Electrical energy-generating heat sink system and method of using same to recharge an energy storage device

An electrical energy-generating heat sink system comprising:

• a vapor chamber heat sink containing a working fluid;
• a vapor-pressurizing device fluidly coupled to the vapor chamber heat sink;
• one or more piezoelectric crystals in contact with the vapor chamber heat sink;
• and
• an electricity-generating device thermally coupled to the vapor-pressurizing device, the electricity-generating device comprising a pressure plate adapted to contact the one or more piezoelectric crystals when exposed to a sufficiently high vapor pressure and configured to provide electrical energy to a rechargeable battery in an electronic device.

An integrated circuit package comprising:

• a heat transfer device having an integrated circuit mating surface;
• a vapor-pressurizing device coupled to the heat transfer device;
• and
• an electricity-generating device coupled to the vapor-pressurizing device, the electricity-generating device comprising a pressure plate and one or more piezoelectric crystals, the pressure plate adapted to contact the one or more piezoelectric crystals when exposed to a sufficiently high vapor pressure.

A battery charger comprising:

• a vapor-producing device;
• a vapor-pressurizing device thermally coupled to the vapor-producing device, wherein the vapor-producing device is adapted to intake heat from an integrated circuit package and expel vapor to the vapor-pressurizing device;
• a mechanical energy-producing device mechanically coupled to the vapor-pressurizing device;
• an electrical energy-producing device mechanically coupled to the mechanical energy-producing device, the electrical energy-producing device comprising a pressure plate and one or more piezoelectric crystals, the pressure plate adapted to contact the one or more piezoelectric crystals when exposed to a sufficiently high vapor pressure;
• and
• a current supplying device electrically connected to the electrical energy-producing device and to a battery.

A method for providing electrical energy to a rechargeable energy storage device comprising:

• vaporizing a working fluid in thermal contact with a heat generating device to produce vapor;
• pressurizing the vaporized fluid to produce pressurized vapor;
• contacting a bottom surface of a pressure plate with the pressurized vapor to produce mechanical energy;
• and
• converting the mechanical energy to electrical energy with one or more piezoelectric crystals.

A method for extending run-time for a battery-operated notebook computer comprising:

• generating heat with a microprocessor;
• transferring the heat through a heat sink to continuously produce electrical energy, the heat sink including a pressure plate and one or more piezoelectric crystals, wherein the pressure plate is adapted to contact the one or more piezoelectric crystals when exposed to a sufficiently high vapor pressure;
• and
• providing the electrical energy to a battery in the notebook computer to recharge the battery, wherein run-time of the notebook computer is extended.