DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRICITY GENERATING TILES

Abstract

ABSTRACT l4 Jl This invention refers to a tile system used for generating electrical energy by the app·l!ation of mechanical stress, mainly through foot traffic. Every tile contains piezoelectric sensJ~s, which con:erts the pressure from pedestrians into electricity. In this innov~tive approa~h, ~~e attains not JUSt a renewable source of energy but also uphfts the functiOnality of urban mfrd~tructure, in that streetlights, signage, and many more applications might be powered in real ~me. The design lends itself to a seamless integration with surrounding surfaces, hence widely a~plicable in various settings. This is yet another invention intended to solve the increasingly high energy demands brought by urbanization with sustainable energy use. [036] Produced electp' city can be either stored or directly used on-site; this way, it offers a potential source of localiz~:d energy :1i solutions. This technology also has the potc;:ntial to strengthen the resilience of the gr\~ .. in areas ' ''0'!'-•. most prone to power outage; indeed, it is particularly useful in places known to have a~!]Jnstable supply of electricity. It will definitely enhance the energy security for urban commljpities by reducing dependence on central power plants by providing another alternative source:Wfpower. This concept further resonates with the emerging trend of decentralization of power g~neration and fostering local energy solutions that aim to involve communities in sustai~~ble life practices.

Specification

FIELD OF THE INVENTION: i
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The present invention features innovations in renewable energy, as well as smart infra'structure,
pertaining to a system designed to provide electrical energy generated from mecha~it*.s!ress.
With the innovative design being implemented with tiles that contain embedded pie~oelectric
material, pressure can be translated into electricity, thus creating a feeling of impact emanating
from foot traffic or vehicular movement, therefore being a transformation from kinetic energy
into usable electricity. This is suitable for high-trafficked areas such as supermarkets, airports,
and fast roads. It can further be applied to roads by which the cars crossing them can. produce
electricity. These can be stored or used instantaneously and form a renewably generated power
source from which streetlights, signage, or fed back to the grid. This invention permits green,
sustainable power production within an urban space at a macro level and reduces dependency
on fossil fuels and thus promotes additional deployment of green technologies into
infrastructure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
This innovation came forth from the demand for alternative, sustainable energy solutions when
the energy demands were on the increase and with growing environmental concerns. The
electricity-generating tile addresses a series of issues with energy generation, effi~iertcy, and
impact.
Growing Energy Demand: Added populations and urbanization in the world increase their
demand on electricity. The traditional sources - fossil fuels - are limited, and their.usage has
degraded the environment. Renewable sources, such as solar and wind power, fundion well;
however, they require specific conditions- sunlight and wind, respectively-and these are not
always predictable. Electricity-generating tiles fill part of this gap, absorbing energy from a
busy human world .
Energy Waste in Urban Spaces: Urban places are characterized by human activities such as
walking, running, and normal daily commuting. Most of this kinetic energy is lost. Tiles that
generate electricity from it could be built to transform lost human movement energy into
electricity for lightings, sensors, and other low power devices in shops, airports, and train
stations.
Environmental Impact of Conventional Energy Sources: Adverse effects on fossil fuels include
adverse contributions to climate change, reduced air quality, and even loss of oi.9cti'Versity;
hence it is no wonder that there is an international drive towards more green technologies. The
electricity generating tiles also are environmental friendly because they use environmentally
friendly materials and processes such as recycling materials, particularly for printing; to come
up with an energy source that does not harm the environment too much. ·
COMPARISON OF ART WITH CURRENT EXISTING MODEL:
An innovative fonn of harvesting energy from human movement, particularly fo~;>t traffic,
proves to be an efficient approach towards achieving sustainable electricity generation.
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Pavegen, a UK company, has pioneered this technology which now offers tiles that cdnvert the
kinetic energy obtained from footsteps into electricity. Although Pavegen's technology has
gained international attention, there are several approaches adopted in developing ei~ctricitygenerating
tiles. Major differences include the technology used, design, asse'*bly and
applications. r:
The tiles generate electricity through both piezoelectric and electromagnetic mechanisms.
