339 results about "Vibration energy harvesting" patented technology

An inductive energy harvester comprises a permanent magnet magnetic field source attached by a pair of compact spiral disk springs to an induction coil. The springs position the magnet so that the induction coil surrounds one end of the magnet where the flux density is greatest. In addition, the magnetic flux emerging from that end of the magnet is enhanced by a disk of magnetic material having high permeability and high flux density. In another embodiment, the magnetic field source comprises two dipole magnets arranged in opposing flux relationship with a thin layer of high flux density, high magnetic permeability material located in a gap between the magnets.

The present subject matter discloses apparatus and methodologies for fabricating apparatus for harvesting power from environmentally induced vibrations. Piezoelectric devices and structures (1600) are disclosed that employ constant force spring or flexure arrangements (1512) in balanced opposition configurations (1510, 1534) to enhance the power harvesting capabilities of the piezoelectric devices (1600). Power harvesting devices and systems in accordance with the subject technology may concurrently operate as sensors in motion sensitive applications thus providing self-powered monitoring capabilities.

A piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting device which is made up of a first mass, a second, a first spring coupled to the first mass, and a second spring coupled to the second mass. A piezoelectric element is bonded between the first mass and the second spring, so that a stress applied to the second spring is applied to the piezoelectric element

An improved vibrational energy harvester includes a housing and at least one energy transducer. In an embodiment, a second mass element is arranged to receive collisionally transferred kinetic energy from a first mass element when the housing is in an effective state of mechanical agitation, resulting in relative motion between the housing and at least one of the second and further mass elements. The energy transducer is arranged to be activated by the resulting relative motion between the housing and at least one of the second and further mass elements. In a further embodiment, kinetic energy is collisionally transferred in a velocity-multiplying arrangement from the first to a second or further mass element that has a range of linear ballistic motion. The energy transducer is arranged to be activated, at least in part, by the ballistic motion of the second or further mass element. The energy transducer, or a portion of it, may be attached to the housing, or it may be attached to another of the mass elements.

Embodiments of the subject invention pertain to a method and apparatus for vibrational energy harvesting via electromagnetic induction using a magnet array. Specific embodiments of the subject invention incorporate at least one conductive coil and at least one magnet array. Magnets used in such magnet arrays can be permanent magnets of various shapes, such as arc-shaped, square, rectangular, wedge, or trapezoidal. These magnet arrays can then be, for example, circular, hexagonal, rectangular, or square in external shape and create various types of internal magnetic fields, such as dipole, quadrupole, hexapole, or octapole magnetic fields. Through use of a magnet array, embodiments of the invention can increase the strength of magnetic fields by approximately 10 times compared to typical vibrational energy harvesters. The 10 time increase in the strength of the magnetic fields can result in up to a 100-fold increase in power. Preferably, the magnetic fields created by the subject device are substantially, if not completely, enclosed within the device.

An apparatus for use in low frequency vibration energy harvesting (VEH) and with actuators requiring a low deflection force. The apparatus includes a piezo flexure that is loaded with a compressive pre-load force to place the piezo flexure under compression. The piezo flexure may be supported at an intermediate point or at one end thereof. The compressive pre-load force produces flexes the piezo flexure into one or the other of two stable positions, these positions being offset on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline representing the position of the piezo flexure that would be produced without the compressive pre-load force applied thereto. The compressive pre-load effectively provides a negative spring constant which “softens” the piezo flexure and enhances a responsiveness of the piezo flexure to low frequency vibration energy. The piezo flexure also operates over a much wider frequency bandwidth than conventional systems incorporating a tip mass.

