Patent ID: 8857174

Claim:
An energy harvesting system comprising: a first region having a first temperature; a second region having a second temperature that is different from said first temperature; a heat engine, configured for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy wherein the heat engine includes: a plurality of discrete elements of a shape memory alloy each having a crystallographic phase changeable between austenite and martensite in response to the temperature difference between the first region and the second region; at least one pair of wheels spaced apart from one another, wherein the plurality of discrete elements are secured at opposing ends to each of the at least one pair of wheels, and wherein the plurality of discrete elements are spaced about the circumference of the at least one pair of wheels; at least one member of the heat engine driven to rotate about a first axis by the crystallographic phase change of the plurality of discrete elements; and a component driven by the rotational output of the at least one member for the heat engine.