Nokia Patent Application for self-charging Cellphone

A patent application (20100045241) by Nokia reveals self-charging cell phone. The application entitled “Piezoelectric Kinetic Energy Harvester,” notes a mobile phone that recharges itself by harvesting energy from the owner's motion.

Piezoelectric Kinetic Energy Harvester

In a device according to at least some embodiments, kinetic energy resulting from acceleration of a battery powered device is harvested using piezoelectric elements that are positioned to receive forces along multiple different axes. So as to increase the amount of forces on those piezoelectric elements, the mass inducing such forces is increased by locating heavier device components within an assembly that transfers forces to the piezoelectric elements in response to device translation and/or rotation. In some embodiments, the device battery can be contained within that assembly. In still other embodiments, a display, a transceiver, a keypad and/or other device components are contained within that force-transferring assembly. In response to translation and/or rotation of the device, portions of forces induced by the battery mass and/or other device components are transferred to the piezoelectric elements. Electrical energy output by these piezoelectric elements is received in a power controller and can be applied to the battery.

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