WO2005106244A1

WO2005106244A1 - Self-generator for transforming tiny kinetic energy into electric energy

Info

Publication number: WO2005106244A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/001028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bo-Young Jeong
Original assignee: Bo-Young Jeong
Priority date: 2004-04-10
Filing date: 2005-04-09
Publication date: 2005-11-10
Also published as: KR20050099408A; KR101136561B1

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an invention relates to a self-generator which transforms its own slight movement into electric energy without having an additional power unit, the generator comprising a self-power generating unit for generating power by itself in response to subtle movement, using a buoy or a weight; a transfer means for transferring the power to an electricity generating unit described below; the electricity generating unit including a stator and a rotor, the stator and the rotor generating electricity using the power transferred by the transfer means; and an expanding and contracting unit for sustaining the force of the power not to be offset for an extended period of time. The generator does not need a separate external power unit and generates electricity responding to a very tiny oscillation. Since a power generating unit can be included inside the generator, the size of a generator can be reduced remarkably.

Description

SELF-GENERATOR FOR TRANSFORMING TINY KINETIC ENERGY INTO ELECTRIC ENERGY Technical Field The present invention relates to a self-generator which transforms its own slight movement into electric energy without having a separate power unit. More specifically, the invention relates to a self-generator which generates electricity and operates by itself, in which the change of slight movement of the generator itself is used as kinetic energy, and the kinetic energy is transformed into electric energy, without making use of the rotational movement of a rotor operated by a power unit prepared separately, the power unit using thermal energy generated from fossil fuel, hydraulic power, wind power, tidal power, solar heat, or atomic^' energy. Background Art Generally, electricity is generated by a generator creating electromotive force using electromagnetic induction, and a magnet for making magnetic fields and a conductor for creating electromotive force are needed in order to configure a generator, either of which is fixed and the other is moved, so electricity is generated. That is, the conductor stands still and the magnetic field rotates in a revolving field type generator, and the magnetic field stands still and the conductor rotates in a revolving armature type generator. The strength of the electricity (electromotive force) can be controlled by adjusting the strength of the conductor or the speed of rotation, and several hundreds to several thousands of voltages can be obtained by connecting the generators so as to add the electromotive forces in serial. A conventional generator must have a separate power source to generate electricity, and thus a connecting means for connecting the separate power source to the generator is also needed, so that its volume is increased, and thus the generator cannot be applied to a small or ultra small generator.

Disclosure of Invention The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the invention to provide a generator, which can be made in a small size, transform the kinetic energy generated by itself without having an external power source into electric energy, and accumulate the generated electricity. In order to accomplish the above object, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a self-generator comprising a self-power generating unit for generating power by itself in response to subtle movement; a transfer means for transferring the power generated by the self-power generating unit to an electricity generating unit described below; the electricity generating unit including a stator and a rotor, the stator and the rotor generating electricity using the power transferred by the transfer means; and an expanding and contracting unit for sustaining the force of the power not to be offset for an extended period of time, the expanding and contracting unit being provided at one side of the rotor to which the power generated by the self-power generating unit is transferred. The above self-power generating unit includes a power generating unit which responds to slight oscillation so as to generate a kinetic energy source. For example, using the movement of a buoy sensitively responding to the movement of the water surface or a weight sensitively responding to the movement of itself as a power source, kinetic energy can be used to generate electric energy. The transfer means, i.e. a string or a steel wire connected to the buoy or the weight, transfers the kinetic energy generated by the power generating unit to the electricity generating unit smoothly. The stator and the rotor of the electricity generating unit can be formed of a permanent magnet acting as a magnetic field and a coil acting as a conductor. In addition, anything which expands and contracts smoothly can be used for the expanding and contracting unit, however a coil spring can be used most appropriately. On the other hand, the self-generator can be provided with a means which can be used for a main electricity source, not for momentary use of electricity, when electric energy cannot be generated due to weak kinetic energy as a power source. The means accumulating or recharging stable electricity or surplus electricity includes a rectifier unit for transforming the generated alternating current into direct current, a regulator unit for transforming the irregular current resulting from the generation of irregular kinetic energy into a regular frequency or current, and an accumulator/recharger unit for . accumulating the generated electricity or recharging electricity into a secondary battery or the like.

