TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficient Energy Harvesting Using Piezoelectric Compliant Mechanisms
T2 - Theory and Experiment
AU - Ma, Xiaokun
AU - Wilson, Andrew
AU - Rahn, Christopher D.
AU - Trolier-McKinstry, Susan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2016 by ASME.
PY - 2016/4/1
Y1 - 2016/4/1
N2 - Piezoelectric energy harvesters typically perform poorly in the low frequency, low amplitude, and intermittent excitation environment of human movement. In this paper, a piezoelectric compliant mechanism (PCM) energy harvester is designed that consists of a polyvinylidene diflouoride (PVDF) unimorph clamped at the base and attached to a compliant mechanism at the tip. The compliant mechanism has two flexures that amplify the tip displacement to produce large motion of a proof mass and a low frequency first mode with an efficient (nearly quadratic) shape. The compliant mechanism is fabricated as a separate, relatively rigid frame with flexure hinges, simplifying the fabrication process, and surrounding and protecting the piezoelectric unimorph. The bridge structure of the PCM also self-limits the response to large amplitude impacts, improving the device robustness. Experiments show that the compliant hinge stiffness can be carefully tuned to approach the theoretical high power output and mode shape efficiency.
AB - Piezoelectric energy harvesters typically perform poorly in the low frequency, low amplitude, and intermittent excitation environment of human movement. In this paper, a piezoelectric compliant mechanism (PCM) energy harvester is designed that consists of a polyvinylidene diflouoride (PVDF) unimorph clamped at the base and attached to a compliant mechanism at the tip. The compliant mechanism has two flexures that amplify the tip displacement to produce large motion of a proof mass and a low frequency first mode with an efficient (nearly quadratic) shape. The compliant mechanism is fabricated as a separate, relatively rigid frame with flexure hinges, simplifying the fabrication process, and surrounding and protecting the piezoelectric unimorph. The bridge structure of the PCM also self-limits the response to large amplitude impacts, improving the device robustness. Experiments show that the compliant hinge stiffness can be carefully tuned to approach the theoretical high power output and mode shape efficiency.
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U2 - 10.1115/1.4032178
DO - 10.1115/1.4032178
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84955456327
VL - 138
JO - Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, Transactions of the ASME
JF - Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, Transactions of the ASME
SN - 1048-9002
IS - 2
M1 - 021005
ER -