Fuel cartridge connectivity

• US 20060127733A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advent Technologies LLC (Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UltraCell Corporation (Bren-Tronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaye, Ian W., Di Scipio, William R., Kaschmitter, James L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,968,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/416
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0763 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0618 Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable cartridge that stores a fuel for use with a fuel cell system. Cartridges described herein improve mechanical interface between a cartridge and a device that couples to the cartridge. The interface may include one or more of: a sliding interface between a cartridge and device, a latching interface that holds the cartridge in one or more positions relative to the device, and/or keyed access and security features that prevent unintended access to the fuel. Multiple valves may also be included to further control access to the fuel.

Claims

1. A portable cartridge for storing a fuel used in a fuel cell system, the portable cartridge comprising:

a bladder adapted to contain the fuel and to conform to the volume of the fuel in the bladder;

a housing that provides mechanical protection for the bladder;

a connector configured to interface with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel between the bladder and a device that includes the mating connector; and

a sliding interface configured to cooperate with a mating sliding interface on the device,

wherein the sliding interface and mating sliding interface cooperate to provide detachable mechanical coupling between the portable cartridge and the device, which when the portable cartridge and the device are coupled together using the sliding interface and mating sliding interface, provides relative motion between the portable cartridge and the device.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the sliding interface and mating sliding interface provide relative linear translation in a direction determined by the sliding interface and mating sliding interface.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the sliding interface includes a linear member and the mating sliding interface includes a pair of opposing linear rails on the device that the linear member is adapted to fit within.

4. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the cartridge and device include a latching interface that permits the cartridge to be held at a first position.

5. The cartridge of claim 4 wherein the first position permits fuel to be withdrawn from the bladder and into the device.

6. The cartridge of claim 5 wherein the latching interface permits the cartridge to be held at a second position along the mating sliding interface.

7. The cartridge of claim 6 wherein the second position does not permit fuel to be withdrawn from the bladder and holds the latching interface holds cartridge in the second position.

8. A portable cartridge for storing a fuel used in a fuel cell system, the portable cartridge comprising:

a housing;

a connector configured to interface with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel between the cartridge and a device that includes the mating connector; and

a cartridge latching interface configured to cooperate with a mating latching interface on the device to hold the cartridge in multiple positions relative to the device, wherein the multiple positions include

a first position that permits fluidic communication between the cartridge and the device, and

a second position that does not permit fluidic communication between the cartridge and the device.

9. The cartridge of claim 8 wherein the first position provides full mechanical coupling between the cartridge and the device and prevents the cartridge from moving relative to the device.

10. The cartridge of claim 8 wherein the cartridge latching interface is further configured to cooperate with the mating latching interface to permit a third position that provides partial mechanical coupling between the cartridge and the device.

11. The cartridge of claim 10 wherein the partial mechanical coupling permits the cartridge to slide relative to the device.

12. The cartridge of claim 8 wherein the cartridge latching interface includes a set of female recesses adapted to receive a male latch positioned on the device to insert into one of the set of recesses, wherein the set of female recesses includes a first recess that provides the first position when the male latch on the device rests in the first recess.

13. The cartridge of claim 8 further comprising a manual release adapted to decouple the cartridge latching interface from the mating latching interface on the device.

14. The cartridge of claim 8 further comprising an actuator adapted to decouple the cartridge latching interface from the mating latching interface on the device.

15. The cartridge of claim 8 further comprising a bladder, internal to the housing, adapted to contain the fuel and to conform to the volume of the fuel in the bladder.

16. The cartridge of claim 8 further comprising a sliding interface on the cartridge configured to cooperate with a mating sliding interface on the device.

17. A fuel cell system for producing electrical energy, the fuel cell system comprising:

a device that includes a fuel cell, a device latching interface and a mating connector;

a cartridge that includes

a housing,

a connector configured to interface with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel between the cartridge and the mating connector, and

a cartridge latching interface configured to cooperate with the device latching interface so as to hold the cartridge in multiple positions relative to the device, wherein the multiple positions include a first position that permits fluidic communication between the cartridge and the device, and a second position that does not permit fluidic communication between the cartridge and the device;

an actuator adapted to decouple the cartridge latching interface from the device latching interface; and

a controller configured to send an instruction to the actuator to decouple the cartridge latching interface from the mating latching interface when the fuel cell is off.

18. The fuel cell system of claim 17 further comprising a manual actuator that permits a user to manually decouple the cartridge latching interface from the device latching interface.

19. The fuel cell system of claim 17 further comprising a spring that pushes the cartridge away from the device when the cartridge latching interface is decoupled from the device latching interface.

20. The fuel cell system of claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured to send an instruction to the actuator to decouple the cartridge latching interface from the device latching interface when a fuel processor included in the package is not processing fuel.

21. The fuel cell system of claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured to send an instruction to the actuator to decouple the cartridge latching interface from the device latching interface when there is a leak in the device.

22. The fuel cell system of claim 17 wherein the device is one of:

a laptop computer or a portable fuel cell package.

24. The cartridge of claim 22 wherein the cartridge connector includes a contact valve, which when depressed, permits fluidic communication with the bladder.

25. The cartridge of claim 22 wherein the key is a mechanical key.

26. The cartridge of claim 25 wherein the mechanical key is included in the mating connector.

27. The cartridge of claim 22 wherein the device is one of:

a portable fuel cell package, a portable electronics device, and a fuel refiller.

23. A portable cartridge for storing a fuel used in a fuel cell system, the portable cartridge comprising:

a bladder adapted to contain the fuel and to conform to the volume of the fuel in the bladder;

a cartridge connector configured to interface with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel between the bladder and a device that includes the mating connector;

a housing that provides mechanical protection for the bladder, and prevents access to the cartridge connector without a key, included with the mating connector or the device, that permits access to the cartridge connector when the cartridge is connected to the device.

28. A portable cartridge for storing a fuel used in a fuel cell system, the portable cartridge comprising:

a bladder adapted to contain the fuel and to conform to the volume of the fuel in the bladder;

a housing that provides mechanical protection for the bladder;

a first contact valve configured to permit fluidic communication between the cartridge and the device when the first contact valve is at least partially depressed; and

a second contact valve disposed on the device and configured to permit fluidic communication between the cartridge and the device when the second contact valve is at least partially depressed.

29. The cartridge of claim 28 further comprising a line that communicates the fuel from the bladder to the first contact valve.

30. The cartridge of claim 28 further comprising a line that communicates the fuel from the first contact valve to the second contact valve.

31. The cartridge of claim 28 wherein the second contact valve is a high-pressure valve.

32. A fuel cell system for producing electrical energy, the fuel cell system comprising:

a device that includes a fuel cell;

a cartridge that includes

a bladder that contains a fuel,

a housing that provides mechanical protection for the bladder and includes a cavity between the bladder and housing that at least partially contains the bladder,

a connector configured to interface with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel between the cartridge and a device that includes the mating connector;

an air source that pressurizes air; and

at least one valve that controls air flow provided by the air source to a) the fuel cell, and b) the cavity in the cartridge.

33. The fuel cell system of claim 32 wherein the air source is a compressor.

34. The fuel cell system of claim 32 wherein the device further includes a fuel processor.