Brief Description of Drawings Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a self-generator according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the self-generator according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotor and a stator of the electricity generator in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a self-generator according to another embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotor and a stator of the electricity generator in FIG. 4.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . FIG. 1 is a block diagram . schematically showing the configuration of a self-generator according to the invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the self- generator according to one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotor and a stator of the electricity generator in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a cross- sectional perspective view showing a self-generator according to another embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotor and a stator of the electricity generator in FIG. 4. Explaining the figures, the self-generator 100 of the invention comprises a self-power generating unit 110 for generating power by itself in response to subtle movement; a transfer means 120 for transferring the power generated by the self-power generating unit 110 to an electricity generating unit described below; the electricity generating unit 130 including a stator and a rotor, the stator and the rotor generating electricity using the power transferred by the transfer means; and an expanding and contracting unit 140 for sustaining the force of the power not to be offset for an extended period of time, the expanding and contracting unit being provided at one side of the rotor to which the power generated by the self-power generating unit 110 is transferred. Additionally, the self- generator 100 further comprises a rectifier unit 150 for transforming the alternating current generated by the self- generator 100 into direct current, a regulator unit 160 for transforming the irregular current resulting from the generation of irregular kinetic energy into a regular frequency or current, and an accumulator/recharger unit 170 for accumulating the generated electricity or recharging electricity into a secondary battery or the like. A self-generator using a weight is depicted as one embodiment of the invention in FIG. 2. The self-generator 200 comprises a weight 210 acting as a self-power generating unit 110 which oscillates synchronously with the movement of the self- generator 200 and uses the oscillation as kinetic energy, and a steel wire 220 of high elasticity acting as a transfer means 120 which transfers the oscillation generated by the weight 210 to the electricity generator described below. The steel wire 220 is fixed to the bottom of a case 202, and the end portion is connected to a coil spring 240 described below. The self- generator is further comprises an electricity generator 230 acting as an electricity generating unit 130, the electricity generator including a rotor 232 and a stator 236, and a coil spring 240 acting as an expanding and contracting unit 140, the spring being connected to the end portion of the steel wire 220. The rotor having a plurality of permanent magnets 232a of the N and the S poles on the surface of the outer periphery rotates according to the up and down movement transferred by the steel wire 220. The stator having a longer diameter than that of the rotor 232 is wound with a coil 237, and thus generates electricity using induced electromotive force generated by the permanent magnet 232a as the result of the rotation of the rotor 232. The coil spring sustains the force of the power not to be offset for an extended period of time. The kinetic energy created by the oscillation of the weight 210 is transferred to the spring by the steel wire 220, and a winding groove 234 formed at the end portion of a rotating axis 233 of the rotor 232 is wound with the steel wire 220, thereby facilitating rotation of the rotor. Additionally, the self-generator further comprises a rectifier 250 for transforming the alternating current generated by the self-generator 200 into direct current, a regulator 260 for transforming the irregular current resulting from the generation of irregular kinetic energy into a regular frequency or current, and an accumulator/recharger 270 for accumulating the generated electricity or recharging electricity into a secondary battery or the like. In addition, a rotational pulley 280 is provided between the weight 210 and the rotor 232 as a supportive transferring means in order to transfer the up and down movement generated by the weight 210 to the rotor 232 of the electricity generator 230, thereby transferring the up and down movement, which is generated by the weight 210, through the steel wire 220 more smoothly. The operation of the embodiment of the invention configured above is explained below. The case 202 of the self-generator 200 is formed inside of a blinkers emitting bar which needs electricity temporarily or a flashlight which needs electricity at all times. When the bar or the flashlight is swung, the weight 210 oscillates left and right, and the oscillation oscillates the steel wire 220 up and down, and thus an up and down movement is generated at the upper portion of the weight 210. The kinetic energy generated like this is transferred to the pulley 280, and the pulley rotates in the forward and reverse direction repeatedly by the left and right oscillation of the weight 210. Since the steel wire 220 is wound around the winding groove 234, the rotating axis 233 rotates in the forward and reverse direction, and the rotor 232 having permanent magnets 232a on the surface of the outer periphery also rotates in the forward and reverse direction, so that induced electromotive force is generated at the coil 237 winding the rotor 236 by the change of the magnetic field of the magnets, and thus electricity is generated. At this time, the coil spring 240 fixed to the top portion of the case 202 expands and contracts according to the up and down movement generated by the left and right movement of the weight 210, and thus the weight 210 oscillates again, so that the movement of the weight 210 is sustained longer, thereby generating electricity continuously. As explained above, since electricity is generated by the forward and reverse rotation of the rotor, the electricity is generated not consistently but blinks periodically according to the oscillation of the weight 210. Therefore, being connected to an electric wire or to a positive pole 204 and a negative pole 206, the electricity can blink a light bulb without having any additional device, and thus can be used for a blinkers emitting bar or the like. Passing through the rectifier 250, the periodically blinking electricity ^' like this ■ is transformed into direct electricity, and, passing through the regulator 260, the electricity is transformed into electricity having a certain magnitude of frequency or current value. The electricity transformed to a certain frequency can be accumulated by the accumulator/recharger 270 or utilized as surplus electricity for recharging a secondary battery. A Plurality of generators of the invention also can be connected in serial or parallel so as to be used as a battery generating high voltage. In this way, the generator of the invention can be utilized diversely. On the other hand, in another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4, a self-generator 300 comprises: a membrane 312 having the same shape as the inner and bottom side of a case 302, the membrane acting as a self-power-generator 310 which vibrates synchronously with the movement of the self-generator 300 and utilizes the vibration as kinetic energy; a liquid 314 such as water filled up to the middle of the inside of the membrane 312; a buoy 316 floating on the liquid 314 with a certain portion sunk in the liquid; a depression and prominence 318 on the top of the membrane 312 including a depression and a prominence having

