University of Southampton

The University of Manchester

The University of Newcastle

Perpetuum Ltd

Brunel University

Neil Maurice White

Stephen Paul Beeby

Michael John Tudor

Nicholas Robert Harris

Stephen William Roberts

Roy Freeland

Peter Glynne-Jones

Edward Barry Jones

John M Tudor

Artur J Jaworski

Jack Hale

Thomas Dyakowski

An electromechanical generator for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical generator including a cantilever spring having a fixed end, a free end and a central portion therebetween, a mount for the cantilever spring to which the fixed end is fixed, a mass located at the free end of the cantilever spring, the mass including either a coil or at least one magnet defining a region of magnetic flux, wherein at least one of the fixed end and the free end of the cantilever spring is substantially stiffer than the central portion of the cantilever spring.

Electromechanical generator for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy

An electromagnetic generator comprising two magnets and a coil disposed therebetween, the two magnets being configured to define therebetween a region of magnetic flux in which the coil is disposed whereby relative movement between the coil and the magnets generates an electrical current in the coil, and a vibratable first mount for each of the magnets and a vibratable second mount for the coil whereby each of the at least two magnets and the coil are respectively vibratable about a respective central position.

Electromagnetic device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy

An electromagnetic generator comprising a multilayer assembly of a first layer carrying at least one magnet, a second layer carrying at least one coil, and a third layer carrying at least one magnet, the at least one magnet of the first and third layers being configured to define therebetween a region of magnetic flux in which the at least one coil is disposed, at least one of the layers being shaped to define a respective displaceable portion thereof which is displaceable by vibration of the electromagnetic generator thereby to cause relative movement between the coil and the magnets and generate an electrical current in the coil.

Electromagnetic device for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, and manufacture thereof

A sensing device and method. The device includes a first element and a second element. Each of the elements includes a first electrode, and a second electrode, and a piezoelectric layer between and connected to the first and second electrode. The first electrode, second electrode and piezoelectric layer of each element form a pressure wave transducer. The first and second elements are oriented such that the second electrode of the first element faces the second electrode of the second element. The elements are displaced from one another such that the second electrodes form the plates of a capacitor.

Pressure wave piezoelectric sensor

A triple beam resonator () is provided with three beams or tines () aligned in parallel alongside each other and joined at a decoupling zone () at each end, which is in turn connected to the surrounding material. The central beam () is twice the width of the two outer beams (). The resonating element has a length of 15.5 mm, a thickness of 0.25 mm and beam widths of 2 mm and 1 mm. The distance between the beams is 0.5 mm. Finite element analysis predicts the modal behavior with stress distribution and eigenfrequencies of the resonator (). Thick-film PZT elements () were printed on separate regions at each end of the central beam (), where maximum stresses exist as the resonator () operates in its favored mode of vibration. The PZT element () at one end drives the vibrations, while the PZT element () at the other end detects them. Positioning the PZT driving and sensing elements () on the regions of maximum stresses maximizes the degree of mechanical coupling between the active piezoelectric layer and the resonator for generation of both driving forces and sensing signals. Very high quality factors of 3100 and higher have been experienced. Furthermore, the resonator can be manufactures by batch production techniques while maintaining high reliability and reproducibility.

Resonant sensor assembly

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Neil Maurice White