Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080226967 | BIFURCATION OF FLOW CHANNELS IN BIPOLAR PLATE FLOWFIELDS - A bipolar plate for a fuel cell is provided that includes a flowfield having an active surface with an inlet region and an outlet region. The active surface of the flowfield is in communication with the inlet region and the outlet region and has at least one flow channel formed therein. The at least one flow channel further has a cross-sectional area at the outlet region that is less than a cross-sectional area at the inlet region. In particular embodiments, the at least one flow channel is bifurcated. A fuel cell stack including a fuel cell and the bipolar plate is also provided. | 09-18-2008 |
20080299418 | Fuel Cell Stack with Improved End Cell Performance - A fuel cell stack that includes a gas diffusion media for the end cells in the stack that has less of an intrusion into the flow field channels of the end cells that the other cells, so as to increase the flow rate through the flow channels in the end cells relative to the flow rate through the flow channels in the other cells. A different diffusion media can be used in the end cells than the nominal cells, where the end cell diffusion media has less of a channel intrusion as a result of diffusion media characteristics. Also, the same diffusion media could be used in the end cells as the nominal cells, but the end cell diffusion media layers could be thinner than the nominal cell diffusion media layers. Further, a higher amount of pre-compression can be used for the diffusion media in the end cells. | 12-04-2008 |
20090117443 | Bipolar Plate Hydrophilic Treatment for Stable Fuel Cell Stack Operation at Low Power - A flow field plate or bipolar plate for a fuel cell that includes a hydrophilic coating formed on flow field channels extending through a tunnel region between a cell active area and the inlet and outlet manifolds. The flow field plates are an assembly of a cathode side unipolar plate and an anode side unipolar plate. The hydrophilic coating is deposited on the unipolar plates prior to the unipolar plates being assembled into the flow field plate so that line of site deposition processes can be used to coat the flow field channels in the tunnel region. The unipolar plates can be any suitable fuel cell unipolar plates, such as stamped unipolar plates or composite unipolar plates. | 05-07-2009 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100190078 | SHUTDOWN STRATEGY FOR ENHANCED WATER MANAGEMENT - A system and method for providing a fuel cell stack purge to remove excess water during system shut-down. A compressor is operated at a shut-down speed to force water out of the cathode flow channels and draw water through the membrane from the anode flow channels so that a desired amount of water is removed from the fuel cell stack without over drying the membrane. The cathode shut-down purge flow can be introduced in the forward or reverse direction. Further, the flow of hydrogen fuel can be directed so that it flows through the anode flow channels in an opposite direction to push water out of an anode outlet manifold into the anode flow channels so that it will also be drawn through the membrane by the cathode airflow. Finally, a brief rehydration step is added after the shut-down purge to achieve the desired water content in the cells. | 07-29-2010 |
20110076581 | STACK OPERATION METHOD AIMED AT CELL REVERSAL PREVENTION - A method for preventing a fuel cell voltage potential reversal including determining a relationship between the cell resistance and the current of a fuel cell stack at which a fuel cell voltage potential reversal will occur, operating the fuel cell stack according to a power demand requested, and determining the maximum cell resistance of the fuel cells in the stack. If the maximum cell resistance exceeds a threshold value for the current at which the fuel cell stack is being operated, the operation of the fuel cell stack is restricted to prevent the fuel cell voltage potential from reversing. | 03-31-2011 |
20130260266 | FAST MEA BREAK-IN AND VOLTAGE RECOVERY - A system and method for breaking-in and humidifying membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) in a fuel cell stack. The method includes performing voltage cycling and humidification of the MEAs in the stack, including one or more temperature steps wherein current density of the stack is cycled within a predetermined range for each of the one or more temperature steps. The method also includes maintaining a fuel cell stack voltage within a predetermined range, and maintaining anode and cathode reactant flows at an approximate set-point during the current density cycling of the one or more temperature steps to break-in and humidify the MEAs in the stack so that the stack is able to operate at a predetermined threshold for a fuel cell stack voltage output capability. | 10-03-2013 |
