JP2015180126A - Power generator and tire - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power generator or the like that can impart vibration at the same phase to a plurality of power generation means using the plurality of power generation means that generate power by utilizing vibration, to increase power generation amounts.SOLUTION: A power generator 1 comprises: a power generation portions 4 that are constituted by arranging a plurality of power generation means (power generation elements 40), which is formed in a lengthy shape extending in one direction and can generate power utilizing vibration, adjacently in parallel; a fixed portion 2 that is connected to one end parts in an extension direction of each power generation means constituting the power generation portions and fixed to an object 6 to be mounted; a weight constituting portion 3 connected to the other end parts in the extension direction of each power generation means constituting the power generation portions 4; and a connection portion 5 that connects the fixed portion 2 to the weight constituting portion 3. The connection portion 5 is configured to suppress torsional deformation of the power generation portions 4 and impart vibration at the same phase to each power generation means constituting the power generation portions 4.

Description

  The present invention relates to a power generation device including a power generation unit that generates power using vibration.

  A power generation device using a piezoelectric element is known as a power generation means that generates power using vibration, and a power generation device using a magnetostrictive material is known as a power generation means that generates power using vibration (see Patent Document 1, etc.). .

International Publication No. 2011/158473

However, the power generation amount of the power generation apparatus using the power generation means that generates power using the vibration described above is small, and it is desired to improve the power generation amount.
The present invention provides a power generation apparatus and the like that can improve the amount of power generation by using a plurality of power generation means that generate power using vibrations and applying the same phase of vibration to the plurality of power generation means.

The power generation apparatus according to the present invention is a power generation device that is formed in a long shape extending long in one direction and arranged in parallel so that a plurality of power generation means that can generate power using vibration are adjacent to each other. Connected to one end portion in the extension direction of each power generation means constituting the power generation portion and fixed to the mounting target portion, and to the other end portion in the extension direction of each power generation means constituting the power generation portion. And a connecting part that connects the fixed part and the weight constituent part, and the connecting part suppresses torsional deformation of the power generation part when stress is applied to the weight constituent part. Thus, it is configured to apply the in-phase vibration to each power generation means constituting the power generation unit, so that a power generation device with improved power generation amount can be obtained by applying the same-phase vibration to the power generation means arranged in parallel. Can do.
Since the connecting portion is provided so as to be aligned with the power generation means in the arrangement direction of the power generation means, and the rigidity is larger than the rigidity of the power generation portion, when stress is applied to the weight component portion, The torsional deformation can be suppressed, and the in-phase vibration can be applied to the power generation means arranged in parallel, so that a power generation device with improved power generation can be obtained.
The power generation means includes a magnetostrictive body formed in a long shape extending in one direction with a magnetostrictive material, and a coil spirally wound around the magnetostrictive body. Since the power generation means can be easily bent and the vibration applied to the power generation means can be increased, it is possible to obtain a power generation device with improved power generation.
Since the connecting portion is disposed at both ends in the arrangement direction of the power generation means, the torsional deformation of the power generation portion can be more effectively suppressed, and the power generation amount can be improved.
The tire according to the present invention is a tire including the power generation device, and the tire includes the power generation device having a large power generation amount because the fixing portion is attached to the inner surface of the tire corresponding to the bottom of the tread portion of the tire. Can do.

The perspective view of an electric power generating apparatus. (A) is a front view of the power generation device viewed from the lower left side of FIG. 1, and (b) is a side view of the power generation device viewed from the lower right side of FIG. The figure which shows an example of the electric power generating element using a magnetostrictive material. Sectional drawing which shows the tire with which the electric power generating apparatus was attached to the inner surface of the tire.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are included in the invention. It is not necessarily essential to the solution, but includes a configuration that is selectively adopted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the power generator 1 according to the embodiment includes a fixed portion 2, a weight constituting portion 3, and a weight constituting portion at the other end portion that is fixed to the fixed portion 2 and has one end portion that becomes a fixed end and becomes a free end. 3 is provided with a power generation unit 4 to which one end is fixed to the fixing unit 2 to become a fixed end, and a connection unit 5 to which the weight constituting unit 3 is attached to the other end which is a free end. .

