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:
Jan. 30, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 20, 1998
Vincent M. Byrne, Mesquite, TX (US);
Marco A. Davila, Mesquite, TX (US);
Edward C. Fontana, Rockwall, TX (US);
Steven C. Stein, Dallas, TX (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a system for providing fuel to a backup electrical fuel cell. In this particular embodiment, the system includes a sealed fuel container having a pierceable membrane with a container seal associated therewith, an acerate tube proximate the pierceable membrane, and an actuator. The actuator is coupled to the acerate tube and automatically drives the acerate tube through the pierceable membrane to provide fluid communication from the fuel container to the fuel cell in response to a failure of a primary electrical power system. The container seal is configured to form a seal about the acerate tube when the acerate tube pierces the pierceable membrane to prevent unnecessary loss of fuel, such as methanol, from the container. In alternative embodiments, the system may also include the primary power system and a backup electrical fuel cell that is electrically coupled to the primary power system.