20140051004 | FUEL CELL STACK WITH IMPROVED END CELL PERFORMANCE PROVIDED BY HIGHER MODULUS OF ELASTICITY - A fuel cell stack that includes a gas diffusion media for the end cells in the stack that has less of an intrusion into the flow field channels of the end cells that the other cells, so as to increase the flow rate through the flow channels in the end cells relative to the flow rate through the flow channels in the other cells. A different diffusion media can be used in the end cells than the nominal cells, where the end cell diffusion media has less of a channel intrusion as a result of diffusion media characteristics. Also, the same diffusion media could be used in the end cells as the nominal cells, but the end cell diffusion media layers could be thinner than the nominal cell diffusion media layers. Further, a higher amount of pre-compression can be used for the diffusion media in the end cells. | 02-20-2014 |
20140051005 | FUEL CELL STACK WITH IMPROVED END CELL PERFORMANCE THROUGH A DIFFUSION MEDIA HAVING LOWER COMPRESSIBILITY - A fuel cell stack that includes a gas diffusion media for the end cells in the stack that has less of an intrusion into the flow field channels of the end cells that the other cells, so as to increase the flow rate through the flow channels in the end cells relative to the flow rate through the flow channels in the other cells. A different diffusion media can be used in the end cells than the nominal cells, where the end cell diffusion media has less of a channel intrusion as a result of diffusion media characteristics. Also, the same diffusion media could be used in the end cells as the nominal cells, but the end cell diffusion media layers could be thinner than the nominal cell diffusion media layers. Further, a higher amount of pre-compression can be used for the diffusion media in the end cells. | 02-20-2014 |
20140120438 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING FUEL CELL VEHICLE STARTUP - Methods and systems for enhancing the performance of fuel cells in fuel cell vehicles. Some embodiments comprise a current control module for controlling the application of a load to the fuel cell and a voltage monitoring module for monitoring one or more voltages within the fuel cell. The current control module may be configured to apply a delay period before applying a load to the fuel cell after the fuel cell has reached an open circuit voltage. In other embodiments, a fixed delay period may be applied before applying a load to the fuel cell after the fuel cell has reached an open circuit voltage or, for example, an incremental set of delay periods that increase as measured temperature decreases. | 05-01-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080219303 | Color mixing light source and color control data system - Apparatus including a color mixing light source having a first laser configured to lase at one or a plurality of light emission wavelengths of 459 nanometers or less and a second laser configured to lase at one or a plurality of light emission wavelengths of 470 nanometers or more; and a controller having a color control data input and a color control data output configured to cause the color mixing light source to generate a perceptual mixture of light having a perceptual color, the perceptual mixture including light emissions from the first and second light sources. System configured to map first color control data to second color control data. Method of forming a perceptual mixture of light having a perceptual color. Method of converting color control data. | 09-11-2008 |
20090014825 | Flexible photo-detectors - Apparatus including flexible line extending along a length. Flexible line includes first charge carrier-transporting body, photosensitive body over first charge carrier-transporting body, and second charge carrier-transporting body over photosensitive body. Each of first and second charge carrier-transporting bodies and photosensitive body extend along at least part of length of flexible line. Photosensitive body is capable of near-infrared or visible light-induced generation of charge carrier pairs. Second charge carrier-transporting body is at least semi-transparent to near-infrared light or visible light. | 01-15-2009 |
20120176424 | Color Mixing Light Source and Color Control Data System - Apparatus including a color mixing light source having a first laser configured to lase at one or a plurality of light emission wavelengths of 459 nanometers or less and a second laser configured to lase at one or a plurality of light emission wavelengths of 470 nanometers or more; and a controller having a color control data input and a color control data output configured to cause the color mixing light source to generate a perceptual mixture of light having a perceptual color, the perceptual mixture including light emissions from the first and second light sources. System configured to map first color control data to second color control data. Method of forming a perceptual mixture of light having a perceptual color. Method of converting color control data. | 07-12-2012 |
