Patents by Inventor Franz-Josef Wetzel
Franz-Josef Wetzel 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).
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Patent number: 11746852Abstract: A drive assembly for a two-wheeled vehicle, wherein a closed chain is guided around a drive pinion and a sprocket for output. The chain is formed by pins, on each a bush rotatable about the center longitudinal axis of the pin, a roller provided on each bushing, for rotation around the bushing and has play, and the pins being connected to each other at two opposite ends by means of plates. The outer surface of the bushings and the rollers is coated with pure ta-C, having no further chemical elements except for unavoidable trace elements resulting from production in a PVD method. An Ra roughness between 0.03 ?m and 0.2 ?m and/or an Rz roughness between 0.3 ?m and 2 ?m is adhered to the surface of the coatings. The surfaces of the pinion and the sprocket in contact with the rollers do not have a coating of diamond-like carbon.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2018Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignees: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERONG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.VInventors: Franz-Josef Wetzel, Sascha Groetzki, Lionel Mathern, Volker Weihnacht, Andreas Leson
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Publication number: 20200232541Abstract: A drive assembly for a two-wheeled vehicle, wherein a closed chain is guided around a drive pinion and a sprocket for output. The chain is formed by pins, on each a bush rotatable about the center longitudinal axis of the pin, a roller provided on each bushing, for rotation around the bushing and has play, and the pins being connected to each other at two opposite ends by means of plates. The outer surface of the bushings and the rollers is coated with pure ta-C, having no further chemical elements except for unavoidable trace elements resulting from production in a PVD method. An Ra roughness between 0.03 ?m and 0.2 ?m and/or an Rz roughness between 0.3 ?m and 2 ?m is adhered to the surface of the coatings. The surfaces of the pinion and the sprocket in contact with the rollers do not have a coating of diamond-like carbon.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2018Publication date: July 23, 2020Applicants: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.Inventors: Franz-Josef WETZEL, Sascha GROETZKI, Lionel MATHERN, Volker WEIHNACHT, Andreas LESON
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Patent number: 7348093Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell stack which is composed of several individual fuel cells that are stacked on top of each other. Each of said fuel cells comprises a cathode-electrolyte-anode unit (7) and a perforated film (1) which distributes a combustible gas across the first electrode surface thereof, supports the cathode-electrolyte-anode unit (7), and is combined into a cassette (4) that is provided with a hollow space along with an additional structure (3). The combustible gas reaches the first electrode (7A) via said cassette (4).Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: March 25, 2008Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellscaftInventors: Maximilian Danzer, Franz-Josef Wetzel, Xiaofeng Yan, Thomas Hoefler, Bernd Kuhn, Andreas Oswald Stoermer, Olav Finkenwirth
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Patent number: 7261969Abstract: A fuel cell includes a cathode-electrolyte-anode unit, and a perforated foil structure distributes fuel gas over an electrode surface thereof. Longitudinal axes of at least some of the holes forming perforations in the foil are inclined differently relative to the foil surface such that, near a fuel gas feed, the outlet openings of the holes facing the electrode are oriented at least slightly toward the area of the fuel gas outlet from the fuel cell. Near a fuel gas outlet, the inlet openings of the holes facing the electrode are oriented at least slightly to the area of the fuel gas feed. However, holes whose inlet openings facing away from the electrode are oriented toward the fuel gas feed, and holes whose outlet openings facing away from the electrode are oriented toward the fuel gas outlet, may also be arranged alternately side-by-side.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Maximilian Danzer, Franz-Josef Wetzel, Xiaofeng Yan, Thomas Hoefler, Bernd Kuhn, Andreas Oswald Stoermer, Olav Finkenwirth
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Patent number: 7226682Abstract: A fuel cell includes at least one individual cell with an electrolyte/electrode unit, as well as at least one conducting end or intermediate plate, via which a gaseous reactant can be supplied to an electrode at least in one inlet region. In order to lower power losses, as well as the need for gas circulation, the end or intermediate plate is designed so that in terms of flow, a heat exchange region is incorporated before an inlet region, and heat is removed from an anode side of the individual cell in the heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2003Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Tachtler, Franz-Josef Wetzel
