Small scale smart material actuator and energy harvesting apparatus
US8669691B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 9, 2010 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02N2/186
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A micro-scale, smart material actuator having an overall length smaller than 10 mm comprising a multilayer piezoelectric stack housed in a mechanical amplifier made up of a fixed supporting member, a movable supporting member connected to compliant links attached to one or more actuating arms such that, when a suitable electric current is applied to the piezoelectric stack, the resulting expansion is translated through the movable supporting member, thereby causing movement in the actuating arms A method of generating electricity from motion using such an actuator is also disclosed in which the actuating arms are connected to a source of mechanical motion and the piezoelectric stack is connected to an electrical load, whereby the mechanical motion causes the piezoelectric stack to generate electrical charge that is then discharged into the load.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.