Patents by Inventor David G. Frank

David G. Frank 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).

  • Patent number: 7348092
    Abstract: A sealing technique is provided for forming complex and multiple seal configurations for fuel cells and other electrochemical cells. To provide a seal, for sealing chambers for oxidant, fuel and/or coolant, a groove network is provided extending through the various elements of the fuel cell assembly. A source of seal material is then connected to an external filling port and injected into the groove network, and the seal material is then cured to form the seal. There is thus formed a “seal in place”, that is robust and can accommodate variations in tolerances and dimensions, and that can be bonded, where possible, to individual elements of the fuel cell assembly. This avoids the difficulty, labor intensive cost and complexity of manually assembling many individual gaskets into complex groove shapes and the like. The seal material can be selected to be comparable with a wide variety of gases, liquid coolants and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation
    Inventors: David G. Frank, Joseph Cargnelli, Lawrence Eugene Frisch, William Gordon Bradford, Myron Timothy Maxson, Brian Jeffery Swanton, Howard Stimson Travis
  • Patent number: 7210220
    Abstract: A sealing technique is provided for forming complex and multiple seal configurations for fuel cells and other electrochemical cells. To provide a seal, for sealing chambers for oxidant, fuel and/or coolant, a groove network is provided extending through the various elements of the fuel cell assembly. A source of seal material is then connected to an external filling port and injected into the groove network, and the seal material is then cured to form the seal. There is thus formed a “seal in place”, that is robust and can accommodate variations in tolerances and dimensions, and that can be bonded, where possible, to individual elements of the fuel cell assembly. This avoids the difficulty, labor intensive cost and complexity of manually assembling many individual gaskets into complex groove shapes and the like. The seal material can be selected to be comparable with a wide variety of gases, liquid coolants and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation
    Inventors: David G. Frank, Joseph Cargnelli, Lawrence Eugene Frisch, William Gordon Bradford, Myron Timothy Maxson, Brian Jeffery Swanton, Howard Stimson Travis
  • Patent number: 7138202
    Abstract: A sealing technique is provided for forming complex and multiple seal configurations for fuel cells and other electrochemical cells. To provide a seal, for sealing chambers for oxidant, fuel and/or coolant, a groove network is provided extending through the various elements of the fuel cell assembly. A source of seal material is then connected to an external filling port and injected into the groove network, and the seal material is then cured to form the seal. There is thus formed a “seal in place”, that is robust and can accommodate variations in tolerances and dimensions, and that can be bonded, where possible, to individual elements of the fuel cell assembly. This avoids the difficulty, labor intensive cost and complexity of manually assembling many individual gaskets into complex groove shapes and the like. The seal material can be selected to be comparable with a wide variety of gases, liquid coolants and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation
    Inventors: David G. Frank, Joseph Cargnelli, Lawrence Eugene Frisch, William Gordon Bradford, Myron Timothy Maxson, Brian Jeffery Swanton, Howard Stimson Travis
  • Patent number: 6936081
    Abstract: A system and reactor stack for generating hydrogen from a hydride solution in presence of a catalyst. The reactor stack includes a number of reactor plates and separator plates alternate with one another, to define reaction chambers alternating with coolant chambers. Each reactor plate has a first face defining a solution flow field and an opposing second face defining a coolant flow field. Each solution flow field comprises a common reaction chamber and a plurality of channels opening into the common reaction chamber. The catalyst is provided in the common reaction chamber. Each reaction chamber is configured to receive the hydride solution and to bring at least a portion of the hydride solution in contact with the catalyst. Each reaction chamber is in fluid communication with an adjacent reaction chamber and each coolant chamber is in fluid communication with an adjacent coolant chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Rusta-Sallehy, Xuesong Chen, David G. Frank
  • Patent number: 6852439
    Abstract: A sealing technique is provided for forming complex and multiple seal configurations for fuel cells and other electrochemical cells. To provide a seal, for sealing chambers for oxidant, fuel and/or coolant, a groove network is provided extending through the various elements of the fuel cell assembly. A source of seal material is then connected to an external filling port and injected into the groove network, and the seal material is then cured to form the seal. There is thus formed a “seal in place”, that is robust and can accommodate variations in tolerances and dimensions, and that can be bonded, where possible, to individual elements of the fuel cell assembly. This avoids the difficulty, labor intensive cost and complexity of manually assembling many individual gaskets into complex groove shapes and the like. The seal material can be selected to be comparable with a wide variety of gases, liquid coolants and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignees: Hydrogenics Corporation, Dow Corning Corporation
    Inventors: David G. Frank, Joseph Cargnelli, Lawrence Eugene Frisch, William Gordon Bradford, Myron Timothy Maxson, Brian Jeffrey Swanton, Howard Stimson Travis
  • Publication number: 20040137299
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a terminal plate for an electrochemical cell. The terminal plate is a metal plate having at least one manifold region with at least one aperture to permit the passage of a fluid therethrough. The terminal plate has a corrosion resistant coating applied to at least a portion of the at least one manifold region including the at least one aperture. A method for producing the terminal plate is also disclosed. A method for producing a fuel cell stack is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Hydrogenics Corporation
    Inventors: Antonio Gennaro Mazza, David G. Frank, Nathaniel Ian Joos
  • Publication number: 20040131917
    Abstract: The present invention provides for an end plate for an electrochemical cell. The end plate is a metal plate having at least one manifold region with at least one connection port to permit the passage of a fluid therethrough. The nd plate has a corrosion resistant coating applied to the at least one manifold region including the at least one connection port. A method for producing the end plate is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Antonio Gennaro Mazza, David G. Frank, Nathaniel lan Joos
  • Publication number: 20030031914
    Abstract: A sealing technique is provided for forming complex and multiple seal configurations for fuel cells and other electrochemical cells. To provide a seal, for sealing chambers for oxidant, fuel and/or coolant, a groove network is provided extending through the various elements of the fuel cell assembly. A source of seal material is then connected to an external filling port and injected into the groove network, and the seal material is then cured to form the seal. There is thus formed a “seal in place”, that is robust and can accommodate variations in tolerances and dimensions, and that can be bonded, where possible, to individual elements of the fuel cell assembly. This avoids the difficulty, labor intensive cost and complexity of manually assembling many individual gaskets into complex groove shapes and the like. The seal material can be selected to be comparable with a wide variety of gases, liquid coolants and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: David G. Frank, Joseph Cargnelli, Lawrence Eugene Frisch, William Gordon Bradford, Myron Timothy Maxson, Brian Jeffrey Swanton, Howard Stimson Travis