The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 05, 2019
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2014
Audi Ag, Ingolstadt, DE;
Christopher J. Carnevale, South Windsor, CT (US);
Jeffrey G. Lake, Vernon, CT (US);
AUDI AG, Ingolstadt, DE;
Abstract
An end plate assembly () includes a current collector (), an electrically non-conductive pressure plate (), and a tapered spring plate (). The tapered spring plate () includes a thick mid-section () and tapered, thin tie rod extensions () that extend from the mid-section () over deflection cavities () in the pressure plate (). Tie rod nut assemblies () apply a load follow-up through the tie-rod extensions () to permit limited expansion and contraction of the fuel cells (). A mid-section of () of the spring plate () overlies a substantial portion of an upper surface () of the pressure plate (). Because the mid-section () is large and thick and because the tie-rod extensions () are tapered and thin, the entire end plate assembly () may be efficiently thin and apply an even load follow-up to the fuel cell stack ().