Method and Apparatus for Energy Harvesting Using Energy Storage and Release
AssigneeVeryst Engineering LLC
InventorsStuart B. Brown, Brian S. Hendrickson
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Abstract
An energy harvester is provided for converting an input force into electrical energy and also allowing for energy to be stored and then released at a later time. The energy harvester includes a receiver, energy collector, converter, and holder, and operates in three stages. The receiver receives the input force and the energy collector is moved by the receiver with an input displacement. The energy collector is then held in a catch position. The input force changes direction, and the energy collector is released by the holder and moves with an output displacement that is different from the input displacement. The converter generates electrical energy from the motion created.
Claims18
An energy harvester comprising:
- an energy collector,
- a receiver for receiving an input force and displacing the energy collector to a catch position according to an input displacement,
- a holder for temporarily holding the energy collector in the catch position with a constant displacement and releasing the energy collector from the catch position, so that the energy collector moves with an output displacement different from the input displacement, and
- a converter for transforming the motion of the energy collector into electric energy.
A method for harvesting energy comprising:
- displacing an energy collector at an input displacement,
- capturing the energy collector for a period of time at a constant displacement,
- releasing the energy collector at an output displacement, and
- converting the motion of the energy collector into electric energy.
A method for harvesting energy comprising:
- an input stage during which a energy collector is displaced by an input force,
- a hold stage during which the energy collector is held and the input force changes direction, and
- an output stage during which the energy collector is released and a output displacement of the energy collector is converted to electricity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.