Patents by Inventor Brian Sonnichsen
Brian Sonnichsen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20210380332Abstract: A pressurized beverage dispenser having a beverage container and a cap. The cap includes a cap body, a compressed-gas cartridge, an external straw, a discharge chamber, a metering valve, a diaphragm, and an actuator. The discharge chamber within the cap body is in fluid communication with an internal passageway of the external straw. The metering valve allows a flow of beverage from the beverage container to the discharge chamber when the metering valve is open and substantially precludes the flow of beverage when the metering valve is closed. The diaphragm opens the metering valve when the diaphragm is activated and closes the metering valve when the diaphragm is deactivated. The diaphragm also activates when a user sucks on the outlet end of the external straw to create suction within the discharge chamber. The actuator on the cap body activates the diaphragm when the user manually engages the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Inventors: Evan C. Rege, Brian Sonnichsen, Shawn Huff
-
Patent number: 9279581Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to a compact steam boiler which may provide steam to a steam reformer in a fuel cell system. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam boiler including an outer shell and a first inner tube and a second inner tube within the outer shell, the first and second inner tubes spaced away from one another. The steam boiler further includes a twisted ribbon positioned inside each of the first and second inner tubes.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2015Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.Inventor: Brian Sonnichsen
-
Publication number: 20160036079Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to a compact steam boiler which may provide steam to a steam reformer in a fuel cell system. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam boiler including an outer shell and a first inner tube and a second inner tube within the outer shell, the first and second inner tubes spaced away from one another. The steam boiler further includes a twisted ribbon positioned inside each of the first and second inner tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2015Publication date: February 4, 2016Inventor: Brian SONNICHSEN
-
Patent number: 9188329Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to a compact steam boiler which may provide steam to a steam reformer in a fuel cell system. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam boiler including an outer shell and a first inner tube and a second inner tube within the outer shell, the first and second inner tubes spaced away from one another. The steam boiler further includes a twisted ribbon positioned inside each of the first and second inner tubes.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2012Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.Inventor: Brian Sonnichsen
-
Patent number: 8920991Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing heat transfer in a steam reformer. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer including an outer wall and an inner wall which includes a step extending outward toward the outer wall and downward toward a bottom of the steam reformer at a position between a top of the steam reformer and the bottom of the steam reformer. The steam reformer further includes a reaction chamber disposed between the outer wall and the inner wall.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2012Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.Inventors: Brian Sonnichsen, Bob Sorensen
-
Publication number: 20130202977Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to a compact steam boiler which may provide steam to a steam reformer in a fuel cell system. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam boiler including an outer shell and a first inner tube and a second inner tube within the outer shell, the first and second inner tubes spaced away from one another. The steam boiler further includes a twisted ribbon positioned inside each of the first and second inner tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2012Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicant: CLEAREDGE POWER, INC.Inventor: Brian Sonnichsen
-
Patent number: 8263274Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to temperature distribution in a reaction chamber of a steam reformer. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer, comprising a central chamber through which feed gas flows, a reaction chamber surrounding the central chamber and having an inner wall and an outer wall, and a recuperative heat exchanger disposed between the inner wall of the reaction chamber and the central chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2012Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: ClearEdge Power, Inc.Inventors: Brian Sonnichsen, Bob Sorensen
-
Patent number: 8221692Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing radiative heat transfer in a steam reformer from an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner to an interior reactor via angled fins coupled to the exterior shell. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer, comprising an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner and angled fins, the angled fins extending away from an inner surface of the exterior shell and downward toward the diffusion burner. The steam reformer further comprises an interior reactor positioned at least partly within the exterior shell.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2011Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: ClearEdge Power, Inc.Inventors: Bob Sorensen, Craig E. Evans, Brian Sonnichsen
-
Publication number: 20120141894Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to temperature distribution in a reaction chamber of a steam reformer. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer, comprising a central chamber through which feed gas flows, a reaction chamber surrounding the central chamber and having an inner wall and an outer wall, and a recuperative heat exchanger disposed between the inner wall of the reaction chamber and the central chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2012Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: CLEAREDGE POWER, INC.Inventors: Brian Sonnichsen, Bob Sorensen
-
Publication number: 20120141893Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing heat transfer in a steam reformer. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer including an outer wall and an inner wall which includes a step extending outward toward the outer wall and downward toward a bottom of the steam reformer at a position between a top of the steam reformer and the bottom of the steam reformer. The steam reformer further includes a reaction chamber disposed between the outer wall and the inner wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2012Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: CLEAREDGE POWER, INC.Inventors: Brian Sonnichsen, Bob Sorensen
-
