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:
Mar. 27, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 16, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Leonard J. Bonville, Marlborough, CT (US);
Douglas J. Wheeler, Tolland, CT (US);
Assignee:
International Fuel Cells LLC, South Windsor, CT (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01M 0/804 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01M 0/804 ;
Abstract
An environmental compensation apparatus for an electrochemical fuel cell assembly, wherein a compressible material is dispersed within a coolant flow of the fuel cell assembly and is utilized to compensate for the expansion of the coolant when said fuel cell assembly is subjected to harsh environmental conditions. The compressible material is formed as a plurality of either polymeric or elastomer microspheres, each microsphere having a diameter larger than the pores of an anode or cathode flow field plate, yet smaller than the diameter of a coolant channel.