Energy combiner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016294184-A1
Application number	US-201415036725-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2014
Priority date	Nov 14, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic circuit with a hydraulic component. A sensor is provided for sensing a characteristic of the hydraulic component. An energy harvester is configured to harvest energy from the hydraulic circuit. An energy combiner receives power outputs from the energy harvester and a battery, and is configured to selectively power the sensor from at least one of the battery and the energy harvester in response to a predetermined condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hydraulic system, comprising:
a hydraulic circuit including a hydraulic component; a sensor for sensing a characteristic of the hydraulic component; an energy harvester configured to harvest energy from the hydraulic circuit; a battery; and an energy combiner receiving power outputs from the energy harvester and the battery, the energy combiner configured to selectively power the sensor from at least one of the battery and the energy harvester in response to a predetermined condition.

2 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the energy combiner is configured to power the sensor from the battery alone in response to a first condition.

3 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the energy combiner is configured to further power the sensor from the energy harvester alone in response to a second condition.

4 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the energy combiner is configured to power the sensor from the energy harvester and the battery together in response to a third condition.

5 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the energy combiner is configured to power the sensor:
from the battery alone in response to the output of the energy harvester being below a first predetermined level; from the battery and the energy harvester together in response to the output of the energy harvester being below a second predetermined level that is higher than the first predetermined level; and from the energy harvester alone in response to the output of the energy harvester being at or above the second predetermined level.

6 . The hydraulic system of claim 5 , wherein the second predetermined level is a power on voltage of the sensor.

7 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the energy combiner includes:
a first switch connected between an output terminal of the energy harvester and the sensor; and a second switch connected between an output terminal of the battery and the sensor.

8 . The hydraulic system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second switches consist of respective first and second diodes.

9 . The hydraulic system of claim 7 , wherein:
the first switch includes a diode having an anode connected to the output terminal of the energy harvester and a cathode connected to the sensor; and the second switch includes a transistor having a gate terminal connected to the output terminal of the energy harvester, a source terminal connected to the output terminal of the battery, and a drain terminal connected to the sensor.

10 . The hydraulic system of claim 9 , wherein the transistor is a P-MOSFET.

11 . The hydraulic system of claim 9 , further comprising a comparator configured to compare an output voltage of the energy harvester with an output voltage of the battery, wherein the comparator is connected between the output terminal of the energy harvester and the gate terminal of the transistor to control a voltage applied to the gate terminal in response to the comparison.

12 . The hydraulic system of claim 7 , wherein:
the first switch includes a first transistor having source and gate terminals connected to the output terminal of the energy harvester, and a drain terminal connected to the sensor; and the second switch includes a second transistor having a gate terminal connected to the output terminal of the energy harvester, a source terminal connected to the output terminal of the battery, and a drain terminal connected to the sensor.

13 . The hydraulic system of claim 12 , wherein the first transistor is an N-MOSFET, and the second transistor is a P-MOSFET.

14 . The hydraulic system of claim 7 , further comprising a transition capacitor connected between the drain terminal and the sensor.

15 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the battery is a non-rechargeable battery.

16 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the energy harvester includes a plurality of energy harvesting devices of varying types.

17 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic component is a hose.

18 . The hydraulic system of claim 1 , further comprising a communication module configured to provide wireless communication to a receiver positioned remotely from the sensor, wherein the energy combiner is configured to power the communication module.

19 . A hose assembly comprising:
a hose having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer; a sensor in electrical communication with the first and second conductive layers; an energy harvester in electrical communication with the sensor; a battery in electrical communication with the sensor; an energy combiner receiving power outputs from the energy harvester and the battery, the energy combiner configured to selectively power the sensor from at least one of the battery and the energy harvester in response to a predetermined condition.

20 . The hose assembly of claim 19 , wherein the energy combiner is configured to power the sensor:
from the battery alone in response to the output of the energy harvester being below a first predetermined level; from the battery and the energy harvester together in response to the output of the energy harvester being below a second predetermined level that is higher than the first predetermined level; and from the energy harvester alone in response to the output of the energy harvester being at or above the second predetermined level.

21 . The hose assembly of claim 19 , further comprising a transition capacitor connected between the energy combiner and the sensor.

21 . The hose assembly of claim 19 , wherein the energy harvester includes a plurality of energy harvesting devices of varying types.

23 . A method for monitoring a hydraulic component of a hydraulic circuit, comprising:
a hydraulic circuit including a hydraulic component; situating a sensor to sense a characteristic of a hydraulic component; harvesting energy from a hydraulic circuit including the hydraulic component; powering the sensor from at least one of a battery and an energy harvester in response to a predetermined condition.

24 . A monitor system, comprising:
a sensor for sensing a characteristic of a hydraulic component; an energy combiner including
a first switch having an input terminal for connection to an energy harvester and configured to power the sensor in response to a first condition;
a second switch having an input terminal for connection to a battery and configured to power the sensor in response to a first condition.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Al-Atat Hassan
• Surase Nilesh Kailasrao
• Bhutada Pradeep Gokuldasji

Classifications

• H02J50/001

  Energy harvesting or scavenging · CPC title

• F15B15/10

  the motor being of diaphragm type · CPC title

• H02J1/108

  having arrangements for blocking reverse current flow, e.g. using diodes (H02J1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/34

  Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J1/10 Primary

  Parallel operation of DC sources · CPC title