Patent · US Expired

Multi-frequency piezoelectric energy harvester

US6858970B2 · kind B2 · utility

259Cited by
17References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 21, 2002
Grant dateFeb 22, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 28, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N30/306

Abstract

A piezoelectric device connected to a vibration source converts vibration energy to electrical current. A plurality of pairs of oppositely polarized piezoelectric wafers deflect to produce an electrical current. Each pair of wafers are arranged back-to-back and electrically joined together. The plurality of pairs of wafers are each connected to a set of micro-machined parts. Each pair of wafers form a bimorph, configured as a cantilevered beam attached to a set of parts to form an element. Each cantilevered beam has a mass weighted first end and is fixedly attached to one or more flexible sheaths on a second end. A plurality of elements form a cell unit. A plurality of cell units form an array. The electrical current produced varies by the number of elements per cell unit, and/or with the number of cell units per array.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.