Patents by Inventor Eric J. O'Brien

Eric J. O'Brien 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: 10903514
    Abstract: An illustrative example fuel cell manifold assembly includes a metal manifold pan. A polymer material liner that is self-supporting includes a primary wall situated adjacent an interior of the manifold pan. The liner has a channel around a periphery of the liner and a portion of the manifold is received in the channel. A reactant conduit adapter is received through respective openings in the manifold pan and the liner. The reactant conduit adaptor includes a flange that is received against an interior surface on the primary wall of the liner with an interface between the flange and the interior surface being sealed. Another portion of the reactant conduit adaptor is adjacent an exterior of the manifold pan that faces in an opposite direction from the interior surface on the primary wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy William Patterson, Jr., Kristoffer H. Ridgeway, Chandrasekhar V. Nori, Eric J. O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20190097254
    Abstract: An illustrative example fuel cell manifold assembly includes a metal manifold pan. A polymer material liner that is self-supporting includes a primary wall situated adjacent an interior of the manifold pan. The liner has a channel around a periphery of the liner and a portion of the manifold is received in the channel. A reactant conduit adapter is received through respective openings in the manifold pan and the liner. The reactant conduit adaptor includes a flange that is received against an interior surface on the primary wall of the liner with an interface between the flange and the interior surface being sealed. Another portion of the reactant conduit adaptor is adjacent an exterior of the manifold pan that faces in an opposite direction from the interior surface on the primary wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy William Patterson, JR., Kristoffer H. Ridgeway, Chandrasekhar V. Nori, Eric J. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 10177397
    Abstract: An illustrative example embodiment of a fuel cell manifold device includes a self-supporting polymer material liner body including a generally planar primary wall and a plurality of side walls. The side walls respectively extend generally perpendicularly from the primary wall. Interior surfaces on the primary wall and the side walls collectively define a cavity. The primary wall has a length and a width that is smaller than the length. The primary wall includes a plurality of ribs situated width wise along the primary wall. The ribs are spaced apart from each other in a lengthwise direction. The ribs allow for some thermal expansion of the liner body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICAK, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy William Patterson, Jr., Kristoffer H. Ridgeway, Chandrasekhar V. Nori, Eric J. O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20180053960
    Abstract: An illustrative example embodiment of a fuel cell manifold device includes a self-supporting polymer material liner body including a generally planar primary wall and a plurality of side walls. The side walls respectively extend generally perpendicularly from the primary wall. Interior surfaces on the primary wall and the side walls collectively define a cavity. The primary wall has a length and a width that is smaller than the length. The primary wall includes a plurality of ribs situated width wise along the primary wall. The ribs are spaced apart from each other in a lengthwise direction. The ribs allow for some thermal expansion of the liner body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Timothy William Patterson, JR., Kristoffer H. Ridgeway, Chandrasekhar V. Nori, Eric J. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 9306227
    Abstract: A flow field plate for use in a fuel cell includes a non-porous plate body having a flow field that extends between first and second ends of the non-porous plate body. The flow field includes a plurality of channels having channel inlets and channel outlets, a fluid inlet portion that diverges from the first end to the channel inlets, and a fluid outlet portion that converges from the channel outlets to the second end. A fuel cell including the flow field plate includes an electrode assembly having an electrolyte between an anode catalyst and a cathode catalyst. The flow field of the flow field plate is side by side with the electrode assembly. A method of processing a flow field plate includes forming the flow field in a non-porous plate body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Robert Mason Darling, Eric J. O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20130115539
    Abstract: Fuel cells and related assemblies involving directionally independent channels are provided. In this regard, a representative fuel cell stack (100) includes: a first fuel cell (102) having channels (116, 216, 316; 156, 256, 356) associated with an anode; and a second fuel cell (101), located adjacent the first fuel cell, having channels (128, 228, 328; 158, 258, 358) associated with a cathode, the channels associated with the cathode exhibiting directional independence (344) with respect to the channels associated with the anode. A ribbed, three plate (111, 211, 311; 121, 221, 321; 150, 250, 350), assembly (152, 252) may provide fuel reactant and anode coolant flow channels having a first parallel orientation (342) and oxidant reactant and cathode coolant flow channels having a second parallel orientation independent of and different (344) than the first orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventor: Eric J. O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20120164559
    Abstract: A flow field plate for use in a fuel cell includes a non-porous plate body having a flow field that extends between first and second ends of the non-porous plate body. The flow field includes a plurality of channels having channel inlets and channel outlets, a fluid inlet portion that diverges from the first end to the channel inlets, and a fluid outlet portion that converges from the channel outlets to the second end. A fuel cell including the flow field plate includes an electrode assembly having an electrolyte between an anode catalyst and a cathode catalyst. The flow field of the flow field plate is side by side with the electrode assembly. A method of processing a flow field plate includes forming the flow field in a non-porous plate body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Mason Darling, Eric J. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 8119047
    Abstract: A non-rotating drill pipe protector sleeve is molded in situ around a drill pipe tubing. The inner surface of the molded protector sleeve can be shaped to form a fluid bearing during use. Fixed stop collars may be molded in situ in the same mold and bonded to the tubing at opposing ends of the molded sleeve. Alternatively, a flexible sleeve liner made from a material having a hardness less than that of the sleeve's molding material can be used as a mold insert around the tubing. The liner can be bonded to the molded sleeve material when the sleeve is molded around the liner. The interior surface of the liner can be shaped to form a fluid bearing for the inside surface of the molded sleeve. Reinforcing inserts and wear pads can be placed in the mold region of the sleeve. Chemical and/or mechanical bonding is provided between the liner reinforcement and the material from which the sleeve is molded. Reinforcing inserts and wear pads also can be placed in the mold regions for the stop collars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: WWT International, Inc.
    Inventors: N. Bruce Moore, Eric J. O'Neal, Sarah B. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20120009502
    Abstract: A flow field plate for use in a fuel cell includes a non-porous plate body having a flow field. The flow field includes a plurality of channels and a flow distribution portion adjacent an end of the plurality of channels for distributing fluid between a manifold and the channels. A flow guide within the flow distribution portion establishes a desired flow distribution between the manifold and the plurality of channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Mason Darling, Eric J. O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20080217063
    Abstract: A non-rotating drill pipe protector sleeve is molded in situ around a drill pipe tubing. The inner surface of the molded protector sleeve can be shaped to form a fluid bearing during use. Fixed stop collars may be molded in situ in the same mold and bonded to the tubing at opposing ends of the molded sleeve. Alternatively, a flexible sleeve liner made from a material having a hardness less than that of the sleeve's molding material can be used as a mold insert around the tubing. The liner can be bonded to the molded sleeve material when the sleeve is molded around the liner. The interior surface of the liner can be shaped to form a fluid bearing for the inside surface of the molded sleeve. Reinforcing inserts and wear pads can be placed in the mold region of the sleeve. Chemical and/or mechanical bonding is provided between the liner reinforcement and the material from which the sleeve is molded. Reinforcing inserts and wear pads also can be placed in the mold regions for the stop collars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: N. Bruce Moore, Eric J. O'Neal, Sarah B. Mitchell