- different diameters in the forms of concentric circles from the center; a steel wire 320 of high elasticity acting as the transfer means 120 which transfers the oscillation energy generated by the buoy 316 to the electricity generator described below, the wire being fixed to the upper portion of the buoy 316 and passing through the center of the depression and prominence 318; an electricity generator 330 including a rotor 332 rotating in the forward and reverse direction by the oscillation energy transferred through the steel wire 320, the rotor of a hat shape having a plurality of permanent magnets 332a on the surface of the outer periphery of the top portion, and a stator 336 for generating electricity by the induced electromotive force generated by the rotation of the rotor 332, the stator having longer diameter than the lower portion of the rotor 332 and being wound with a coil 337; and a coil spring 340 acting as the expanding and contracting unit 140 which sustains the force of the oscillation energy not to be offset for an extended period of time, the coil spring being fixed with a certain distance apart between the side of the lower portion of the rotor 332, to which the oscillation of the buoy 316 is transferred through the steel wire 320, and the upper portion of the inner peripheral surface of the case 302. Additionally, the self-generator further comprises: a rectifier 350 for transforming the alternating current generated by the self-generator 300 into direct current; a regulator 360 for transforming the irregular current resulting from the generation of irregular kinetic energy into a regular frequency or current; and an accumulator/recharger 370 for accumulating the generated electricity or recharging electricity into a secondary battery or the like. On the other hand, a publicized general coupling structure is used as the coupling structure in order to rotate smoothly the rotor 332, i.e. a constitutional element of the electricity unit 330, in the forward direction without being separated from the stator 36. The oscillation of the buoy 316 can be reinforced by another steel wire fixedly connected between the lower portion of the buoy 316 and the inner bottom side of the membrane 312. The operation of another embodiment of the invention configured above is explained below. Since the operation of the electricity generation and the accumulation/recharge according to this embodiment is almost similar to the operation of the weight 210, it is noted that details on the well-known components and their functions will not be described. First, a case 302 of the self-generator 300 is formed inside of a blinkers emitting bar which needs electricity temporarily or a flashlight which needs electricity at all times. When the bar or the flashlight is swung, a buoy 316 is shaken to be oscillated left and right, or up and down, and the oscillation rotates a rotor 332 in the forward and reverse direction through a steel wire 320. At this point, a depression and prominence 319 of the membrane closely connected to the steel wire 320 moves smoothly and has strong elastic stability compared with a flat membrane, and thus restores and doubles the movement of the steel wire 320. A permanent magnet 332a also rotates in the forward and reverse direction according to the forward and reverse rotation of the rotor 332, and induced electromotive force is generated at the coil 337 winding the rotor 336 by the change of the magnetic field of the magnets, and thus electricity is generated. As explained above, since electricity is generated by the forward and reverse rotation of the rotor 332, the electricity is generated not consistently but blinks periodically according to the oscillation of the buoy 316. Therefore, being connected to an electric wire or to a positive pole 304 and a negative pole

306, the electricity can blink a light bulb without having any additional device, and thus can be used for a blinkers emitting bar or the like. Passing through the rectifier 350, the periodically blinking electricity like this is transformed into direct electricity, and, passing through the regulator 360, the electricity is transformed into electricity having a certain magnitude of frequency or current value. The electricity transformed to a certain frequency can be accumulated by an accumulator/recharger 370 or utilized as surplus electricity for recharging a secondary battery. A Plurality of generators of the invention also can be connected in serial or parallel so as to be used as a battery generating high voltage. In this way, the generator of the invention can be utilized diversely. On the other hand, in the embodiments of the invention described above, even though the roles of the rotor 232, 332, and the stator 236, 336 are changed, that is, even though the rotor 232, 332 functions as a conductor wound with a coil, and the stator 236, 336 acts as a magnetic field provided with the plurality of permanent magnets 232a, 332a, the objects of the invention can be accomplished effectively. Another configuration inserting insulation materials between the permanent magnets 232a, 332a can be formed additionally so as to prevent interference among the magnets. As described above, when generating electricity, using a weight or a buoy which can use the oscillation of themselves as a power generating source, a separate external power unit is not needed, and a connecting means, connecting the separate external power generating source to an electricity generator is not needed. Since a power generating unit can be included inside the generator, the size of a generator can be reduced remarkably. Using a weight, a buoy, and a steel wire which are sensitive to oscillation, a generator of high efficiency responding to a very tiny oscillation so as to generate electricity can be provided. A Plurality of generators of the invention also can be connected in serial or parallel so as to be used as a battery generating high voltage. In this way, the generator of the invention which is utilized diversely can be made easily since the structure is simple, and can store the generated electricity through the added accumulator/recharger. Industrial applicability A self-generator generating electricity from the oscillation or the up and down movement of a weight 210 or a buoy

