Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120274132 | RECTIFIER CIRCUIT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM COMPRISING THE RECTIFIER CIRCUIT - A rectifier circuit includes a first, second, third and fourth parasitic diodes electrically connected to form a full-wave diode-bridge rectifier. A first switch and a second switch are connected in parallel, respectively, to the first and second parasitic diodes, and a third switch and a fourth switch connected in parallel, respectively, to the third and fourth parasitic diodes. A first biasing network is configured to drive in conduction the first and second switches, during turning-on of the rectifier circuit, using a first turning-on signal that is a function of the input signal. A second biasing network is configured to close the third and fourth switches, during turning-on of the rectifier circuit, using a second turning-on signal that is a function of the input signal. | 11-01-2012 |
20120274134 | DC-DC CONVERTER, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE DC-DC CONVERTER, ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM COMPRISING THE DC-DC CONVERTER, AND APPARATUS COMPRISING THE ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM - A DC-DC converter independently supplies electrical loads. The converter includes a charge switch and a discharge switch connected between an input supply and a reference. An inductor has a first terminal connected between the charge switch and the discharge switch and a second terminal. Coupling switches are provided between the inductor second terminal and the electrical loads. An adaptive-control circuit acquires, during supply of each electrical load, a signal indicating the voltage value across the inductor and generates a first time interval as a function of the signal indicating the voltage value detected. Each electrical load is supplied during the first time interval, and completely discharged during a second time interval subsequent to the first time interval. | 11-01-2012 |
20120274144 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENTLY HARVESTING ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY - A transducer converts energy coming from an energy source into an electrical signal for storage as electrical energy on a first storage element. A switch is selectively actuated to pass electrical energy from the first storage element to a second storage element. The selective actuation of the switch is driven by sensing electrical energy stored in the second storage element. The switch is closed when electrical energy in the second storage element is sensed to fall below a first threshold. The switch is opened when electrical energy in the second storage element is sensed to rise above a second threshold. | 11-01-2012 |
20120307537 | RECTIFIER CIRCUIT, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE RECTIFIER CIRCUIT, AND ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM COMPRISING THE RECTIFIER CIRCUIT - The input terminals of an energy-scavenging interface are connectable to a transducer including a storage element, and output terminals of the interface are connectable to an electrical load. The interface includes a first switch that is closed to pass current and store electrical energy in the storage element for a first time interval. The first time interval is based on at least one of a first delay proportional to a time constant of the transducer and sensed current flowing through the first switch reaching a first threshold. The first switch is thereafter opened so to permit the stored electrical energy to be delivered through a first current-conduction element for a second time interval. The second time interval is based on sensed current flowing through the first current-conduction element reaching a second threshold. The first current-conduction element may comprise a second switch actuate out of phase with the first switch. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307538 | ENERGY SCAVENGING INTERFACE, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE ENERGY SCAVENGING INTERFACE, AND ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM COMPRISING THE ENERGY SCAVENGING INTERFACE - An energy scavenging interface has an input port receiving an electrical signal from a storage element of a transducer, and an output port supplying an output signal to an electrical load. The interface includes a first switch receiving the input signal; a second switch that supplying the output signal; and control logic configured to close the first switch and open the second switch for a first time interval having at least a first temporal duration and until current through the first switch reaches a threshold. A scaled copy of a peak value of current through the first switch is obtained during the first time interval. The control logic is further operable to open the first switch and close the second switch to supply current to the electrical load as long as the current of the output signal remains greater than the value of said scaled copy of the peak value. | 12-06-2012 |
20130279721 | BIASING CIRCUIT FOR A MICROELECTROMECHANICAL ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER AND RELATED BIASING METHOD - A biasing circuit for an acoustic transducer is provided with: a voltage-booster stage, which supplies, on a biasing terminal, a boosted voltage for biasing a first terminal of the acoustic transducer; and filtering elements, set between the biasing terminal and the acoustic transducer, for filtering disturbances on the boosted voltage. The biasing circuit is further provided with switches, which can be actuated so as to connect the first terminal to the biasing terminal of the voltage-booster stage, directly during a start-up step of the biasing circuit, and through the filtering elements at the end of the start-up step. | 10-24-2013 |
