US 12,088,180 B2
Kinetic energy-harvesting device for powering and charging railway and other applications
Yu Pan, Blacksburg, VA (US); Lei Zuo, Blacksburg, VA (US); and Mehdi Ahmadian, Blacksburg, VA (US)
Assigned to VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC., Blacksburg, VA (US)
Filed by VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC., Blacksburg, VA (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/719,971.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/174,859, filed on Apr. 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0337124 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. H02K 7/18 (2006.01); E01B 26/00 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02K 7/1861 (2013.01) [E01B 26/00 (2013.01); H02J 7/0042 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy harvesting device implementing a half-wave mechanical motion rectification (HMMR) mechanism, comprising:
a housing configured to be coupled to a surface, comprising:
at least one spring; and
at least one energy harvester comprising a generator and means for translating force applied to the surface in a first direction to force in a second direction, wherein:
under a force applied to the surface, the at least one energy harvester is compressed, and a compression of the at least one energy harvester causes the means for translating force to drive the generator to generate electrical power;
when the force applied to the surface has dissipated, the at least one spring causes the energy harvesting device to return to an undeflected state and the generator to disconnect from the means for translating the force;
the surface is a first rail and a second rail;
the energy harvesting device is disposed below the first rail and the second rail;
the at least one energy harvester comprises a first energy harvester disposed at a first side of the energy harvesting device and a second energy harvester disposed at a second side of the energy harvesting device, the first energy harvester is configured to harvest kinetic energy from the first rail and the second energy harvester is configured to harvest kinetic energy from the second rail; and
the at least one spring is a plurality of springs.