Generating your own power
A portable apparatus is disclosed for generating electrical power comprising a stator comprising a plurality of coils, coil units or coil segments for independently generating electrical power, wherein the stator comprises a printed coil laminate comprising a sheet of insulator material and a printed conductor comprising conductive ink printed upon the sheet of insulator material arranged to form the plurality of coils, coil units or coil segments and a reciprocator comprising a magnet, the reciprocator being responsive to vibrations and/or shocks and moves in that regard within the environs of the stator so as to generate electrical power. The apparatus is connectable to a portable electronic device so as to power that device and/or to a storage device for storing the generated electrical power.
1. A portable apparatus for generating electrical power comprising:
a stator comprising a plurality of coils, coil units or coil segments for independently generating electrical power, wherein the stator comprises a printed coil laminate comprising a sheet of insulator material and a printed conductor comprising conductive ink printed upon the sheet of insulator material arranged to form said plurality of coils, coil units or coil segments; and
a reciprocator comprising a magnet, the reciprocator being responsive to vibrations and/or shocks and moves in that regard within an environs of the stator so as to generate electrical power, wherein the reciprocator comprises a magnetised disc which is movable within a volume comprising said stator, and wherein the magnetised disc is freely movable in all directions within a single plane;
wherein the apparatus is connectable to a portable electronic device so as to power that device and/or to a storage device for storing the generated electrical power.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said stator comprises a segmented conductive coil comprising a plurality of coil units for independently generating electricity.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movement of the reciprocator is controlled by magnetic forces and/or a resilient member.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetised disc is constrained to move only within the environs of the stator by repelling magnets which define the volume.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stator is circular and planar.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein electrical power is generated using a low forward voltage AC to DC rectifier.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of independent coils, coil units or coil segments is directly connected to a low forward voltage AC to DC rectifier.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reciprocator comprises one or more toroidal magnets.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each coil unit formed on said sheet of insulator material comprises a coil, a first connector connectable with a second connector of a preceding coil unit and a second connector connectable with a first connector of a succeeding coil unit.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said sheet of insulator material is flexible.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said printed conductor is flexible.
12. A method of generating electrical power comprising:
providing an apparatus comprising a stator comprising a plurality of conductive coils, coil units or coil segments for independently generating electrical power, wherein the stator comprises a printed coil laminate comprising a sheet of insulator material and a printed conductor comprising conductive ink printed upon the sheet of insulator material arranged to form said plurality of coils, coil units or coil segments, and a reciprocator comprising a magnet, the reciprocator being responsive to vibrations and/or shocks and moves in that regard within an environs of the stator so as to generate electrical power, wherein the reciprocator comprises a magnetised disc which is movable within a volume comprising said stator, and wherein the magnetised disc is freely movable in all directions within a single plane;
vibrating and/or shocking said reciprocator so that said reciprocator moves within the environs of the stator so as to generate electrical power; and
connecting the apparatus to a portable electronic device so as to power that device and/or to a storage device for storing the generated electrical power.
13. A portable apparatus for generating electrical power comprising:
a stator comprising one or more conductive coils, coil units or coil segments; and
a reciprocator comprising a magnet, the reciprocator being responsive to vibrations and/or shocks and which is arranged to move within an environs of the stator so as to generate electrical power, wherein the reciprocator comprises a first magnet carrier and a second magnet carrier, the first and second carriers being cross-linked through a pivot so as to be moveable in opposite directions with respect to each other;
wherein the apparatus is connectable to a portable electronic device so as to power that device and/or to a storage device for storing the generated electrical power.
14. A method of generating electrical power comprising:
providing an apparatus comprising a stator comprising one or more conductive coils, coil units or coil segments and a reciprocator comprising a magnet, the reciprocator being responsive to vibrations and/or shocks and which is arranged to move within an environs of the stator so as to generate electrical power, wherein the reciprocator comprises a first magnet carrier and a second magnet carrier, the first and second carriers being cross-linked through a pivot so as to be moveable in opposite directions with respect to each other;
vibrating and/or shocking said reciprocator so that said reciprocator moves within the environs of the stator so as to generate electrical power; and
connecting the apparatus to a portable electronic device so as to power that device and/or to a storage device for storing the generated electrical power.