# US 2014/0191592 A1 · Electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191592 A1 - Document ID: US20140191592A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/239,156 - Filed: 2012-08-16 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-16 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Inventors: Bozena Erdmann; Bas Willibrord De Wit; Armand Michel Marie Lelkens; Arthur Robert Van Es; Ludovicus Marinus Gerardus Maria Tolhuizen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191592A1 ## CPC - H01H 13/50: having a single operating member - H02K 7/1853: {driven by intermittent forces} - H02K 7/1892: {Generators with parts oscillating or vibrating about an axis} - H01H 2239/076: Key stroke generating power - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract An electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch configured to provide at least two different control signals comprises: a generator activating member (9) configured to move between a rest position and a maximum loaded position; at least one spring (11, 13) configured to force the generator activating member towards the rest position; and a unidirectionally rotating protrusion member (17) comprising at least one protrusion (21) configured to move through a protrusion's path during rotation of the protrusion member (17), through a first position of the protrusion (21), in which first position the protrusion (21) is engaged with the generator activating member (9) in the rest position, and through a second position, the protrusion (21) thereby carrying the generator activating member (9) from the rest position to the maximum loaded position against the force of the at least one spring (11, 13). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch configured to provide at least two different control signals, said switch comprising: a generator activating member configured to move between a rest position and a maximum loaded position; and at least one spring configured to force the generator activating member towards the rest position and comprising a unidirectionally rotating protrusion member comprising at least one protrusion configured to move through a protrusion's path during rotation of the protrusion member through a first position of the protrusion, in which first position the protrusion is engaged with the generator activating member in the rest position, and through a second position, the protrusion thereby carrying the generator activating member from the rest position to the maximum loaded position against the force of said at least one spring. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion member is a toothed wheel carrying evenly spaced teeth constituting a plurality of said protrusions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 1, comprising a bias component biasing the protrusion member towards a rest position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 1, wherein the generator activating member comprises a rack portion extending along a path followed by the generator activating member and constituting a part of a generator coupling, and a generator is provided with at least a sector of a gear wheel constituting another part of the generator coupling. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 1, further comprising a sliding member configured move through a slide path between a first and a second position on the slide path, and comprising a transmission between the sliding member and a manual actuator member, the sliding member moving upon activation of the manual actuator member thereby engaging with and moving the protrusion member to forward the protrusion through the protrusion's path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 5, wherein the manual actuator member is configured to move upon manual activation by a user in a direction crosswise to the slide path and the transmission provided between the manual actuator member and the sliding member is transferring a movement of the manual actuator member into a movement of the sliding member along the slide path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 1, comprising a manually movable control member and a sensor configured to sense the position of said control member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 7, wherein the control member comprises an endlessly rotatable knob. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 7, wherein the control member comprises a knob movable between two stops. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 1, comprising a first and a second manual actuation member and at least one sensor configured to sense activation of at least one of the first and the second manual actuator member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 10, further comprising a second sliding member configured to move through a second slide path between a first and a second position, upon activation of the second manual actuator member, thereby engaging with and moving the protrusion member to forward the protrusion through the protrusion's path. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) An electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 5, comprising a release detector for a manual actuator member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 12, wherein the release detector comprises: a second generator activating member configured to move between a second rest position and a second loaded position; and at least one second spring configured to force the second generator activating member towards the second rest position; wherein the two generator activating members are configured to be engaged simultaneously by the protrusion member, the first generator activating member is configured to be disengaged from the protrusion member in a first disengagement position of the protrusion member to be released for return movement towards the rest position, the protrusion member being movable into the first disengagement position by action of the manual actuator member being moved to an actuated position and the second generator activating member being releasable for return movement towards the second rest position on release of the manual activator member from the actuated position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 13, wherein the second generator activating member is configured to be disengaged from the protrusion member in a subsequent position of the protrusion member subsequent to the first disengagement position of the protrusion member and reachable by the protrusion member when the manual actuator member is released from the actuated position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An electro-mechanical energy harvesting switch according to claim 14, wherein the protrusion member comprises a plurality of protrusions and the sliding member comprises a first surface part configured to engage a first protrusion for moving the protrusion member in its rotational direction and a second surface part configured to block the protrusion's path for a trailing protrusion trailing the first protrusion, when the sliding member is in the second position on the slide path, thereby blocking the entry of the protrusion member into the subsequent position.