The invention discloses an efficient wideband vibrating energy collector with an elastic amplifying mechanism and belongs to the technical field of new energy and power generation. The vibrating energy collector comprises a shell, the elastic amplifying mechanism, a cantilever beam piezoelectric vibrator and a spring-mass system, wherein the shell is formed in such a way that 4 lightweight metal plates are fixed between an upper end cover and a lower end cover through bolts to form a tetrahedron; U-shaped connecting seats for fixing the cantilever beam piezoelectric vibrator are arranged on the lightweight metal plates; the elastic amplifying mechanism comprises a spring element and a damping element; the elastic amplifying mechanism is fixed between a base and the shell through a bolt; the cantilever beam piezoelectric vibrator comprises an upper piezoelectric ceramic chip, a lower piezoelectric ceramic chip, a metal substrate and a magnet; the upper piezoelectric ceramic chip is bonded at the top of the metal substrate and the lower piezoelectric ceramic chip is bonded at the bottom of the metal substrate; one end of the metal substrate is fixed on the U-shaped connecting seat through a bolt; the magnet is mounted at the other end of the metal substrate; the spring-mass system comprises a tension spring, a pressure spring and mass block; one end of the tension spring is connected with the bottom surface of the upper end cover; one end of the pressure spring is connected with the top surface of the lower end cover; the other ends of the tension spring and the pressure spring are respectively connected with the mass block; the magnet is embedded on the periphery of the mass block; and reverse magnetic poles of the magnet at the end part of the piezoelectric vibrator and the magnet embedded on the periphery of the mass block are oppositely mounted. The efficient wideband vibrating energy collector with the elastic amplifying mechanism, disclosed by the invention, has the advantages that the amplitude of weak vibrating displacement of the base can be amplified, the power generating energy and conversion efficiency of the piezoelectric vibrator are increased and efficient wideband energy collection and conversion can be achieved.

A method and apparatus for motional / vibrational energy harvesting are disclosed. Embodiments of the subject invention utilize the non-resonant chaotic behavior of a free-rolling magnet to generate power. In one embodiment, the magnet can be spherical, cylindrical, or elliptical. The magnet can roll about a linear, cylindrical, helical, or cage-like track. The changing magnetic flux due to the magnet rolling about the track induces current in surrounding coils. The coils can be provided around the track using a continuous winding placement, segmented winding placement, or fractional winding placement. Multiple coil phases are also possible. For embodiments utilizing multiple magnets, spacers can be used to maintain a separation between magnets.

The invention provides a full-interdigital electrode micro-piezoelectric thick film vibration energy collector and a manufacturing method thereof. The full-interdigital electrode micro-piezoelectric thick film vibration energy collector comprises a piezoelectric cantilever beam and a mass block; the piezoelectric cantilever beam comprises a flexible substrate, an insulation layer, a interdigital electrode posts and a piezoelectric layer; the flexible substrate is stainless steel; the piezoelectric layer is of a PZT (piezoelectric transition) piezoelectric thick film material; the interdigital electrode posts penetrate all the way to the upper surface of the substrate from the surface of a piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material can be fully polarized, and the problem about incomplete polarization of materials in surface interdigital electrode d33 mode energy collector is avoided. The energy collector is long in service life, large in high-voltage regulation range and capable of powering wireless sensor nodes and medical equipment.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing power to a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader on a mobile structure are described. Energy is generated at the mobile structure. A battery or other energy storage device disposed on the mobile structure is charged with the generated energy. The RFID reader is powered with the energy storage device. The energy may be generated in a variety of ways, including using a vibratory energy harvesting device, a magnetic energy harvesting device, an optical energy harvesting device, a heat energy harvesting device, or a mechanical energy harvesting device.

The present invention relates generally to a High Efficiency MEMS Micro-Vibrational Energy Harvester (μVEH) having a thick beam bimorph architecture. The disclosed architecture is capable of producing a voltage of sufficient magnitude such that the requirement to connect a plurality of harvesters in series to produce an adequate voltage magnitude is eliminated.

The invention discloses a piezoelectric vibration energy-harvesting device with adjustable resonance frequency, which belongs to the technique field of energy conversion and collection. The device adopts a supporting substrate as a vibration structure, and collects vibration energy through a piezoelectric material fixed thereon. The device combines a fixed mass block and a movable mass block, and adjusts the resonance frequency of the device simply and accurately in a rather large range, so as to keep the mechanical resonance with the ambient vibration for maximizing the vibration energy collecting capability. The energy-harvesting device can be applied to different vibration conditions in rather large frequency range, and can be combined with a sensor for making the sensor have the self-powered capability.