  The fixing portion 2 is formed of a rectangular plate such as synthetic resin, rubber, or metal, for example, and one end portion of the plurality of power generating elements 40; 40... Constituting the power generating portion 4 and one end portion of the connecting portion 5 are one side of the rectangular plate. The other plate surface of the rectangular plate is a member fixed to the attachment target portion 6 such as the inner surface 70 of the tire 60 by an adhesive, vulcanization bonding, or the like.

  The weight component 3 includes, for example, a weight plate 3a formed of a rectangular plate made of synthetic resin, rubber, metal, or the like, and a weight body 3b provided so as to hang from one surface of the weight plate. 4 and the other end of the connecting portion 5 are fixed to one plate surface of the weight plate. The weight constituting portion 3 is a member that deflects each power generating element 40 and the connecting portion 5 of the power generating portion 4 and applies vibration to each power generating element 40 and the connecting portion 5 when subjected to stress.

The power generation unit 4 is configured by arranging a plurality of power generation elements 40; 40; 40... As power generation means for generating power using vibration so as to be adjacent to each other. The power generation element 40 is formed in a long shape extending long in one direction.
The power generating element 40 includes a magnetostrictive body formed in a long shape extending in one direction with a magnetostrictive material, a coil formed by winding a conductive wire spirally around the magnetostrictive body, and a magnet that magnetizes the magnetostrictive body The magnetostrictive body magnetized by the magnet is subjected to stress to vibrate the magnetostrictive body to change the magnetization of the magnetostrictive body, and the induced voltage (or induced current) is applied to the coil due to this change in magnetization. Power is generated by the inverse magnetostrictive effect that generates
As the magnetostrictive body, for example, an iron gallium alloy, such as Galfenol, nickel, ferrite, Alfell (an alloy of iron and aluminum), or the like may be used.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the power generating element 40 has a rod-like shape composed of an elongated thin plate-like (strip-shaped) magnetostrictive body 41 and a coil 42 spirally wound around the thin plate-like magnetostrictive body 41. Two bodies 40A (see FIG. 1) are connected to one end of each rod-like body 40A; 40A of each magnetostrictive body 41; 41 arranged so that the plate surfaces of each of the magnetostrictive bodies 41; 41 face each other in parallel. The other end connecting the other end portions of the rod-like bodies 40A; 40A of the magnetostrictive bodies 41; 41 arranged so that the plate surfaces of the one end side yoke 43 and the magnetostrictive bodies 41; 41 face each other in parallel. Side yoke 44, magnets 45; 46 provided on side surfaces 43a; 44a respectively located on the same plane of one end side yoke 43 and other end side yoke 44, and back yoke 47 connecting magnet 45 and magnet 46 to each other. It is the structure provided with. In FIG. 1, the magnets 45 and 46 and the back yoke 47 are not shown.
Then, the end of the one end side yoke 43 that is one end of the power generating element 40 is fixed to be a fixed end of the power generating element 40, and a force is applied to the end of the other end side yoke 44 that is the free end of the power generating element 40. When each of the magnetostrictive bodies 41; 41 constituting the parallel beam is bent so that each plate surface is curved, a compressive force is applied to one of the magnetostrictive bodies 41, and the lines of magnetic force are reduced by the inverse magnetostrictive effect, while the other The magnetostrictive body 41 is subjected to a tensile force to increase the lines of magnetic force. When vibration is applied to the two magnetostrictive bodies 41; 41 in this way, the magnetic lines of force acting on the magnetostrictive body 41 change in an alternating manner, and at this time, a voltage (electromotive force) is generated in the coil 42 according to the law of electromagnetic induction.

  The connecting portion 5 is composed of one or more beams 50 formed in a long shape extending long in one direction with, for example, synthetic resin, metal, etc., and one end portion of the beams 50 is formed on one plate surface of the fixed portion 2. The other end of the beam 50 is connected to one plate surface of the weight component 3, thereby connecting the fixed part 2 and the weight component 3 to suppress the torsional deformation of the power generation unit 4. It is a member.

