404results about "Thermal electric motor" patented technology

A method and associated apparatus are provided for improving the performance of a high speed data bus, such as a memory bus, using selectively activated receiver and driver pairs. Each receiver and driver pair may be selectively activated to permit data communication on a segment of the high speed data bus coupled to the activated receiver and driver pair. Each receiver and driver pair may also be deactivated, thereby disconnecting at least a respective segment of the high speed data bus, so that communicating system components may be connected in a substantially stubless environment.

In an auto image stabilization system, a driving member formed as a wire of shape memory alloy (SMA) is retained by a projection of an image capturing unit. A distance Lb from the rotation center of an elastic deforming part to center of gravity (point of application) of the image capturing unit is longer than a distance La from the rotation center of the elastic deforming part to the projection (power point). In the configuration, equivalent mass (apparent mass) of the image capturing unit becomes (Lb/La) times, and it causes deterioration in response. Consequently, the driving member having an ellipse-shaped section in which a value obtained by dividing the width in the longer direction of the section by the width in the shorter direction is 1.3 or larger is employed. As a result, heat dissipation of the driving member increases, so that response in the SMA actuator can be properly improved.

A microcavity apparatus and systems for maintaining microcavity spacing over a macroscopic area. An application of this invention is a microscale generator. This microscale generator includes a first element for receiving energy; a second element, opposite the first element for transferring energy; at least one panel on either of the first element or the second element, the panel facing the other element; a device for controlling the distance between the at least one panel and the facing element to form a predetermined, sub-micron gap between the panel and the facing element for increasing energy transfer to the element for receiving; and a device, responsive to the energy transfer, for generating electricity.

A thermoelectric generator for an internal combustion engine that prevents a thermoelectric generation element from being damaged. The thermoelectric generator includes a casing, which is arranged in an exhaust passage, and a sleeve. A cooling mechanism is arranged outside the sleeve. Thermoelectric generation elements are arranged between the sleeve and the cooling mechanism in a manner movable relative to both the sleeve and the,cooling mechanism. The thermoelectric generation elements convert heat energy from exhaust in the exhaust passage to electric energy.

A thermotunneling converter is disclosed comprising a pair of electrodes having inner surfaces substantially facing one another, and a spacer or plurality of spacers positioned between the two electrodes, having a height substantially equal to the distance between the electrodes, and having a total cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of either of the electrodes. In a preferred embodiment, a vacuum is introduced, and in a particularly preferred embodiment, gold that has been exposed to cesium vapor is used as one or both of the electrodes. In a further embodiment, the spacer is made of small particles disposed between the electrodes. In a yet further embodiment, a sandwich is made containing the electrodes with an unoxidized spacer. The sandwich is separated and the spacer is oxidized, which makes it grow to a required height whilst giving it insulatory properties, to allow for tunneling between the electrodes.

An inventive energy harvesting apparatus may include a ferromagnetic material and/or a shape memory alloys to convert thermal energy to mechanical energy to electrical energy. The apparatus is subjected to a thermal gradient to cause beams to bend thus creating stress/strain in a piezoelectric material, or creating magnetic flux in a magnetic path. The charges created in this process can be transferred to electrical batteries.

A method for building a thermionic converter comprises providing an electrode and creating a central depression of substantially uniform depth on a face of the electrode. A surface of the central depression is coated with a layer comprising a thermionic material. A second electrode comprising a face is also provided, wherein the face of the second electrode comprises a central depression of substantially uniform depth, wherein the central depression is coated with a layer comprising a thermionic material.

Tunneling-effect converters of thermal energy to electricity with an emitter and a collector separated from each other by a distance that is comparable to atomic dimensions and where tunneling effect plays an important role in the charge movement from the emitter to the collector across the gap separating such emitter and collector. At least one of the emitter and collector structures includes a flexible structure. Tunneling-effect converters include devices that convert thermal energy to electrical energy and devices that provide refrigeration when electric power is supplied to such devices.

Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional and/or tensile actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize non-coiled or coiled yarns and can be either neat or comprising a guest. Devices comprising these artificial muscles are also described.

The invention discloses a heat-power conversion magnetism device. The heat-power conversion magnetism device includes a magneto caloric effect material so that the magnetic field thereof can be changed according to the temperature difference. The heat-power conversion magnetism device rotates by changing the magnetic field of the magneto caloric effect material.

The present invention relates to a new method and apparatus for converting heat to electric energy. The invention exploits the rapid changes in spontaneous polarization that occur in ferroelectric materials during phase change. The invention permits robust and economical generation of electric energy from thermal energy, and it can be used in many different applications. In one aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus for converting heat to electric energy comprising a pair of electrodes; a ferroelectric layer formed there between with a ferroelectric material characterized with a Curie temperature, T_c, such that when the temperature of the ferroelectric material is lower than T_c, the ferroelectric material is in a ferroelectric phase in which very powerful polarization is established spontaneously in the unit cells of the ferroelectric material, and when the temperature of the ferroelectric material is greater than T_c, spontaneous polarization is not established in the unit cells of the ferroelectric material; and a means for alternately delivering a flow of cold fluid and a flow of hot fluid to the ferroelectric layer so as to alternately cool the ferroelectric layer at a first temperature T_L that is lower than T_c, and heat the ferroelectric layer at a second temperature T_H that is higher than T_c, thereby the ferroelectric material of the ferroelectric layer undergoes alternating phase transitions between the ferroelectric phase and the paraelectric phase with temperature cycling.

A carbon nanotube MEMS assembly comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes oriented into a patterned frame, the patterned frame defining at least two components of a MEMS device. An interstitial material at least partially binds adjacent carbon nanotubes one to another. At least one component of the frame is fixed and at least one component of the frame is movable relative to the fixed component.

A SMA actuator having rigid members and SMA wires, in which improved temperature control of the SMA wires of the actuator is provided by a heat sink, which may be the rigid members themselves, in close proximity to at least a central portion of the wires. Optionally, the heat sink is sized and placed such that the end portions of the wires where they are attached to the rigid members are not in close proximity to the heat sink. Where the heat sink is external, it optionally has a cooling element that acts passively as a heat sink during the heating cycle of the actuator and that acts as an active cooling element during the cooling cycle of the actuator. An SMA actuator having a desired contraction limit and a power supply circuit has a switch in the power supply circuit that is normally closed when the actuator is contracted to less than the desired contraction limit and is opened by the actuator reaching the desired contraction limit. This improved temperature control provides greater cooling of the SMA wires for a faster response and an extended working life of the actuator.

A pyroelectric thermal energy harvesting apparatus for generating an electric current includes a cantilevered layered pyroelectric capacitor extending between a first surface and a second surface, where the first surface includes a temperature difference from the second surface. The layered pyroelectric capacitor includes a conductive, bimetal top electrode layer, an intermediate pyroelectric dielectric layer and a conductive bottom electrode layer. In addition, a pair of proof masses is affixed at a distal end of the layered pyroelectric capacitor to face the first surface and the second surface, wherein the proof masses oscillate between the first surface and the second surface such that a pyroelectric current is generated in the pyroelectric capacitor due to temperature cycling when the proof masses alternately contact the first surface and the second surface.

An arrangement of the invention includes a base block 16, a cylindrical cam 14, as a rotary member, which is rotatably supported on the base block 16, and includes a contact portion on an outer periphery thereof for outputting a rotating force, a drive gear 21, as an oscillatory ring, which includes a contact portion on an inner periphery thereof, and is oscillated on a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the cylindrical cam 14 in contact with the contact portion of the cylindrical cam 14, parallel springs 23 through 26, as a position retainer, for retaining the position of the drive gear 21, and three or more shape metal alloy actuators (SMA) wires 35 through 38, as expandable and contractible actuators, with both ends of the each SMA wire being fixed to the base block 16 for contact with the drive gear 21.

A driving mechanism using shape memory alloys comprises a first and a second shape memory alloys coils (1, 2), a pin-like drive member (3) connected to each of the shape memory alloys coils (1, 2) extending in the axis direction, a substrate (4) having a wiring pattern (11) and a drive circuit (4a) to supply current to the shape memory alloys coils (1, 2), and a magnetic latch part (9) to hold the drive member (3), and the magnetic latch part (9) has a latch position in the axis direction of the drive member (3), the drive circuit (4a) selectively current-drives the first and the second shape memory alloys coils (1, 2), the driven first or second shape memory alloys coils (1, 2) is heated and compressed to move the drive member (3) in the axis direction, and magnetic bodies (9a, 9b) provided to the drive member (3) is magnetically fixed at the latch position, thereby fixed and held in the axis direction.

Diamond-like carbon based energy conversion devices and methods of making and using the same which have improved conversion efficiencies and increased reliability are provided. In one aspect, such a device may include a cathode having a plurality of nano-diamond particles disposed in a metal matrix, where the plurality of nano-diamond particles protrude partially from the metal matrix. A layer of diamond-like carbon (DLC) may be deposited on the plurality of nano-diamond particles and the metal matrix. Additionally, an anode may be located in a position to face the plurality of nano-diamond particle protrusions.

Methods and devices for increase power output from solar devices. In one embodiment, the technique enables the front hot solar panel surface to be cooled by attachment of a thermoelectric multilayer stack to the back solar panel surface. The thermoelectric stack cools the solar panel front surface by drawing heat from the front to the back of the panel. That heat is transformed into mechanical vibrations using an inverse Peltier effect and that mechanical energy then transformed into electrical energy using a piezoelectric effect. Power output is first increased by lower operating temperature on front, resulting in a higher power conversion efficiency for the photovoltaic effect taking place in the CIGS/CdS active layers or other thin films, then from an additional power output from secondary electrical energy created from mechanical arising from the temperature-gradient driven occurrence of the thermoelectric effect.

An improved design for maintaining separation between electrodes in tunneling, diode, thermionic, and other devices is disclosed. At least one electrode is made from flexible material. A magnetic field is present to combine with the current flowing in the flexible electrode and generate a force that counterbalances the electrostatic force between the electrodes. The balancing of forces allows the separation and parallelism between the electrodes to be maintained at a very small spacing without requiring the use of multiple control systems, actuators, or other manipulating means, or spacers. The shape of one or both electrodes is designed to maintain a constant separation over the entire overlapping area of the electrodes. The end result is an electronic device that maintains two closely spaced parallel electrodes in stable equilibrium with a uniform gap therebetween over a large area in a simple configuration for simplified manufacturability and use to convert heat to electricity or electricity to cooling.

A sensing system, sensing method, and method of producing a sensing system capable of providing a cumulative measurement capability, such as in the form of a RFID tag capable of measuring cumulative heat and humidity for continuous monitoring of storage and shipping conditions of various goods. The system includes integrated circuitry and a plurality of sensing elements, preferably having cantilevered bimorph beams. Each sensing element is responsive to an environmental condition so as to deflect toward and away from open contacts in response to changes in the environmental condition. Each sensing element produces a digital output when it contacts and closes its open contacts. The integrated circuitry interfaces with the sensing elements so that the digital outputs of the sensing elements are processed to generate a system output of the sensing system.