Patent ID: 7084529

Claim:
A self-powered switching system, comprising: a flextensional transducer, said flextensional transducer comprising; a first electroactive member having opposing first and second electroded major faces; said first opposing major face being substantially convex and said second opposing major face being substantially concave; a prestress layer bonded to said second major face of said first electroactive member; said prestress layer applying a compressive force to said electroactive member; said prestress layer having first and second ends adjacent said concave face of said first electroactive member; wherein said flextensional transducer is adapted to deform from a first position to a second position upon application of a force to said flextensional transducer; and wherein upon said deformation to said second position, said flextensional transducer is adapted to generate a first voltage potential between said first electroded major face and said second electroded major face; a mounting member for retaining said first end of said prestress layer; said mounting member comprising a plate adjacent said first end of said prestress layer and said convex face of said flextensional transducer; said mounting member comprising clamping means adjacent said first end of said prestress layer and said concave face of said flextensional transducer; pressure application means for application of a force to said second end of said prestress layer, said pressure application means being adapted to apply a force sufficient to deform said flextensional transducer from said first position to said second position, thereby generating said first voltage potential; a first conductor electrically connected to said first electroded major face of said first electroactive member; a second conductor electrically connected to said second electroded major face of said first electroactive member; first signal transmission means electrically connected to said first and second conductors; said first signal transmission means comprising a first radio frequency generator subcircuit connected to an antenna; signal reception means for receiving a first signal transmitted by said first signal transmission means; said signal reception means being adapted to generate a second signal in response to said first signal transmitted by said signal transmission means; and a switch having a first position and a second position; said switch being in communication with said signal reception means; said switch being adapted to change between said first position and said second position in response to said second signal.