Self-Powered Cantilever Sensor for Environmental Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless sensors require power sources for continuous monitoring of environmental conditions, which can be impractical due to battery replacement feasibility, cost, and lifetime constraints, and existing battery-less configurations are not suitable for long-term automation.
Innovation Solution
The use of electromechanical cantilevered structures with dissimilar materials that deflect to open or close contacts in response to environmental parameters, allowing for self-powered digital output generation without a dedicated power source, utilizing the parameter itself to generate energy for sensing and monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If wireless sensors use battery or other energy source for continuous monitoring, then monitoring duration and reliability are improved, but device size, cost, and power dissipation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the battery or dedicated power source from the wireless sensor system. The sensing device operates without any onboard energy storage device, eliminating the need for battery replacement while achieving extended monitoring through energy harvesting from environmental sources or remote powering mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing device harvests energy from its environment (thermal, mechanical, electromagnetic sources) to power itself autonomously. This self-powered operation eliminates external power sources while maintaining continuous monitoring capability, directly resolving the contradiction between monitoring duration and power consumption.
2Reliability
If wireless sensors use battery or other energy source, then sensing reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes batteries and power management circuits from the sensing device, simplifying the overall system architecture. The extracted power source requirement reduces device complexity while maintaining reliability through alternative energy harvesting and remote powering approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/electrical power storage systems (batteries) with energy harvesting mechanisms that convert environmental energy (thermal, mechanical, electromagnetic) into electrical power. This substitution simplifies device structure while ensuring continuous operation and reliability.
3Volume of moving object
If wireless sensors operate without power storage device, then device size and cost are reduced, but monitoring duration and automation capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The miniaturized sensing device harvests energy continuously from its environment to sustain autonomous operation. This self-powered mechanism enables extended monitoring duration despite the absence of power storage devices, resolving the contradiction between compact size and long-term operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy supply parameter from stored chemical energy (batteries) to harvested environmental energy (thermal, mechanical, electromagnetic). This parameter change enables continuous operation without power storage devices, maintaining both small size and extended monitoring duration.
4Ease of manufacture
If sensor labels operate without power source, then cost and simplicity are improved, but automation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive chemical/visual sensing mechanisms with active electromechanical sensing elements that can be remotely powered. This substitution enables automated data collection and wireless transmission while maintaining cost-effectiveness through simplified power delivery infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary remote powering mechanism that delivers energy to the sensing device through electromagnetic coupling or inductive coupling. This intermediary power delivery system enables automation and wireless operation without requiring complex onboard power management in the sensor itself.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous monitoring of environmental conditions over extended periods without a dedicated power source, reducing size, cost, and power consumption, suitable for applications like supply chain management and industrial monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
The cantilevered structure comprises first and second beams containing dissimilar first and second materials, respectively. The first and second beams are side-by-side, spaced apart so as to define a gap there between along the lengths of the first and second beams... The first material has at least one property that changes due to exposure to the parameter and a change in the property causes the cantilevered structure to deflect
Data Source
AI summary
Sensors, systems, and methods for monitoring environmental conditions, such as physical, electromagnetic, thermal, and/or chemical parameters within an environment, over extended periods of time with the use of one or more electromechanical sensing devices and electronic circuitry for processing an output of the sensing devices. The sensing devices each include a cantilevered structure and at least one contact configured for contact-mode operation with the cantilevered structure in response to the cantilevered structure deflecting toward or away from the contact when exposed to the parameter of interest. The cantilevered structure has at least first and second beams of dissimilar materials, at least one of which has at least one property that changes as a result of exposure to the parameter.