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.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 20, 2007

Filed:

Sep. 06, 2002
Applicants:

Michael W Murphy, Manchester, NY (US);

Brian a Litteer, Rochester, NY (US);

Inventors:

Michael W Murphy, Manchester, NY (US);

Brian A Litteer, Rochester, NY (US);

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01M 8/00 (2006.01); G01R 31/00 (2006.01); G01N 27/26 (2006.01); G01J 5/00 (2006.01); G01M 3/04 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A method and system for detecting imperfections in a membrane electrode assembly of an electrochemical fuel cell, and more particularly for detecting defects within a proton exchange membrane in a membrane electrode assembly which is optionally sandwiched between conductive diffusion media layers or between conductive diffusion layers with at least one rigid solid that is transparent to infrared radiation. A potential voltage is applied across the membrane and the presence of a defect and preferably the location of a defect is determined by monitoring variations in intensity level of infrared radiation emitted from a surface of the membrane electrode assembly.


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