JP2010016974A - Power generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a power generating device which can function as a substitute power source for a battery of mobile electronic equipment. <P>SOLUTION: The power generating device includes a plurality of piezoelectric element modules 20 generating an electromotive force corresponding to the deflection of a band base material 10 constituting a wrist band 100, a plurality of solar battery element arrays 30 generating a photo-electrically converted electromotive force according to the amount of light received when the wrist band 100 is used, and a plurality of thermoelectric conversion element arrays 40 generating a photo-electrically converted electromotive force based on the temperature of a user wearing the wrist band 100. The power generating device can output the charges wherein the electromotive forces are accumulated after boosting the charges up to a predetermined voltage, so as to function as a substitute power source for a battery. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a power generation device that functions as a power source replacing a battery of a portable electronic device.

  As a charger for charging a portable electronic device, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a thermoelectric power generation unit having a thermoelectric power generation element, a band in which a plurality of thermoelectric power generation units are connected flexibly and electrically, It is composed of a storage battery provided at one end and electrically connected to the band. When the band is worn on the user's arm, the electric power generated by the thermoelectric generator unit according to the temperature difference between the ambient temperature and the human body temperature. A charger that charges a storage battery is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-206032

  By the way, the charger disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it cannot generate high-efficiency electric energy conversion because it generates power only with a thermoelectric power generation unit, and cannot function as a power source instead of a battery. is there.

This invention is made | formed in view of such a situation, and it aims at providing the electric power generating apparatus which can function as a power supply replaced with a battery.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a first power generation means provided on a flexible band and generating an electromotive force in response to the bending of the band is attached to the band. A second power generation means for generating an electromotive force converted according to a user's body temperature, and a third power generating means for generating an electromotive force photoelectrically converted according to the amount of light received under the usage environment of a band worn by the user. It is characterized by comprising a power generation means and an output means for boosting the electric charge stored in each electromotive force generated by the first to third power generation means to a predetermined voltage and outputting it.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention that is dependent on the first aspect, the first power generation unit includes a piezoelectric element in a plurality of grooves formed along the width direction on the upper surface side and the rear surface side of the band. And each piezoelectric element in each groove generates an electromotive force according to the displacement of the opening width of each groove caused by bending of the band.

  In the invention according to claim 3 subordinate to claim 1, the second power generation means is composed of a plurality of sheet-like thermoelectric conversion element arrays attached to the back side of the band. And

  In the invention according to claim 4 subordinate to claim 1, the third power generation means is composed of a plurality of sheet-like solar cell element arrays attached to the upper surface side of the band. And

  In this invention, it can function as a power supply which replaces a battery.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a top view (FIG. 1 (a)), a cross-sectional view (FIG. 1 (b)), and a rear view (FIG. 1 (c)) showing a structure of a wristband 100 provided with a power generator according to an embodiment. is there.

As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1B, the wristband 100 is formed in the form of a plurality of piezoelectric element modules 20 and a sheet on the upper surface side of a flexible and flexible band base material 10 (for example, a resin material). On the other hand, a plurality of piezoelectric element modules 20 and a plurality of thermoelectric conversion element arrays 40 formed in a sheet shape are provided on the back side of the band substrate 10. In addition, the back side of the band base material 10 refers to the surface side that contacts the user's arm when the wristband 100 is worn on the user's arm.

  The piezoelectric element module 20 is disposed inside a groove having a trapezoidal cross-sectional view, which is formed on the upper surface side and the back surface side of the band base material 10 with a predetermined interval. Here, the structure of the piezoelectric element module 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the piezoelectric element module 20 disposed in a groove formed on the upper surface side of the band base material 10. The piezoelectric element module 20 has a known bimorph structure, and includes an element portion 20a obtained by bonding two piezoelectric ceramics (for example, a piezo film or plastic PVDF), and an electrode provided on the base end side of the element portion 20a. The electrode part 20b to support and fix and the stopper 20c which latches the other end side of the element part 20b are provided.

  According to such a structure, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the wristband 100 is not worn on the user's arm (see FIG. 2A) and is worn on the user's arm ( 2 (b)), the opening side of the groove formed on the upper surface side of the band base material 10 expands with the bending of the band base material 10 at that time, and the piezoelectric element module 20 responds accordingly. When the element portion 20a is displaced, a voltage (electromotive force) is generated in the electrode portion 20.

