Patents Assigned to Angstrom Power Incorporated
  • Systems and methods for replenishing fuel-cell-powered portable devices
    Publication number: 20070084523
    Abstract: Portable electronic devices such as portable telephones, portable computers and the like may obtain power from fuel cells that consume fuel from fuel stores of the portable devices. A network of refilling stations permits users of portable devices to main the devices operational by frequently topping up the fuel stores. Payment systems combine payments for fuel with larger payments for other transactions to avoid the overhead of processing individual payments for very small amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard McLean, Olen Vanderleeden, Anna Stukas, Denis Connor
  • Electrochemical cells formed on pleated substrates
    Patent number: 7201986
    Abstract: A sheet of substrate material is corrugated. First and second troughs are defined on opposed faces of the substrate material. Ion-conducting regions are located in a common wall of the first and second troughs. In the ion-conducting regions ions can pass through the substrate material between the first and second troughs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventor: Gerard Francis McLean
  • Cell stack having sub-stacks with opposite orientations
    Publication number: 20060204815
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack has two or more sub-stacks of series-connected unit cells. At least two of the sub-stacks are oriented in opposite directions. Distal ends of the sub-stacks may be electrically connected to end plates of the fuel cell stack. The end plates may compress the unit cells and serve as a common electrode of the sub-stacks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventor: Duhane Lam
  • Flexible fuel cell structures having external support
    Publication number: 20060127734
    Abstract: Fuel cell components provide fuel cells on a flexible sheet that defines a wall of a flexible plenum. An external support structure limits expansion of the plenum in response to forces exerted by a pressurized reactant. The external support structure may comprise a portion of a housing of a portable device. Cathodes of the fuel cells may be accessible from an outside of the flexible sheet and exposed to ambient air while anodes of the fuel cell are accessible from an inside of the flexible sheet and exposed to a fuel, such as hydrogen gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard McLean, Jeremy Schrooten
  • Hydrogen fuel delivery systems
    Publication number: 20060117659
    Abstract: A method for providing hydrogen to a hydrogen-powered device comprises providing a buffer connected to supply hydrogen to the device. The buffer is filled with hydrogen by coupling the buffer to a cartridge containing a predetermined quantity of hydrogen. The hydrogen in the cartridge may be stored in a form having a higher energy density than the hydrogen in the buffer. Systems comprising hydrogen-powered devices that include such buffers are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventor: Gerard McLean
  • Electrochemical cells formed on pleated substrates
    Publication number: 20060105231
    Abstract: A sheet of substrate material is corrugated. First and second troughs are defined on opposed faces of the substrate material. Ion-conducting regions are located in a common wall of the first and second troughs. In the ion-conducting regions ions can pass through the substrate material between the first and second troughs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventor: Gerard McLean
  • Fuel cells incorporating membranes
    Publication number: 20060083973
    Abstract: A fuel cell has an ion-conducting membrane comprising an ion-conducting region and a non-ion-conducting region. The ion-conducting region is formed by a plurality of ion-conducting passageways that extend through the membrane. The passageways are filled with ion-conducting material and may be surrounded by non-ion conducting material. The membrane may comprise a substrate of non-ion-conducting material that is penetrated by openings, each opening providing a corresponding one of the passageways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard McLean, Tran Ngo, Ned Djilali, Anna Stukas, Jeremy Schrooten
  • Membranes and electrochemical cells incorporating such membranes
    Publication number: 20060083972
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides an ion-conducting membrane comprising an ion-conducting region and a non-ion-conducting region. The ion-conducting region is formed by a plurality of ion-conducting passageways that extend through the membrane. The passageways are filled with ion-conducting material and may be surrounded by non-ion conducting material. The membrane may comprise a substrate of non-ion-conducting material that is penetrated by openings, each opening providing a corresponding one of the passageways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard McLean, Tran Ngo, Ned Djilali, Anna Stukas, Jeremy Schrooten
  • Membranes and electrochemical cells incorporating such membranes
    Publication number: 20050249994
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides an ion-conducting membrane comprising an ion-conducting region and a non-ion-conducting region. The ion-conducting region is formed by a plurality of ion-conducting passageways that extend through the membrane. The passageways are filled with ion-conducting material and may be surrounded by non-ion conducting material. The membrane may comprise a substrate of non-ion-conducting material that is penetrated by openings, each opening providing a corresponding one of the passageways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard McLean, Tran Ngo, Ned Djilali, Anna Stukas, Jeremy Schrooten
  • Fault tolerant fuel cell systems
    Publication number: 20050249987
    Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a plurality of groups of fuel cells electrically connected in series-parallel. Each of the groups of fuel cells comprises a plurality of fuel cells connected in series-parallel. Each of the fuel cells may have a very small active area. The system provides passive fault tolerance for both open-circuit and closed-circuit failures of individual fuel cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventor: Gerard McLean
  • Electrochemical cells formed on pleated substrates
    Publication number: 20050249986
    Abstract: A sheet of substrate material is corrugated. First and second troughs are defined on opposed faces of the substrate material. Ion-conducting regions are located in a common wall of the first and second troughs. In the ion-conducting regions ions can pass through the substrate material between the first and second troughs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventor: Gerard McLean
  • Electrochemical cells having current-carrying structures underlying electrochemical reaction layers
    Publication number: 20050250004
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell structure has an electrical current-carrying structure which, at least in part, underlies an electrochemical reaction layer. The cell comprises an ion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer on each side thereof. The ion exchange membrane may comprise, for example, a proton exchange membrane. Some embodiments of the invention provide electrochemical cell layers which have a plurality of individual unit cells formed on a sheet of ion exchange membrane material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Applicant: Angstrom Power Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard McLean, Anna Stukas, Jeremy Schrooten