Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080230401 | INTERFACE FOR FLEXIBLE FLUID ENCLOSURES - Embodiments of the present invention relate to a flexible fluid enclosure interface system comprising a flexible fluid enclosure, one or more components and one or more strain absorbing interfaces in contact with the flexible fluid enclosure and the one or more components. | 09-25-2008 |
20080233446 | FLUIDIC CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - A fluidic control system includes featured layers. The featured layers include two or more features which collectively form at least one functional component. | 09-25-2008 |
20110165495 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONNECTING FUEL CELLS TO AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT - Embodiments relate to a fuel cell including, an ion conducting component, two or more electrode coatings and one or more interconnects. The interconnects include a non-conductive interface region having a first surface and a second surface in which the first surface is in contact with the ion conducting component, an electron conducting component having two surfaces and a length that is parallel to the two surfaces wherein one of the surfaces is disposed adjacent to the second surface of the interface region. The electron conducting component provides an electrically conductive pathway between one of the electrode coatings and an external circuit, said pathway extending along the length of the electron conducting component. | 07-07-2011 |
20110236785 | FUEL CELL LAYER, FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE FUEL CELL LAYER - A fuel cell layer includes a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies disposed in a planar array arrangement and an interconnector for electrically coupling an anode catalyst layer of one of adjacent membrane electrode assemblies to a cathode catalyst layer of the other of the adjacent membrane electrode assemblies. Each membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, the anode catalyst layer provided on one face of the electrolyte member and the cathode catalyst layer provided on the other face of the electrolyte membrane in such a manner that at least part of which is disposed counter to the anode catalyst layer. The interconnector is formed of at least one of a material constituting the anode catalyst layer and a material constituting the cathode catalyst layer. | 09-29-2011 |
20120003568 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONNECTING FUEL CELLS TO AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT - Various embodiments of the present invention provide a fuel cell connection component, including an interconnect or a current collector. The fuel cell connection component includes conductive fibers oriented at an angle of less than about 90° to at least one electrode in the fuel cell. The fuel cell connection component provides an electrically conductive pathway from the at least one electrode of the fuel cell to an external circuit or to an electrode of a different fuel cell. Embodiments of the present invention also provide fuel cells that include the fuel cell connection component, including fuel cell layers, and methods of making the same. | 01-05-2012 |
20130260284 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A cartridge holder houses a fuel cartridge between a first flat plate and a second flat plate, one each side of which is connected by a joining section, in a detachable manner. A fuel cell module and a second fuel cell module are fixed to the outer surface of the first flat plate and the outer surface of the second flat plate, respectively. As the fuel cartridge is housed in the cartridge holder, the first flat plate and the second flat plate are pressed against and then attached firmly to the outer surfaces of the fuel cartridge. | 10-03-2013 |
20140004436 | SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE IN A FUEL CELL | 01-02-2014 |
20140272645 | FUEL CELL DC-DC CONVERTER - A method and system for supplying power to a portable electronic device includes supplying current from one or more fuel cells to a DC-DC converter and regulating a current limit of the DC-DC converter as a function of a measured temperature of at least one of the power supply system and the portable electronic device. The current limit can vary as an inverse function of the measured temperature. The current limit can be an input current limit of the DC-DC converter or an output current limit of the DC-DC converter. Current produced by the one or more fuel cells can decrease proportionally to a decrease of the current limit of the DC-DC converter, reducing the heat produced by the one or more fuel cells and thereby reducing the measured temperature. A temperature sensor can be located on or near the one or more fuel cells. A temperature sensor can be located on an internal housing of the portable electronic device. | 09-18-2014 |
20140272647 | Fluidic Interface Module for a Fuel Cell System - Purge valves that are manually turned ON but are automatically or electrically turned OFF as the fuel cell's production of electricity reaches a predetermined level, e.g., steady state or thereabout are disclosed. The purge valve may be opened at system start-up, or may be opened at system shut-down so that the purge valve is armed and the fuel cell system is purged at the next start-up. Also disclosed is an integrated fluidic interface module that contains various fluidic components including one of these purge valves. The integrated fluidic interface module can operate passively or without being actively controlled by a processor. Methods of operating a fuel cell system, wherein the fuel cell system is purged at system start-up, are also disclosed. The purging automatically stops when the anode plenum is fully purged and replaced with fuel. | 09-18-2014 |
20140272648 | Method for Operating a Fuel Cell System - Methods of operating a fuel cell system, wherein the fuel cell system is purged at system start-up, are disclosed. The purging automatically stops when the anode plenum is fully purged and replaced with fuel. Also discussed are purge valves that are manually turned ON but are automatically turned OFF as the fuel cell's production of electricity reaches a predetermined level, e.g., steady state or thereabout. The purge valve may be opened at system start-up, or may be opened at system shut-down so that the purge valve is armed and the fuel cell system is purged at the next start-up. Also disclosed is integrated fluidic interface module that contains various fluidic components including one of these purge valves. The integrated fluidic interface module can operate passively or without being actively controlled. | 09-18-2014 |
20140317920 | METHODS OF FORMING FUEL CELL LAYERS - The present invention relates to electrically conductive paths in planar substrates. Various embodiments provide a method of forming one or more electrically conductive paths in a planar substrate, wherein substantially none of the substrate is removed during formation of the path. In various embodiments, by avoiding the removal of substrate during formation of the electrically conductive path, problems caused by residual substrate material can be advantageously avoided. In various embodiments, the planar substrate with the electrically conductive path can be used to make a planar fuel cell array. | 10-30-2014 |
20140370408 | SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE IN A FUEL CELL - Methods, articles, and systems for controlling the internal operating temperature of fuel cell systems, such as planar fuel cell arrays. The heat management system conducts heat away from the fuel cell without disturbing the flow of gases around the fuel cell layer and without the need for the equipment to disturb the flow of gases around the fuel cell layer. The present invention also provides a heat transfer system that has a low thermal mass relative to the fuel cell layer or is thermally isolated from the fuel cell layer such that the heat transfer system will not remove substantial amounts of heat from a fuel cell layer during star-up and can be activated to dissipate heat from the fuel cell only as needed. | 12-18-2014 |