Publication number: 20120076697Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing radiative heat transfer in a steam reformer from an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner to an interior reactor via angled fins coupled to the exterior shell. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer, comprising an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner and angled fins, the angled fins extending away from an inner surface of the exterior shell and downward toward the diffusion burner. The steam reformer further comprises an interior reactor positioned at least partly within the exterior shell.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: CLEAREDGE POWER, INC.Inventors: Bob Sorensen, Craig E. Evans, Brian Sonnichsen
-
Patent number: 8071247Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing radiative heat transfer in a steam reformer from an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner to an interior reactor via angled fins coupled to the exterior shell. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer, comprising an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner and angled fins, the angled fins extending away from an inner surface of the exterior shell and downward toward the diffusion burner. The steam reformer further comprises an interior reactor positioned at least partly within the exterior shell.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2010Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: ClearEdge Power, Inc.Inventors: Bob Sorensen, Craig E. Evans, Brian Sonnichsen
-
Patent number: 8038968Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing a temperature in a low temperature zone in a steam reforming reactor via a radiative heating shunt. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reforming reactor comprising a reaction chamber having an interior surface, a packing material located within the reaction chamber, and a radiative heating shunt extending from the interior surface into the reaction chamber. The radiative heating shunt comprises a porous partition enclosing a sub-volume of the reaction chamber bounded by the porous partition and a portion of the interior surface, the sub-volume being at least partly free of packing material such that radiative heat has a path from the interior surface to a distal portion of the porous partition that is unobstructed by packing material.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2010Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: ClearEdge Power, Inc.Inventors: Bob Sorensen, Craig E. Evans, Brian Sonnichsen
-
Publication number: 20110206570Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing a temperature in a low temperature zone in a steam reforming reactor via a radiative heating shunt. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reforming reactor comprising a reaction chamber having an interior surface, a packing material located within the reaction chamber, and a radiative heating shunt extending from the interior surface into the reaction chamber. The radiative heating shunt comprises a porous partition enclosing a sub-volume of the reaction chamber bounded by the porous partition and a portion of the interior surface, the sub-volume being at least partly free of packing material such that radiative heat has a path from the interior surface to a distal portion of the porous partition that is unobstructed by packing material.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: CLEAREDGE POWER, INC.Inventors: Bob Sorensen, Craig E. Evans, Brian Sonnichsen
-
Publication number: 20110143237Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing radiative heat transfer in a steam reformer from an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner to an interior reactor via angled fins coupled to the exterior shell. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer, comprising an exterior shell which includes a diffusion burner and angled fins, the angled fins extending away from an inner surface of the exterior shell and downward toward the diffusion burner. The steam reformer further comprises an interior reactor positioned at least partly within the exterior shell.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: CLEAREDGE POWER, INC.Inventors: Bob Sorensen, Craig E. Evans, Brian Sonnichsen
-
Publication number: 20060221146Abstract: A fluid reservoir apparatus including a housing having input ports in a rear portion of the housing and output ports in a front portion of the housing, fluidic chambers and fluidic channels extending from the input ports to the output ports, a heater structure disposed in the housing, a plurality of datum standoffs having rounded datum ends disposed at the rear portion of the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2005Publication date: October 5, 2006Inventors: Steven Slotto, Brian Sonnichsen, Eric Segerstrom, David Koehler
-
Publication number: 20060044365Abstract: A container including a first tank for receiving a liquid, a second tank that is selectively pressurizable, a check valve for permitting fluid flow from the first tank to the second tank, and a manifold structure having a first port fluidically coupled to the first tank and a second port fluidically coupled to the second tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2004Publication date: March 2, 2006Inventors: Brian Sonnichsen, James Padgett, Sharon Berger, Ronald Burr, David Hanks
-
Publication number: 20060007281Abstract: A fluid reservoir apparatus including first and second opposing thermally conductive walls, an elastomeric heater compressed between the first and second opposing thermally conductive walls, wherein the elastomeric heater has an uncompressed thickness that is greater than a distance between the first and second opposing thermally conductive walls, and a reservoir adjacent the first opposing thermally conductive wall and thermally coupled to first thermally conductive wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2004Publication date: January 12, 2006Inventors: Brian Sonnichsen, Daniel Stoneman
-
Publication number: 20050185032Abstract: A drop emitting apparatus including an ink jet printhead; a plurality of on-board ink reservoirs for supplying ink to the ink jet printhead; a plurality of remote ink containers; a plurality of ink supply conduits fluidically connected between the remote ink containers and the on-board ink reservoirs; a common air vent, connected to each one of the plurality of remote ink containers, for venting said each one of the plurality of remote ink containers as ink is supplied to the on-board ink reservoirs from the remote ink containers.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2004Publication date: August 25, 2005Inventors: Steven Slotto, Brian Sonnichsen
-
Publication number: 20050151783Abstract: A drop emitting device including a first linear array of columnar arrays of first nozzle pairs and a second linear array of columnar arrays of second nozzle pairs, wherein the first linear array and the second linear array extend along an X-axis, and wherein the second linear array is adjacent the first linear array such that each first nozzle pair has an associated second nozzle pair displaced therefrom along a Y-axis that is orthogonal to the X-axis. The columnar arrays of first nozzle pairs and the columnar arrays of second nozzle pairs extend obliquely to the X-axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2004Publication date: July 14, 2005Inventors: John Brookfield, Rodney Hill, James Padgett, John Moore, Eric Segerstrom, Brian Sonnichsen, Christine Greiser