The invention provides a piezoelectric giant magnetostrictive combined wideband vibration energy collector, belonging to the technical field of energy. The collector comprises a frame, a bistable beam, a cantilever beam and a permanent magnet, wherein two ends of the bistable beam are fixed on the frame; the permanent magnet is attached on the bistable beam; one end of the cantilever beam is fixed on the frame, and the other end thereof is arranged by means of suspension; and a positive wire magnetostrictive layer, a piezoelectric layer and a negative wire magnetostrictive layer are connected with each other in sequence. The collector adopts a bistable structure, realizes the conversation of magnetism, machine and electricity with the product characteristic of the magnetostrictive effect of a piezomagnetic phase and the piezoelectric effect of a piezoelectric phase in composite material, and leads an MEMS energy conversation component to be capable of obtaining a lager output power under the environment of low-frequency vibration. The collector not only has simple structure, easy manufacture and small volume, but also can run in the low-frequency environment, and can output larger stable power within the range of wider environment vibration frequency.

A piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting device which is made up of a base, a proof mass, and a cymbal stack disposed between the base and the proof mass. The cymbal stack has a piezoelectric element disposed between the base and the proof mass, a first cymbal-shaped cap disposed between the proof mass and the piezoelectric crystal, and a second cymbal-shaped cap disposed between the piezoelectric crystal and the base.

A piezoelectric transducer for harvesting ambient vibration energy is made up of a curved substructure beam, two half-tube piezoelectric elements and a mass block. One end of the beam is fixed on a vibration base and the other end is attached with the mass block. Two half-tube piezoelectric elements are affixed on the surface of the curved substructure beam. The present invention has a high energy transformation efficiency and a low resonance frequency. It can be applied in implantable devices, wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks.

A multi-direction vibration energy collection device which is based on piezoelectric materials belongs to the technical field of vibration energy collection. The multi-direction vibration energy collection device comprises an electro-mechanical conversion device which is composed of a three-dimensional support (1), a mass ball (2) and n energy conversion strips (3) that respectively connect the mass ball (2) to the three-dimensional support. The device further comprises a plurality of energy collection circuits which are connected in parallel and connected with a rechargeable battery and a multi-source heterogeneous charge control circuit that is constituted by a switch control circuit that is connected with the energy collection circuits. The device can efficiently collect the vibration energy under the situation of multi-direction vibration.

The invention belongs to the technical field of vibration noise control and energy collection, and relates to a mechanical device integrating the functions of broadband vibration absorption and vibrational energy collection. The mechanical device mainly comprises a baseplate, a nonlinear energy sink mechanism and a vibrational energy collection unit, wherein a buckling beam, the two ends of whichare compressed, and magnetic spring mechanisms arranged at the two sides jointly provide the pure cubic nonlinear stiffness required by the nonlinear energy sink; and the vibrational energy collectionunit mainly comprises an induction coil. The mechanical device can realize the fast, efficient and irreversible transfer of vibrational energy of external mechanical equipment to the non-linear energy sink mechanism in a broadband range, so that the equipment vibration is suppressed; energy absorbed by the non-linear energy sink mechanism can be further dissipated through electromagnetic dampingand is converted into electrical energy for storage, and thus, the dual functions of vibration control and energy collection are realized. The mechanical device has the advantages of wide vibration absorption frequency band, high vibration absorption efficiency, high energy collection efficiency and the like, is simple and compact in structure and has strong applicability.

