JP3536211B2 - Power generator - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention stores a rolling element in a rolling chamber provided in a case, provides a piezoelectric element in the rolling direction of the rolling element, and rolls the element to the piezoelectric element. In a power generation device that generates electric power by collision of the rolling elements, noise is prevented from being generated when the rolling elements roll, or damage to the devices when the rolling elements collide with the rolling chamber inner wall.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a rolling element is housed in a rolling chamber provided in a case, a piezoelectric element is provided in the rolling direction of the rolling element, and power is generated by collision of the rolling element with the piezoelectric element. There are known power generating devices (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-287464 etc.). A light emitting device that causes a light emitting element to emit light by the electromotive force is disclosed in JP-A-2000-28746.
It is disclosed in 4 etc.

Further, a light emitting device that emits light from a light emitting element by its electromotive force is considered to be used as a display device when the bicycle is running by being mounted between adjacent spokes of wheels.

[0004]

In this case, the rolling element rolls in the rolling chamber according to the rotation of the wheel and collides with the piezoelectric element, but the rolling element is formed of a spherical body made of metal such as stainless steel. ,
Further, since the rolling chamber is made of a hard resin, when the rolling element rolls and collides with the rolling chamber inner wall, an unpleasant sound is generated, which causes an inconvenience such as obstruction of bicycle traveling. .

Further, if the impact force when the rolling elements collide with the inner wall of the rolling chamber is strong, the wiring of the power generator may be damaged.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the generation of noise when the rolling elements roll in the above-described power generation apparatus or the damage of the apparatus when the rolling elements collide with the rolling chamber inner wall. And

[0007]

In view of the above situation, the present invention stores a rolling element in a rolling chamber provided in a case, and provides a piezoelectric element in a rolling direction of the rolling element, In a power generator that generates electric power by a collision of a rolling element with a piezoelectric element, a power generator in which the rolling chamber inner wall provided in the case is made of an elastic member is proposed.

[0008]

That is, in the present invention, since the inner wall of the rolling chamber is made of an elastic member such as soft vinyl chloride resin, a noise that is jarring when a rolling element such as a stainless ball rolls is produced. Does not occur, the impact force when the rolling element collides with the rolling chamber inner wall is softened by the elastic member, and damage to the power generation device can be prevented.

Further, according to the present invention, as a practical power generating device, the above-mentioned case, in which the inner wall of the rolling chamber is made of an elastic member, is divided from the center thereof to roll into each rolling chamber. The present invention proposes a power generation device that accommodates a child, provides a supporting piece for a piezoelectric element at the divided end of the case, and holds the piezoelectric element between the supporting pieces.

In other words, according to the present invention, the power generation device according to the present invention can be simply constructed by sandwiching the piezoelectric element between the support pieces at the divided end of the case.

In this case, it is desirable that the piezoelectric element is enclosed between the support pieces as completely as possible. However, it is preferable to provide the support pieces provided at the divided ends of the case with the engagement members that engage with each other. You can meet this.

As another method, the piezoelectric element may be sandwiched between the support pieces provided at the divided ends of the case and fitted into the fitting portion of the substrate.

If one end of the support piece provided at the divided end of the case is connected by a hinge, the piezoelectric element can be easily sandwiched between the support pieces.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. Cases 1 and 1 are divided cases formed of an elastic body such as soft vinyl chloride in a cylindrical shape.
A rolling chamber 2 is provided inside, and a stainless ball 3 is stored in the rolling chamber 2.

Further, supporting pieces 5 and 5 having windows 4 and 4 opened at the centers thereof are provided at the divided ends of the cases 1 and 1, respectively.
Engaging members 6a that engage with each other at the ends of the supporting pieces 5 and 5,
6b is provided.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a piezoelectric element connected to a light emitting element (not shown) or the like. The piezoelectric element 7 is inserted between the support pieces 5 and 5 and is supported by engaging the engaging members 6a and 6b. It is sandwiched between the pieces 5 and 5.

The power generator configured as described above is attached to, for example, a wheel of a bicycle, and when the stainless ball 3 rolls in the rolling chamber 2 as the wheel rotates and collides with the piezoelectric element 7. Although the light emitting element is caused to emit light by the electromotive force generated, since the rolling chamber 2 is made of soft vinyl chloride in the present invention, a jarring sound is generated even when the stainless steel ball 3 rolls in the rolling chamber 2. Without doing so, the impact force when the stainless ball 3 collides with the inner wall of the rolling chamber 2 is softened by the elastic force of soft vinyl chloride or the like, and damage to the power generator can be prevented.

Further, in this embodiment, the piezoelectric element 7 can be simply and completely enclosed between the support pieces 5 and 5 by engaging the engaging members 6a and 6b.

As another method for easily and completely encapsulating the piezoelectric element 7 between the support pieces 5 and 5, as shown in FIG. 2, the support pieces 5 and 5 provided at the divided ends of the cases 1 and 1 are shown. The piezoelectric element 7 may be sandwiched between the cases 1 and 1 and the cases 1 and 1 may be fitted to the fitting portion 9 formed on the substrate 8.

If one end of each of the support pieces 5 and 5 provided at the divided end portions of the cases 1 and 1 is connected by the hinge portion 10,
As shown in FIG. 3, the piezoelectric element 7 can be simply and completely enclosed and sandwiched between the support pieces 5 and 5.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the hinges 10 are directed downward, and the cases 1, 1 are inserted into the fitting portions 9 of the substrate 8 while sandwiching the piezoelectric element 7 between the supporting pieces 5, 5. ,
The piezoelectric element 7 can be enclosed between the support pieces 5 and 5 more simply and completely.

[0022]

In summary, according to the present invention, the occurrence of annoying sound when the rolling element rolls or the damage of the device due to the impact force when the rolling element collides with the rolling chamber inner wall is ensured. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a piezoelectric element is sandwiched between support pieces according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of sandwiching a piezoelectric element between support pieces according to another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a piezoelectric element is sandwiched between support pieces in yet another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a piezoelectric element is sandwiched between support pieces in yet another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,1 are split cases 2 is the rolling room 3 is a stainless steel ball 4 is a window 5 and 5 are support pieces 6a and 6b are engaging members 7 is a piezoelectric element 8 is a substrate 9 is a fitting part 10 is the hinge part

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rolling element formed of a metallic sphere is housed in a rolling chamber provided in a case, a piezoelectric element is provided in a rolling direction of the rolling element, and rolling is performed on the piezoelectric element. In a power generator that generates power by collision of a child, a case with a rolling chamber inside is installed.
A power generator characterized in that it is made of soft vinyl chloride . 2. A rolling element formed of a metallic sphere is housed in a rolling chamber provided in a case, a piezoelectric element is provided in a rolling direction of the rolling element, and rolling to the piezoelectric element is performed. In a power generator that generates power when a child collides, a case with a rolling chamber inside
The case is made of soft vinyl chloride, the case is divided from the center to house the rolling elements in the respective rolling chambers, and a supporting piece for the piezoelectric element is provided at the divided end of the case.
A power generation device comprising a piezoelectric element sandwiched between the support pieces. 3. The power generator according to claim 2, wherein the support pieces provided at the divided ends of the case are provided with engaging members that engage with each other. 4. The power generator according to claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric element is sandwiched between the support pieces provided at the divided ends of the case to be fitted into the fitting portion of the substrate. 5. The power generator according to claim 2, wherein one end of a support piece provided at the divided end portion of the case is joined by a hinge portion.