Disclosed in the present invention is a dual-rotor microfluidic energy capturing and power generating device based on a piezoelectric effect. An inner ring of blades and an outer ring of blades are coaxially and movably sleeved, and rotate relatively. Sheet-like magnetic piezoelectric components and steel magnets are provided in an annular gap between the inner ring of blades and the outer ring of blades. Magnetic piezoelectric components are connected to an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring of blades, the magnetic piezoelectric components are magnetically repulsive to the steel magnets, and the outer sides of the magnetic piezoelectric components are axially arranged. The inner ring of blades and the outer ring of blades rotate relatively to drive the magnetic piezoelectric components and the steel magnets to rotate relatively, and further drive the magnetic piezoelectric components to oscillate to generate mechanical energy which is then converted into electric energy.

A device for generating electrical energy from mechanical motion includes a surface float and at least one force modifier disposed at least partially within the interior of the surface float, the force modifier to receive an input force at a pumping cylinder and apply a modified force to a generator through a driving cylinder. The pumping cylinder or the driving cylinder is a tandem cylinder.

A gap compensated torque sensing system and methods for using the same are provided. The system can include a magnetostrictive torque sensor and at least one proximity sensor in communication with a controller. The proximity sensor can be substantially rigidly coupled to a sensor head of the torque sensor, either contained within the sensor head or mounted proximate to the sensor head using a bracket or other coupling mechanism. The torque sensor can sense magnetic flux passing through the target and the proximity sensor can measure a gap between itself and the target. The controller can estimate torque applied to the target from magnetic flux sensed by the torque sensor. The estimated torque can be modified by the gap measurement to compensate for changes in magnetic properties of the target due to variations in the gap. In this manner, the accuracy of the torque measurements can be increased.

In order to enable practical suitability of a force or torque sensor and usability for a variety of applications in conjunction with cost-effective production, the invention provides a sensor head (10) for a magnetoelastic force or torque sensor for measuring a force or a torque in a ferromagnetic body (9), comprising: a magnetic field generating unit (14) for generating a magnetic field in the ferromagnetic body (9) and a magnetic field measuring unit (16) for measuring a magnetic field change in the ferromagnetic body (9), wherein the magnetic field generating unit (14) has an excitation coils (18) and a soft-magnetic excitation flux amplifying element (20), wherein the magnetic field measuring unit (16) has a plurality of measurement coil (22) with a soft-magnetic measurement flux amplifying element (24), wherein at least the excitation coil (18) and the measurement coils (22, 22a-22d) are integrated in a common integrated component, such as, in particular, a printed circuit board element (26) and/or MEMS component (28).

According to some embodiments, system and methods are provided, comprising an installed product including a drive shaft; a magnetostrictive sensor having a sensor probe comprising: a substrate; a drive coil operative to receive a drive current and to emit a magnetic field through the drive shaft, wherein the drive coil is mounted on the substrate; one or more sense coils operative to receive the magnetic field and to transmit a signal based on the received magnetic field, wherein the one or more sense coils are mounted on the substrate; and wherein the magnetic field is emitted from the drive coil in a transverse direction to a radius of the drive shaft. Numerous other aspects are provided.

A strain gauge sensor includes a substrate, at least one resistor comprising a magnetoresistive material on the substrate. The magnetoresistive material exhibits a magnetostriction coefficient that is greater than or equal to () |2| parts per million (ppm) and an anisotropic magnetoresistance effect with an anisotropic magnetoresistance of greater than or equal to () 2% R/R. The strain gauge sensor consists of a single layer of the magnetoresistive material. At least a first contact to the resistor provides a sensor input and a second contact to the resistor provides a sensor output.

A power generator 1 includes a magnetostrictive rod 2 through which lines of magnetic force pass in an axial direction thereof, a beam member 73 having a function of generating stress in the magnetostrictive rod 2, and a coil 3 arranged so that the lines of magnetic force pass inside the coil 3 in an axial direction of the coil 3. The beam member 73 is arranged along the magnetostrictive rod 2 and configured to allow one end portion and the other end portion of the magnetostrictive rod 2 to approach to each other to generate compressive stress in the magnetostrictive rod 2. Further, in the power generator 1, it is preferable that a gap between the beam member 73 and the magnetostrictive rod 2 on the side of the one end portion of the magnetostrictive rod 2 is larger than a gap between the beam member 73 and the magnetostrictive rod 2 on the side of the other one end portion of the magnetostrictive rod 2 in a side view.

The magnetostrictive member contains an iron-based alloy crystal having magnetostrictive characteristics and is a plate-like body having front and back faces. In one of the front and back faces, a thickness and a surface roughness Ra of the magnetostrictive member satisfy Expression (1): log Ra?0.48t?0.62. In Expression (1), log indicates a common logarithm, Ra the surface roughness (?m), and t the thickness of the magnetostrictive member (mm).

An electric generator comprises a substantially flat magnet having a series of alternating north and south polarities, the magnet having an upper surface, a lower surface and opposing edges. A first metal plate formed on the upper surface of the magnet, and a second metal plate formed on the lower surface of the magnet. A pair of wires is connected to one of the first or second metal plates and an edge of the magnet, the pair of wires capturing for use energy or power produced by the electric generator.

A torque sensor including a shaft that receives an applied torque is disclosed. The shaft includes a magnetoelastic region that generates a non-negligible magnetic field responsive to the applied torque and null regions that generate a negligible magnetic field. The torque sensor includes null region sensors that generate a null region magnetic field measure corresponding to an ambient magnetic field. The torque sensor includes a magnetoelastic region sensor that generates a magnetoelastic region magnetic field measure corresponding to the ambient magnetic field and the non-negligible magnetic field. The torque sensor includes a controller that determines whether a null region sensor has entered an intense ambient magnetic field condition and whether a magnetoelastic region sensor has entered a magnetoelastic region sensor saturation condition. The controller also calculates a magnitude of the applied torque based on the null region magnetic field measures and the magnetoelastic region magnetic field measure.