An electromagnetic energy harvester for converting vibrations of a body to electricity that includes a coil with two ends that is wound along a longitudinal axis of a ferromagnetic core, a magnet, and a suspending device that its first end is designed to be fixed to the body and its second end is designed to be fixed to the magnet. The first end of the core is design to be at close proximity to the magnet and the longitudinal axis of the core is designed to be substantially aligned vertically to the magnetic axis of the magnet. The vibrations of the body can cause a relative alternating movement between the core and the magnet that can create alternating voltage between the ends of the coil.

Provided is an energy harvester and an engine monitoring system. An engine monitoring system using an energy harvester includes at least one or more self-power generation wireless sensor nodes for generating electric energy using the energy harvester and monitoring an engine; and a management server that receives and manages sensing information received from the self-power generation wireless sensor nodes. The self-power generation wireless sensor nodes includes sensor modules monitoring the engine; a data processing unit identifying and packaging sensing information; a wireless communication unit wirelessly transmitting the packaged sensing information to the management server; the energy harvester generating electric energy to be supplied to the sensor modules, the data processing unit, and the wireless communication unit by converting vibration energy of the engine into the electric energy; and a power management unit controlling the electric energy to supply the electric energy to the sensor modules, the data processing unit.

An electromagnetic device for converting input mechanical energy into output electrical energy, including a movable element that is able to make a vibratory mechanical movement, a vibration source configured to actuate the vibratory mechanical movement of the movable element, a coil, a magnetic circuit passing through the coil, the coil being configured to generate the output electrical energy when the movable element is making its vibratory mechanical movement, a permanent magnet arranged in the magnetic circuit and able to generate a magnetic flux, referred to as the total magnetic flux (Fm_T), in the magnetic circuit.

A VCM is disclosed, the VCM including a rotor including a bobbin arranged at an upper surface of a base formed with an opening, and a driving coil wound on the bobbin, a stator including a driving magnet opposite to the driving coil, and a yoke secured by the driving magnet at an inner surface of a lateral plate, and a tilting unit including a tilt magnet arranged at an outer surface of the lateral plate, a housing fixing the tilt magnet, and a tilt coil unit opposite to the tilt magnet.

A method for achieving a desired vibration resonance frequency of electromagnetic energy harvesters that includes the step of providing a harvester that includes a coil wound along a core, a magnet, a suspending device that includes a base connected to the body and a hinge connected to the magnet, and a stationary magnet attached to the body or the base when the positive poles of the magnets faces each other and the repulsive magnetic force between them restore the magnet. The gravity center of the hinge and the magnet is shifted off the rotation axis of the hinge so that body vibrations cause a relative alternating movement between the core and the magnet that creates alternating voltage between in the coil, and the step of determining the specific distance between the magnets based on the magnetic flux strength of the stationary magnet for achieving the desired frequency.

The present invention relates to a rotation-type actuator which includes a fiber having a twisted structure, which is manufactured by rotating the fiber in the opposite directions. Here, the fiber is divided into a top portion and a bottom portion with respect to the center thereof, at least one of the top and bottom portions of the fiber is fixed, and the top and bottom portions of the fiber each independently have a coiled shape as a chiral Z-type or chiral S-type structure. The rotation-type actuator has an excellent rotation speed, and also exhibits no significant decrease in rotation speed due to excellent durability and stability even when used for a long period of time. In addition, the rotation-type actuator uses a polymer fiber manufactured through electro spinning alone or using a polymer sheet obtained by aligning the polymer fiber in a single direction, and can efficiently convert heat energy, which is wasted in the air, into mechanical energy without providing a high temperature fluctuation since the rotation-type actuator has reversible, rapid and efficient actuation using persistent temperature gradient supplied from a temperature difference present in surrounding environments. Accordingly, energy harvesting devices, having improved efficiency and excellent service life characteristics in recovering heat energy as electrical energy using the rotation-type actuator, can be provided.

Disclosed is a power-generating backlit trim strip for a vehicle, comprising an oscillation system (3, 4; 3, 14), an induction unit (2), a sensor (17) and a control unit (8). The oscillation system (3, 4; 3, 14) includes a movably arranged gyrating mass (3), and the induction unit (2) is used for inductively converting kinetic energy of the gyrating mass (3) into electricity. The sensor (17) is used for determining a frequency of the vehicle vibrations, and the control unit (8) is used for adjusting the resonant frequency of the oscillation system (3, 4; 3, 14) to a determined frequency of the vehicle vibrations.

Disclosed is a power-generating backlit trim strip for a vehicle, comprising an oscillation system (3, 4; 3, 14), an induction unit (2), a sensor (17) and a control unit (8). The oscillation system (3, 4; 3, 14) includes a movably arranged gyrating mass (3), and the induction unit (2) is used for inductively converting kinetic energy of the gyrating mass (3) into electricity. The sensor (17) is used for determining a frequency of the vehicle vibrations, and the control unit (8) is used for adjusting the resonant frequency of the oscillation system (3, 4; 3, 14) to a determined frequency of the vehicle vibrations.

A double helix actuator is disclosed that includes a double helix coil wound around a movable proof mass that is enclosed within a magnetic structure. The double helix coil and the magnetic structure are arranged relative to each other so that the magnetic field generated by the entirety of the double helix coil contributes to a linear force direction of the actuator. The double helix actuator produces a greater linear force density compared to traditional racetrack coil actuators, where only a portion of the coil contributes to the linear force. The double helix actuator also produces torque in addition to linear force which allows the double helix to provide unique haptic sensations in a variety of applications.

Windraider is a process and a machine for converting wind energy into electricity. The Windraider process is a previously undiscovered highly efficient process for converting kinetic wind energy into oscillating rotating mechanical energy. The Windraider machine provides a unusually robust and stable platform for effecting the Windraider process, and a series of mechanisms for improving its range of applicability and for efficiently converting its resulting oscillating rotating mechanical energy into electrical energy.