TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an energy harvesting apparatus, and more particularly, to a portable energy harvesting apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for portable energy harvesting apparatuses that generate electric power in accordance with the external environment so that users can use portable electronic devices such as smartphones, notebook personal computers (PCs), tablet PCs, and the like even in outdoor areas where they cannot obtain commercial power supply. Examples of such an energy harvesting apparatus include an apparatus including a solar cell that generates power using light energy such as solar light, and an apparatus including a thermoelectric conversion element that generates power using heat energy such as geothermal heat.

Such an energy harvesting apparatus includes an energy harvesting module such as a solar cell, and a connector for outputting electric power generated by the energy harvesting module to the outside (see, e.g., PTLS 1 to 3). The energy harvesting module is in the form of a thin flat plate. The connector can be detachably attached to another connector (external connector) provided in a connecting cable or the like for connect to another apparatus.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

PTL 1: WO2016/152086

PTL 2: JP2011-44242 A

PTL 3: JP2007-19499 A

SUMMARY

Technical Problem

The energy harvesting apparatus described in PTL 1 is configured such that a connector is directly connected to an energy harvesting module. Therefore, a stress generated when the connector is attached to or detached from the external connector is easily transmitted to the energy harvesting module. Because the energy harvesting module is in the form of a thin flat plate, it may not be preferable to impose a burden due to stress. The energy harvesting apparatuses described in PTL 2 and PTL 3 include rigid members disposed so as to sandwich the opposing sides of the energy harvesting module. This enhances the rigidity of the energy harvesting module but increases the thickness of the entire energy harvesting apparatus and hence the size of the apparatus, which may impair the portability of the energy harvesting apparatus.

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to solve the problem set forth above and provide an energy harvesting apparatus wherein a stress applied to the energy harvesting module when a connector is attached to or detached from an external connector can be mitigated while ensuring the portability of the apparatus.

Solution to Problem

The present disclosure aims at advantageously solving the problems described above. The disclosed energy harvesting apparatus comprises: a flexible energy harvesting module having a flat plate shape; a connector which is mechanically and electrically connectable to an external connector; a rigid member having a flat plate shape; and an electric wiring constituting a part of a front surface of the rigid member, wherein an edge of a back surface of the energy harvesting module is disposed on the front surface of the rigid member, and wherein the connector is disposed on the front surface of the rigid member at a position spaced apart from the energy harvesting module and is electrically connected to the energy harvesting module via the electric wiring. With such a configuration, the energy harvesting module and the connector are disposed on the front surface of the rigid member without overlapping each other, whereby the thickness of the entire energy harvesting apparatus can be reduced and portability can be ensured. In addition, since the energy harvesting module is disposed at a position spaced apart from the connector via the rigid member, a stress applied to the energy harvesting module when the connector is attached to or detached from an external connector can be mitigated.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that the connector includes a first connector and a second connector. It is preferable that in a plan view of the energy harvesting module, the first connector and the second connector are disposed at positions spaced apart from each other along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction in the direction in which the energy harvesting module is positioned with respect to the rigid member, and are connectable to the external connector along the second direction. With such a configuration, the energy harvesting apparatus allows for bidirectional connection of an external connector.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that the energy harvesting module overlaps 40% or more of the rigid member along the second direction. With such a configuration, the energy harvesting module can be fixed firmly to the rigid member and the rigidity of the energy harvesting module can also be increased.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that at least one of the first connector and the second connector is positioned inwardly of the energy harvesting module in the second direction.

It is preferable that the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus further includes a connecting cable including the external connector which is detachably attachable to at least one of the first connector and the second connector. It is preferable that the external connector is located at a position other than the outside of the energy harvesting module in the second direction in a state where the external connector is connected to the first connector or second connector. With such a configuration, even when an external connector is connected to the connector, the external connector does not protrude in the second direction beyond the energy harvesting module, so that handleability can be improved.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that the energy harvesting module has a first extraction electrode and a second extraction electrode which are positioned at the edge of the back surface of the energy harvesting module. It is preferable that the first connector is electrically connectable to the first extraction electrode and the second extraction electrode through the electric wiring. It is preferable that the second connector is electrically connectable to the first extraction electrode and the second extraction electrode through the electric wiring.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that the rigid member is a rigid substrate having the electric wiring integrally formed on the front surface. With such a configuration, the manufacturing process of disposing an electric wiring on a rigid member can be simplified.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that the electric wiring is a flexible wiring board and forms a part of the front surface by covering a part of the rigid member. With such a configuration, the electric wiring can be shaped thinner, and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that at least a part of the flexible wiring board is transparent. It is preferable that at least a part of the rigid member is transparent. It is preferable that the flexible wiring board and the rigid member are bonded to each other with a transparent bonding material interposed therebetween. With such a configuration, it is possible to improve the visibility of an object located at a distance and overlapping the energy harvesting apparatus.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that the rigid member is a rigid frame. It is preferable that the electric wiring is a flexible wiring board and disposed at a position where the periphery is covered by the rigid member. With such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the weight while maintaining the strength of the energy harvesting apparatus.

It is preferable that the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus further includes an additional connector which is mechanically and electrically connectable an external connector, an additional rigid member having a flat plate shape, an additional electric wiring constituting a part of a front surface of the additional rigid member, and a conductive member for electrically connecting the connector and the additional connector. In the energy harvesting module, it is preferable that a part on one side of the edge of the back surface of the energy harvesting module is disposed on the front surface of the rigid member, and a part on the other side of the edge of the back surface of the energy harvesting module is disposed on the front surface of the additional rigid member. It is preferable that the additional connector is disposed on the front surface of the additional rigid member at a position spaced apart from the energy harvesting module and is electrically connected to the energy harvesting module via the additional electric wiring. With such a configuration, since the rigid member and the additional rigid member are disposed at positions corresponding to the connector and the additional connector, respectively, the total amount of the rigid member used can be reduced, so that size reduction and weight reduction can be achieved.

It is preferable that the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus further includes a mechanical connector which is mechanically connectable to an external connector, the mechanical connector being provided at an edge, opposite to the foregoing edge, of the back surface of the energy harvesting module. With such a configuration, in addition to connection by the connector, the apparatus can be connected to another apparatus also by the mechanical connector, so that the connection state with other apparatus can be further stabilized.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that the connector has a thickness which is larger than a thickness of the energy harvesting module. With such a configuration, even if an impact is applied from the front surface side of the energy harvesting apparatus, the connector absorbs more impact from the front surface side to further reduce the impact on the energy harvesting module.

In the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus, it is preferable that the connector is a female connector. With such a configuration, the energy harvesting apparatus can be reduced in size.

It is preferable that the disclosed energy harvesting apparatus further includes a cover member which covers at least a part of the connector on the front surface side of the rigid member. With such a configuration, the environmental resistance of the connector and the like of the energy harvesting apparatus can be enhanced.

Advantageous Effect

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an energy harvesting apparatus wherein a stress applied to the energy harvesting module when a connector is attached to or detached from an external connector can be mitigated while ensuring the portability of the apparatus.

