the amount of electrical charge accumulated by the electrodes, whereby generating electrical current flow between said electrodes.

The present invention provides devices and structures and methods of use thereof in electrochemical actuation. This invention provides electrochemical actuators, which are based, inter-alia, on an electric field-driven intercalation or alloying of high-modulus inorganic compounds, which can produce large and reversible volume changes, providing high actuation energy density, high actuation authority and large free strain.

A device and system that can dynamically provide variable load on a generator and intelligently distribute generated power to loads and energy storage devices is disclosed. One system includes load profile controllers that employ a switching strategy to dynamically vary the load the generator induces while producing regenerative energy. This switching strategy may allow for a wide dynamic range of configurable damping characteristics, as well as decouple generator damping and the system output power. Multiple load profile controllers can be used together via a communications network, such as a vehicle controller area network (CAN) bus. A central regeneration controller or existing electronic control unit (ECU) can issue commands to change damping performance in different load profile controllers. By networking multiple load profile controllers together in either a distributed or centralized manner, the system may allow for intelligent power routing, coordination of multiple energy-generating devices (such as regenerative shocks and brakes), and improved utilization of on-board energy storage devices.

The present invention relates to an integrated process for preparing combustible gaseous products via the hydromethanation of carbonaceous feedstocks in the presence of steam, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, a hydromethanation catalyst and optionally oxygen, and generating electrical power from those combustible gaseous products as well as a hydrogen and / or methane by-product stream.

A bistable electroactive polymer transducer is provided for electrically actuated deformation of rigid electroactive polymer members. The polymers have glass transition temperatures (Tg) above ambient conditions and turn into rubbery elastomers above Tg and have high dielectric breakdown strength in the rubbery state. They can be electrically deformed to various rigid shapes with maximum strain greater than 100% and as high as 400%. The actuation is made bistable by cooling below Tg to preserve the deformation. The dielectric actuation mechanism includes a pair of compliant electrodes in contact with a dielectric elastomer which deforms when a voltage bias is applied between the pair of electrodes. In some of the transducers of the present invention, the dielectric elastomer is also a shape memory polymer. The deformations of such bistable electroactive polymers can be repeated rapidly for numerous cycles. The polymer transducers have such advantages as high energy and power densities, quietness, mechanical compliancy (for shock resistance and impedance matching), high efficiency, lightweight, and low cost.