The invention discloses a miniature electromagnetic broadband vibration energy harvester based on a permanent magnet assay and relates to the technical field of micro-electro-mechanical systems, which comprises an insulating substrate, a planar spiral induction coil, a vibration pick-up structure and a support structure, wherein the insulating substrate, the planar spiral induction coil and the vibration pick-up structure are sequentially fixedly arranged from bottom to top, and the support structure is positioned on the outer sides of the planar spiral induction coil and the vibration pick-up structure and fixedly connected with the insulating substrate. The device can realize the broadband vibration energy harvesting by superposition of various permanent magnets under different vibration states in a circular permanent magnet array which is connected through a spring under the different vibration modes. The permanent magnet array is integrally manufactured by utilizing the micro-structure patterning method; furthermore, as the patterned permanent magnets can have thicker micro-structures, the miniature electromagnetic broadband vibration energy harvester has better energy harvesting and transformation efficiency in comparison with electroplated permanent magnets and is compatible with the IC process and easy to realize the batch processing.

The present invention provides an ultra-wideband energy-efficient piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting device for solving the technical problem of low energy conversion efficiency when the external vibration frequency is not stable in the prior art, including brackets and an oscillating body. The oscillating body includes a low frequency oscillating body and a high frequency oscillating body.The brackets include a top bracket, a middle bracket and a bottom bracket which are sequentially stacked from top to bottom. The three brackets adopt a three-dimensional structure with a cavity penetrating the upper and lower end faces; the low frequency oscillating body comprises a low frequency reed between the middle bracket and the bottom bracket, a low frequency mass fixed to the central bearing section of the low frequency reed, and a low frequency cantilever module attached to the cantilever of the low frequency reed; the high frequency oscillating body includes a high frequency reed between the top bracket and the middle bracket, a high frequency mass fixed to the central bearing section of the high frequency reed and a high frequency cantilever module attached to the double-cantilever beam of the high frequency reed; and the low frequency mass and the high frequency reed are connected by at least three compression springs.

The invention discloses a combined type broadband vibration energy collector. The combined type broadband vibration energy collector comprises a shell, a piezoelectric beam, two mass blocks, two coils and two magnets, wherein the piezoelectric beam, the mass blocks, the coils and the magnets are arranged in the shell; one end of the piezoelectric beam is horizontally fixed to the inner wall of the shell, and the other end of the piezoelectric beam is a free end; the two mass blocks are fixed to the upper surface and the lower surface of the free end of the piezoelectric beam respectively; the two coils are fixed to the two mass blocks respectively, and the axes of the coils are perpendicular to the upper surface and the lower surface of the piezoelectric beam; the two magnets are fixed to the inner wall of the shell, like poles are opposite, the magnets and the coils are coaxial, and a gap exists between each magnet and the corresponding coil. The combined type broadband vibration energy collector combines a piezoelectric type vibration energy collector with an electromagnetic type vibration energy collector, energy collection efficiency is improved, the magnets serve as stators installed on the shell, and the reliability of the combined type broadband vibration energy collector is improved; meanwhile, the amplitude of the coils is limited by the magnets, so that the broadband of a frequency band is expanded.

A novel broadband wind-induced vibration piezoelectric energy collector is composed of a movement input acceleration module, a movement output conversion module and an energy collecting module. The movement input acceleration module is composed of a fan, an input shaft, a bearing A, an inner engagement small gear, a bearing B, a bearing D, a flat key A, a flat key B, a bolt, a shell, a bearing C and a planetary gear train. The movement output conversion module is composed of an output shaft, an inclined disc, a bearing E, a linear bearing, a central base bent rod, a slide rod and a connection rod. The energy collecting module is composed of a base block, a cantilever beam and a piezoelectric patch. The working process of the broadband wind-induced vibration piezoelectric energy collector includes the steps that a broadband wind-induced vibration piezoelectric vibration energy collector is assembled; and secondly, the fan is blown by natural wind, rotation movement is transmitted to the planetary gear train in the movement input acceleration module, and at the same time, the movement output conversion module and the energy collecting module do corresponding movement. The broadband wind-induced vibration piezoelectric energy collector overcomes the defect that by means of existing design, wind energy in the low-speed state with unceasingly-changing wind speed cannot be effectively collected.