Further, when the wristband 100 is removed from the user's arm, the reverse process, that is, the opening side of the groove that has been widened as illustrated in FIG. 2B is narrowed and illustrated in FIG. Returning to the state, an electromotive force is generated based on the displacement of the element portion 20 a of the piezoelectric element module 20 in accordance with the bending of the band base material 10.

  Although not shown, the electrode portions 20b of the plurality of piezoelectric element modules 20 arranged on the upper surface side of the band base material 10 are connected in series, and n pieces are attached when the band is attached or removed as described above. When the piezoelectric element module 20 generates an electromotive force in response to the bending of the band base material 10, the n electromotive forces are input to the full-wave rectifier circuit 51 of the circuit unit 50 described later as an output voltage. It has become.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the piezoelectric element module 20 disposed in the groove formed on the back surface side of the band base material 10, and like the piezoelectric element module 20 on the upper surface side shown in FIG. An element part 20a bonded with two piezoelectric ceramics (for example, a piezo film or plastic PVDF), an electrode part 20b for supporting and fixing an electrode provided on the base end side of the element part 20a, and the other end of the element part 20b A bimorph structure including a stopper 20c for locking the side is provided.

  In the case of the piezoelectric element module 20 disposed on the back side of the band base material 10, as shown in FIG. 3, the wristband 100 is not worn on the user's arm (see FIG. 3A). When the band base 10 is bent, the opening side of the groove formed on the back side of the band base 10 is narrowed. In response to this, the element portion 20a of the piezoelectric element module 20 is displaced to generate a voltage (electromotive force) in the electrode portion 20.

Further, when the wristband 100 is removed from the user's arm, the reverse process, that is, the opening side of the narrowed groove as shown in FIG. 3B is widened, which is shown in FIG. Returning to the state, an electromotive force is generated based on the displacement of the element portion 20 a of the piezoelectric element module 20 in accordance with the bending of the band base material 10.

  Although not shown, the electrode portions 20b of the plurality of piezoelectric element modules 20 disposed on the back side of the band base material 10 are connected in series, and n pieces are attached when the band is attached or removed as described above. When the piezoelectric element module 20 generates an electromotive force in response to the bending of the band base material 10, the n electromotive forces are input to the full-wave rectifier circuit 51 of the circuit unit 50 described later as an output voltage. It has become.

  With reference to FIG. 1 again, the structure of the wristband 100 will be described. The solar cell element array 30 is laid between each of the piezoelectric element modules 20 disposed on the upper surface side of the band base material 10. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4A, a sheet-like solar cell element array 30 is fitted into a recess formed along the band width direction on the upper surface side of the band base material 10. .

As shown in FIG. 5, the sheet-like solar cell element array 30 includes an uppermost protective film / collector electrode 301, a transparent electrode 302, an amorphous silicon layer (p layer 303, i layer 304 and n layer 305), and A solar cell element composed of a back electrode 506 is two-dimensionally arranged and formed into a sheet shape, and generates a photovoltaic current corresponding to the amount of received light.

  The reason why the sheet-like solar cell element array 30 is fitted in the recess formed along the belt width direction on the upper surface side of the band base material 10 is based on the following reason. That is, when the wristband 100 is not worn on the user's arm (see FIG. 4 (a)) to be worn on the user's arm (see FIG. 4 (b)), the band base material is changed according to the wearing. 10 is bent, and the recess formed on the upper surface side of the band base material 10 is projected accordingly, so that the light receiving surface of the sheet-like solar cell element array 30 is smoothed, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency is improved. Yes.

The thermoelectric conversion element array 40 is laid between each of the piezoelectric element modules 20 disposed on the back side of the band base material 10. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, a sheet-like thermoelectric conversion element array 40 is provided on a groove having a rectangular shape in a cross-sectional view provided along the belt width direction on the back side of the band base material 10. Lay down.

As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7, the sheet-like thermoelectric conversion element array 40 has a plurality of thermoelectric elements formed by PN junction of a P-type semiconductor 402 and an N-type semiconductor 403 via electrodes 401 and connected in series and parallel. These have a structure in which they are sandwiched and fixed by a low-temperature side sheet member 404 having a low thermal conductivity and a high-temperature side sheet member 405 having a high thermal conductivity.

