Electrical Energy Generator

Abstract

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.

I claim: 
     
         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.