The invention discloses smart clothing for collecting vibration energy. The smart clothing comprises a fabric, wherein a vibration energy collecting material is attached to the outer surface of the fabric; the vibration energy collecting material is orderly electrically connected with an energy storage unit and an energy management unit; the vibration energy collecting material collects energy by a piezoelectric way for collecting the vibration energy generated by environment vibration or object movement; the collected vibration energy is stored by the energy storage unit; and finally, a power supply is output by control of the energy management unit to supply power for an external electronic product. The smart clothing solves the problem of long-term or lasting supply of the power supply of a traditional battery by collecting the vibration energy, and simultaneously, solves the pollution problem of the traditional battery on the environment; the selection and preparation of the flexible material are better for selectivity on the environment vibration frequency; and limitation of the environment or an object in the vibration direction is not generated. The smart clothing has the advantages that the structure is simple, and the process cost is low, and has a wide application prospect.

The present invention relates generally to a High Efficiency MEMS Micro-Vibrational Energy Harvester (μVEH) having a thick beam bimorph architecture. The disclosed architecture is capable of producing a voltage of sufficient magnitude such that the requirement to connect a plurality of harvesters in series to produce an adequate voltage magnitude is eliminated.

The invention discloses a cantilever-beam electromagnetic-frictional-piezoelectric composite vibration energy harvester, and the energy harvester comprises a structural substrate fixed with an external excitation source, wherein the top of the structural substrate is connected with one end of a support beam elastic substrate. The top of one end of the support beam elastic substrate is movably connected with a cantilever beam elastic substrate, and the top of the other end of the support beam elastic substrate is sequentially provided with a frictional buffering layer and an electrode layer. The bottom of the other end of the support beam elastic substrate is provided with an electromagnetic induction coil, and the top of the other end of the cantilever beam elastic substrate is provided with a magnet. The bottom of the other end of the cantilever beam elastic substrate is provided with a frictional buffering layer, an electrode layer and a silica gel film layer, and the top of the cantilever beam elastic substrate is provided with a piezoelectric component. The energy harvester solves a problem that a conventional vibration energy harvesting device has a specific inherent frequency, and is low in energy utilization rate when the external excitation deflects from the specific inherent frequency.

A system includes a vibrational energy harvesting device adapted to receive vibrational energy and convert the vibrational energy to electrical energy. The system also includes a computing device having an electrical connection to the vibrational energy harvesting device. The system also includes a sensor having an electrical connection and a data connection to the computing device. The system also includes a transmitter having an electrical connection and a data connection to the computing device. When the computing device receives the electrical energy from the vibrational energy harvesting device, the computing device is configured to receive sensor data from the sensor via the data connection between the computing device and the sensor and operate the transmitter to wirelessly transmit the sensor data.

The invention discloses an electromagnetic vibration energy collector. According to the electromagnetic vibration energy collector, a stator magnet and a rotor magnet are introduced, the rotor magnet rotates around the stator magnet and generates relative movement with electromagnetic coils which are circumferentially distributed through mutual attraction between the magnets under outside low-frequency random excitation, therefore, electric energy output is generated, and efficient energy collection is achieved. The electromagnetic vibration energy collector can be suitable for energy collection of multiple complex random vibration environments and is low in working frequency and wide in frequency band and application range.

A vibrational energy harvesting apparatus comprising: a substrate having a plurality of integral compliant regions; at least two ferromagnetic masses each coupled to a corresponding one or more of the integral compliant regions such that at least one of the ferromagnetic masses moves with respect to the substrate responsive to substrate acceleration, each ferromagnetic mass having an inner magnetic pole disposed such that the inner magnetic poles are separated by a gap, wherein the magnetic polarities of the inner magnetic poles on the opposing sides of the gap are similar; wherein the inner magnetic poles form a steep flux gradient region in and around the gap; and a coil coupled to the substrate and disposed within the steep flux gradient region where it is exposed to a changing magnetic flux arising from motion of at least one of the ferromagnetic masses with respect to the substrate.