Fuel cell charger

• US 20060170391A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Angstrom Power Incorporated (BIC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Angstrom Power Incorporated (BIC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lam, Duhane
• Application Number:
  US11/342,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20060170391A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/00 Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04313 characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04626 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0491 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04955 Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell charger and a method of using a fuel cell charger. The charger includes a housing, a communication/power port, disposed in the housing, and at least one fuel cell adapted to generate electricity. The fuel cell includes a fuel plenum containing fuel, an anode connected to the fuel plenum, a cathode in communication with oxidant, ion-conducting electrolyte disposed between the anode and cathode, a positive connection, and a negative connection. There can also be circuitry adapted to provide power to an electronic device through the communication/power port.

Claims

1. A fuel cell charger comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a communication power port disposed in the housing;

(c) an array of interconnected fuel cells comprising at least one fuel cell adapted to generate electricity, wherein the at least one fuel cell comprises;

i. a fuel plenum containing fuel;

ii. an anode connected to the fuel plenum;

iii. a cathode in communication with an oxidant;

iv. an ion-conducting electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode;

(d) a first positive connection connected to the cathode of the at least one fuel cell in the array of interconnected fuel cells;

(e) a first negative connection connected to the anode of at least one fuel cell in the array of interconnected of fuel cells; and

(f) circuitry connected to the first positive connection and the first negative connection, and wherein the circuitry further comprises connections to a second positive connection and a second negative connection to connect the circuitry to the communication/power port providing electrical energy to an electronic device.

2. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a sturdy plastic, metal, laminates and combinations thereof.

3. The fuel cell charger of claim 2, wherein the metal comprises stainless steel, aluminum or combinations thereof.

4. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the at least one fuel cell comprises a methanol fuel cell, a solid oxide fuel cell, an alkaline fuel cell, a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, or combinations thereof.

5. The fuel cell charger of claim 4, wherein the electrolyte comprises an ion conducting electrolyte.

6. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the fuel comprises:

hydrogen, methanol, sodium borohydride, formic acid, a liquid fuel, butane, hydrogen stored in a metal hydride or combinations thereof.

7. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the oxidant comprises oxygen contained in ambient air.

8. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, further comprising one hole or a plurality of holes disposed in the housing to permit oxidant in ambient air to access the cathodes.

9. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the communication power port comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, wherein the USB port comprises a positive connection and a negative connection.

10. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell charger produces an output voltage from 3 to 9 Volts.

11. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell charger produces an output voltage from 4.35 to 5.25 Volts.

12. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the circuitry converts the electrical energy down to a regulated output voltage usable by the electronic device.

13. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the circuitry converts the electrical energy up to a regulated output voltage usable by the electronic device.

14. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the circuitry converts the electrical energy both up and down to a regulated output voltage usable by the electronic device.

15. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the array of fuel cells comprises from 1 to 50,000 fuel cells.

16. The fuel cell charger of claim 15, further comprising a connection between the fuel cells wherein the connection comprises parallel, serial, or combinations of parallel and serial connections.

17. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell charger comprises a fuel shut off feature to shut off the flow of fuel to the anode.

18. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises an on/off indicator lamp.

19. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises a limiter to limit the output voltage, current, or power of the fuel cell charger.

20. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises a limiter to limit the output voltage, current, or power of the fuel cell.

21. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises a DC-DC converter further comprising:

an energy storage component, connected to an integrated circuit chip for converting the fuel cell output to a range from 4.35 to 5.25 Volts.

22. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, further comprising as an interface to the communication power port of the fuel cell charger, a cable with a first cable end connected to the charger and a second cable end connected to the electronic device.

23. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the communication power port provides power and communication in an insulated connection through a USB port in the electronic device.

24. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a portable device.

25. The fuel cell charger of claim 1, wherein the communication power port comprises a VGA Video, SUN and SGI Video, MAC Video, SGI Open LDI, PS/2, PC/AT, serial mouse, RS232 DB9, RS232 DB25, USB Type A and B, Mini USB Type B, IEEE 1394, a RS232 RJ45 connector or combinations thereof.

26. A charging system for an electronic device using at least one fuel cell charger of claim 1.

27. A method for charging an electronic device comprising:

(a) connecting a fuel cell charger comprising a communication power port to the electronic device through an interface;

(b) activating the fuel cell charger;

(c) allowing the electronic device to charge; and

(d) disconnecting a circuit when the electronic device is charged.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the communication power port comprises a USB port.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of activating the fuel cell charger is automatic when the fuel cell charger is connected to the electronic device by the interface.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of activating the fuel cell charger is accomplished by communication of data from the electronic device to the fuel cell charger through the communication power port.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of disconnecting the circuit when the electronic device is charged is done automatically by the fuel cell charger.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic devices charges in a time period from 1 to 5 million seconds.