20140084876 | ENHANCED EFFICIENCY ENERGY-SCAVENGING INTERFACE, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE ENERGY-SCAVENGING INTERFACE, AND ENERGY-SCAVENGING SYSTEM COMPRISING THE ENERGY-SCAVENGING INTERFACE - An energy-scavenging interface includes first and second switches connected in series between an input and reference, and third and fourth switches connected in series between the input and an output. A control circuit closes the first and second switches and opens the third switch for a first time interval to store charge in a storage element. A scaled copy of a peak value of the charging current is obtained. The control circuit then opens the first switch and closes the third and fourth switches to generate an output signal as long as the value in current of the output signal is higher than the value of said scaled copy of the peak value. | 03-27-2014 |
20140084900 | LOW-CONSUMPTION AND HIGH-EFFICIENCY ENERGY-SCAVENGING INTERFACE, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE ENERGY-SCAVENGING INTERFACE, AND SYSTEM COMPRISING THE ENERGY-SCAVENGING INTERFACE - An energy-scavenging interface receives an input signal from a transducer and supplies an output signal to a load. A switch is connected between the transducer and a reference node, and a diode is connected between the transducer and the load. A control circuit closes the switch for a time interval to permit energy storage in the transducer. A scale copy of a peak value of stored electric current is obtained. The switch is opened when the time interval elapses and the stored energy exceeds a threshold. The stored energy is then released to supply the load through the diode. The switch remains open as long as the value of current in the output signal exceeds the value of the scaled copy of the peak value. | 03-27-2014 |
20140088917 | STEP COUNTER DEVICE WITH ENERGY-SCAVENGING FUNCTIONALITY, AND STEP-COUNTING METHOD - A step-counter device detects and counts user steps. The device includes a transducer configured to generate an electrical transduction signal in response to user stepping. An energy-scavenging system is coupled to the transducer to generate a power supply voltage in response to the electrical transduction signal. A processing unit is powered by the power supply voltage. The processing unit is further configured to sense the electrical transduction signal and determine whether a user step has occurred and in response to that determination increment a step counter. | 03-27-2014 |
20140093089 | MEMS SPEAKER DEVICE WITH AN ELECTRONIC TEST CIRCUIT - A MEMS speaker device including a membrane that forms a first capacitor and a second capacitor, respectively, with a top plate and with a bottom plate. The device includes a driving circuit that operates, during a first operating period, to move the membrane into a first position, in which the membrane is close to the bottom plate, and during a second operating period, to move the membrane into a second position, in which the membrane is close to the top plate. The device includes a testing circuit having a measuring circuit, which generates a first signal, based on a capacitance of one of the first capacitor and the second capacitor and a second signal based on a capacitance of one of the first capacitor and the second capacitor; and a comparator, which compares the first and second signals with at least one first electrical reference quantity. | 04-03-2014 |
20140139029 | DUAL INPUT SINGLE OUTPUT REGULATOR FOR AN INERTIAL SENSOR - A dual input single output (DISO) regulator, includes a comparator configured to receive a first and second power supply signal and to provide a first compared signal; a first switch configured to couple the first power supply source to an intermediate node, and a second switch configured to couple the second power supply source to the intermediate node; a control logic circuit, coupled to the first comparator, to the first switch, and to the second switch, and configured to receive the compared signal to control the first and the second switch in a first and second operating condition based on the compared signal. The intermediate node being biased by an intermediate power supply signal correlated to the first or second power supply signal. The DISO regulator includes a low-dropout regulator, configured to provide a regulated power supply signal based on the intermediate power supply signal. | 05-22-2014 |
20140232189 | ENHANCED DC-DC CONVERTER, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE DC-DC CONVERTER, ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY-HARVESTING SYSTEM COMPRISING THE DC-DC CONVERTER, AND APPARATUS COMPRISING THE ENERGY-HARVESTING SYSTEM - A DC-DC converter independently supplies electrical loads. For each load, an output load signal is compared to a reference to generate a result indicating a need to supply the respective electrical load. A first detection is made as to whether a first electrical load needs to be supplied and a second detection is made as to whether any remaining electrical loads need to be supplied. The first electrical load is supplied if the first detection is positive and the second detection is negative. | 08-21-2014 |
20150214841 | DC-DC CONVERTER WITH IMPROVED ENERGY MANAGEMENT, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE DC-DC CONVERTER, ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM USING THE DC-DC CONVERTER, AND APPARATUS USING THE ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM - A converter includes an inductor configured to receive an input signal and output configured to supply an electrical load with an output signal. The converter operates to charge the inductor until a maximum pre-set current value is reached during a first operating condition in which the electrical load is not supplied. Next, the converter actively supplies the electrical load by partially discharging the inductor during a first time interval of a second operating condition. Then, the converter passively supplies the electrical load by the residual charge of the inductor during a second time interval, subsequent to the first time interval, of the second operating condition, by discharging the inductor completely. | 07-30-2015 |