Whenever a person steps on one of the tiles, the pressure compresses piezoelectric 'elements
within, which results in creating a small voltage. Additionally, tiles carry electromagnetic
induction through coils and magnets that amplify the energy harvested from every_st~p. The
output from Pavegen tiles in terms of electricity will be capable enough to pow~t~evices
installed nearby like LED lights or sensors in real time or be saved for la.ter use.
Pavegen tiles are modular and flexible enough to integrate into any urban space. They are
mainly applied in places that experience high foot activity, such as sidewalks, shopping malls,
stadiums, and airports. Owing to the modular design, it is pretty easy to install, remove, or even
perform maintenance; thus, it can be used for either temporary or permanent installai_ions.
Contrasting, your tile project has a different approach in terms of both design and l\SSembly.
While Pavegen integrates piezoelectric materials with electromagnetic technology, our focuses
mainly on a unique piezoelectric assembly that affects its form and energy output.'. we may
differently design its tile size, shape, and internal building that affect its energy conversion
efficiency, weight, and installation process. This unique design should offer benefits, such as
easy integration into particular spaces, cost efficiency, or higher durability in certain
environments. Regarding assembly, your tiles have an alternative arrangement of piezoelectric
sensors that might support more significant pressure sensitivity or faster response time than
Pavegen. While the company's hybrid technology demands coordination between piezoelectric
and electromagnetic elements, our simpler design might have some cost and assem,bly time
over Pavegen. -;- ·. ~JF .
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The hybrid mechanism Pavegen uses- piezoelectricity and electromagnetic induction- allows
it to capture the maximum amount of energy per step. Such a system, no doubt, would produce
more energy, but it does add some complexity to the tile assembly as well as to the:range of
materials that need to be produced. It is possible that your tiles will only use piezoelectric
sensors. This approach can reduce the complexity of internal structure and allow for,;possibly
lower costs during manufacturing though the efficiency per step might not be that ofttie hybrid
system. Again, efficiency per step may vary depending on the technology and design of the
tile. The hybrid of Pavegen would then yield energy more rapidly, but the output depends
greatly on the pressure and duration of the footstep. What is really interesting with your design,
I think, is the concentration on piezoelectric materials. With these you can really streamline the
capture of energy under optimal conditions, although this might not be at the maximum output
of energy per step. If your design incorporates several layers or sensors, it could potentially
increase the overall efficiency as well. High usage situations will need durability. Pa~egen has
created tiles which can sustain the repeated pounding and lousy weather conditions. The
material used in this hybrid design can serve longer. Maintenance for multiple ~lenwnts of
capturing energy from this hybrid design would be necessary from time to' tir\).'e. · The
requirement for periodic maintenance on your simpler design, which contains •only the
piezoelectric feature, would be lower especially on those installations in difficult places to
reach or even places which get moderate traffic. The fewer components can also mean reduced
opportunities for wear and tear.
Pavegen uses robust materials intended to stand up to the outdoors; its coatings are wearresistant.
Your tiles may utilize a leaner set of materials better suited to indoor or even slightly
regulated environments. Focusing on piezoelectric elements alone may make your tiles
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shallower in design and perhaps less environmentally impactful, depending again on how
'green' the materials chosen are. These are module-based tiles, which pave and are .exp~cted to
interlock, allowing them to quickly be fitted into gigantic expanses. The hybrid· ~~'$embly,
piezoelectric and electromagnetic parts, are high-precision components and c~uld add
complexity on the production side, but it is possible your tiles may just be simply de~igned in
order to save on assembly and can be fabbed faster and deployed quicker for use. This may
make your tiles suitable for areas that need quick installs like temporary eve~i spaces.
