Method of and system for producing and supplying electrical power to an electrical power consuming device using a metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) module and a supply of metal-fuel cards

• US 6,348,277 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Inventors: Faris, Sadeg M., Tsai, Tsepin
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US09/167,148
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 429/27, 429/66, 429/68, 429/80, 429/127, 429/208, 429/13
• US Class Current: 429/404
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4214 Arrangements for moving electrodes or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/024 Insertable electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0085 Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/42 Alloys based on zinc
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5011 for several cells simultaneously or successively
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/184 Regeneration by electrochemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/186 by electrolytic decomposition of the electrolytic solution or the formed water product
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/22 Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising carbon or oxygen or hydrogen and other elements; Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising only elements other than carbon, oxygen or hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

An improved metal-air fuel cell battery (FCB) system and a method of producing and supplying electrical power to an electrical power consuming device. The method involves packaging and distributing together (i) a metal-air FCB module for producing electrical power using a metal-fuel card insertable within the metal-air FCB module, and (ii) a supply of metal-fuel cards, available as metal-fuel consumable within the metal-air FCB module. The metal-air FCB module includes a cathode structure and an anode contacting structure wherebetween a metal-fuel card can be inserted during a metal-fuel card loading operation, when electrical power is required from the metal-air FCB module. By virtue of the present invention, consumers can now quickly and easily refuel a metal-air FCB module used to power electrical power consuming devices, without wasting or otherwise replacing the typically massive, expensive, and non-consumed components of the metal-air FCB module.

Claims

1. A system for producing and supplying electrical power to an electrical power consuming device, said system comprising:

a metal-air FCB module for producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device, using a metal-fuel card loaded within said metal-air FCB module, said metal-air FCB module including a cathode structure and an anode contacting structure between which said metal-fuel card is loadable during a metal-fuel card loading operation;

a supply of metal-fuel cards, each said metal-fuel card being physically disconnected from each and every other said metal-fuel card and movable in an independent manner from each and every other said metal-fuel card and further being loadable between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module during said metal-fuel card loading operation when electrical power is required from said metal-air FCB module; and

a card-storage/holding device for holding and storing said supply of metal-fuel cards when said metal-fuel cards are not being used for producing electrical power within said metal-air FCB module, and each said metal-fuel card being held and stored within said card-storage/holding device so as to be selectable from said card-storage/holding device and loadable between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module during said metal-fuel card loading operation when electrical power is required from said metal-air FCB module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said cathode structure comprises

a replaceable cathode structure which is replaceable within said metal-air FCB module when said replaceable cathode structure requires replacement.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said metal-fuel card loading operation comprises inserting said metal-air card through a slot formed in said metal-air FCB module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein an ionically-conductive medium is provided by one of said cathode structure and said metal-fuel card.

5. The system of claim 4, which further comprises said electrical-power consuming device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said card-storage/holding device has a casing portion which is integrated with one of said metal-air FCB module and said electrical power consuming device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said card-storage/holding device is a wallet folder having a plurality of pouches for storing said supply of metal-fuel cards.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each said metal-fuel card is packaged within an air-impervious material prior to use in said metal-air FCB module.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each said metal-fuel card is manually loadable between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module during said metal-fuel card loading operation when electrical power is required from said metal-air FCB module.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each said metal-fuel card is automatically loadable between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module during said metal-fuel card loading operation when electrical power is required from said metal-air FCB module.

11. A system for producing and supplying electrical power to an electrical power consuming device, said system comprising:

a metal-air FCB module for producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device, using a metal-fuel card loaded within said metal-air FCB module, said metal-air FCB module including a cathode structure and an anode contacting structure between which said metal-fuel card is loadable during a metal-fuel card loading operation;

a supply of metal-fuel cards, each said metal-fuel card being loadable within said metal-air FCB module during said metal-fuel card loading operation when electrical power is required from said metal-air FCB module;

a card-storage/holding device for holding and storing said supply of metal-fuel cards when said metal-fuel cards are not being used for producing electrical power within said metal-air FCB module; and

wherein said card-storage/holding device is a box structure having a plurality of recesses for storing said supply of metal-fuel cards.

12. A system for producing and supplying electrical power to an electrical power consuming device, said system comprising:

a metal-air FCB module for producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device, using a metal-fuel card loaded within said metal-air FCB module, said metal-air FCB module including a cathode structure and an anode contacting structure between which said metal-fuel card is loadable during a metal-fuel card loading operation;

a supply of metal-fuel cards, each said metal-fuel card being loadable within said metal-air FCB module during said metal-fuel card loading operation when electrical power is required from said metal-air FCB module;

a card-storage/holding device for holding and storing said supply of metal-fuel cards when said metal-fuel cards are not being used for producing electrical power within said metal-air FCB module; and

wherein said card-storage/holding device is a wallet folder having a plurality of pouches for storing said supply of metal-fuel cards.

