US 11,750,118 B2
Energy harvesting roller assembly
Saritha Bykothuru Srinivasa Reddy, Bengaluru (IN); Thirunavukkarasu Ramalingam, Bangalore (IN); and Elangovan Palaniappan, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to GOODRICH CORPORATION, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by GOODRICH CORPORATION, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Dec. 13, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/713,277.
Claims priority of application No. 201941041265 (IN), filed on Oct. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0111645 A1, Apr. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. H02N 2/18 (2006.01); B65G 39/09 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02N 2/186 (2013.01) [B65G 39/09 (2013.01); H02J 7/0068 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy harvesting roller for a cargo handling system, comprising:
a shaft;
a sleeve located on the shaft;
a piezoelectric member coupled to the sleeve; and
a shell located radially outward of the sleeve thereby enclosing the piezoelectric member between the sleeve and a radially inward surface of the shell, the shell configured to rotate relative to the sleeve, wherein the radially inward surface of the shell defines at least one of a plurality of grooves or a plurality of protrusions and wherein the piezoelectric member is configured to vibrate in response to the shell rotating about the shaft and deflecting the piezoelectric member from a neutral position.
 
7. A roller tray, comprising:
a first vertical wall;
a second vertical wall;
a first energy harvesting roller located between the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall, the first energy harvesting roller comprising:
a shaft;
a sleeve located on the shaft;
a piezoelectric member coupled to the sleeve; and
a shell located radially outward of the sleeve thereby enclosing the piezoelectric member between the sleeve and a radially inward surface of the shell, the shell configured to rotate relative to the sleeve, wherein the radially inward surface of the shell defines at least one of a plurality of grooves or a plurality of protrusions and wherein the piezoelectric member is configured to vibrate in response to the shell rotating about the shaft and deflecting the piezoelectric member from a neutral position; and
an energy storage device electrically coupled to the first energy harvesting roller.