An impact based frequency up-conversion mechanism for low frequency vibration energy harvesting

This paper presents a new mechanism for achieving frequency up-conversion in low frequency vibrational energy harvesting device, utilising the contact interaction between an end-stop and a cantilever beam. A mechanical model of the mechanism has been developed for simulation and a prototype device was fabricated to demonstrate the effect experimentally. Simulation showed an increase in the oscillation frequency of the cantilever mass by a factor of 12.5 from an excitation of 4Hz, while the peak-peak displacement was limited to 2.2mm. Frequency was increased by a factor 10 using the prototype device under similar conditions.