20130308179 | NONLINEAR AND GAIN OPTICAL DEVICES FORMED IN METAL GRATINGS - In one aspect, an optical gain device is provided. The optical gain device comprises a metallic film and an optical gain medium. The metallic film has a plurality of slits therethrough. The plurality of slits are configured such that the film selectively and resonantly transmits light over a preselected frequency range. The optical gain medium is situated within or substantially near at least one slit of the plurality of slits. | 11-21-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100205541 | SOCIAL NETWORK DRIVEN INDEXING SYSTEM FOR INSTANTLY CLUSTERING PEOPLE WITH CONCURRENT FOCUS ON SAME TOPIC INTO ON-TOPIC CHAT ROOMS AND/OR FOR GENERATING ON-TOPIC SEARCH RESULTS TAILORED TO USER PREFERENCES REGARDING TOPIC - A machine-implemented social networking system builds up and repeatedly refreshes a hierarchy tree containing topic nodes. New nodes are added as new topics emerge in online public forums. Each topic node can link to an on-topic real time chat room whose occupants are currently discussing the topic of the node. A chat room can be pointed to by more than one node if the room is discussing multiple topics. Rooms can migrate from node to node as room topic dynamically changes. A system user who explicitly or inferentially wishes to be invited into a chat room which is on-topic with what the user is currently focused upon can do so by use of a node-seeking automated process. The process operates in the background and seeks out nodes of the hierarchy tree that currently have topics appearing to be the same as or similar to what topics the user appears to have in mind. Content browsing experience of the user is enhanced by addition of an invitations displaying subsystem that automatically invites him or her to co-compatible chat rooms currently discussing the topic(s) the user appears to have in mind. One of the many topics that a user may inferentially have in mind is that of being at a given location as reported by the user's GPS and wondering what best to do at that location and time. | 08-12-2010 |
20120042263 | SOCIAL-TOPICAL ADAPTIVE NETWORKING (STAN) SYSTEM ALLOWING FOR COOPERATIVE INTER-COUPLING WITH EXTERNAL SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEMS AND OTHER CONTENT SOURCES - A cross-pollination subsystem is provided within a Social-Topical Adaptive Networking (STAN) system. The cross-pollination subsystem cooperatively interacts with external platforms to bring fresh cross-pollination data to topic nodes or on-topic Notes Exchange rings (TCONE's) of the STAN system. Users are provided with an interface that allows them to browse through the cross-pollinated topic space to thereby connect with online content sources that are likely to correspond to topics of interest currently on the minds of the STAN system users. | 02-16-2012 |
20120290950 | SOCIAL-TOPICAL ADAPTIVE NETWORKING (STAN) SYSTEM ALLOWING FOR GROUP BASED CONTEXTUAL TRANSACTION OFFERS AND ACCEPTANCES AND HOT TOPIC WATCHDOGGING - Disclosed is a Social-Topical Adaptive Networking (STAN) system that can inform users of cross-correlations between currently focused-upon topic or other nodes in a corresponding topic or other data-objects organizing space maintained by the system and various social entities monitored by the system. More specifically, one of the cross-correlations may be as between the top N now-hottest topics being focused-upon by a first social entity and the amounts of focus ‘heat’ that other social entities (e.g., friends and family) are casting on the same topics (or other subregions of other cognitive attention receiving spaces) in a relevant time period. | 11-15-2012 |
20140236953 | Methods using social topical adaptive networking system - A machine-implemented social networking system builds up and repeatedly refreshes a hierarchy tree containing topic nodes. New nodes are added as new topics emerge in online public forums. Each topic node can link to an on-topic real time chat room whose occupants are currently discussing the topic of the node. A chat room can be pointed to by more than one node if the room is discussing multiple topics. Rooms can migrate from node to node as room topic dynamically changes. A system user who explicitly or inferentially wishes to be invited into a chat room which is on-topic with what the user is currently focused upon can do so by use of a node-seeking automated process. The process operates in the background and seeks out nodes of the hierarchy tree that currently have topics appearing to be the same as or similar to what topics the user appears to have in mind. Content browsing experience of the user is enhanced by addition of an invitations displaying subsystem that automatically invites him or her to co-compatible chat rooms currently discussing the topic(s) the user appears to have in mind. One of the many topics that a user may inferentially have in mind is that of being at a given location as reported by the user's GPS and wondering what best to do at that location and time. | 08-21-2014 |