13. A system for producing and supplying electrical power to an electrical power consuming device, said system comprising:

a metal-air FCB module for producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device, using a metal-fuel card loaded within said metal-air FCB module, said metal-air FCB module including a cathode structure and an anode contacting structure between which said metal-fuel card is loadable during a metal-fuel card loading operation;

a supply of metal-fuel cards, each said metal-fuel card being loadable within said metal-air FCB module during said metal-fuel card loading operation when electrical power is required from said metal-air FCB module;

a card-storage/holding device for holding and storing said supply of metal-fuel cards when said metal-fuel cards are not being used for producing electrical power within said metal-air FCB module; and

wherein each said metal-fuel card is packaged within an air-impervious material prior to use in said metal-air FCB module.

14. A method of producing and supplying electrical power to an electrical power consuming device having a battery storage compartment, said method comprising the sequence of steps:

(a) packaging and distributing together

(i) a metal-air FCB module for producing electrical power for supply to an electrical power consuming device having a battery storage compartment, said metal-air FCB module being installable within said battery storage compartment and including a cathode structure and an anode contacting structure between which one said metal-fuel card can be loaded during a metal-fuel card loading operation to produce said electrical power for supply to said electrical power consuming device, and

(ii) a plurality of metal-fuel cards, each said metal-air card being loadable between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module when electrical power is required by said electrical power consuming device from said metal-air FCB module for supply to said electrical power consuming device;

(b) selecting one said metal-fuel card from said plurality of metal-fuel cards and loading said selected metal-fuel card between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module so as to enable said metal-air FCB module to produce electrical power for supply to said electrical power consuming device;

(c) installing said metal-air FCB module within the battery storage compartment of said electrical power consuming device;

(d) discharging said metal-fuel card loaded within said metal-air FCB module by producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device;

(e) removing said discharged metal-fuel card from between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure of said metal-air FCB module when the loaded metal-fuel card has been discharged;

(f) selecting another one of said metal-fuel cards from said plurality of metal-fuel cards and loading said another selected metal-fuel card between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module;

(g) discharging said metal-fuel card loaded within said metal-air FCB module by further producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device; and

(h) repeating steps (e) through (f) as often as required to continue producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device from said metal-air FCB module.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein after step (d), the method further comprises

(d)(1) removing said metal-air FCB module from said battery storage compartment, and after step (f) said method further comprises

(f)(1) installing said metal-air FCB module within said battery storage compartment.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein during step (b), one said metal-fuel card is manually selected from said plurality of metal-fuel cards and loaded between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module so as to enable said metal-air FCB module to produce electrical power for supply to said electrical power consuming device;

and wherein during step (c), said metal-air FCB module with the metal-fuel card loaded therein is manually installed within the battery storage compartment of said electrical power consuming device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein during step (b), one said metal-fuel card is manually selected from said plurality of metal-fuel cards while said plurality of metal-fuel cards are maintained within a card-storage/holding device having a plurality of recesses for storing said plurality of metal-fuel cards.

18. A method of producing and supplying electrical power to an electrical power consuming device having a battery storage compartment, said method comprising the steps:

(a) packaging and distributing together

(i) a metal-air FCB module for producing electrical power for supply to an electrical power consuming device having a battery storage compartment, said metal-air FCB module being installable within said battery storage compartment and including a cathode structure and an anode contacting structure wherebetween one said metal-fuel card can be loaded during a metal-fuel card loading operation to produce said electrical power for supply to said electrical power consuming device, and

(ii) a plurality of metal-fuel cards, each said metal-air card being loadable between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module when electrical power is required from said metal-air FCB module for supply to said electrical power consuming device;

(b) selecting one said metal-fuel card from said plurality of metal-fuel cards and loading said selected metal-fuel card between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module so as to enable said metal-air FCB module to produce electrical power for supply to said electrical power consuming device;

(c) installing said metal-air FCB module within the battery storage compartment of said electrical power consuming device;

(d) discharging said metal-fuel card loaded within said metal-air FCB module by producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device;

(e) removing said discharged metal-fuel card from between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure of said metal-air FCB module when the loaded metal-fuel card has been discharged;

(f) selecting another one of said metal-fuel cards from said plurality of metal-fuel cards and loading said another selected metal-fuel card between said cathode structure and said anode contacting structure within said metal-air FCB module;

(g) discharging said metal-fuel card loaded within said metal-air FCB module by further producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device; and

(h) repeating steps (e) through (f) as often as required to continue producing and supplying electrical power to said electrical power consuming device from said metal-air FCB module.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein after step (d), the method further comprises

(d)(1) removing said metal-air FCB module from said battery storage compartment, and wherein after step (f), said method further comprises

(f)(1) installing said metal-air FCB module within said battery storage compartment.