The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 13, 1983
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1980
George W Taylor, Princeton, NJ (US);
Joseph R Burns, Pennington, NJ (US);
Other;
Abstract
For the purpose of converting the mechanical energy of surface waves on bodies of water, a power generating piezoelectric structure (10) is provided comprising piezoelectric material members, preferably in the form of one or a laminate of sheets (14) of such material, each sheet having an electrode (24) on opposite surfaces thereof. Each pair of electrodes and the piezoelectric material therebetween define a power generating element, each of which is preferably dimensioned, relative to the wave lengths of selected waves on the body of water in which the generator is to be used, for increasing the efficiency of power conversion. A support means (12) is provided for maintaining the structure in a preselected position within and below the surface of the water. Preferably, the piezoelectric generating elements are flexible and are supported in such manner to allow flexure thereof in response to movement of the surrounding water. In certain embodiments, the elements are designed to enter into mechanical resonance in response to the passage of waves thereover, such flexure and/or resonance increasing the mechanical coupling efficiency between the waves and the elements.