Piezo-elements for wearable devices, including fitness trackers, smart watches and the like

A wearable apparatus comprising:

• (a) a transducer having a longitudinal axis that defines a first direction, wherein the transducer is a bending-strain-based transducer that includes:
• (i) a first transducer element disposed on a first surface of a substrate, the first transducer element being a non-resonant energy harvester;
• (ii) a second transducer element disposed on a second surface of the substrate, the first and second surfaces being on opposite sides of the substrate, wherein the second transducer element is selected from the group consisting of a resonant energy harvester, a non-resonant energy harvester, a force sensor, a load sensor, a pressure sensor, and a haptic device;
• (iii) a mechanically rigid structural support aligned with a second direction, the first transducer element having a third surface that is distal to the substrate and defines a first plane, and wherein the mechanically rigid structural support extends along the second direction to define a second plane, and further wherein the first plane is between the substrate and the second plane;
• wherein the mechanically rigid structural support functions as a fulcrum about which the transducer bends;
• wherein the transducer is configured to bend in response to a first force that is at least partially directed along a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction;
• wherein the first transducer element is configured to provide a first output signal;
• and
• wherein the second transducer element is configured to provide a second output signal or generate a first mechanical signal based on a first input signal;
• wherein the transducer is further configured to inhibit compression of at least one of the first and second transducer elements along the second direction in response to the first force;
• (b) a power handling circuit;
• and
• (c) an energy storage module operatively coupled with the transducer and configured to store energy generated by the non-resonant energy harvesters, and provide power to the transducer and the other electronics included in the wearable apparatus.

A wearable apparatus comprising:

• (a) a transducer having a longitudinal axis that defines a first direction, wherein the transducer is a bending-strain-based transducer that includes:
• (i) a first transducer element disposed on a first surface of a substrate, the first transducer element being a non-resonant energy harvester;
• (ii) a second transducer element disposed on a second surface of the substrate, the first and second surfaces being on opposite sides of the substrate, wherein the second transducer element is selected from the group consisting of a resonant energy harvester, a non-resonant energy harvester, a force sensor, a load sensor, a pressure sensor, and a haptic device;
• (iii) a third transducer element disposed on the second surface, and wherein the third transducer element is a haptic device;
• (iv) a mechanically rigid structural support aligned with a second direction, the first transducer element having a third surface that is distal to the substrate and defines a first plane, and wherein the mechanically rigid structural support extends along the second direction to define a second plane, and further wherein the first plane is between the substrate and the second plane;
• wherein the mechanically rigid structural support functions as a fulcrum about which the transducer bends;
• wherein the transducer is configured to bend in response to a first force that is at least partially directed along a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction;
• wherein the first transducer element is configured to provide a first output signal;
• and
• wherein the second transducer element is configured to provide a second output signal or generate a first mechanical signal based on a first input signal;
• (b) a power handling circuit;
• and
• (c) an energy storage module operatively coupled with the transducer and configured to store energy generated by the non-resonant energy harvesters, and provide power to the transducer and the other electronics included in the wearable apparatus.

A wearable apparatus comprising a first bimorph transducer having a first longitudinal axis that defines a first direction, wherein the first bimorph transducer is a bending-strain-based transducer that includes:

• (a) a first transducer element disposed on a first surface of a substrate, the first transducer element being a non-resonant energy harvester that provides a first output signal;
• (b) a second transducer element disposed on a second surface of a substrate, the second transducer element being a sensor that provides a second output signal;
• and
• (c) a third transducer element configured to provide a mechanical signal in response to a first input signa, wherein the third transducer element is a haptic device;
• (d) a mechanically rigid structural support aligned with a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction, the first transducer element having a surface that is distal to the substrate and defines a first plane, and wherein the mechanically rigid structural support extends along the second direction to define a second plane, and wherein the first plane is between the substrate and the second plane, wherein the mechanically rigid structural support functions as a fulcrum about which the transducer bends;
• wherein the first bimorph transducer is further configured to inhibit compression of the first transducer element along the second direction in response to the first force
• wherein the first bimorph transducer is configured to bend in response to a first force directed at least partially along the second;
• wherein the wearable further includes a power handling circuit and an energy storage module operatively coupled with the first bimorph transducer and configured to store energy generated by the non-resonant energy harvesters, and provide power to the first bimorph transducer and the other electronics included in wearable.