Fuel cartridge interconnect for portable fuel cells

• US 7,482,091 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Duracell U.S. Operations, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Rotondo, John, Gilicinski, Andrew G., Bourilkov, Jordan T., Klein, David N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parsons; Thomas H.
• Application Number:
  US10/616,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20050008903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,029 Days
• Field of Search: 429/9, 429/34, 429/23, 429/121, 429/122, 429/4
• US Class Current: 429/121
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/05 Accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte H01M10/39 takes precedence
• 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 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04544 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04574 Current
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04955 Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• 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 hybrid power supply includes a fuel cell and an interface between the fuel cell and a fuel cartridge or external battery and a switching type DC/DC boost type converter that receives energy from the fuel cell or external battery and is arranged to deliver the energy to a rechargeable cell. The hybrid power supply also includes a fuel cell current sensor/comparator, included in a feedback control loop disposed about the DC/DC converter, which controls in part operation of the converter to provide constant current discharge on the fuel battery side of the hybrid power supply. An adapter that couples a source of AC power such as a charger to the interconnect is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An adapter comprises:

a first member including appropriate mating fittings disposed on a common surface of the first member;

a second member housing electronics to convert power incident at an input of the adapter to an output power level at the appropriate mating fittings of the first member; and

a first pair of wires coupled between an input of the first member and output of the second member; and

a second pair of wires coupled from an input of the second member to an electronic plug.

2. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the appropriate mating fittings on the first member include a pair of spaced terminals configured as battery terminals.

3. The adapter of claim 2 wherein the first member is configure to connect to an interconnect that is configured to connect to either a battery or a source of fuel for a fuel cell system.

4. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the appropriate mating fittings on the member include electrical contacts configured as a pair of spaced battery terminals and an aperture disposed between the pair of spaced battery terminal, the aperture configured to receive an ingress port for a fuel cell on the interconnect.

5. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the first member includes electronic circuits to convert power incident at an input of the first member to the output power level at the pair of appropriate mating fittings.

6. A hybrid power supply, comprising:

an interconnect including appropriate mating fittings on a common planar surface to allow the interconnect to connect to either a battery, or a source of fuel for a fuel cell system or an adaptor;

an adapter comprises;

a first member including appropriate mating fittings disposed on a common surface of the first member to allow the first member to connect to the interconnect on the hybrid power supply;

a second member housing electronics to convert power incident at an input of the adapter to an output power level at the appropriate mating fittings of the first member; and

a first pair of wires coupled between an input of the first member and output of the second member; and

a second pair of wires coupled from an input of the second member to an electronic plug; and

a switching type DC/DC boost type converter coupled to the interconnect and which receives energy from a fuel cell or from an external battery connected to the interconnect, and which is arranged to deliver the energy to a rechargeable cell, the DC/DC converter configured to provide substantially constant current drain from the fuel cell.

7. The hybrid power supply of claim 6, further comprising:

a circuit disposed to sense when a voltage is present across terminals of the member to cause power to be supplied to rechargeable battery from an external battery when the external battery is present or from a fuel cell when the battery is not present.

8. The hybrid power supply of claim 7, wherein the circuit includes:

a first transistor biased through a resistor to conduct power from the fuel cell to a load; and

a second transistor arranged where if an external battery is inserted, the gate voltage of the first transistor turns the transistor off, preventing connection of the cell to the battery, and the second transistor is biased through a second resistor to conduct power from the battery to the load.

9. The hybrid power supply of claim 6, wherein the circuit includes a diode coupled between an output terminal of the fuel cell and a terminal of the member that connects an external battery to the hybrid supply.

10. The hybrid power supply of claim 6 further comprising:

a circuit including a fuel cell current control that senses fuel cell current, and controls in part operation of the converter to provide constant current discharge on the fuel cell side of hybrid power supply.

11. A hybrid power supply, comprising:

a fuel cell;

an interconnect including appropriate mating fittings on a common planar surface to allow the interconnect to connect to a either battery, or a source of fuel for the fuel cell system or an adaptor;

an adapter, the adapter comprises;

a first member including appropriate mating fittings disposed on a common surface of the first member to allow the first member to connect to the interconnect;

a second member housing electronics to convert power incident at an input of the adapter to an output power level at the appropriate mating fittings of the first member; and

a first pair of wires coupled between an input of the first member and output of the second member; and

a second pair of wires coupled from an input of the second member to an electronic plug; and

a switching type DC/DC boost type converter that receives energy from the fuel cell or an external battery connected to the interconnect and is arranged to deliver the energy to a rechargeable cell;

a fuel cell current sensor/comparator, included in a feedback control loop disposed about the DC/DC converter, which controls in part operation of the converter to provide constant current discharge on the fuel battery side or the hybrid power supply.

12. The hybrid power supply of claim 11, further comprising:

a fuel cell current sensor/comparator draws a constant current that is about equal to an optimal level of current to draw from the fuel cell to maximize fuel efficiency.

13. The hybrid power supply of claim 11 wherein the hybrid power supply is configured so that the fuel cell provides just above expected average power consumption for a particular application, and the rechargeable battery provides peak power requirements.

14. The hybrid power supply of claim 11 wherein the rechargeable cell is Li-Ion or Li-Polymer rechargeable cell.

15. The hybrid power supply of claim 11 wherein the circuit delivers an output voltage that corresponds to about 90% charge of the rechargeable cell.