Methods and systems for applying charge to a piezoelectric element
AssigneeAlfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research
InventorsHerman Lee Renger, Sam William Bowman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for applying charge to a piezoelectric element include and/or facilitate implementation of processes including cyclical multi-stage processes for: providing a piezoelectric element with an accumulated charge; providing one or more charge holding elements with a scavenged charge from the piezoelectric element; substantially removing or discharging a remaining charge from the piezoelectric element; and applying the scavenged charge to the piezoelectric element with an opposite polarity in relation to the polarity of the remaining charge.
Claims25
A system including electronics for producing a drive signal for a device having a piezoelectric transducer, the electronics comprising:
- a controller configured to generate voltage pulses;
- and
- converter circuitry including one or more charge holding elements, the converter circuitry being configured to use the voltage pulses to
- develop an accumulated charge associated with the piezoelectric transducer,
- provide the one or more charge holding elements with a scavenged charge from the piezoelectric transducer,
- substantially remove or discharge a remaining charge from the piezoelectric transducer, and
- apply the scavenged charge to the piezoelectric transducer with an opposite polarity in relation to the polarity of the remaining charge.
A pump comprising:
- a pump body configured to at least partially define a pumping chamber;
- a piezoelectric element responsive to a drive signal for pumping fluid in the pumping chamber;
- and
- a pump driver configured to provide the drive signal, the pump driver including
- a flyback boost circuit configured to develop an accumulated charge associated with the piezoelectric element and also a charge on one or more charge holding elements,
- a charge scavenging circuit configured to provide a charge scavenged from the piezoelectric element to the one or more charge holding elements,
- a charge removing circuit configured to substantially remove or discharge a remaining charge from the piezoelectric element, and
- a charge reclaiming circuit configured to apply the scavenged charge to the piezoelectric element with an opposite polarity in relation to the polarity of the remaining charge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.