  Note that the low temperature side sheet member 404 faces the gap G (see FIG. 6) formed by the above-described grooves, while the high temperature side sheet member 405 contacts the user's arm when the band is worn. According to such a structure, when the wristband 100 is not worn on the user's arm (see FIG. 6A), the wristband 100 is worn on the user's arm (see FIG. 6B). Accordingly, the high temperature side sheet member 405 of the thermoelectric conversion element array 40 closely contacts the user's arm and efficiently conducts the body temperature, while the low temperature side sheet member 404 has the gap G. The thermoelectric conversion element array 40 generates a thermoelectromotive force by thermoelectric conversion (Seebeck effect) according to the temperature difference between the outside air temperature and the body temperature.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 8, the structure of the circuit part 50 (refer FIG.1 (b)) provided in the inside at the band base material 10 is demonstrated. The circuit unit 50 includes a full-wave rectifier circuit 51, a backflow prevention circuit 52, a storage circuit 53, and an output circuit 54. The full-wave rectifier circuit 51 performs full-wave rectification on each output of the piezoelectric element module 20 provided on each of the upper surface side and the rear surface side of the band base material 10 and supplies the rectified circuit to the storage circuit 53. The backflow prevention circuit 52 includes a diode that prevents backflow of the electromotive currents of the solar cell element array 30 and the thermoelectric conversion element array 40. The backflow prevention circuit 52 outputs the photoelectromotive current output from the solar cell element array 30 and the thermoelectric conversion element array 40. The generated electromotive current is supplied to the storage circuit 53.

  The power storage circuit 53 includes a capacitor that stores the outputs of the full-wave rectifier circuit 51 and the backflow prevention circuit 52. The output circuit 54 generates an output voltage boosted to a predetermined voltage based on the electric charge stored in the power storage circuit 53. The output voltage generated by the output circuit 54 is supplied to a portable electronic device such as a wristwatch or a mobile phone via an output terminal (not shown).

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the plurality of piezoelectric element modules 20 that generate an electromotive force according to the bending of the band base material 10 that constitutes the wristband 100, and the amount of light received under the environment in which the wristband 100 is used. A plurality of solar cell element arrays 30 that generate electromotive force photoelectrically converted according to the above, and a plurality of thermoelectric conversion element arrays 40 that generate electromotive force converted thermoelectrically based on the body temperature of the user wearing the wristband 100, Since the electric charge accumulated in the electromotive force is boosted to a predetermined voltage and output, it can function as a power source replacing the battery.

  In the above-described embodiment, the point that the piezoelectric element module 20 generates an electromotive force according to the bending of the band base material 10 when the wristband 100 is fitted to or removed from the arm is mentioned. It goes without saying that if the band base material 10 bends along with the movement of the user's arm to which the wristband 100 is attached, the piezoelectric element module 20 generates an electromotive force in response to the bending. .

It is a figure which shows the upper surface, the cross section, and the back surface which show the structure of the wristband 100 by one Embodiment by this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the piezoelectric element module 20 arrange | positioned at the band upper surface side. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the piezoelectric element module 20 arrange | positioned at the band back side. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the solar cell element array 30 provided in the band upper surface side. 3 is a view showing a cross-sectional structure of a solar cell element array 30. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the thermoelectric conversion element array 40 provided in a band back side. 3 is a view showing a cross-sectional structure of a thermoelectric conversion element array 40. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a circuit unit 50. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Belt base material 20 Piezoelectric element module 30 Solar cell element array 40 Thermoelectric conversion element array 50 Circuit part 100 Wristband

Claims (4)

A first power generation means provided on a flexible band and generating an electromotive force in response to the bending of the band;
Second power generation means for generating an electromotive force that is thermoelectrically converted according to the body temperature of a user wearing the band;
Third power generation means for generating an electromotive force photoelectrically converted according to the amount of light received under the usage environment of the band worn by the user;
An output device comprising: output means for boosting a charge stored in each electromotive force generated by the first to third power generation means to a predetermined voltage and outputting the voltage.   The first power generation means is provided with piezoelectric elements inside a plurality of grooves formed along the width direction on the upper surface side and the rear surface side of the band, and displacement of the opening width of each groove caused by bending of the band. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein each piezoelectric element in each of the grooves generates an electromotive force.   2. The power generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second power generation unit includes a plurality of sheet-like thermoelectric conversion element arrays attached to the back side of the band.   The power generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third power generation unit includes a plurality of sheet-like solar cell element arrays attached to the upper surface side of the band.

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