Portable disposable fuel-battery unit for a fuel cell system

• US 20030138676A1
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Leban, Marzio
• Granted Patent: US 6,887,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/9
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04 Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04186 of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1009 with one of the reactants being liquid, solid or liquid-charged H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for providing a portable disposable fuel-battery unit, a portable disposable fuel-battery unit for a fuel cell system having at least one fuel cell, a fuel cell stack, and a handheld device having a fuel cell system with a portable disposable fuel-battery unit. In one embodiment, the portable disposable fuel-battery unit provides a fuel compartment, for providing fuel for the at least one fuel cell and a disposable power battery, affixed to the fuel compartment, for providing start-up energy for the at least one fuel cell.

Claims

1. A portable disposable fuel-battery unit for a fuel cell system having at least one fuel cell, comprising:

a fuel compartment, for providing fuel for a fuel cell stack; and

a disposable power battery, affixed to the fuel compartment, for providing start-up energy for the fuel cell system.

2. The portable disposable fuel-battery unit of claim 1 wherein the fuel is hydrogen.

3. The portable disposable fuel-battery unit of claim 1 wherein the fuel is methanol.

4. The portable disposable fuel-battery unit of claim 1 wherein the fuel-cell stack, upon activation to provide a sufficient energy, is an energy source for a trickle charge to the disposable battery.

5. The portable disposable fuel-battery unit of claim 1 wherein the at least one fuel cell comprises a plurality of stacked fuel cells.

6. A fuel-cell system having a portable disposable fuel-battery unit, comprising:

a plurality of fuel cells for providing electrical energy, coupled to the portable disposable fuel-battery unit, wherein the portable disposable fuel-battery unit comprises;

a fuel compartment, for providing fuel for the at least one fuel cell and

a disposable power battery, affixed to the fuel compartment, for providing start-up energy for the plurality of fuel cells.

7. The fuel-cell system of claim 6 wherein the fuel for the portable disposable fuel-battery unit is hydrogen.

8. The fuel-cell system of claim 6 wherein the fuel for the portable disposable fuel-battery unit is methanol.

9. The fuel-cell system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of fuel-cells, upon activation, is an energy source to trickle charge the disposable power battery.

10. A handheld device having a fuel-cell system with a portable disposable fuel-battery unit, wherein the fuel-cell system comprises a plurality of fuel cells, coupled to the portable disposable fuel-battery unit, for providing electrical energy and the portable disposable fuel-battery unit comprises a fuel compartment, for providing fuel for the at least one fuel cell and a disposable power battery, affixed to the fuel compartment, for providing start-up energy for the plurality of fuel cells.

11. The hand held device of claim 10 wherein the fuel for the portable disposable fuel-battery unit is hydrogen.

12. The handheld device of claim 10 wherein the fuel for the portable disposable fuel-battery unit is methanol.

13. The handheld device of claim 10 wherein the fuel-cell system, upon activation to provide a sufficient energy, is an energy source to trickle charge the disposable battery.

14. A method for coalescing a startup energy unit with a fuel source for a portable fuel cell system, comprising the steps of:

fabricating a multi-compartment container for the portable fuel cell system;

storing fuel in a first compartment of the container; and

disposing an auxiliary power battery in a second compartment of the container.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the fuel is hydrogen.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the fuel is methanol.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the portable fuel cell system, upon activation to provide a sufficient energy, is an energy source to trickle charge the disposable battery.

18. A method for fabricating a portable disposable fuel-battery unit for a fuel cell system wherein the portable disposable fuel-battery unit simultaneously provides startup energy and fuel for the fuel cell system, comprising the steps of:

fabricating a disposable multi-compartment container for the portable disposable fuel-battery unit; and

providing fuel in a first compartment and a battery in a second compartment of the multi-compartment container.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the fuel is hydrogen.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the fuel is methanol.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the fuel-cell system, upon activation to provide a sufficient energy, is an energy source to trickle charge the disposable fuel-battery unit.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the fuel cell battery comprises a plurality of stacked fuel cells.

23. A battery-enabled disposable fuel container for a fuel cell system, comprising a fuel container for the fuel cell system wherein the fuel container has an auxiliary battery attached thereto.

24. The battery-enabled disposable fuel container of claim 23 wherein the fuel is hydrogen.

25. The battery-enabled disposable fuel container of claim 23 wherein the fuel is methanol.

26. The battery-enabled disposable fuel container of claim 23 further comprising a circuitry for receiving a trickle-charge from the fuel cell system.

27. The battery-enabled disposable fuel container of claim 23 further comprising a fuel connect system to a plurality of stacked fuel cells in the fuel cell system.

28. The battery-enabled disposable fuel container of claim 23 wherein the fuel cell battery is snappably connectable to the battery-enabled disposable fuel container to establish fuel and electrical connections.

29. A portable disposable fuel-battery unit for a fuel cell stack having at least one fuel cell, comprising:

means for providing fuel for the fuel cell stack; and

disposable power means for providing auxiliary power, affixed to the means for providing fuel, for providing start-up energy for the fuel cell stack.

30. A fuel-cell battery having a portable disposable fuel-battery means, comprising:

a plurality of fuel cell means for providing electrical energy, coupled to the portable disposable fuel-battery means which comprises a fuel means, for providing fuel for at least one fuel cell means and a disposable power means, affixed to the fuel means, for providing startup energy for the plurality of fuel cell means.

31. A handheld device having a fuel-cell means with a portable disposable fuel-power means, wherein the fuel-cell means comprises a plurality of fuel cell means, coupled to the portable disposable fuel-power means, for providing electrical energy and the portable disposable fuel-power means comprises a fuel means, for providing fuel for at least one fuel cell means and a disposable power means, affixed to the fuel means, for providing start-up energy for the plurality of fuel cell means.