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Patent US3833424A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3833424A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Gas fuel cell battery having bipolar graphite foam electrodes
Assignee: Licentia Patent Verwaltungs GmbH
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Filing: 1973-03-27
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Granted: 1974-09-03
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Expires: 1993-03-27
Abstract
Abstract A gas fuel cell battery is formed of a series of alternating bipolar electrodes and cell frames. Each bipolar electrode comprises a flexible graphite foam foil and active (anode and cathode) layers secured to opposite foil faces. Each face of a cell frame is in engagement with a bipolar electrode along a marginal zone of the foil that is outside the perimeter of the active layer. Gas is contacting that face of each active layer that is oriented towards the foil to which it is secured, while electrolyte is contacting that face of each active layer that is oriented away from the foil to which it is secured. The active layers are provided with openings for the gas supply, while the cell frames have throughgoing bores and channels for the electrolyte supply.
Inventors
- 👤 G Louis
- 👤 H Bohm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:46
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/24; H01M8/2465; H01M8/2483; H01M8/02; H01M8/0202; H01M8/0258; H01M8/2457; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A gas fuel cell battery comprising in combination: a. a plurality of bipolar electrodes each including a flexible graphite foam foil having opposite faces, an active electrode layer secured to each face of said foil, one layer being an anode and the other layer being a cathode, a marginal zone on each foil face bounded by the perimeter of said foil and the perimeter of the active layer, means defining a gas chamber between each active layer and the foil face to which it is secured, means defining openings in each active layer for providing access to said gas chambers for an air and fuel gas supply; b. a plurality of cell frames each having two opposite faces, each face of each cell frame being in engagement with a separate bipolar electrode along said marginal zone thereof, each cell frame including means defining throughgoing main electrolyte bores and electrolyte channels contained in said cell frame, each said electrolyte channel communicating with one of said main electrolyte bores, said bipolar electrodes and said cell frames being arranged alternatingly in a juxtapositioned face-to-face series; and c. securing means for holding said series together.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A gas fuel cell battery comprising in combination: a. a plurality of bipolar electrodes each including a flexible graphite foam foil having opposite faces, an active electrode layer secured to each face of said foil, one layer being an anode and the other layer being a cathode, a marginal zone on each foil face bounded by the perimeter of said foil and the perimeter of the active layer, means defining a gas chamber between each active layer and the foil face to which it is secured, means defining openings in each active layer for providing access to said gas chambers for an air and fuel gas supply; b. a plurality of cell frames each having two opposite faces, each face of each cell frame being in engagement with a separate bipolar electrode along said marginal zone thereof, each cell frame including means defining throughgoing main electrolyte bores and electrolyte channels contained in said cell frame, each said electrolyte channel communicating with one of said main electrolyte bores, said bipolar electrodes and said cell frames being arranged alternatingly in a juxtapositioned face-to-face series; and c. securing means for holding said series together.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 1, said means defining said gas chamber includes a plurality of raised portions on that face of each active layer that is oriented towards said foil which supports it, said raised portions forming a channel system for guiding gases over the surface of each active electrode layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 1, wherein each cell frame has an inner perimeter defining a cutout in said cell frame, said inner perimeter and the perimeter of each foil have an oblique-angled configuration, said cutout has a highest location which is in communication with one of said throughgoing main electrolyte bores by means of one of said electrolyte channels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 3, wherein each said cutout has a furtheR location remote from said highest location, said further location is in communication with another one of said throughgoing electrolyte bores by means of another one of said electrolyte channels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 1, including means defining a cutout in each said cell frame and separator means disposed in said cutout, said separator means is made of an electrically insulating, readily wettable and highly porous material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 5, wherein said separator means has a comb-like configuration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
112 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 1, further including d. two end electrodes at each end of said series, each end electrode including a graphite foam foil having opposite faces, an active electrode layer secured to one face of said graphite foam foil of each end electrode and oriented towards said series, the active electrode layer of each end electrode completing the battery at each end of said series; and e. two metal clamping plates arranged in a face-to-face engagement with that face of the graphite foam foil of each end electrode that is remote from the active layer thereon, said clamping plates forming part of said securing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 7, including means defining throughgoing apertures in said clamping plates in alignment with said openings in said active layers and with said main electrolyte bores in said cell frames and a coupling bushing inserted into each said throughgoing aperture of each clamping plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 7, said clamping plates are made of a light metal alloy and serve as battery poles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 9, including reinforcing ribs provided on said clamping plates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A gas fuel cell battery as defined in claim 1, wherein said securing means includes tightening means and elastic means for resiliently clamping each bipolar electrode between two cell frames.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
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Cited
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Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-02 | 1978-03-04 | 1978-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-02 | 1982-03-04 | 1982-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-02 | 1986-03-04 | 1986-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |