US 12,310,244 B2
Metamaterial-based substrate for piezoelectric energy harvesters
Saman Farhangdoust, Miami, FL (US); Gary E. Georgeson, Tacoma, WA (US); and Jeong-Beom Ihn, Bellevue, WA (US)
Assigned to THE BOEING COMPANY, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on May 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/198,181.
Application 18/198,181 is a division of application No. 16/907,192, filed on Jun. 20, 2020, granted, now 11,700,773.
Prior Publication US 2023/0292622 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. B60L 53/30 (2019.01); B60L 53/66 (2019.01); B64D 43/00 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02J 50/00 (2016.01); H10N 30/30 (2023.01); H10N 30/88 (2023.01)
CPC H10N 30/88 (2023.02) [B60L 53/30 (2019.02); B60L 53/66 (2019.02); B64D 43/00 (2013.01); H02J 7/0042 (2013.01); H02J 50/001 (2020.01); H10N 30/302 (2023.02); H10N 30/306 (2023.02); B60L 2200/10 (2013.01); H02J 2207/50 (2020.01); H02J 2310/44 (2020.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle comprising:
a host structure that vibrates during movement of the vehicle;
an energy harvesting device that is coupled to the host structure and configured to convert vibrations to electric power; and
an electrical device mounted to the host structure and connected to receive electric power that was generated by the energy harvesting device,
wherein the energy harvesting device comprises:
a first meta-material substrate comprising an auxetic frame having first and second kirigami cuts and a negative Poisson's ratio, wherein:
the auxetic frame comprises first and second walls and first and second flexible structures which connect the first wall to the second wall;
the first flexible structure comprises a first flexural element integrally connected to the first wall by a first flexural hinge and a second flexural element integrally connected to the second wall by a second flexural hinge;
the second flexible structure comprises a third flexural element integrally connected to the first wall by a third flexural hinge and a fourth flexural element integrally connected to the second wall by a fourth flexural hinge;
the first and second flexural elements form the first kirigami cut when the first flexible structure is in an unflexed state and are connected to each other by a fifth flexural hinge that is a part of the first flexible structure which closes a closed end of the first kirigami cut; and
the third and fourth flexural elements form the second kirigami cut when the second flexible structure is in an unflexed state and are connected to each other by a sixth flexural hinge that is a part of the second flexible structure which closes a closed end of the second kirigami cut;
a first layer of elastic glue adhered to a first surface of the auxetic frame; and
a first piezoelectric element adhered to the first layer of elastic glue.