One plate surface of the fixed portion 2 is formed with a groove 8 into which one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the power generating element 40 and one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 5 are inserted. One end in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the groove bottom of the groove 8 with an adhesive or the like.
One plate surface of the weight constituting portion 3 is formed with a groove 9 into which the other longitudinal end of the power generating element 40 and the other longitudinal end of the connecting portion 5 are inserted. The other end in the longitudinal direction of 50 is fixed to the groove bottom of the groove 9 with an adhesive or the like.
The groove 8 is formed by a groove that extends straight in the direction along one plate surface of the fixed portion 2, and the groove 9 is formed by a groove that extends straight in the direction along one plate surface of the weight component 3. The

The connecting portion 5 is formed of, for example, two beams 50a; 50b, and one end of one beam 50a is fixed to the groove bottom of one end in the extending direction of the groove 8 of the fixing portion 2, and the one beam 50a The other end is fixed to the groove bottom at one end of the weight component 3 in the extending direction of the groove 9, and the other end of the other beam 50 b is the groove bottom at the other end in the extending direction of the groove 8 of the fixing portion 2. The other end of the other beam 50b is fixed to the groove bottom of the other end in the extension direction of the groove of the weight constituting portion 3, so that the end fixed to the fixing portion 2 is the fixed end and the weight. The end fixed to the component 3 is a cantilever beam that is a free end, and the center line of the groove bottom along the extending direction of the groove 8 and the groove 9 is located on the same plane. The grooves 8 and 9 are arranged so as to face each other in parallel.
The beams 50a and 50b are formed in a thin and thin plate shape (strip shape), for example, like the magnetostrictive body 41 (see FIG. 1).

In the weight component 3, the one part 31 and the other part 32 with the groove 9 as a boundary are symmetrical with respect to the groove 9 (same shape) and have the same weight (see FIG. 2B). ).
In the weight component 3, the one part 31 and the other part 32 each have a weight body 3b, and when receiving an external force, the one part 31 and the other part 32 swing like a seesaw motion around the groove 9. It is configured to be easy.

  The plurality of power generation elements 40; 40... Constituting the power generation unit 4 are provided in the extending direction of the grooves 8; 9 on the groove 8; the groove 9 positioned between the beams 50a and 50b. Are arranged in parallel so as to be adjacent to each other, one end portion of the power generation element 40 is fixed to the groove bottom on the center side in the extending direction of the groove 8 of the fixing portion 2, and the other end portion of the power generation element 40 is the weight constituting portion 3. Cantilever with the end fixed to the fixed portion 2 being a fixed end and the end fixed to the weight constituting portion 3 being a free end. It is comprised so that.

  The plurality of power generation elements 40; 40... Are provided so as to be adjacent to each other at a predetermined interval, and the power generation elements 40 and the beams 50a are provided to be adjacent to each other at a predetermined interval. Therefore, when the power generating element 40 and the beam 50a are bent, contact between adjacent members can be prevented, and durability of the members can be improved (see FIG. 2A).

  And the rigidity of the connecting part 5 constituted by the two beams 50a; 50b and connected to the fixing part 2 and the weight constituting part 3 is constituted by the plurality of power generating elements 40; 40. It is comprised so that it may become larger than the rigidity of the electric power generation part 4 connected with the weight structure part 3. FIG. The rigidity means that a bending moment is applied to the connecting portion 5 and the power generating portion 4 so that the plate surfaces of the beams 50a; 50b forming the connecting portion 5 and the plate surfaces of the plurality of power generating elements 40; 40. It means the rigidity of the connecting part 5 and the power generation part 4 when acting, and the longitudinal elastic modulus (Young's modulus) or the like can be used as an index. The longitudinal elastic modulus may be a value measured by a static test method, a transverse vibration method, or an ultrasonic method as an index.

