Patent ID: 7834490

Claim:
A method of energy harvesting comprising: providing a bimetallic strip having a first end and a second end, the bimetallic strip comprising: a first substantially flat layer comprising a positive magnetostrictive material comprising an Fe-based alloy, said Fe-based alloy comprising Fe 100-x Al x wherein x is from about 5 to about 25, or Fe 100-y Ga y wherein y is from about 5 to about 35, or a combination of said Fe 100-x Al x and said Fe 100-y Ga y ; and a second substantially flat layer attached to said first substantially flat layer forming a dual layered strip, said second substantially flat layer comprising one of a permanent magnet and a negative magnetostrictive material; attaching the first end of the bimetallic strip to a first surface; attaching the second end of the bimetallic strip to an inertial mass or to a second surface; initiating a changing magnetic arrangement and accompanying changing magnetic flux in the bimetallic strip by vibrating said first surface to produce a mechanical stress in the bimetallic strip; inducing an alternating current from the changing magnetic flux in a coil by wrapping a coil around the outer surface of the bimetallic strip; and storing or converting to a desired output form, the associated energy from the induced current.