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. 04, 2011
Filed:
Aug. 01, 2008
Matthew K. Hortop, Rochester, NY (US);
David John Keyes, Rochester, NY (US);
Ellen Greifenstein, Darmstadt, DE;
Kazuyuki Izawa, Hamamatsu, JP;
Kengo Ikeya, Hamamatsu, JP;
Matthew K. Hortop, Rochester, NY (US);
David John Keyes, Rochester, NY (US);
Ellen Greifenstein, Darmstadt, DE;
Kazuyuki Izawa, Hamamatsu, JP;
Kengo Ikeya, Hamamatsu, JP;
GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A hybrid fuel cell system that employs a fuel cell stack and an ultracapacitor. A diode is provided on a high voltage electrical bus between the fuel cell stack and the ultracapacitor so that high voltage from the ultracapacitor does not affect the operation of the fuel cell stack. During system start-up, a by-pass switch is closed to by-pass the ultracapacitor so that power from the ultracapacitor can be used to start various system loads, such as a cathode side air compressor that provides air to the fuel cell stack. A 12 volt-to-high voltage converter is employed to provide a low power, high voltage supply from a low voltage battery to the system loads at start-up when the by-pass switch is opened, but before a fuel cell stack switch is closed.