US4403018A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for supplying or draining a fluid to or from the marginal portion of a flat fuel cell electrode and an electrode element and a fuel cell provided with such an apparatus
Assignee: ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE Co BELGIUM bvba
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Filing: 1981-05-29
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Granted: 1983-09-06
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Expires: 2001-05-29
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for supplying or draining a fluid to or from a marginal portion of a flat fuel cell electrode, consisting of a supply or drainage device for the fluid, which is connected with a spacious collecting channel (5) which runs substantially parallel to the marginal portion of the fuel cell electrode and which is connected with a number of substantially equidistantly spaced points of this marginal portion via micro-channels (4), these micro-channels having substantially identical dimensions and a width b that is smaller than their depth d. Preferably b/d is at most 0.9, and H/h is larger than 3, H and h being the hydraulic diameters of, respectively, the collecting channel (5) and the micro-channels (4).
Inventors
- 👤 Marinus Alfenaar
- 👤 Joannes J. P. Leijen
- 👤 Willem J. Schlosser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:59
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/02; H01M8/0271; H01M8/0273; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for supplying or draining a fluid to or from a marginal portion of a flat cell electrode, which electrode is mounted in a frame thus forming with this frame and apparatus an electrode-element, which apparatus consists of at least a supply or drainage device for the fluid, wherein said supply or drainage device is in communication with a collecting chamber which runs in a plane parallel to the longitudinal plane of the frame and runs substantially parallel to said marginal portion of the fuel cell electrode and which is in further communication with a number of substantially equidistantly spaced points of this marginal portion via micro-channels, which micro-channels run in a plane parallel to the longitudinal plane of the frame and are open at the upper side, which side is situated in one of the two outer planes of the frame that are parallel to the longitudinal plane of the said frame, when the electrode-element is not assembled and have substantially identical dimensions and a width b that is smaller than their depth d.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for supplying or draining a fluid to or from a marginal portion of a flat cell electrode, which electrode is mounted in a frame thus forming with this frame and apparatus an electrode-element, which apparatus consists of at least a supply or drainage device for the fluid, wherein said supply or drainage device is in communication with a collecting chamber which runs in a plane parallel to the longitudinal plane of the frame and runs substantially parallel to said marginal portion of the fuel cell electrode and which is in further communication with a number of substantially equidistantly spaced points of this marginal portion via micro-channels, which micro-channels run in a plane parallel to the longitudinal plane of the frame and are open at the upper side, which side is situated in one of the two outer planes of the frame that are parallel to the longitudinal plane of the said frame, when the electrode-element is not assembled and have substantially identical dimensions and a width b that is smaller than their depth d.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein b/d is at most 0.9.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein b/d is at most 0.5.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1-3, wherein the ratio between the hydraulic diameter H of the collecting channel and the hydraulic diameter h of the micro-channels is greater than 3.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ratio between the hydraulic diameter H of the collecting channel and the hydraulic diameter h of the micro-channels is greater than 5.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-09-05 | 1987-03-07 | 1987-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-09-05 | 1991-03-07 | 1991-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-09-05 | 1995-03-07 | 1995-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |