1717 results about "Electric potential energy" patented technology

The present invention relates to polymers that convert between electrical and mechanical energy. When a voltage is applied to electrodes contacting an electroactive polymer, the polymer deflects. This deflection may be used to do mechanical work. Similarly, when a previously charged electroactive polymer deflects, the electric field in the material is changed. The change in electric field may be used to produce electrical energy. An active area is a portion of a polymer having sufficient electrostatic force to enable deflection of the portion and/or sufficient deflection to enable a change in electrostatic force or electric field. The present invention relates to energy efficient transducers and devices comprising multiple active areas on one or more electroactive polymers. The invention also relates to methods for actuating one or more active areas on one or more electroactive polymers while maintaining a substantially constant potential energy.

There is provided a touch screen apparatus capable of detecting the presence a touch action and a position in a touch region depending on a change in electrical energy of one node of a touch sensor. A touch screen apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of pixels for displaying images and a plurality of touch sensors. Each of the plurality of touch sensors includes a first node being provided an electrical energy; a sensor capacitor for changing the electric potential energy of the first node depending on presence a touch action; a first switch for providing a sensing signal to the touch line controlled by the electrical energy of the first node; and a second switch for providing the electrical energy to the first node.

The invention discloses a method for recovering potential energy of a movable arm of a hydraulic digging machine and a device thereof. The method comprises the following steps: firstly, the potential energy is stored through an energy accumulator in the retraction process of a hydraulic cylinder; and secondly the stored energy in the energy accumulator drives a generator to generate electricity, thereby realizing the recovery of the potential energy of the movable arm of the hydraulic digging machine. A mode for storing the potential energy is to convert the potential energy into pressure energy. The energy accumulator and the generator are connected through a proportioning valve so as to control the rotational speed of the generator. The method realizes high-efficiency recovery of the potential energy of the movable arm of the hydraulic digging machine; the principle of the method is to skillfully change the working time of hydraulic oil for power generation through the function of energy storage of the energy accumulator and provide effective buffering for recovering the potential energy; in addition, through the throttling control of the proportioning valve, the method reduces pressure fluctuation of the hydraulic oil in the power generation process, realizes the adjustment of the working rotational speed of the generator, improves the working efficiency of the generator and further improves the efficiency of energy recovery.

A method for generating power in a device is provided. The method includes: generating power from an inherent characteristic of the device; and supplying the generated power to at least one power consuming element associated with the device. Preferably, the inherent characteristic of the device is an acceleration of the device and the generating includes providing a mass which is movable upon the acceleration of the device and converting a potential energy of the mass into an electrical power. Alternatively, the inherent characteristic of the device is a heat generation on at least a portion of the device and the generating includes converting a heat from the heat generation into an electrical power. In another alternative, the inherent characteristic of the device is a spinning of the device and the generating includes converting the spinning of the device into an electrical power.

A method and apparatus for generating electric energy from the motion of the waves. The apparatus comprises at least one member which is moved by the motion of the waves. The apparatus also comprises an energy transfer mechanism coupled to the or each member. The energy transfer mechanism converts the kinetic energy from movement of the or each member to potential energy by pressurization of a fluid. The apparatus further comprises a first chamber, arranged to store the pressurized fluid and a conversion means for converting the potential energy stored in the pressurized fluid into electric energy. The apparatus can be arranged such that any substantially vertical displacement of the or each member causes actuation of the or each corresponding energy transfer mechanism.

A traveling toy system is provided, in which it becomes possible to reduce the amount of information transmitted to a video display device. In the traveling toy system, a video camera, a video camera controller which is adjustably controls at least a frame rate of the video camera, a signal transmission device which transmits a video signal outputted from the video camera to a video display device, and electric storage means for power supply are mounted on the traveling toy which travels on a traveling lane using a potential energy. The traveling toy system further includes a traveling toy carrier device which carries the traveling toy from a position where the potential energy is low to a position where the potential energy is high. The video camera controller changes the frame rate so that when a traveling speed of the traveling toy is higher than a given speed, the frame rate may be increased from the frame rate at the time that the traveling speed is lower than the given speed.

The invention is directed to various energy storage devices and methods of using the same. The energy storage device takes advantage of the height difference between the bottom and the surface of a body of water. The energy storage device utilizes the movement of a mass, such as weights or floats, to store energy as potential energy and to generate energy by releasing the potential energy. Weights attached to tethers are pulled toward the surface of the water by a motor/generator powered by energy to be stored, thereby storing potential energy. Allowing the weights to fall downward releases the potential energy and reverses the motor/generator to generate electricity. Floats attached to tethers are pulled toward the bottom of the water by a motor/generator powered by energy to be stored, thereby storing potential energy. Allowing the floats to rise releases the potential energy and reverses the motor/generator to generate electricity.

The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for removing a gaseous bubble confined in a microvolume of liquid in a chamber. A source of liquid, a barrier region and an exit region are provided in fluid communication with the chamber. The source of liquid has an energy potential as regards movement of the gaseous bubble that is higher than the energy potential of the barrier region, the barrier region has a higher energy potential than the chamber, and the chamber has a higher energy potential than the exit region. The energy potential is reduced within the chamber, the source of liquid, the barrier region, and the exit region by an amount such that the energy within the gaseous bubble is sufficient to displace the gaseous bubble from the chamber through the barrier region and out the exit region and to fill the chamber with the liquid from the source.

An etching chamber 1 incorporates a focus ring 9 so as to surround a semiconductor wafer W provided on a lower electrode 4. The plasma processor is provided with an electric potential control DC power supply 33 to control the electric potential of this focus ring 9, and so constituted that the lower electrode 4 is supplied with a DC voltage of, e.g., −400 to −600 V to control the electric potential of the focus ring 9. This constitution prevents surface arcing from developing along the surface of a substrate to be processed.

The invention discloses a frog jump robot. A motor is used as a power element; devices such as an overrunning clutch, a gear toothed belt and the like are used as transmission mechanisms; a slide block can move on a guide rail under the drive of the motor through the transmission devices; and double legs of the robot stretch or retract under the drive of the slide block so as to finish jump motion. After the robot jumps, the double legs immediately retract to perform air posture adjustment, and the double legs are fully retracted by using self gravity potential and kinetic energy at the monument of landing to perform posture adjustment again. The energy utilization rate of the power element is improved, reclamation and reutilization of energy during jumping are realized, the flexibility of the robot is increased, and the jumping capability of the robot is promoted.

Energy can be stored by directing fluid into an expandable receptacle that has a relatively heavy mass above it. The fluid fills the receptacle such that it expands and lifts up the heavy mass above it. At a time when energy is needed, the fluid can be allowed to flow out of the receptacle and through a turbine or hydraulic motor to generate power or electricity. Intermittent or unreliable sources of power can be used to fill the receptacle, or power from a power grid can be used to fill the receptacle at times that are off-peak. During peak-load times, the potential energy of the fluid in the receptacle can be converted to power. The receptacle can also be used to control water flows and can provide a source of power and potable water to a community.

The invention discloses a system for differential recovery of potential energy of a boom of an oil liquid hybrid power excavating machine. The system comprises a variable capacity pump, a multi-channel valve, a boom cylinder, an operating handle, a controller, a hydraulic control reversing valve, a hydraulic control reversing and throttling valve, a hydraulic control unloading valve, an energy accumulator, an electro-hydraulic proportional valve and a one-way valve. The controller is used for controlling the electro-hydraulic proportional valve and the variable capacity pump according to pressure at an outlet of the variable capacity pump and a pressure signal of the energy accumulator, thereby solving the flow distribution problem of the energy accumulator and the variable capacity pump. The energy accumulator is an energy storage element which can transform descending kinetic energy and potential energy of the boom to hydraulic energy and reasonably distribute the energy for a main power source and an auxiliary power source, and a working device is driven by the pump-energy accumulator. The system can avoid the waste of a large amount of the descending kinetic energy of the boom, reduce the energy transformation link, enable an engine to stably work in a high-efficient fuel oil region, improve the fuel coil economy of the excavating machine and reduce the emission of the system.

A lift control system able to recover energy for electric fork truck is composed of motor, pump-motor unit, oil supplying unit, electro-hydraulic servo valve, lifting cylinder, controller and electric accumulator set. When said lifting cylinder works in raising up and lowering down procedures, the motor works in regenerative braking mode for recovering the braking energy and storing it in accumulator set. When the weight is lowered down, its potential makes the motor rotate reversely by pump-motor unit to generate electric energy and storing it in accumulator set.

A new method is described to produce useful electrical energy from DC electrostatic fields using a pyramid-shaped capacitor. The system uses no moving parts and no mechanical energy is introduced. Also, when a pyramid-shaped electrode is charged with DC high voltage, a propulsive force is generated. This will allow the manufacture of vehicles capable of levitation and flight.