Generator spinning in a wearable system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11140940-B2
Application number	US-201916550335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2019
Priority date	Aug 30, 2018
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

A wearable system, such as a footwear system, can employ a generator. The generator can be an electro-mechanical generator with a portion that spins to create an electricity. The portion that spins can be spun in such a manner that it does not stop, but instead a next spin beings before a previous spin completes. This can repeat until the generator reaches a terminal velocity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, performed by a footwear system, the method comprising:
causing a generator that is part of the footwear system to being a first spin at a first time; and
causing the generator that is part of the footwear system to begin a second spin at a second time,
where the second time is after the first time,
where the first spin comprises a spin-up followed by a spin-down, and
where the second spin begins during the spin-down.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
where the generator is caused to begin the first spin in response to released energy from a spring of the footwear system and
where the generator is caused to begin the second spin in response to released energy from the spring of the footwear system.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising:
engaging the spring with the generator prior to causing the generator to be caused to being the first spin; and
disengaging the spring with the generator after the energy is released from the spring.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising:
engaging the spring with a source configured to impart the spring with an energy, the energy being released is the energy imparted upon the spring; and
disengaging the spring from the source after the spring is imparted with the energy.

5. The method of claim 4 ,
where the source and the spring are engaged while the spring and generator are disengaged and
where the generator and the spring are engaged while the spring and source are disengaged.

6. The method of claim 4 ,
where the source and the spring are disengaged when the spring and the generator are disengaged.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
causing the generator that is part of the footwear system to begin a third spin at a third time,
where the third time is after the second time,
where the spin-up is a first spin spin-up,
where the spin-down is a first spin spin-down,
where the second spin comprises a second spin spin-up followed by a second spin spin-down,
where the third spin begins during the second spin spin-down,
where there is a first rotational speed of the generator at an end of the first spin spin-down and a start of the second spin,
where there is a second rotational speed of the generator at an end of the second spin spin-down and a start of the third spin, and
where the second rotational speed is faster than the first rotational speed.

8. A footwear system comprising:
a generator;
a hardware transfer component configured to transfer a first energy at a first time to the generator and transfer a second energy at a second time to the generator; and
a spring configured to capture the first energy transferred by the hardware transfer component and capture the second energy transferred by the hardware transfer component,
where the generator is configured to produce a first spin in response to reception of the first energy,
where the generator is configured to produce a second spin in response to reception of the second energy,
where the second time is after the first time, and
where the production of the second spin occurs before completion of the first spin.

9. The footwear system of claim 8 , comprising:
a first coupling hardware component configured to cause the spring to couple or decouple to a source of the first energy and the second energy; and
a second coupling hardware component configured to cause the generator to couple or decouple to the spring,
where during a first phase the first coupling hardware component causes the spring to couple with the source while the second coupling hardware component causes the generator to decouple with the spring,
where during a second phase the first coupling hardware component causes the spring to decouple with the source while the second coupling hardware component causes the generator to couple with the spring,
where the first phase and the second phase are separate and distinct, and
where the second phase follows the first phase.

10. The footwear system of claim 9 , comprising:
a reset component configured to cause the spring to be subject to a reset during a third phase,
where the spring is a linear spring,
where during the third phase the first coupling hardware component causes the spring to decouple with the source while the second coupling hardware component causes the generator to decouple with the spring,
where the first phase and the third phase are separate and distinct,
where the second phase and the third phase are separate and distinct, and
where the third phase follows the second phase.

11. The footwear system of claim 8 ,
where the hardware transfer component is configured to transfer a third energy at a third time to the generator,
where the generator is configured to produce a third spin in response to reception of the third energy,
where the third time is after the second time,
where production of the third spin occurs before completion of the second spin,
where when the second spin starts, the first spin is at a first revolution count,
where when the third spin starts, the second spin is at a second revolution count, and
where the second revolution count is greater than the first revolution count.

12. The footwear system of claim 11 ,
where the hardware transfer component is configured to transfer a fourth energy at a fourth time to the generator,
where the generator is configured to produce a fourth spin in response to reception of the fourth energy,
where the fourth time is after the third time,
where production of the fourth spin occurs before completion of the third spin,
where when the fourth spin starts, the third spin is at a third revolution count, and
where the second revolution count and the third revolution count are about equal.

13. The footwear system of claim 8 , comprising:
a charge transfer component configured to transfer a first charge and a second charge to a battery from the generator,
where the first charge is a result of the first spin and
where the second charge is a result of the second spin.

14. A method, performed by a wearable system, the method comprising:
causing a generator that is part of the wearable system to engage in a first spin sequence over a first time span with a first power output range; and
causing the generator that is part of the wearable system to begin a second spin sequence over a second time span with a second power output range,
where the second time span and the first time span are separate and distinct from one another,
where the second time span follows the first time span,
where a low value of the first power output range is lower than a low value of the second power output range, and
where a high value of the first power output range is lower than a high value of the second power output range.

15. The method of claim 14 , comprising:
causing the generator that is part of the wearable system to begin a third spin sequence over a third time span with a third power output range,
where the first time span and the third time span are separate and distinct from one another,
where the second time span and the third time span are separate and distinct from one another,
where the third time span follows the second time span,
where a low value of the third power output range is about equal to the low value of the second power output range, and
where a high value of the third power output range is about equal to the high value of the second power output range.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising:
supplying a first input torque to the generator that is employed to cause the generator to begin the fir

Assignees

• Us Gov Sec Army

Inventors

• Sharpes Nathan

Classifications

• H02J7/40

  characterised by the exchange of charge or discharge related data · CPC title

• A43B3/42 Primary

  where power is generated by conversion of mechanical movement to electricity, e.g. by piezoelectric means · CPC title

• H02N2/18

  producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators (for measurement devices G01) · CPC title

• A43B3/38

  with power sources · CPC title

• F03G5/063

  operated by the leg or foot · CPC title