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AssigneeInviza Corporation
InventorsRobert G. Andosca, Todd Richard Christenson, Marcus Taylor
Estimating the term…
Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and structures that scavenge mechanical energy to provide electrical energy to a wearable, where the mechanical energy is scavenged by a bending-strain-based transducer that includes a non-resonant energy harvester. By employing a non-resonant energy harvester that operates in bending mode, more electrical energy can be generated that possible with prior-art energy harvesters. In some embodiments the bending-strain-based transducer also includes a sensor and/or a haptic device. Some transducers in accordance with the present disclosure comprise a piezoelectric layer comprising a low-K piezoelectric material, such as aluminum nitride, which enables generation of higher voltage and power/energy output and/or a thinner transducer. As a result, transducers in accordance with the present disclosure can be included in wearables for which large transducer thickness would be problematic, such as sole members (e.g., shoe insoles, midsoles or outsoles), garments, bras, handbags, backpacks, and the like.
A wearable apparatus comprising:
A wearable apparatus comprising:
A wearable apparatus comprising a first bimorph transducer having a quiescent shape that is non-planar, wherein the first bimorph transducer includes a first transducer element disposed on a first surface of a substrate, the first transducer element being a non-resonant energy harvester, and wherein the first bimorph transducer is configured to bend in response to a first force, wherein the wearable apparatus further comprises:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.