Electrostatic Actuator with Selectable Drive Voltage Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
In energy harvesting technology, the small amount of energy collected from the environment poses challenges in efficiently supplying power to information transmitting terminals, as existing power supply devices can only set a single threshold value for drive voltage, making it difficult to manage varying power requirements across different purposes.
Innovation Solution
An electrostatic actuator and switch device with a movable electrode section and multiple fixed electrodes, allowing for selective switching of the drive voltage threshold by applying it to different combinations of fixed electrodes, enabling efficient power supply management across various applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single threshold value is set for drive voltage in existing power supply devices, then the device structure remains simple, but it becomes difficult to manage varying power requirements across different purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The single threshold value control is segmented into multiple threshold values corresponding to different fixed electrodes. Each fixed electrode can be independently controlled with its own threshold value, allowing the system to manage varying power requirements for different purposes by selecting appropriate electrodes and their corresponding thresholds.
Solution Approach 2:
The threshold value is made dynamic and selectable rather than fixed. The control section can dynamically select which fixed electrode to activate based on the required power level, enabling the system to adapt to different power requirements by changing the active threshold value through electrode selection.
2Reliability
If the threshold value is set according to higher necessary electric power, then it ensures sufficient power for high-demand purposes, but it becomes difficult to efficiently supply electric power for lower-power applications
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions or modes of operation are assigned different threshold values through the selection of specific fixed electrodes. Low-power applications can use lower thresholds by activating fewer electrodes, while high-power applications use higher thresholds by activating more electrodes, allowing each application to operate at its optimal power level without waste.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fixed electrodes are used with selective voltage application, then flexible power supply becomes possible, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fixed electrodes are merged into a single electrostatic actuator structure that shares common components such as the movable electrode section and base section. This combining approach allows multiple threshold values to be achieved through electrode selection rather than requiring completely separate actuator structures, thereby reducing overall complexity while maintaining flexibility.
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
This solution allows for flexible and efficient power supply by selectively adjusting the drive voltage threshold, optimizing energy usage and reducing power consumption in energy harvesting systems.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic actuator, including: a base section; a movable electrode section held to be displaceable in a predetermined direction with respect to the base section; and a plurality of fixed electrodes fixed to the base section
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic actuator, including a base section, a movable electrode section to be displaceable in a predetermined direction with respect to the base section, and a plurality of fixed electrodes fixed to the base section to be separated from the movable electrode section along a movable direction of the movable electrode section and face the movable electrode section. Further, the plurality of fixed electrodes are electrically separated from each other. The electrostatic actuator is driven in accordance with a drive voltage selectively applied to the plurality of fixed electrodes and a voltage value of the drive voltage.