20140344718 | Contextually-based Automatic Service Offerings to Users of Machine System - Disclosed is a Social-Topical Adaptive Networking (STAN) system that can inform users of cross-correlations between currently focused-upon topic or other nodes in a corresponding topic or other data-objects organizing space maintained by the system and various social entities monitored by the system. More specifically, one of the cross-correlations may be as between the top N now-hottest topics being focused-upon by a first social entity and the amounts of focus ‘heat’ that other social entities (e.g., friends and family) are casting on the same topics (or other subregions of other cognitive attention receiving spaces) in a relevant time period. | 11-20-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090045546 | Fluid-Filled Chambers With Foam Tensile Members And Methods For Manufacturing The Chambers - A fluid-filled chamber may include an outer barrier formed from a polymer material and a foam tensile member located within the outer barrier. In manufacturing the fluid-filled chamber, a mold may be contoured to substantially equalize compressive forces between the outer barrier and various portions of the tensile member, thereby providing substantially uniform bonding between the outer barrier and the tensile member. Surfaces of the tensile member may also be contoured to substantially equalize compressive forces. In some configurations, the outer barrier and tensile member may be formed from thermoplastic polymer materials that form a direct bond between the outer barrier and surfaces of tensile member. | 02-19-2009 |
20090045547 | Fluid-Filled Chambers With Foam Tensile Members And Methods For Manufacturing The Chambers - A fluid-filled chamber may include an outer barrier formed from a polymer material and a foam tensile member located within the outer barrier. In manufacturing the fluid-filled chamber, a mold may be contoured to substantially equalize compressive forces between the outer barrier and various portions of the tensile member, thereby providing substantially uniform bonding between the outer barrier and the tensile member. Surfaces of the tensile member may also be contoured to substantially equalize compressive forces. In some configurations, the outer barrier and tensile member may be formed from thermoplastic polymer materials that form a direct bond between the outer barrier and surfaces of tensile member. | 02-19-2009 |
20090288313 | Contoured Fluid-Filled Chamber With A Tensile Member - A fluid-filled may include including an outer barrier, a tensile member, and a fluid. The tensile member may be located within barrier and formed from a textile element that includes a pair of spaced layers joined by a plurality of connecting members. A method of manufacturing the chamber may include locating a textile tensile member between two polymer elements. Pressure and heat are applied to the tensile member and the polymer elements in a first area and in a second area. The pressure is greater in the first area than in the second area. In addition, the polymer elements are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 11-26-2009 |
20090325744 | Sport Balls And Methods Of Manufacturing The Sport Balls - A sport ball may include a casing, an intermediate layer, and a bladder. In manufacturing the sport ball, a panel element of the casing and the bladder may be located in a mold, and a polymer foam material of the intermediate layer may be injected into an area between the bladder and the panel element. In addition, edges of panel element may be heatbonded to each other to join the panel elements and form seams of the casing. | 12-31-2009 |
20090325745 | Sport Ball Bladder - A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder. The casing may form at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The bladder may be located within the casing and formed from a plurality of polymer bladder elements joined along abutting edges to form a sealed and valveless structure that encloses a pressurized gas. In some configurations, the bladder may be at least partially formed from an ether-based thermoplastic polyurethane material. | 12-31-2009 |
20100326591 | METHOD OF CUSTOMIZING AN ARTICLE AND APPARATUS INCLUDING AN INFLATABLE MEMBER - A graphic transfer assembly is disclosed. The graphic transfer assembly includes an inflatable member that is capable of expanding to fill the interior of an article of footwear. The graphic transfer assembly can include a fluid pump for filling the inflatable member. | 12-30-2010 |
20110192537 | Method Of Customizing An Article And Apparatus Including An Inflatable Member - A graphic transfer assembly is disclosed. The graphic transfer assembly includes an inflatable member that is capable of expanding to fill the interior of an article of footwear. The graphic transfer assembly can include a fluid pump for filling the inflatable member. | 08-11-2011 |
