Actuator exhaust fluid energy harvester
AssigneePHD, Inc.
InventorsNicole M. Price, Matthew R. Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid energy harvester, including a housing having at least one port and an outlet, and the housing defining at least one fluid passageway therein. The fluid energy harvester also includes a converter disposed within the housing and configured to convert at least a portion of potential energy in an exhaust fluid, a generator operably coupled to the converter and configured to generate an electrical current from the converter, a charging controller electrically coupled to the generator, and a storage medium electrically coupled to the generator and configured to store the electrical current generated by the generator. The fluid energy harvester further includes a nozzle configured to control a flow of the exhaust fluid.
Claims20
A fluid energy harvester, comprising:
- a housing having at least one port and an outlet, and said housing defining at least one fluid passageway therein;
- a converter disposed within the housing and configured to convert at least a portion of potential energy in an exhaust fluid;
- a generator operably coupled to the converter and configured to generate an electrical current from the converter;
- a charging controller electrically coupled to the generator;
- a storage medium electrically coupled to the generator and configured to store the electrical current generated by the generator;
- and
- a nozzle configured to control a flow of the exhaust fluid.
An actuating system, comprising:
- a fluid supply for supplying a fluid;
- an actuator, including:
- a piston having a piston rod, a first piston face, and a second piston face;
- a piston housing substantially encasing the piston and defining a first volume and a second volume respectively adjacent to the first piston face and the second piston face;
- and
- a first port and a second port fluidly connected respectively with the first volume and the second volume of the piston housing;
- a valve fluidly connected to the fluid supply and the actuator, and having an exhaust port;
- and
- a fluid energy harvester fluidly connected to the actuator, including:
- a housing having a first port, a second port, and an outlet, and said housing defining at least one fluid passageway therein;
- a converter disposed within the housing and configured to convert at least a portion of potential energy in the fluid exhausting from the actuator;
- a generator operably coupled to the converter and configured to generate an electrical current from the converter;
- a charging controller electrically coupled to the generator;
- a storage medium electrically coupled to the generator and configured to store the electrical current generated by the generator;
- and
- a moveable needle disposed within the at least one passageway of the housing and configured to control a flow of the fluid.
An actuating system, comprising:
- a fluid supply for supplying a fluid;
- an actuator, including:
- a piston having a piston rod, a first piston face, and a second piston face;
- a piston housing substantially encasing the piston and defining a first volume and a second volume respectively adjacent to the first piston face and the second piston face;
- and
- a first port and a second port fluidly connected respectively with the first volume and the second volume of the piston housing;
- a valve fluidly connected to the fluid supply and the actuator, and having an exhaust port;
- and
- a fluid energy harvester fluidly connected to the actuator, including:
- a housing having a port and an outlet, and said housing defining at least one fluid passageway therein;
- a converter disposed within the housing and configured to convert at least a portion of potential energy in the fluid exhausting from the actuator;
- a generator operably coupled to the converter and configured to generate an electrical current from the converter;
- a charging controller electrically coupled to the generator;
- a storage medium electrically coupled to the generator and configured to store the electrical current generated by the generator;
- and
- a moveable needle associated with the at least one passageway of the housing and configured to control a flow of the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.