aesthetic design helps tile integrate with the urban landscape. The tiles from Pavegen have a
distinctive appeal that makes them eye-catching and has branding or interactive1
: displays
showing energy generated in real time. In contrast, your tiles might be so designed'[that they
are supposed to blend with flooring, continue specific patterns, colours, or fit particular sizes
in certain environments without being visually eye catching. In addition, based on tWe design
of your tile, they can be applied in a manner that suits some other layouts or §tructural
requirements where Pavegen's modular tiles are not ideaL Installing the tiles in high-footfall
areas and demonstrate, in public, the principles of sustainable energy. They can be used for
powering lighting for public displays or environmental sensors. Such tiles are also commonly
installed in educational installations or corporate environments where companies' want to
demonstrate commitment to sustainability. , -·· _
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our tiles could support loads of different usc cases. For example, they could be ~edHy ~ellsuited
to indoor applications where a smaller scale design than Pavegen's more slibstantial
modular is required. our design also possibly scales down better for smaller ap~lications
compared to Pavegen where the design lends itself very well to educational settings, small
businesses, or to specific niche applications. ·~,
SUMMARY:
;t:
This project will involve making electricity-generating floor tiles, which transform m~chanical
energy in footsteps into electrical energy using piezoelectric sensors within a distinttive 3Dprinted
design. At the core of this energy-harvesting technology is the principle of
piezoelectricity: any material subjected to certain types of mechanical stress generates an
electric charge. For every step, force is applied to the tiles, which drives the piezoelectric
sensors. This produces a small amount of electrical energy that can be utilized to po'wer lowconsumption
devices or stored and used at a later time. ji
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Material and Manufacturing Process: The tiles are manufactured from PETG, an abo:v~,f\verage
strong and versatile thermoplastic commonly used for 3D printing. PETG is filled whhStrength
and flexibility, and it will be used ideally for tiles that have to face frequent foot tr.affic and
mechanical stress without cracking or wearing out PETG also resists warping, an important
characteristic to ensure the consistent performance of piezoelectric applications. These
characteristics made it suitable for a balancing printability with durability, allowing-the good,
precise, repeatable production of tile components and structures housing and supporting the
piezoelectric elements. ,.
Advantages of 3D Printing: 3D printing will enable the customization of shape, 'size, and
internal structures of the tile that improve the design's efficiency in generating energy.
Manufacturing technique will provide faster prototyping and allow for easy iterative 'testing to
optimize tile geometry and layouts that result in maximizing the activation of piei'oelectric
sensors with each footstep. Another benefit of3D printing is that it is waste-free since' only the
material used for each tile is consumed, and this technology also accommodates scalability in
tenns of on-demand production. All these result in a sustainable method of production.
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Energy Harvesting and Possible Applications: The piezoelectric components withib.Jhe tile
take in the mechanical energy discharged by each step and accumulate it as electrbi.l7energy,
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which would then be stored in a battery or capacitor for either direct use or later ulilization.
While the individual steps produce negligible amounts of electricity, gathering the~e tiles in
public plac.:s will result in a harvest of energy that can be generated to power some of. the lowpower
lights such as LED lights and sensors. This application can be carried out in urb~n public
setting, schools, business building, and in homes to supplement power for small a~pliances,
encourage efficient use of energy, and also possibly introduct: the masses to renewable energy.
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Advantages and Market Potential: This project is designed with the in mind bein~ simple,
inexpensive, and well constructed in terms of longitivity. In applications where a 19\J.~f largescale
implementation by others would be too expensive, tiles could be designe~c-to be d ...
extraordinarily affordable and accessible by using a simple piezoelectric system in 3~-printed
PETG. Additionally, the 3D-printed PETG structure can address specialized needs, W,hether it
is needed to install custom in certain areas where there are specific energy requireme~~s or that
necessitate distinct aesthetic needs. This makes the technology promising for ed~cational
institutions, small businesses, and ceo-friendly homes interested in sustainable and irlteractive
energy solutions. .j.
