Electrical Energy Generator
An electrical energy generator that converts kinetic energy harvested from voluntary motor activity of a human or animal to electrical energy. The electrical energy generator includes a housing, a coil of electrically conductive material, a reciprocally movable electromagnetically active mass, springs connecting the mass to either the housing or to adjustment means engaged with said housing, and, optionally, means for constraining non-linear motion of the electromagnetically active mass, and/or means of mitigating motion retardation of the electromagnetically active mass within any existing housing atmosphere. The electrical energy generator may be associated with a carried item, such as a backpack.
1 . An electrical energy generator comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis, an interior cavity, an interior cavity surface, and an exterior surface;
electrically conductive material engaged about at least a portion of said exterior surface of said housing and extending along at least a portion of said longitudinal axis;
an electromagnetically active mass having at least one through-hole positioned within said housing reciprocally movable along at least a portion of said longitudinal axis;
a guidance means passing through said through-hole;
a first spring engaged with said mass and said housing; and
a second spring engaged with said mass and said housing.
2 . The electrical energy generator of claim 1 , further comprising a spring deflection adjustor comprising:
a threaded receiver engaged with said housing; and
a threaded member rotatably engaged with said threaded receiver to permit helical motion of said threaded member with respect to said housing.
3 . The electrical energy generator of claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a cylinder or tube.
4 . The electrical energy generator of claim 3 , wherein said electrically conductive material comprises an induction coil.
5 . The electrical energy generator of claim 4 , wherein said springs comprise coil springs.
6 . The electrical energy generator of claim 5 , wherein said coil springs comprise extension springs.
7 . The electrical energy generator of claim 5 , wherein said coil springs comprise compression springs.
8 . The electrical energy generator of claim 6 , wherein the entirety of said electromagnetically active mass is adapted to pass through the entirety of said induction coil twice during a single reciprocation period.
9 . The electrical energy generator of claim 8 , wherein said mass comprises a permanent magnet.
10 . The electrical energy generator of claim 9 , wherein said generator further comprises a shroud at least partially covering said induction coil, said shroud having a high magnetic permeability.
11 . The electrical energy generator of claim 10 , wherein said shroud comprises a ferromagnetic material.
12 . The electrical energy generator of claim 5 wherein:
said electromagnetically active mass does not comprise a permanent magnet; and
said generator comprises a shroud at least partially covering said induction coil, wherein said shroud comprises a permanent magnet.
13 . The electrical energy generator of claim 2 , wherein said threaded members comprise male threaded shafts.
14 . The electrical energy generator of claim 2 , wherein said threaded receivers comprise female threads integrally formed in said housing.
15 . The electrical energy generator of claim 1 , wherein said generator is in electrical connection with an electronic device.
16 . The electrical energy generator of claim 1 , wherein said guidance means comprises a guide rod.