1. A device comprising:
a housing including a bottom portion and a rim portion integrally formed around a perimeter of the bottom portion, the bottom portion including one or more holes to allow drainage of sacrificial material during a print forming process employed during manufacture of the device;
a substrate strip constituting part of a cantilever beam formed from the rim portion and protruding over an area of the bottom portion;
first conductive layer laid on top of the substrate strip;
an inert layer laid on top of the first conductive layer;
a second conductive layer laid on top of the inert layer;
a first via formed within the rim portion and coupled to the first conductive layer;
a second via formed within the rim portion and coupled to the second conductive layer;
a proof mass attached to the cantilever beam;
a void area separating the cantilever beam from the bottom portion, the void area configured to allow at least one end of the cantilever beam to move vertically relative to the bottom portion in response to movement of the device, the void area formed by drainage of the sacrificial material through the holes during the print forming process;
a lid placed on a top area of the rim portion to seal the cantilever beam within the void area;
a first surface mount pad on a surface of the lid and coupled to the first via; and
a second surface mount pad on the surface of the lid and coupled to the second via.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second conductive layers each comprises a piezoelectric material.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric material comprises Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) and each of the bottom portion, rim portion and lid comprises a ceramic material.
4. The device of claim 3 further comprising one or more passive electronic elements integrated within the case and deposited onto the surface of the lid by the print forming process.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein each via and conductive layer is formed by depositing a metal layer during the print forming process.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the cantilever beam is configured to deflect in a direction corresponding to a vibration force induced onto the proof mass and generate an electric current in response to the vibration force.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the electric current is provided to a sensor device mounted in a system containing the device to provide operating power to the sensor device.
8. An energy harvesting device comprising:
a case made of a hardened ceramic material, the case comprising a wall structure and a bottom portion encompassing a cavity, the bottom portion including one or more holes to allow drainage of sacrificial material during a print forming process employed during manufacture of the device;
a piezoelectric cantilever beam disposed within the cavity and integrally formed as part of the wall structure, the piezoelectric cantilever beam comprising at least two conductive layers separated by an inert layer;
a first via within the wall structure coupled to the first conductive layer of the at least two conductive layers;
a second via within the wall structure coupled to the second conductive layer of the at least two conductive layers;
a lid placed on a top area of the wall structure to seal the piezoelectric cantilever beam within the cavity, wherein a portion of the cavity separates the piezoelectric cantilever beam from the bottom portion, and is configured to allow at least one end of the piezoelectric cantilever beam to move vertically relative to the bottom portion in response to movement of the device, the cavity formed by drainage of the sacrificial material through the holes during the print forming process;
a first surface mount pad on a surface of the lid and coupled to the first via; and
a second surface mount pad on the surface of the lid and coupled to the second via.
9. The device of claim 8, wherein the case and piezoelectric cantilever beam and lid are formed by a print forming process consisting of printing successive layers of ceramic material and metal material on a substrate.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the wherein the sacrificial material comprises an ink.
11. The device of claim 10, further comprising the step of forming a proof mass through the print forming method such that it forms an integral part of the piezoelectric cantilever beam.
12. The device of claim 10 wherein the piezo bimorph strip is configured to deflect within the cavity and in a direction corresponding to a vibration force induced onto the proof mass and generate an electric current in response to the vibration force to provide operating power to a circuit coupled to the device.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the piezoelectric material comprises Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT), and the proof mass comprises one of PZT and silverpalladium alloy.
14. The device of claim 10, further comprising one or more passive electronic elements integrated within the case and deposited onto the case by the print forming process.
15. The device of claim 9, wherein the device comprises part of a power circuit for an air pressure sensor.
16. The device of claim 15, wherein the air pressure sensor and power circuit are mounted inside the tire of a vehicle.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A dispenser for controlled release of a volatile material, the dispenser including a pair of walls sealed to atmosphere around a periphery of the dispenser and wherein the pair of walls are permeable to the volatile material and are separated from each other adjacent the periphery by a small gap of about 5 to 1000 microns, which small gap surrounds an internal reservoir containing the volatile material, the reservoir having a greater distance between the walls than the small gap, wherein the small gap is in open communication with the reservoir so that the volatile material is drawn over internal surfaces of the small gap by capillary action resulting from the close proximity of the internal surfaces to facilitate constant release of the volatile material from the dispenser.
2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pair of walls are separated by a gap of 40 to 200 microns.
3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pair of walls have a thickness of 250 to 2000 microns.
4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein the pair of walls have a thickness of 700 to 1000 microns
5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser has a capacity of 50 to 20,000 microlitres.
6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the reservoir has a corrugated or ribbed internal surface to facilitate movement or spread of the volatile material located within the reservoir throughout an internal space of the dispenser which includes the reservoir and the small gap
7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the volatile material is selected from the group consisting of semiochemical, pheromone, kairomone, allomone, perfume, fragrance, insecticide, antibacterial agent, antifungal agent, plant growth regulator, plant hormone and essential oil.
8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the walls are made of a polymer.
9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein the walls are made of ethylene vinyl acetate or polyethylene
10. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein the polymer comprises pigments, dyes or ultraviolet stabilizers.
11. The dispenser of claim 10 wherein the pigment is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, titanium dioxide, ferric oxide and zinc oxide.
12. The dispenser of claim 10 wherein the ultraviolet stabiliser is benzophenone or benzotriazile.
13. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a peripheral well about the periphery of the dispenser which prevents spread of the volatile material to the said periphery.
14. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the volatile material may be admixed prior to insertion into the dispenser with an agent selected from the group consisting of anti-oxidant, ultraviolet stabilizer and diluent.
15. The dispenser of claim 1 attached or secured to an attachment or suspension means that allows the dispenser to be attached or suspended to a support structure.
16. The dispenser of claim 15 wherein the attachment or suspension means includes a body and a dispenser attachment means
17. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein the body or dispenser attachment means has a planar or sheet-like shape.
18. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein the attachment or suspension means includes a clip having a pair of resilient arms spaced from each other by a narrow slot.
19. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein the body is comprised of a rigid material.
20. The dispenser of claim 17 wherein the body is made from a rigid polymer.
21. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein the body comprises at least one dye or pigment which changes colour under prolonged exposure to sunlight.