US 12,424,874 B2
Energy harvesting and a rail monitoring arrangement incorporating same
Zheng Jun Chew, Exeter (GB); Yang Kuang, Exeter (GB); Tingwen Ruan, Exeter (GB); and Meiling Zhu, Exeter (GB)
Assigned to UNIVERSITY OF EXETER, Exeter (GB)
Appl. No. 18/262,470
Filed by UNIVERSITY OF EXETER, Exeter (GB)
PCT Filed Jan. 21, 2022, PCT No. PCT/GB2022/050166
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 21, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/157502, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 28, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2100800 (GB), filed on Jan. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0322597 A1, Sep. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. H02J 50/00 (2016.01); B61L 23/04 (2006.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.01)
CPC H02J 50/001 (2020.01) [B61L 23/042 (2013.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.02)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy harvesting arrangement for use in the harvesting of magnetic field energy from a source in the form of a rail of a railway network, the energy harvesting arrangement comprising an energy harvester arranged in proximity to the rail or a component electrically connected to the rail, and the energy harvester is electrically connected, via a power management circuit, to an electrical storage device,
wherein the energy harvester comprises first and second flux collectors positioned, in use, adjacent opposite sides of a foot of the rail so that the foot of the rail is located, at least in part, laterally between the first and second flux collectors, the first and second flux collectors being interconnected by a rod around which a coil is wound, the rod extending beneath the rail, the conductor of the coil being electrically connected, via the power management circuit, to the electrical storage device, wherein the first and second flux collectors and the rod are of a magnetic material.