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OBJECTIVE: :!i '':O
This project seeks to install cost-effective, sustainable electricity-generating tiles th~t tap the
mechanical energy of foot traffic through piezoelectric technology. The project•i!includes
piezoelectric sensors within a unique, 3D-printed PETG material-based design thl!t is both
durable and customizable in order to produce electricity in small quantities every !,ime it is
stepped on. Then, this energy can either be stored or used directly to power low-energY,: devices,
such as LED lights or environmental sensors, and it will also realize efficiency in every day
space by such conditions. .!.. ~! ..- .
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The utilization of 3D-printed PETG material serves for the balance of durability, 'tj~xibility,
and ease of manufacturing, enabling the quick production of prototypes with little of.!no waste
and scaled up production. As part of its design approach, this focuses on afforda~ility and
accessibility as a pathway towards enabling various applications in public space~:J!schools,
commercial buildings, and homes. The project aims to raise the degree of awar.eness on
renewable energy possibilities through piezoelectricity and demonstrate practical sol~tions for
energy generation in urban and educational environments, to realize a more sustainab'le future .
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DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE BELOW:
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The top view and the bottom part of"Electricity Generating Tiles" is illustrated. T~~ circular
slot present in the centre is used to stack the piezo electric sensor. For maximum -abntact in
achieving conversion of the force exerted on the foot into electrical energy, the centf,~l slot of
the holder is designed to keep the piezoelectric sensor snugly in place. This allows t:)ie sensor
a stable position from which it extracts the entire energy contained in every step with&~t losing
efficiency. ln fact, the sensitivity of the setup comes first; with regard to the sttccessive
capturing of forceful energy for predictable and repeatable energy generation. The~~ are four
spring slots that are mounted on every comer and support the tile to its position at th'~ primary
step after every step. This will ensure that sensor activation will always take plac~l, and the
springs distribute the forces uniformly so that undue stress will not be put upon the sensor, that
does extend its life, whereas the cushioning effect makes the tile highly dutable for
uninterrupted use. Jl!
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The top view and the upper part of the "Electricity Generating Tiles" is illustrated!; The top
section contains a raised middle bulge that perfectly lines up to push down on the pie~oelectric
sensor located in the bottom section of the tile. This bulge is intended to apply a cori~entrated
force and thereby maximize the sensor's ability to detect each step. The design fo1:uses ·on
optimizing the generation of energy, activating efficiently and reliably with minimal J~er effort.
There are Comer Slots to Align with Spring Setup - which stabilize and run the bo~om part
smoothly. These slots hold in the springs, properly aligned. This returns the top surf4pe of the
tile each time it is used correctly, accounting for even force distribution and thus m~ximizing
durability and usability. '1i
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DETAILED EXPLANATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT 0§ THE
PROJECT: il!
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!.Project Concept, Objectives: This project will make compact and efficient tile-based energy
generation through piezoelectric technology by which the mechanical pressure appli~d on tiles
can change into electrical energy. Such tiles might tap the energy released by footfglls to be
used as renewable energy at a location with high volume of foot traffic. It would ~'ork very
functionally with additional slots provided for spring support to sustain the life and .cBbv.ert the
- ·r·"·· energy generated from such tiles very efficiently. ', •;"t" ·
·w 2.Lower Section Design: ,...
The lower section serves as anchorage for the piezoelectric sensor ancJ:i spring.