316 is described above. The generator can be made in a small size, transform self-generated kinetic energy into electric energy, and accumulate the generated electricity. While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

What Is Claimed Is:

1. A self-generator for transforming tiny kinetic energy into electric energy to thereby generate electricity, the generator comprising: a self-power generating unit for generating power by itself in response to subtle movement; a transfer means for transferring the power generated by the self-power generating unit to an electricity generating unit; the electricity generating unit including a stator and a rotor, the stator and the rotor generating electricity using the power transferred by the transfer means; and an expanding and contracting unit for sustaining the force of the power not to be offset for an extended period of time, the expanding and contracting unit being provided at one side of the rotor to which the power generated by the self-power generating unit is transferred.

2. The generator according to claim 1, further comprising: a rectifier unit for transforming the generated alternating current into direct current; a regulator unit for transforming the irregular current resulting from the generation of irregular kinetic energy into a regular frequency or current; and an accumulator/recharger unit for accumulating the generated electricity or recharging electricity into a secondary battery or the like.

3. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the self-power generating unit is a weight 210; the transfer means is a steel wire 220 of high elasticity, the steel wire 220 being fixed at a lower end thereof to the bottom of a case 202 and being connected at a top end thereof to a coil spring 240; the electricity generating unit is an electricity generator 230 including a rotor 232 and a stator 236, the rotor having a plurality of permanent magnets 232a of the N and the S poles arranged on the surface of the outer periphery and rotating according to the up and down movement transferred by the steel wire 220, and the stator having a longer diameter than that of the rotor 232, being wound with a coil 237, thereby generating electricity using induced electromotive force generated by the permanent magnet 232a as the result of the rotation of the rotor 232; and the expanding and contracting unit is a coil spring 240 connected to the end portion of the steel wire 220, the spring sustaining the force of the power not to be offset for an extended period of time, while the kinetic energy created by the oscillation of the weight 210 is transferred to the spring by the steel wire 220, and a winding groove 234 formed at the end portion of a rotating axis 233 of the rotor 232 is wound with the steel wire 220, thereby facilitating rotation of the rotor.

4. The generator according to claim 3, wherein a rotational pulley 280 is provided between the weight 210 and the rotor 232 as a supportive transferring means in order to transfer the up and down movement generated by the weight 210 to the rotor 232 of the electricity generator 230, thereby transferring, the up and down movement, which is generated by the weight 210, through the steel wire 220 more smoothly.

5. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the self-power generating unit includes: a membrane 312 having the same shape as the inner and bottom side of a case 302, a liquid 314 such as water filled up to the middle of the inside of the membrane 312, and a buoy 316 floating on the liquid 314 with a certain portion sunk in the liquid, wherein a depression and prominence 318 having a depression and a prominence with different diameters in the forms of concentric circles from the center is formed on the top of the membrane 312; and the transfer means is a steel wire 320 of high elasticity, the wire being fixed to the upper portion of the buoy 316 and passing through the center of the depression and prominence 318; and the electricity generating unit is an electricity generator 330 containing a rotor 332 rotating in the forward and reverse direction by the oscillation energy transferred through the steel wire 320, the rotor of a hat shape having a plurality of permanent magnets 332a on the surface of the outer periphery of the top portion, and a stator 336 for generating electricity by the induced electromotive force generated by the rotation of the rotor 332, the stator having longer diameter than the lower portion of the rotor 332 and being wound with a coil 337; and the expanding and contracting unit is a coil spring 340 which sustains the force of the oscillation energy not to be offset for an extended period of time, the coil spring being fixed with a certain distance apart between the side of the lower portion of the rotor 332, to which the oscillation of the buoy 316 is transferred through the steel wire 320, and the upper portion of the inner peripheral surface of the case 302.

6. The generator according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the rotor -232, 332 is a conductor wound with a coil, and the stator 236, 336 is a magnetic field provided with the plurality of permanent magnets.

7. The generator according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein insulation materials are inserted between the permanent magnets 232a, 332a so as to prevent interference among the magnets .

8. The generator according to claim 6, wherein insulation materials are inserted between the permanent magnets 232a, 332a so as to prevent interference among the magnets.