20110277250 | Inflatable Member - An inflatable member includes at least one adjustable portion. The inflatable member may be inserted into an article. The position of the adjustable portion can be changed according to the size of the article. The inflatable member can also be filled with fluid according to the size of the article. The inflatable member may be to adjust the size of an article. | 11-17-2011 |
20120202627 | Sport Ball - A sport ball may include a casing, an intermediate layer, and a bladder. In manufacturing the sport ball, a panel element of the casing and the bladder may be located in a mold, and a polymer foam material of the intermediate layer may be injected into an area between the bladder and the panel element. In addition, edges of panel element may be heatbonded to each other to join the panel elements and form seams of the casing. | 08-09-2012 |
20120211147 | Method of Making Chamber with Tensile Member - A fluid-filled may include including an outer barrier, a tensile member, and a fluid. The tensile member may be located within barrier and formed from a textile element that includes a pair of spaced layers joined by a plurality of connecting members. A method of manufacturing the chamber may include locating a textile tensile member between two polymer elements. Pressure and heat are applied to the tensile member and the polymer elements in a first area and in a second area. The pressure is greater in the first area than in the second area. In addition, the polymer elements are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 08-23-2012 |
20120216943 | Method of Making Chamber with Tensile Member - A fluid-filled may include including an outer barrier, a tensile member, and a fluid. The tensile member may be located within barrier and formed from a textile element that includes a pair of spaced layers joined by a plurality of connecting members. A method of manufacturing the chamber may include locating a textile tensile member between two polymer elements. Pressure and heat are applied to the tensile member and the polymer elements in a first area and in a second area. The pressure is greater in the first area than in the second area. In addition, the polymer elements are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member. | 08-30-2012 |
20120234467 | Method of Manufacturing a Sport Ball - A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder. The casing may form at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The bladder may be located within the casing and formed from a plurality of polymer bladder elements joined along abutting edges to form a sealed and valveless structure that encloses a pressurized gas. In some configurations, the bladder may be at least partially formed from an ether-based thermoplastic polyurethane material. | 09-20-2012 |
20130020743 | THERMOFORMING SHEET LOADING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A method of manufacturing an article includes simultaneously holding, with a vacuum device, a first object and a second object that are overlapped and abutted against each other. The method also includes simultaneously transporting the first and second objects relative to a machine. Still further, the method includes attaching the first and second objects together with the machine. | 01-24-2013 |
20140075688 | Method of Using an Inflatable Member to Customize an Article - A method of using an inflatable member to customize an article is described. An inflatable member includes at least one adjustable portion. The inflatable member may be inserted into an article. The position of the adjustable portion can be changed according to the size of the article. The inflatable member can also be filled with fluid according to the size of the article. The inflatable member may be used to adjust the size of an article. The inflatable member may be used to apply a graphic to an article. | 03-20-2014 |
20140252689 | Thermoforming Sheet Loading Apparatus And Method - A thermoforming system includes a vacuum device operable to simultaneously hold a first object and a second object that are overlapped and abutted against each other. The system also includes a thermoforming machine that simultaneously receives the first object and the second object from the vacuum device. The thermoforming machine is further configured to heat the first and second objects. The thermoforming machine is further configured to attach the first and second objects together. Moreover, the thermoforming machine is configured to form the first and second objects into a thermoformed article. | 09-11-2014 |
20150189953 | Method Of Customizing An Article And Apparatus Including An Inflatable Member - A graphic transfer assembly is disclosed. The graphic transfer assembly includes an inflatable member that is capable of expanding to fill the interior of an article of footwear. The graphic transfer assembly can include a fluid pump for filling the inflatable member. | 07-09-2015 |