US 12,456,935 B2
Smart wheel energy harvester
Ryan Griswold, Los Gatos, CA (US); John Sze, Saratoga, CA (US); and Vibhu Vivek, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to TDK CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by TDK CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/586,324.
Application 18/586,324 is a continuation of application No. 17/959,120, filed on Oct. 3, 2022, granted, now 12,057,791.
Application 17/959,120 is a continuation of application No. 16/681,620, filed on Nov. 12, 2019, granted, now 11,791,748.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/878,225, filed on Jul. 24, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0258939 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. H02N 2/18 (2006.01); B60C 23/04 (2006.01); B60R 16/03 (2006.01); B60C 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02N 2/18 (2013.01) [B60C 23/0411 (2013.01); B60C 23/0486 (2013.01); B60C 7/00 (2013.01); B60R 16/0307 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy harvesting system, comprising:
at least one energy harvesting component configured to be attached to a wheel of a vehicle, wherein the at least one energy harvesting component comprises:
a piezoelectric component configured to be directly attached to a staging surface of a rim portion of the wheel, wherein the rim portion of the wheel has a concave shape, and the staging surface comprises a two-dimensional convex surface; and
wherein the piezoelectric component is configured to generate an electric signal, as the wheel rotates, by deforming to conform with the two-dimensional convex surface in response to a mechanical strain imparted on the piezoelectric component by a tire mounted on the rim portion of the wheel.