The elongated thin plate-like magnetostrictive body 41 and the elongated thin plate-like beams 50a; 50b of the power generation element 40 are arranged so that the plate surfaces are parallel to the surfaces along the extending direction of the grooves 8; When the component 3 vibrates like a seesaw motion around the groove 9, the thin plate-like plate surfaces of the plurality of magnetostrictive bodies 41 and beams 50a; 50b bend (distort), and the plurality of magnetostrictive bodies 41 and beams 50a. 50b is configured to vibrate.
Specifically, the magnetostrictive body 41 and the beams 50a; 50b have a length (plate thickness) in a direction orthogonal to the direction along the groove 8; the groove 9, and the length in the direction along the groove 8; It is formed in the shape of an elongated thin plate having a dimension shorter than the thickness (plate width) (see FIG. 1).

When the fixing portion 2 of the power generation device 1 of the embodiment is fixed to the attachment target portion 6, the beams 50a; 50b and the plurality of power generation elements 40; 40. The end connected to the component 3 becomes a cantilever beam that is a free end, stress is applied to the weight component 3, and the weight component 3 swings like a seesaw motion around the groove 9 (vibrates). ), The connecting portion 5 and the power generation portion 4 are bent in the same direction and easily vibrate.
In the embodiment, since the beams 50a and 50b forming the connecting portions 5 are provided at both ends in the arrangement direction of the plurality of power generating elements 40 of the power generating portion 4 which is less rigid than the connecting portion 5 and easily generates torsion. The torsional deformation of the power generation unit 4 can be more effectively suppressed by the connecting portion 5 having a rigidity higher than 4.

When the power generation unit 4 is configured by arranging the plurality of power generation elements 40; 40... So as to be adjacent to each other and connecting the fixed unit 2 and the weight constituting unit 3 without the connection unit 5, When the rigidity of the portion 4 is increased, the strain applied to the power generation element 40 is reduced, so that the amount of power generation is reduced.
Therefore, in the case where the power generating element 40 is configured so that the power generating element 40 is easily bent by reducing the rigidity of the power generating element 40, the torsional rigidity of the power generating unit 4 is reduced. It becomes impossible to improve the power generation amount.
Therefore, in the power generation device 1 of the embodiment, when a stress is applied to the weight component 3, the torsional deformation of the power generation unit 4 can be suppressed, and the plurality of power generation elements 40; 40. In order to allow the plurality of power generating elements 40; 40... To be strained in the same phase, the connecting portion 5 having a rigidity higher than that of the power generating portion 4 is provided.

  According to the configuration of the power generation device 1 of the embodiment, even if the power generation unit 4 tries to twist, the rigidity of the connecting unit 5 is large, so that the torsional deformation of the power generation unit 4 is suppressed, and the beams 50a; , 40... Bends in the same direction, the beams bend by the same amount as the beams 50a; 50b, so that a plurality of power generating elements 40; The power generation device 1 having a large capacity is obtained.

The power generation apparatus 1 according to the embodiment can be used as a power generation apparatus that is mounted on a sensor module including a sensor such as an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor and generates power to be supplied to the sensor or the like.
For example, the fixing portion 2 of the power generation device 1 is the tire 60 so that the arrangement direction of the plurality of power generation elements 40; 40... And the plate surfaces of the magnetostrictors 41; When the tire 60 rolls, the plate surfaces of the magnetostrictive bodies 41 of the plurality of power generating elements 40; 40... In the circumferential direction of the tire 60 are attached to the inner surface 70 of the tire 60 corresponding to the bottom of the tread portion 62. It becomes easy to deform | transform and it becomes a tire provided with the electric power generating apparatus 1 with large electric power generation capability.

  The tire 60 includes a carcass 60A, a belt 61, a tread portion 62, a bead portion 63, a sidewall portion 64, and a shoulder portion 65. The carcass 61 is disposed such that a plurality of cord layers laminated from the inner surface 70 side of the tire 60 toward the outer surface 71 side of the tire 60 straddle a pair of bead portions 63; The plurality of layers on the side are turn-up plies whose ends are folded back from the inner side to the outer side in the tire width direction with respect to the bead core 66 of the bead portion 63. On the other hand, it is a down ply that is folded back from the outside in the tire width direction. The belt 61 is provided between the carcass 60 </ b> A and the tread portion 62. The tread portion 62 is disposed outside the carcass 60 </ b> A and the belt 61 in the tire radial direction. A plurality of circumferential main grooves 67 extending in the tire circumferential direction are formed on the surface of the tread portion 62.

