Piezoelectric energy harvester operated by noncontact mechanical frequency up-conversion using shell cantilever structure

In this study, we propose and demonstrate a piezoelectric energy harvester with a shell cantilever for mechanical frequency up-conversion to generate electric power in a low-frequency vibration environment. The proposed device is composed of a clamped semicylindrical shell cantilever as a driving beam and a piezoelectric cantilever attached to the proof mass of the shell cantilever as a generating beam. The shell cantilever bends downward when the external acceleration is over the threshold value for buckling transition. When the acceleration direction is reversed, the shell cantilever makes abrupt stop at its initial position, inducing impact-like force on the generating beam and resulting in free vibration at high resonance frequencies. Experimental results show that a maximum power of 101 mu W at 20 Hz can be obtained. (C) 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics