# US 12,440,686 B2 · Piezoelectrically-powered pacemaker using respiratory motion

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- Number: US 12,440,686 B2
- Document ID: US12440686B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/663,502
- Filed: 2022-05-16
- Published: 2022-11-17
- Granted: 2025-10-14
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-14
- Assignees: Piezocap, Inc.
- Applicants: Piezocap, Inc.
- Inventors: Jeffrey Kingsley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12440686B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/37512: {Pacemakers}
- A61N 1/3782: {producing a voltage above the power source level}
- A61N 1/3785: {generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement}
- H02N 2/181: {Circuits; Control arrangements or methods}
- H10N 30/308: {Membrane type}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A piezoelectric energy harvesting device is provided. The piezoelectric energy harvesting device includes a piezoelectric material, which includes an inner surface having a concave shape, and an outer surface having a bottom surface. The piezoelectric energy harvesting device further includes a ball positioned on the inner surface. The bottom surface acts as a ground, the inner surface acts as a positive node, and the inner surface, the outer surface, and the ball are configured so that movement of the ball causes mechanical stress to the piezoelectric material, producing an electrical current.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A piezoelectric energy harvesting device, comprising:
a piezoelectric material, wherein the piezoelectric material includes:
an inner surface having a concave shape, and
an outer surface having a bottom surface;
a ball positioned on the inner surface, wherein:
the bottom surface acts as a ground,
the inner surface acts as a positive node,
the inner surface, the outer surface, and the ball are configured to capture biomechanical energy associated with respiratory motion to cause movement of the ball, and
the movement causes mechanical stress to the piezoelectric material to produce an electrical current.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric material is configured to fit within a 50 mm×45 mm×7 mm area.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, further comprising one or more electrodes positioned on the piezoelectric material, configured to capture an output current generated by the piezoelectric material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 3, wherein the one or more electrodes are coupled to the bottom surface of the outer surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 3, wherein the one or more electrodes are coupled to the inner surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 3, further comprising an AC/DC rectifier circuit and a voltage regulator/converter, wherein the AC/DC rectifier circuit is followed by the voltage regulator/converter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric material includes one or more of the following: PZT-5H ceramic, Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer film, zinc oxide (ZnO), aluminum nitride (AlN), and zirconate-titanate/poly-dimethylsiloxane (PZT-PDMS).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the ball is a metal ball.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 8, wherein the metal ball includes steel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric material has a cylindrical outer surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric material is configured to output at least 5V.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein:
the piezoelectric material is configured to be housed within a pacemaker housing; and
the piezoelectric material is configured to power one or more components of a pacemaker.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the concave shape is a hemisphere.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein a first radius associated with the inner surface is greater than a first diameter of the ball.