20150234416 | ENERGY HARVESTING INTERFACE WITH IMPROVED IMPEDANCE MATCHING, METHOD FOR OPERATING THE ENERGY HARVESTING INTERFACE, AND ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM USING THE ENERGY HARVESTING INTERFACE - An energy harvesting interface receives an electrical signal from an inductive transducer and supplies a supply signal. The interface includes an input branch with a first switch and a second switch connected together in series between a first input terminal and an output terminal. The interface further includes a third switch and a fourth switch connected together in series between a second input terminal and the output terminal. A first electrical-signal-detecting device, coupled across the second switch, detects a first threshold value of an electric storage current in the inductor of the transducer. A second electrical-signal-detecting device, coupled across the fourth switch, detects whether the electric supply current that flows through the fourth switch reaches a second threshold value lower than the first threshold value. The second threshold is derived from the electric storage current. | 08-20-2015 |
20150260542 | ENERGY SCAVENGING STEP-COUNTER DEVICE AND RELATED STEP-COUNTING METHOD - A step-detection device for detecting the steps taken by a user (for counting) includes a transducer that generates an electrical transduction signal as a function of step mechanical activity. An energy scavenging system, coupled to the transducer, generates electrical energy starting from the mechanical activity in order to supply an output supply signal in response to the electrical transduction signal. A voltage-regulator generates a regulated supply signal from the output supply signal. A transmission stage, supplied by the voltage-regulating stage, initiates a wireless transmission indicative of step detection, that wireless transmission causing an increment of a step count at a remote location. The transmission stage makes the wireless transmission when the regulated supply signal exceeds a first threshold. Completion of the wireless transmission is indicative of the occurrence of a step. | 09-17-2015 |
20150323944 | CURRENT MODULATION CIRCUIT - A modulated digital input signal is passed through a conditioning circuit to generate a first input signal. An error amplifier circuit receives the first input signal and a second input signal, and controls the operation of a MOS transistor to generate an output signal that is current modulated. The output signal is sensed to generate a feedback signal. A switching circuit selectively applies the feedback signal as the second input signal in response to a transition of the modulated digital input signal from a first logic state to a second logic state. The switching circuit alternatively selectively applies a fixed reference signal as the second input signal to the error amplifier in response to a transition of the modulated digital input signal from the second logic state to the first logic state. | 11-12-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120088590 | Rotary Shaft Flexural Vibration Damping Device - A damping device for damping flexural vibration of a shaft rotating about a first axis, the device having: a supporting body; and a member, which defines an annular opening fitted through with the shaft, and is movable, with respect to the supporting body and radially with respect to the first axis, between a first and a second position when the shaft flexes radially with respect to the first axis. The member is set to the first position, and the opening is traversed loosely by the shaft when the rotation speed of the shaft is within a first range; the member is set to the second position, and the opening cooperates with the shaft, when the rotation speed of the shaft is within a second range differing from the first range and including at least one critical speed of the shaft; and the damping device has elastic means interposed between the supporting body and the member. | 04-12-2012 |
20130035197 | PLANETARY GEAR TRAIN AND CORRESPONDING PRODUCTION METHOD - Described herein is a planetary gear train, comprising: a sun gear that can turn about an axis and comprises a plurality of first teeth; a fixed crown wheel comprising a plurality of second teeth; and two planetary gears, each comprising a plurality of third teeth, the planetary gears each meshing with the crown wheel and the sun gear and able to turn about second axes, which are in turn able to turn about the first axis; at least two third teeth simultaneously mesh with second teeth and further two third teeth simultaneously mesh with first teeth; the third teeth comprise a first a second side, which have, respectively, a first and a second pressure angle different from one another; and the number of the third teeth is different from the absolute value of the semidifference between the number of the first teeth and of the second teeth. | 02-07-2013 |
20130172143 | EPICYCLIC GEAR TRAIN FOR AN AIRCRAFT CAPABLE OF HOVERING - An epicyclic gear train, for an aircraft capable of hovering, having a sun gear rotating about a first axis; a fixed ring gear positioned coaxially with the first axis and radially outwards with respect to the sun gear; a number of planet gears, which are interposed between and mesh with the sun gear and the ring gear, and rotate about respective second axes, in turn revolving about the first axis; and lubricant feed means; the feed means having a number of nozzles arranged about the first axis and the sun gear to produce an annular flow of lubricant. | 07-04-2013 |