Central Slot for the Piezoelectric Sensor: There is a central slot machined in the l~wer part
especially to hold the piezoelectric sensor, optimally sized to accommodate the senso~;properly
for maximum stability while maintaining constant contact with the bulge of the top ~art. This
positioning enables the sensor to capture pressure created from footsteps and turn rem into
electrical energy efficiently. Sensors positioned at the bottom end are crucial s~ce they
maximize the degree of acting force directed to them, resulting in an increase in the ·aegrec of
energy produced with every step. q1
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Comer slots for Spring Setup: 1
There are four slots positioned at each corner bottom end. The slots are designed tdlhold the
springs, which have two main characteristics: they return the tile to its original posi~ion after
each step and absorb excess force so as not to damage the sensor. The springs favqr\~--~.!llooth
distribution of pressure across the entire tile surface, reduce the sense of strain on'tlj~7'Sensor,
and increase the durability of the tile. Placing these spring slots critically controls tlf~ balance
of the tile and ensures each part of the tile moves uniformly when activated to rerum the top
surface to its resting state. · i,l,l
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3.Top Element Design: ·:r
The top section of the tile will be involved in direct contact with foot tr~ffic, th~Jefore, it
consists of the central bulge for sensor activation and lines up with the spring slots oftH'e bottom
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Center Bulge to Activate the Sensor: II
On the center of the top face, a bulge is applied specifically where the piezoelectric sensor will
be applied on the bottom face. It is acting like an inlet and compels the footfall's impa~\ straight
on to the sensor with pertinent pressure applied that does not impose extra stresse~ but can
deliver optimal output for maximum harvesting energy as well as minimize overstr6tching of
excess force which otherwise would over-tense the sensor. ;--~~~4 . . I
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Corner Slots and Spring Alignment: ~ !i
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The top section also features slots along each corner that align with the bottom sectibn spring
configuration. These springs can sit uprightly in the slots and provide support for ~~e entire
piece of the tile. It accepts some of the fall from a step, thus saving sensor functioHality and
returning the tile to its original state. This enables a consistent, repeatable activatio' n of the
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piezoelectric sensor with each step while strengthening the tile's structural )lintegrity.
4.Material selection ~nd 30 printing: . .;.mf' ·
To add to this, for tile component design, the PETG is cho. sen since it offers ~,u, rability,
flexibility, and strength. The properties of PETG make them best suited for applica; ions that
require repeated stress, which might be encountered in energy-generating tiles a~Jthey are
constantly impacted through foot traffic. Using PETG in a ~rocess of 30 printing a*ows one
to ach1eve very fine des1gn control over 1ts features, mcludmg slots for the central ~~ensor to
corner spring slots so that all parts fit nicely. l i
30 Printing of tile parts: ',i
Center slot for the sensor, Corner spring slots, Bulge at top has designed using CAD1~oftware,
after taking all the details needed for proper alignment and working. Three-di~ensional
printing allows rapid prototyping and further adjustment to hone in on the design iqj order to
ensure that the slots press firmly into place and the sensor is mounted in just the tight spot.
These are conditions necessary for ensuring that power can be generated efficienljy during
prolonged periods of operation. . Hi ,,
5. Prototype Assembly and Testing Assembly Mount the piezoelectric sensor centriiJ\lY,~at the
bottom member's middle slot and install the springs to each corner slot. The top m~mber is
aligned with the bottom member so that the sensor will be exactly over the middle ll:Ulge and
the corner slots will fit the springs exactly. \IJ .
Testing of Sensor and Spring: It is tested right after the prototype is assembled and'lheasures
the amount of energy produced by the piezoelectric sensor. The pressure appiiJI:\ on top determines whether the sensor will be efficient at converting mechanical energy intoj·'~' lectrical
energy. It can also test the strength of the spring to return the tile to its original positioiJ;, thereby
activating it evenly. The system of spring needs to be adjusted to ensure uniforoij.lpressure
distribution, further enhancing the efficiency and resilience of the tile. ~.·,:
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CLAIMS:
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Claim I :The main feature of the tile is th~ devated projection at the centre, w'/ch is to
distribute the load at the centre to compress the piezoelectric sensor which is loca~d at the
bottom part of the tile. !ll
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Claim 2: Innovative design in the prototype is made where the multiple piezoelect;i~~~or is
typically stacked in a point where the total force acts in it. ! I
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Claim 3: Separate slot is provided to hold the piezoelectric sensor as a stack at the b~~om part.
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Claim 4: Electrical transmission system is provided in the bottom part of the tile for thilefficient
management of the electrical wires.

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