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. 15, 2013
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2006
Jeffrey G. Lake, Vernon, CT (US);
Leonard A. Bach, West Hartford, CT (US);
Pedro Inigo, Hartford, CT (US);
Evan C. Rege, Portland, OR (US);
Chris Vargas, Hamden, CT (US);
Stephen P Victor, Guilford, CT (US);
Jeffrey G. Lake, Vernon, CT (US);
Leonard A. Bach, West Hartford, CT (US);
Pedro Inigo, Hartford, CT (US);
Evan C. Rege, Portland, OR (US);
Chris Vargas, Hamden, CT (US);
Stephen P Victor, Guilford, CT (US);
UTC Fuel Cells, LLC, South Windsor, CT (US);
Abstract
A fuel cell stack () includes an integrated end plate assembly having a current collector () secured adjacent and end cell () of the stack, a pressure plate () secured adjacent the current collector (), and a backbone () secured within a backbone-support plane () defined within the plate (). Tie rod ends () of the backbone () extend over a gap () defined between the backbone-support plane () and a deflection plane () defined within the pressure plate () so that the tie rod ends deflect within the gap () upon tightening of tie rods (). Deflection of the backbone enables the backbone () to permit limited expansion of the fuel cell stack () during operation, and the backbone () has adequate flexural strength to prohibit expansion of the stack () beyond operating dynamic limits of the stack ().