  Further, if the power generation device 1 is configured with a plurality of tires arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the inner surface 70 of the tire 60 corresponding to the bottom of the tread portion 62 of the tire 60, the power generation capacity is large. In addition, a tire with excellent uniformity can be obtained.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the power generation device 1 is attached to the inner surface 70 of the tire 60 corresponding to the land portion of the tread 62. This is preferable because it is difficult to be affected by deformation of the groove portion of the tread portion, disturbance input to the power generation device can be suppressed, and twisting of the power generation portion 4 is difficult to occur.

In the above description, the power generation device including the power generation element using the magnetostrictive material has been described. However, the power generation device may include a power generation unit using a piezoelectric element.
That is, by providing power generation means using a piezoelectric element instead of the power generation element 40 of the power generation device 1 described above and vibrating the piezoelectric element, a plurality of piezoelectric elements have the same phase distortion as in the power generation device 1 described above. And a power generation device with a large power generation capability can be obtained.
In addition, since the piezoelectric material is a brittle material and is a material that is weak against bending and impact, when the piezoelectric element is used, the strength of the piezoelectric element is reinforced by attaching the piezoelectric element to a rigid member. Is preferred.

Moreover, in the electric power generating apparatus 1 of this invention, arrangement | positioning of the connection part 5 is not specifically limited. That is, when stress is applied to the weight component 3, torsional deformation of the power generation unit 4 is suppressed and vibrations of the same phase or vibrations close to the same phase are imparted to the respective power generation means constituting the power generation unit 4. What is necessary is just to provide the connection part 5 comprised so that it can do. For example, the rigidity against the torsion of the plate surface of the connecting portion 5 is made larger than the rigidity against the bending of the plate surface of the connecting portion 5, or the natural frequency in the torsional vibration of the plate surface of the connecting portion 5 is set to the plate of the connecting portion 5. When stress is applied to the weight component 3 by making it larger than the natural frequency in the flexural vibration of the surface, the torsional deformation of the power generator 4 is suppressed and the power generators constituting the power generator 4 have the same phase. Or a vibration close to the same phase may be applied.
Further, the object to which the power generation device 1 of the present invention is attached, that is, the attachment target portion of the power generation device 1 is not limited to the inner surface of the tire 60. That is, since the power generation device of the present invention is configured to generate power by fixing the fixed portion to the attachment target portion and vibrating the power generation portion, the fixed portion is attached to various attachment target portions and has a large power generation capacity. A power generation device can be configured.

1 power generator, 2 fixed part, 3 spindle component, 4 power generator, 5 connecting part,
40 power generation element, 41 magnetostrictive body, 60 tires, 62 tread part.

Claims (5)

A power generation unit configured to be arranged in parallel so that a plurality of power generation means that are formed in a long shape extending in one direction and can generate power using vibration are adjacent to each other;
A fixed portion connected to one end portion in the extending direction of each power generation means constituting the power generation portion and fixed to the attachment target portion;
A weight component connected to the other end in the extending direction of each power generation means constituting the power generation unit;
A connecting portion that connects the fixed portion and the weight component;
When the stress is applied to the weight component part, the connecting part is configured to suppress the torsional deformation of the power generation part and to impart in-phase vibration to each power generation unit constituting the power generation part. A featured power generator.   The power generator according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is provided so as to be aligned with the power generation means in the arrangement direction of the power generation means, and has a rigidity higher than that of the power generation section. The power generation means includes
A magnetostrictive body formed into a long shape extending long in one direction with a magnetostrictive material;
A coil spirally wound around the magnetostrictive body;
The power generator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:   The power generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connecting portion is disposed on both ends of the power generation means in the arrangement direction. A tire comprising the power generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A tire characterized in that the fixed portion is attached to a tire inner surface corresponding to a lower portion of a tread portion of the tire.