A coupled bistable structure for broadband vibration energy harvesting

This paper investigates a coupled bistable structure for broadband vibration energy harvesting. The coupled bistable structure consists of two cantilevers with a repelling force between them. By comparing with both conventional bistable and linear structures, it was found that the coupled bistable structure requires lower excitation force to trigger bistable operation than conventional bistable structures. Vibration energy harvesters with coupled bistable structures will have potentially more output power under white noise vibrations, especially low level of vibrations, than both conventional bistable and linear energy harvesters.