Inertially operated piezoelectric energy harvesting electronic circuitry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11248893-B2
Application number	US-201816001909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2008
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device including: a piezoelectric device configured to generate a voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events; an electrical storage device configured to receive a portion of the generated voltage to accumulate a charge; an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events; and a voltage limiting device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to limit the portion of the generated voltage applied to the electrical storage device to a predetermined limit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-powered electrical inertial igniter device responsive to an acceleration pulse event that is at least one of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) resistant, the device comprising:
a piezoelectric device configured to generate a voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events;
an electrical storage device configured to receive a portion of the generated voltage to accumulate a charge and configured to produce a detection signal in response to the accumulated charge indicating that the one or more acceleration pulse events met predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s);
an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events;
a bridge wire; and
a switching circuit having a switch control input coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to act as an open switch prior to the detection signal being produced and configured to act as a closed switch, thereby discharging the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device through the bridge wire, in response to the detection signal being produced.

2. The device of claim 1 , comprising:
a first diode having a first anode, coupled to the piezoelectric device, and having a first cathode;
a resistor; and
a second diode having a second anode coupled to the electrical storage device through the resistor and having a second cathode coupled to the first cathode, the second diode having a back-biased voltage drop that reduces the portion of the input voltage over the duration provided to the electrical storage device.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the second diode is a Zener diode.

4. The device of claim 1 , comprising a voltage divider circuit coupled between the electrical storage device and the switch control input, the voltage divider providing a portion of the charge to the switch control input.

5. The device of claim 1 , comprising a housing, wherein the piezoelectric device, the electrical storage device, the energy dissipating device, the bridge wire and the switching circuit are enclosed within the housing.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the housing is at least one of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) resistant.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the housing is a metallic housing that is hermetically sealed.

8. The device of claim 1 , comprising a mass attached to the piezoelectric device and configured to increase the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device above the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device without the mass.

9. The device of claim 1 , comprising a housing and pyrotechnic material, wherein the pyrotechnic material is positioned to be ignited by the bridge wire when the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device is discharged through the bridge wire, in response to the detection signal being produced, and
wherein the piezoelectric device, the electrical storage device, the energy dissipating device, the bridge wire, the switching circuit, and the pyrotechnic material are enclosed within the housing.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the housing is scored in a portion that is proximate to the pyrotechnic material.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the electrical storage device, the energy dissipating device, and the switching circuit are configured on an electronic circuit module.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the piezoelectric device, the electronic circuit module, the bridge wire and the pyrotechnic material are configured in a stacked arrangement within the housing.

13. The device of claim 12 , comprising a mass attached to the piezoelectric device positioned between the piezoelectric device and the electronic circuit module in the stack.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the housing is scored in a portion that is proximate to the pyrotechnic material.

15. A self-powered electrical inertial igniter device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device comprising:
an input configured to receive an input voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events;
an electrical storage device configured to receive a portion of the received voltage to accumulate a charge and configured to produce a detection signal in response to the accumulated charge indicating that the one or more acceleration pulse events met predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s);
an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events;
a bridge wire;
a switching circuit having a switch control input coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to act as an open switch prior to the detection signal being produced and configured to act as a closed switch, thereby discharging the voltage received from the input through the bridge wire, in response to the detection signal being produced; and
a housing, wherein the electrical storage device, the energy dissipating device, the bridge wire and the switching circuit are enclosed within the housing, and wherein the housing is at least one of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) resistant.

16. The device of claim 15 , comprising:
a piezoelectric device coupled to the input and configured to generate the voltage over the duration responsive to the one or more acceleration pulse events;
a mass attached to the piezoelectric device and configured to increase the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device above the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device without the mass;
pyrotechnic material, wherein the pyrotechnic material is positioned to be ignited when the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device is discharged through the bridge wire, in response to the detection signal being produced, and
wherein the piezoelectric device, the mass, and the pyrotechnic material are enclosed within the housing; and
wherein the housing is scored in a portion that is proximate to the pyrotechnic material to enable rupture of the housing at the scoring under pressure generated when the pyrotechnic material is ignited.

17. The device of claim 15 , comprising:
a piezoelectric device coupled to the input and configured to generate the voltage over the duration responsive to the one or more acceleration pulse events;
a mass attached to the piezoelectric device and configured to increase the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device above the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device without the mass,
wherein the electrical storage device, the energy dissipating device, and the switching circuit are configured on an electronic circuit module, and
wherein the piezoelectric device, the mass, the electronic circuit module, the bridge wire and the pyrotechnic material are configured in a stacked arrangement within the housing.

18. The device of claim 15 , comprising pyrotechnic material, wherein the pyrotechnic material is positioned to be ignited when the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device is discharged through the bridge wire, in response to the detection signal being produced, and wherein the housing is scored in a portion that is proximate to the pyrot

Assignees

• Omnitek Partners Llc

Inventors

• Rastegar Jahangir S

Classifications

• F42C11/008 Primary

  Power generation in electric fuzes (F42C11/02, F42C11/04 and F42C15/295 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02N2/183

  using impacting bodies (high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q) · CPC title

• F42C11/02 Primary

  with piezo-crystal · CPC title

• H02N2/181

  Circuits; Control arrangements or methods · CPC title