Fuel Cell Systems and Related Methods
AssigneeLilliputian Systems, Inc.
InventorsAlan P. Ludwiszewski, Antonios E. Prentakis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell system having a fuel cell generator and a fuel cartridge that is removably attachable to the fuel cell generator is disclosed. The fuel cartridge includes a housing having a port, a normally closed valve disposed in the housing that gates fuel emerging from the port, the valve having a poppet that modulates opening of the valve, the poppet having a control surface. The fuel cell generator has a moveable pintle coupled to the poppet, and the moveable pintle is operative over a range of motion which causes the poppet to move between a closed state and at least one open state.
Claims25
A fuel cartridge that is removably attachable to a fuel cell generator having a moveable pintle, wherein the pintle is operative over a pintle control range of motion, the fuel cartridge comprising:
- a housing having a port;
- a normally closed valve disposed in the housing that gates fuel emerging from the port, the valve having a poppet that, over a poppet control range of motion, modulates opening of the valve continuously from closed to wide open, and wherein the poppet has a control surface;
- wherein the housing has a cartridge reference surface configured to mate with a corresponding generator reference surface of the fuel cell generator when the fuel cartridge is attached to the fuel cell generator, such that when the two reference surfaces are mated and the poppet is closed, there is defined a fiducial distance of the control surface of the poppet in relation to the fuel cell generator, the fiducial distance configured such that motion of the moveable pintle over its control range of motion causes the poppet to move over at least a portion of its control range of motion.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell generator having a moveable pintle operative over a pintle control range of motion;
- and,
- a fuel cartridge removably attached to the fuel cell generator and comprising:
- a housing having a port;
- a normally closed valve disposed in the housing that gates fuel emerging from the port, the valve having a poppet that, over a poppet control range of motion, modulates opening of the valve continuously from closed to wide open, and wherein the poppet has a control surface;
- wherein the housing has a cartridge reference surface mated with a corresponding generator reference surface of the fuel cell generator, when the fuel cartridge is thus removably attached, such that, when the poppet is closed, there is defined a fiducial distance of the control surface of the poppet in relation to the fuel cell generator, the fiducial distance configured such that motion of the moveable pintle over its control range of motion causes the poppet to move over at least a portion of its control range of motion;
- and
- wherein the fuel cell generator is configured to move the pintle when the fuel cartridge is attached to the fuel cell generator.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell generator;
- a fuel cartridge removably attached to the fuel cell generator, the fuel cartridge having:
- a housing having a port;
- a normally closed valve disposed in the housing that gates fuel emerging from the port, the valve having a poppet that modulates opening of the valve;
- wherein the fuel cell generator has a moveable pintle coupled to the poppet,
- the pintle movable over a range of motion which causes the poppet to move between a closed state and at least one open state.
A method for operating a fuel cell system, said method comprising:
- providing a fuel cartridge with a poppet that is configured to modulate flow through a valve;
- providing a fuel cell generator with a moveable pintle that is configured to engage the poppet;
- attaching the fuel cartridge and the fuel cell generator;
- and then moving the pintle to modulate the flow through the valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.