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US 6,630,894 B1Granted
Self-powered switching device
AssigneeFace International Corporation
InventorsClark Davis Boyd, Bradbury R. Face, Samuel A. Face, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-powered switching device using a prestressed flextensional electroactive member generates a signal for activation of a latching relay. The electroactive member has a piezoelectric element with a convex and a concave face that may be compressed to generate an electrical pulse. The flextensional electroactive member and associated signal generation circuitry can be hardwired directly to the latching relay or may be coupled to a transmitter for sending an RF signal to a receiver which actuates the latching relay.
Claims16
A self-powered switching device comprising:
- flextensional transducer, said flextensional transducer comprising;
- a first electroactive member having opposing first and second electrode major faces;
- said first opposing major face being substantially convex and said second opposing major face being substantially concave;
- a prestress layer bonded to said second major face of said first electroactive member;
- wherein said flextensional transducer is adapted to deform from a first position to a second position upon application of a force to said flextensional transducer;
- and wherein upon said deformation to said second position, said flextensional transducer is adapted to generate a first voltage potential between said first electroded major face and said second electroded major face;
- a first conductor electrically connected to said first electroded major face of said first electroactive member;
- a second conductor electrically connected to said second electroded major face of said first electroactive member;
- signal transmission means electrically connected to said first and second conductors, said signal transmission means being adapted to generate a first signal in response to said first voltage potential;
- and
- a switch having a first position and a second position;
- said switch being in communication with said signal transmission means;
- said switch being adapted to change from said first position to said second position in response to said first signal;
- said switch being adapted to change from said second position to said first position in response to said first signal;
- a voltage regulator having an input side and an output side;
- said input side of said voltage regulator being electrically connected to said first and second conductors;
- said output side of said voltage regulator being electrically connected to said signal transmission means;
- a diode having an anode and a cathode connected in parallel with said flextensional;
- said cathode of said diode being electrically connected to said first conductor and said input side of said voltage regulator;
- said anode of said diode being electrically connected to said second conductor and said input side of said voltage regulator;
- whereby said diode is connected in parallel with first and second electroded major faces of said first electroactive member.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.