Piezoelectric energy harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016294308-A1
Application number	US-201615084469-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A piezoelectric energy harvester is provided. The piezoelectric energy harvester includes a housing, a metal plate, a first piezoelectric material, an auto-returning device, a movable supporter, a first magnet and a second magnet. The housing includes a bottom plate, a top plate, a first side wall and a second side wall. A first terminal of the metal plate is fixed on the first side wall and a second terminal of the metal plate extends toward the second side wall. The first piezoelectric material is disposed on the metal plate to be deformed when the metal plate is deformed. When the movable supporter is moved, the movable supporter can push the second terminal of the metal plate to deform the metal plate. The first magnet and the second magnet are respectively disposed on the bottom plate and the top plate to attract the second terminal of the metal plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A piezoelectric energy harvester, comprising:
a housing comprising a bottom plate, a top plate, a first sidewall and a second side wall, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall are opposite to each other and located between the bottom plate and the top plate; a metal plate disposed between the first sidewall and the second side wall, wherein the metal plate has a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal is fixed on the first sidewall, and the second terminal extends toward the second side wall; a first piezoelectric material disposed on a first surface of the metal plate to be deformed when the metal plate is deformed; an auto-returning device; a movable supporter disposed on the auto-returning device, wherein the movable supporter includes a receiving part used to receive the metal plate and to push the metal plate to deform the metal plate when the movable supporter is moved; a first magnet disposed on the bottom plate, wherein the first magnet is used to attract the second terminal of the metal plate when the receiving part pushes the second terminal of the metal plate towards the bottom plate, thereby enabling the second terminal of the metal plate to be attached on the first magnet; and a second magnet disposed on the top plate, wherein the second magnet is used to attract the second terminal of the metal plate when the auto-returning device pushes the second terminal of the metal plate to enable the second terminal of the metal plate to be pushed towards the top plate by the receiving part, thereby enabling the second terminal of the metal plate to be attached on the second magnet.

2 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein the receiving part of the movable supporter has a U-type receiving space for receiving the second terminal of the metal plate.

3 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein the receiving part is used to receive the second terminal of the metal plate and to push the second terminal of the metal plate to deform the metal plate when the movable supporter is moved.

4 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 3 , wherein the first surface of the metal plate has a first pressing region configured to be touched by the receiving part of the movable supporter for pushing the second terminal of the metal plate, and the first piezoelectric material is disposed outside the first pressing region.

5 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 1 , further comprising a second piezoelectric material disposed on a second surface of the metal plate to be deformed when the metal plate is deformed, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface.

6 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 5 , wherein the second surface of the metal plate has a second pressing region configured to be touched by the receiving part of the movable supporter for pushing the second terminal of the metal plate, and the second piezoelectric material is disposed outside the second pressing region.

7 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 1 , further comprising a third magnet fixed on the first surface of the metal plate and opposite to the first magnet to enable the second terminal of the metal plate to be attached on the first magnet through the third magnet, when the receiving part pushes the second terminal of the metal plate towards the bottom plate.

8 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 7 , further comprising a fourth magnet fixed on the second surface of the metal plate and opposite to the second magnet to enable the second terminal of the metal plate to be attached on the second magnet through the fourth magnet, when the receiving part pushes the second terminal of the metal plate towards the top plate.

9 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 1 , wherein the auto-returning device is a resilience element disposed on the bottom plate.

10 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 1 , further comprises a mass disposed on the metal plate.

11 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 10 , wherein the mass is disposed on the first surface of the metal plate and disposed adjacent to the second terminal of the metal plate to adjust a resonant frequency of the first piezoelectric material.

12 . The piezoelectric energy harvester of claim 10 , wherein the mass is a magnet.

Assignees

• Univ Nat Cheng Kung

Inventors

• Chen Chung-De
• Yang Chin-Lung
• Chen Kuan-Wei

Classifications

• H02N2/186

  Vibration harvesters · CPC title

• H02N2/188 Primary

  adapted for resonant operation · CPC title

• H10N30/306

  Cantilevers · CPC title

• H02N2/18 Primary

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