Metal-air fuel cell battery systems having mechanism for extending the path length of metal-fuel tape during discharging and recharging modes of operation
First Claim
1. A metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) system, comprising:
- a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle, wherein said supply spindle and take-up spindle are contained within a casing having an access opening revealing a portion of said metal-fuel tape extending between said supply spindle and said take-up spindle;
a housing having an input port for receiving a portion of said casing so that said access opening is disposed within said housing;
first and second power supply terminals, disposed within said housing, for receiving electrical power generated from said supply of metal-fuel tape at an output voltage;
a metal-fuel tape configuration mechanism, disposed within said housing, for (i) engaging said portion of said metal-fuel tape revealed through said access opening, (ii) pulling said metal-fuel tape out from said casing and (iii) configuring said metal fuel tape along a folded path arranged within said housing so that a plurality of discharging heads can be configured about said metal-fuel tape during metal-tape tape discharging operations; and
said plurality of discharging heads for producing electrical power from said supply of metal-fuel tape as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said discharging head during said metal-fuel tape discharging operations.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for extending path-length of metal-fuel tape during discharging and/or recharging operations so that a supply of metal-fuel tape contained within a cassette device or on a supply reel can be rapidly discharged and/or recharged in an improved manner. During discharging operations, a plurality of discharging heads are selectively arranged about the extended path-length of metal-fuel tape so as increase the rate at which electrical power is powered from the system. During recharging operations, a plurality of recharging heads are selectively arranged about the extended path-length of metal-fuel tape to decrease the time required to recharge the metal-fuel tape transported through the system.
72 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) system, comprising:
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a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle, wherein said supply spindle and take-up spindle are contained within a casing having an access opening revealing a portion of said metal-fuel tape extending between said supply spindle and said take-up spindle;
a housing having an input port for receiving a portion of said casing so that said access opening is disposed within said housing;
first and second power supply terminals, disposed within said housing, for receiving electrical power generated from said supply of metal-fuel tape at an output voltage;
a metal-fuel tape configuration mechanism, disposed within said housing, for (i) engaging said portion of said metal-fuel tape revealed through said access opening, (ii) pulling said metal-fuel tape out from said casing and (iii) configuring said metal fuel tape along a folded path arranged within said housing so that a plurality of discharging heads can be configured about said metal-fuel tape during metal-tape tape discharging operations; and
said plurality of discharging heads for producing electrical power from said supply of metal-fuel tape as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said discharging head during said metal-fuel tape discharging operations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
a cathode support structure supporting an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;
anode-contacting structure supporting an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape when configured along said folded path; and
an ionic medium for providing a source of ions between said electrically-conductive cathode element and said electrically-conductive anode-contacting element associated with said discharging head.
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3. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 2, which further comprises
a tape transport mechanism for transporting said metal-fuel tape past each said cathode support structure and said anode-contacting element, while said ionic medium is disposed between said metal-fuel tape and said electrically-conductive cathode element. -
4. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 3, wherein said supply spindle and said take-up spindle are driven by a motor disposed within said housing.
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5. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 4, wherein electric motor is an electric motor disposed within said housing.
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6. A metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) system, comprising:
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a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle, wherein said supply spindle and take-up spindle are contained within a casing having an access opening revealing a portion of said metal-fuel tape extending between said supply spindle and said take-up spindle;
a housing having an input port for receiving a portion of said casing so that said access opening is disposed within said housing;
first and second power supply terminals, disposed within said housing, for receiving electrical power supplied from an electrical power supply at an input voltage;
a metal-fuel tape configuration mechanism, disposed within said housing, for (i) engaging said portion of said metal-fuel tape revealed through said access opening, (ii) pulling said metal-fuel tape out from said casing and (iii) configuring said metal-fuel tape along a folded path arranged within said housing so that a plurality of recharging heads can be configured about said metal-fuel tape during metal-fuel tape recharging operations; and
said plurality of recharging heads for receiving electrical power from said electrical power supply as said metal-fuel tape is transported through each said recharging head during said metal-fuel tape recharging operations. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
a cathode support structure supporting an electrically-conductive cathode element pervious to oxygen;
anode-contacting structure supporting an electrically-conductive anode-contacting element for establishing electrical contact with said metal-fuel tape when configured along said folded path; and
an ionic medium for providing a source of ions between said electrically-conductive cathode element and said electrically-conductive anode-contacting element associated with said recharging head.
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8. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 7, which further comprises
a tape transport mechanism for transporting said metal-fuel tape past each said cathode support structure and said anode-contacting element, while said ionic medium is disposed between said metal-fuel tape and said electrically-conductive cathode element. -
9. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 6, wherein said supply spindle and said take-up spindle are driven by a motor disposed within said housing.
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10. The metal-air fuel cell battery system of claim 9, wherein said motor is an electric motor disposed within said housing.
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11. A metal-air fuel cell battery system for producing electrical power from a supply of metal-fuel tape transported between a pair of supply and take-up reels, comprising:
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a supply of metal-fuel tape wound on a supply spindle and taken up on a take-up spindle, wherein said supply spindle and take-up spindle are contained within a casing having an access opening revealing a portion of said metal-fuel tape extending between said supply spindle and said take-up spindle;
a housing having an input port for receiving a portion of said casing so that said access opening is disposed within said housing; and
a metal-fuel tape configuration mechanism, disposed within said housing, for (i) engaging said portion of said metal-fuel tape revealed through said access opening, (ii) pulling said metal-fuel tape out from said casing and (iii) configuring said metal fuel tape along a folded path arranged within said housing so that a plurality of recharging heads can be configured about said metal-fuel tape during metal-fuel tape recharging operations.
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Specification