US Patent 7990024 - Piezoelectric nanogenerator

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7990024.html

This patent from Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) teaches a way to use piezoelectric nanorods to form a nanogenerator which may be useful as a transducer for wearable electronics which transform the users movements into electrical energy. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanogenerator, comprising:

a first frame;

a second frame engaging the first frame;

a first conductor located on the first frame and facing the second frame;

a second conductor located under the second frame and facing the first frame;

an array of nano-rods located on the first conductor and extending from a first surface of the first conductor toward the second frame, the nano-rod array comprised of a piezoelectric material; and

an array of electrodes located under the second conductor and extending from a second surface of the second conductor toward the first frame, the electrodes aligned with the nano-rods, a hardness of the electrodes being greater than that of the nano-rods.