20140299710 | HOVER-CAPABLE AIRCRAFT - A hover-capable aircraft having propulsion means; at least one rotor; transmission means for transmitting power from the propulsion means to the rotor and lubricated with a lubricant; a heat exchanger, which receives the heated lubricant from the transmission means and feeds the cooled lubricant back to the transmission means; and a fan for producing airflow through the heat exchanger to cool the lubricant, and which has an impeller with blades, and an exhaust pipe for expelling the hot air produced by cooling the lubricant; at least one portion of the wall of the exhaust pipe has dissipating means designed to selectively absorb pressure waves in a given frequency band related to the rotation speed of the impeller and to the number of blades of the impeller. | 10-09-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080214314 | TRANSMISSION JOINT - A transmission joint for angularly connecting a first and a second member, and having a coupling member interposed functionally between the first and second member and extending about an axis; the coupling member has: a first portion connectable angularly to the first member, a second portion connectable angularly to the second member and located radially outwards of the first portion, and an intermediate portion interposed radially between the first and second portion and elongated in a direction crosswise to the axis; the intermediate portion of the coupling member has, from the first portion to the second portion, a first portion decreasing in thickness crosswise to the direction, and a second portion of constant thickness. | 09-04-2008 |
20090071753 | Helicopter with an auxiliary lubricating circuit - There is described a helicopter having a first member movable with respect to a second member; lubricated supporting means for supporting the first member with respect to the second member; and a primary lubricating circuit for lubricating the supporting means and in turn having primary storage means for accumulating a lubricating fluid, and primary fluid feed means for feeding the lubricating fluid to the supporting means; the helicopter also has an auxiliary lubricating circuit supplied continually by the primary storage means with a first lubricating fluid flow value, and itself continually supplying the supporting means with a second lubricating fluid flow value lower than the first value, so as to produce an auxiliary storage volume of lubricating fluid for use in the event of breakdown of the primary lubricating circuit. | 03-19-2009 |
20090072081 | Helicopter transmission - There is described a transmission for a helicopter, the transmission having a movable transmission member; a casing housing the movable member; lubricated supporting means for supporting the movable member inside the casing and for rotation about an axis; and feed means for feeding a lubricating fluid to the supporting means; the transmission also has storage means permitting gradual release of the lubricating fluid, and which are connected fluidically to the feed means and to the supporting means to permit lubrication of the supporting means in the event of breakdown of the feed means; and the storage means are angularly integral with the movable member and located radially inwards of the supporting means to feed the lubricating fluid centrifugally to the supporting means. | 03-19-2009 |
20090191078 | LUBRICATING PUMP - A lubricating pump having a first stage and a second stage; the first stage in turn has an intake connectable hydraulically to a tank of lubricating fluid, and a delivery outlet connectable hydraulically to a lubricated member; the first stage compresses the lubricating fluid from the tank to a pressure for supply to the member; the second stage in turn has an inlet connectable hydraulically to a casing housing the member, and an outlet connectable hydraulically to the tank; the second stage feeds the lubricating fluid in the casing back into the tank; the second stage is a Roots type, and has a first and a second rotor rotating about respective axes to feed the lubricating fluid from the inlet to the outlet; and the first and second rotor are operated by the first stage. | 07-30-2009 |
20110293358 | Non-Rotating Universal Joint for a Helicopter Drive Unit - A non-rotating universal joint for a helicopter drive unit has a spider defined by a ring, which has four connecting portions spaced 90° apart and engaging respective forks defining the ends of respective arms of two connecting members which, in use, are fixed with respect to a casing of an engine and a casing of a reduction gear; each fork and the corresponding connecting portion have respective through holes coaxial with one another and engaged by a screw; and dampers are interposed between the connecting portions of the ring and the shanks of the screws, and between the connecting portions of the ring and the forks. | 12-01-2011 |
20120155957 | FASTENING ASSEMBLY - A fastening assembly having a longitudinal axis; a tubular first coupling member; a second coupling member insertable coaxially inside the first coupling member in a first direction; and releasable fastening means for locking the first and second coupling member to each other in a predetermined axial lock position. The fastening means include first and second engaging means formed on the first and second coupling member, connectable to each other to define a foolproof angular insertion/release position, and releasable by positioning the second coupling member in a predetermined axial position inside the first coupling member; and third and fourth engaging means formed on the first and second coupling member and connectable to each other in a further angular position of the second coupling member, different from the angular insertion/release position, by moving the second coupling member axially, from the predetermined axial position, in a second direction opposite the first direction. | 06-21-2012 |
20130145604 | LOCK RING AND THREADED STUD - A lock ring for securing a threaded stud to a first member, the ring having a first surface defining the ring on the side facing a first axis of symmetry of the ring, and in which a toothed impression is formed when it is forced onto a toothed portion of the threaded stud; and a conical second surface defining the ring on the opposite side to the first axis, and which is forced inside the first member. | 06-13-2013 |