Fuel Cartridge with an Environmentally Sensitive Valve

• US 20070207354A1
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Societe BIC
• Inventors: Sgroi, Anthony, Fairbanks, Floyd, Adams, Paul, Curello, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/576,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207354A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/517
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/02 with sensing element expanding and contracting in response to changes of temperature G05D23/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/012 the sensing element being deformable and acting as a valve
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04186 of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7869 Biased open

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a fuel supply with an environmentally sensitive valve. The environmentally sensitive valve is sensitive to the environmental factor(s) such as temperature, pressure or velocity. The valve may be configured so that the valve automatically resets when the environmental triggering event no longer exists.

Claims

1-72. -72. (canceled)

73. A valve adapted for use with a fuel supply and a fuel cell, said valve comprises:

a housing; and

an environmentally sensitive member disposed within said housing, wherein the valve is movable between an actuated state and an unactuated state when a selected environmental factor changes, and wherein in the actuated state the housing and the environmentally sensitive member cooperate to alter the flow of fuel corresponding to the changed environmental factor through the valve;

wherein the selected environmental factor is a pressure exerted by the fuel on the environmentally sensitive member;

wherein the valve is in the unactuated state when the exerted pressure is below a predetermined pressure and in the actuated state when the exerted pressure is above the predetermined pressure;

wherein in the actuated state the environmentally sensitive member cooperates with a sealing surface on the housing to seal the valve;

wherein the environmentally sensitive member comprises a sealing member; and

further comprising;

a plunger, wherein the plunger and the sealing member are releasably connected such that the sealing member releases from the plunger at the predetermined pressure to stop the flow of fuel to the fuel cell.

74. The valve of claim 73, wherein the sealing member includes a detent that is releasably retainable in a groove on the plunger.

75. The fuel supply of claim 74, wherein the detent and groove are annular.

76. The fuel supply of claim 73, wherein an interference fit between an interior surface of the sealing member and an outer surface of the plunger is overcome at the predetermined pressure to allow the sealing member to move relative to the plunger.

77. A valve adapted for use with a fuel supply and a fuel cell, said valve comprises:

a housing; and

an environmentally sensitive member disposed within said housing, wherein the valve is movable between an actuated state and an unactuated state when a selected environmental factor changes, and wherein in the actuated state the housing and the environmentally sensitive member cooperate to alter the flow of fuel corresponding to the changed environmental factor through the valve;

wherein the selected environmental factor is a pressure exerted by the fuel on the environmentally sensitive member;

wherein the valve is in the unactuated state when the exerted pressure is below a predetermined pressure and in the actuated state when the exerted pressure is above the predetermined pressure;

wherein in the actuated state the environmentally sensitive member cooperates with a sealing surface on the housing to seal the valve;

wherein the environmentally sensitive member comprises a sealing member; and

wherein the housing further includes a valve chamber wall and the sealing member further includes a hinge portion and a second sealing surface, wherein the hinge portion moves the second sealing surface of the sealing member into contact with the valve chamber wall at the predetermined pressure to stop the flow of fuel to the fuel cell.

78. The fuel supply of claim 77, wherein the sealing member includes an annular portion attached via the hinge portion to a wing portion including the second sealing surface, wherein the hinge portion is attached to the annular portion at an angle of greater than 90°

.

79. The fuel supply of claim 78, wherein the hinge portion is thinner than one of the annular portion and the wing portion of the sealing member.

80. The fuel supply of claim 77, wherein the hinge portion of the sealing member is at an angle of greater than 90°

from a longitudinal axis of the plunger.

81. The fuel supply of claim 77, wherein the hinge portion of the sealing member component is curved away from an outer surface of the plunger.

82. A valve adapted for use with a fuel supply and a fuel cell, said valve comprises:

a housing; and

an environmentally sensitive member disposed within said housing, wherein the valve is movable between an actuated state and an unactuated state when a selected environmental factor changes, and wherein in the actuated state the housing and the environmentally sensitive member cooperate to alter the flow of fuel corresponding to the changed environmental factor through the valve;

wherein the selected environmental factor is a pressure exerted by the fuel on the environmentally sensitive member;

wherein the valve is in the unactuated state when the exerted pressure is below a predetermined pressure and in the actuated state when the exerted pressure is above the predetermined pressure;

wherein in the actuated state the environmentally sensitive member cooperates with a sealing surface on the housing to seal the valve;

wherein the environmentally sensitive member comprises a sealing member; and

further comprising a plunger integrally connected to the sealing member to form a unitary component, wherein at the predetermined pressure the component moves toward the sealing surface on the housing to restrict the flow of fuel or to seal the valve.

83. The fuel supply of claim 82, wherein the sealing member and plunger component further includes a hinge portion and a second sealing surface, wherein at the predetermined pressure the hinge portion moves the second sealing surface into contact with a valve chamber wall of the housing to restrict the flow of fuel to the fuel cell.