Triboelectric energy generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10855205-B2
Application number	US-201615562924-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

The invention provides an energy generation and/or conversion system and method wherein an electrical power generator is controlled to periodically alternate between a contact-mode, during which elements of the generator are brought into contact to induce a state of charging, and a non-contact mode, during which plates of the generator are separated from one another and electrical energy is generated through electrostatic induction. Timing and duration of contact and non-contact modes are controlled by a controller, or by user commands, in dependence on a charge state of the elements of the generator: In this way elements are controlled to come into contact only when surface charge has fallen below a certain level, and re-charging is necessary; contact time between the elements may hence be minimised—thereby minimising incurred noise and surface wear—whilst still maintaining a given desired threshold power output.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an electrical power generator for generating an electrical power, the electrical power generator comprising a first element and a second element configured to have a state of charging and configured to be moveable with respect to each other for generating the electrical power when the elements comprise the state of charging, the first element and second element being further configured such that they can be brought into and out of contact with each other;
a drive mechanism for bringing the first element and the second element into and out of contact,
wherein the system is configured to be operated in:
a charging mode in which the first element and the second element are in contact for altering the state of charging, and
a power generation mode in which the first element and the second element are out of contact;

wherein the system further comprises:
a device for determining the state of charging; and
a controller for:
controlling the timing and/or duration of the charging mode in dependence on the state of charging; or
outputting information for use in controlling the timing and/or duration of the charging mode in dependence on the state of charging.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device for determining the state of charging comprises a comparator circuit for receiving an output signal of the electrical power generator.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the comparator circuit comprises a Schmitt-trigger circuit.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first element and the second element comprise a first disk element and a second disk element, rotatable with respect to one another.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first element and the second element are moveable with respect to each other at a moving distance that is fixed at a specific value in the power generation mode.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises one or more spiral-patterned topographic features, formed on surface(s) of the first disk element and/or the second disk element, the spiral patterned topographical features for generating a distance between the first and second elements, in response to rotation.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a motor unit for generating relative motion between the first element and the second element.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the controller comprises a motor controller circuit, connected to the motor unit, for controlling a drive input voltage to the motor unit.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a mechatronic actuation element.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the controller comprises a mechatronic actuation control circuit.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a user input module, for receiving commands from a user.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the controller comprises a user-output module for outputting to a user information for use in manually controlling the timing and/or duration of the charging mode.

13. A method of operating an electrical power generator for generating electrical power, the electrical power generator comprising a first element and a second element configured to have a state of charging and configured to be moveable with respect to each other for generating the electrical power, the first element and second element being further configured such that they can be brought into and out of contact with each other, the method comprising:
bringing the first element and the second element into and out of contact, so as to realize a charging mode, wherein the elements are in contact for altering the charging state, and a non-charging mode, wherein the elements are out of contact, and
controlling the timing and/or duration of the charging in dependence on the state of charging,
or
outputting information for use in controlling the timing and/or duration of the charging mode in dependence on the state of charging.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the first element and the second element are brought into contact in response to a dropping of an output voltage of the electrical power generator from above a lower threshold to below said lower threshold, and wherein first and second elements are brought out of contact in response to a rising of an output voltage of the generator from below an upper threshold, to above said upper threshold.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the first element and the second element are brought into and/or out of contact by means of a mechatronic control element.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Johnson Mark Thomas
• Gerhardt Lutz Christian
• Franklin Steven Ernest
• Davie Alan James
• Joye Neil Francis
• Rutgers Andrew Ulrich

Classifications

• H02N1/10

  with non-conductive charge carrier · CPC title

• H02N1/04 Primary

  Friction generators · CPC title

• H02N1/002 Primary

  Electrostatic motors · CPC title