System and method for generating electric power from a rotating tire's mechanical energy
US7096727B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 2004 |
| Grant date | Aug 29, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 19, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A tire assembly with integrated power generation features includes one or more piezoelectric devices and power conditioning modules. Piezoelectric devices may include a plurality of piezoelectric fibers embedded in a generally unidirectional fashion within an epoxy matrix, a piezoceramic wafer provided on a substrate and substantially surrounded by a protective casing, or a piezoceramic unimorph structure adhered with a thermoplastic polyimide to respective top and bottom conductive layers. Each piezoelectric device may include multiple piezoelectric elements connected in series and/or parallel arrangements, configured with respective poling directions in opposing or in-phase arrangements and/or configured in d33 or d31 displacement modes. Piezoelectric devices are preferably mounted within a tire or wheel assembly such that electric charge is generated therein as the wheel assembly moves along a ground surface and is subsequently stored in one or more energy storage devices. Stored energy may then be used to power electronics such as a tire monitoring system that wirelessly transmits such information as tire pressure, temperature and identification variables to a remote receiver l…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.