Fuel cartridges and apparatus including the same

• US 20050244683A1
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stokes, Heather L., Otis, David R. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,084,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/421
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 7/00 Apparatus for generating gases production of inert gas mixtures B01J19/14; for generating specific gases, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. C01B, C10J ; in "air bags" on vehicles B60R21/26; for starter gas F02C7/26; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure F42B3/04
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/066 with fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cartridge includes a fuel containing substance and a heater in thermal communication with the fuel containing substance.

Claims

1. A fuel cartridge, comprising:

a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat;

a heater, in thermal communication with the fuel containing substance, that heats the fuel containing substance in response to a receipt of energy; and

an information storage device that stores an energy value corresponding to the minimum amount of energy that, when supplied to the heater, will cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein.

2. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel containing substance comprises a sodium borohydride solution.

3. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heater comprises a resistor.

4. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information storage device comprises a non-volatile memory device.

5. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy value comprises a power value and a time value.

6. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the fuel containing substance comprises a plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities;

the heater comprises a plurality of individually actuatable heaters respectively in thermal communication with the plurality of fuel containing substance quantities; and

the information storage device stores an energy value corresponding to each of the fuel containing substance quantities.

7. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities are respectively stored in a plurality of individual fuel storage areas.

8. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a housing defining an exterior that supports the information storage device and an interior that stores the fuel containing substance.

9. A fuel cartridge, comprising:

a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat;

means for heating the fuel containing substance in response to a receipt of energy; and

means for storing an energy value that corresponds to the minimum amount of energy that, when supplied to the means for heating, will cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein.

10. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 9, wherein the fuel containing substance comprises a sodium borohydride solution.

11. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 9, wherein the energy value comprises a power value and a time value.

12. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the fuel containing substance comprises a plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities;

the means for heating comprises means for individually heating the plurality of fuel containing substance quantities; and

the means for storing an energy value comprises means for storing an energy value corresponding to each of the fuel containing substance quantities.

13. A device, comprising:

an electrochemical cell; and

a fuel cartridge, operably connected to the electrochemical cell, including

a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat,

a heater, in thermal communication with the fuel containing substance, that heats the fuel containing substance in response to a receipt of energy, and

an information storage device that stores an energy value corresponding to the minimum amount of energy that, when supplied to the heater, will cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a PEM fuel cell.

15. A device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

an apparatus that consumes electrical power operably connected to the electrochemical cell.

16. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fuel cartridge includes a fuel cartridge connector, the device further comprising:

a device connector, in fluid communication with the electrochemical cell, configured to be releasably coupled to the fuel cartridge connector.

17. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fuel containing substance comprises a sodium borohydride solution.

18. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the heater comprises a resistor.

19. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information storage device comprises a non-volatile memory device.

20. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the fuel containing substance comprises a plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities;

the heater comprises a plurality of individually actuatable heaters respectively in thermal communication with the plurality of fuel containing substance quantities; and

the information storage device stores an energy value corresponding to each of the fuel containing substance quantities.

21. A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities are respectively stored in a plurality of individual fuel storage areas.

22. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fuel cartridge includes a housing defining an exterior that supports the information storage device and an interior that stores the fuel containing substance.

23. A device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

an energy source; and

a controller adapted to receive the energy value and control the energy source to supply the heater with the amount of energy that corresponds to the energy value.

24. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the energy value comprises a power value and a time value.

25. A method, comprising the steps of:

connecting a fuel cartridge, including a heater and a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat, to a host device; and

transferring an energy value, corresponding to the minimum amount of energy required by the heater to cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein, from the fuel cartridge to the host device.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the step of:

transferring the minimum amount of energy required by the heater to cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein from the host device to the heater.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein

the step of connecting a fuel cartridge comprises connecting a fuel cartridge, including a plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities and a plurality of individually actuatable heaters respectively associated with the plurality of fuel containing substance quantities, to the host device;

and

the step of transferring an energy value comprises transferring an energy value for each fuel containing substance quantity corresponding to the minimum amount of energy required by the associated heater to cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein, from the fuel cartridge to the host device.

28. A fuel cartridge, comprising:

a base member;

a heater array, including at least one heater and a least one heater conductor operably connected to the at least one heater, carried by the base member; and

a housing, defining an interior region adapted to store a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat, carried by the base member and positioned on the base member such that the housing covers a substantial majority of the heater array and a relatively small portion of the at least one heater conductor extends beyond the housing.

29. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 28, wherein

the housing includes a fluid connector operably connected to the interior region.

30. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 28, wherein

the heater array includes a plurality of heaters, a plurality of heater conductors respectively operably connected to the plurality of heaters and a common conductor operably connected to the plurality of heater conductors;

and

the housing is carried on the base member such that a relatively small portion of each of the heater conductors and the common conductor extends beyond the housing.

31. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 28, wherein the substantial majority of the heater array is covered by a substantially electrically and chemically isolating barrier.

32. A fuel cartridge, comprising:

a base member defining a surface;

a housing, defining an interior region adapted to store a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat, carried by the base member and positioned on the base member such that at least one portion of the base member surface is uncovered by the housing; and

at least one electrical connector carried by the uncovered portion of the base member surface.

33. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 32, wherein the base member surface is substantially planar.

34. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 32, wherein

the uncovered portion of the base member surface defines a first uncovered portion;

and

the housing is positioned on the base member such that at least second and third portions of the base member surface are uncovered by the housing and the second and third portions are substantially perpendicular to the first portion.

35. A method of making a fuel cartridge, comprising the steps of:

forming a heater array, including at least one heater and a least one heater conductor operably connected to the at least one heater, on a base member;

positioning a housing on the base member such that the housing covers a substantial majority of the heater array and a relatively small portion of the at least one heater conductor extends beyond the housing; and

filling at least a portion of the housing with a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to the application of heat.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising the step of:

forming a substantially electrically and chemically isolating barrier over a substantial majority of the heater array prior to positioning the housing on the base member.

37. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the steps positioning a housing on the base member and filling at least a portion of the housing with a fuel containing substance together comprise the step of:

positioning a fuel storage structure on the base member;

filling the fuel storage structure with a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to the application of heat; and

positioning a cover over the fuel storage structure.

38. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein

the step of forming a heater array comprises forming heater array, including a plurality of heaters, a plurality of heater conductors respectively operably connected to the plurality of heaters and a common conductor operably connected to the plurality of heater conductors, on a base member;

and

the step of positioning a housing on the base member comprises positioning a housing on the base member such that a relatively small portion each of heater conductors and the common conductor extends beyond the housing.

39. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the step of filling at least a portion of the housing with a fuel containing substance comprises filling at least a portion of the housing with a plurality of fuel containing substance quantities that are respectively associated with the plurality of heaters.