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Publication number: 20050175884Abstract: A fuel cell includes a cathode-electrolyte-anode unit, and a perforated foil structure distributes fuel gas over an electrode surface thereof. Longitudinal axes of at least some of the holes forming perforations in the foil are inclined differently relative to the foil surface such that, near a fuel gas feed, the outlet openings of the holes facing the electrode are oriented at least slightly toward the area of the fuel gas outlet from the fuel cell. Near a fuel gas outlet, the inlet openings of the holes facing the electrode are oriented at least slightly to the area of the fuel gas feed. However, holes whose inlet openings facing away from the electrode are oriented toward the fuel gas feed, and holes whose outlet openings facing away from the electrode are oriented toward the fuel gas outlet, may also be arranged alternately side-by-side.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2005Publication date: August 11, 2005Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Maximilian Danzer, Franz-Josef Wetzel, Xiaofeng Yan, Thomas Hoefler, Bernd Kuhn, Andreas Stoermer, Olav Finkenwirth
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Patent number: 6918365Abstract: A system comprising an internal combustion engine, which particularly serves to provide the locomotion of a vehicle, and a fuel cell, which serves, among other things, to generate current for electrical units of the vehicle is provided. In order to utilize the heat loss of the fuel cell when the vehicle is stationary as well as the residual heat of the fuel cell for the internal combustion engine, a thermal coupling of the fuel cell and the internal combustion engine is provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2003Date of Patent: July 19, 2005Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Franz-Josef Wetzel, Joachim Tachtler
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Patent number: 6874314Abstract: A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a catalyst operatively associated with the internal combustion engine for processing exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine, and a fuel cell thermally coupled with the catalyst in such a manner that heat in waste gases of the fuel cell is supplied at least partially to the catalyst to heat the catalyst.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2003Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AGInventors: Joachim Tachtler, Franz-Josef Wetzel
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Publication number: 20050014046Abstract: A fuel cell includes at least one individual cell with an electrolyte/electrode unit, as well as at least one conducting end or intermediate plate, via which a gaseous reactant can be supplied to an electrode at least in one inlet region. In order to lower power losses, as well as the need for gas circulation, the end or intermediate plate is designed so that in terms of flow, a heat exchange region is incorporated before an inlet region, and heat is removed from an anode side of the individual cell in the heat exchanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2003Publication date: January 20, 2005Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Tachtler, Franz-Josef Wetzel
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Publication number: 20040185326Abstract: For manufacturing an individual fuel cell, first a knit or a similar porous support structure, such as, for example, a fabric, weave or plait of one or more metal wires is produced, upon which subsequently an cathode-electrolyte-anode unit is applied coat-by-coat and step-by-step. A fuel cell stack can then be assembled from the individual cells, with the individual cells separated from one another by bipolar plates. Locally different resistances to flow are provided to influence the reaction sequence in the individual fuel cell in a desired manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2003Publication date: September 23, 2004Inventors: Franz-Josef Wetzel, Rudolf Henne, Erich Bittner
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Publication number: 20040081874Abstract: A system includes a fuel cell, and a heat exchanger coupled to the fuel cell. The heat exchanger is arranged upstream of the fuel cell in a flow of gaseous reactants for the fuel cell for preheating gaseous reactants and downstream of the fuel cell in a flow of at least a portion of the waste gas from the fuel cell. The heat exchanger is directly integrated with the fuel cell so that there is a direct flow transition from the heat exchanger to the flow cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2003Publication date: April 29, 2004Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Tachtler, Franz-Josef Wetzel, Bernhard Edlinger
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Publication number: 20040079075Abstract: A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a catalyst operatively associated with the internal combustion engine for processing exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine, and a fuel cell thermally coupled with the catalyst in such a manner that heat in waste gases of the fuel cell is supplied at least partially to the catalyst to heat the catalyst.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2003Publication date: April 29, 2004Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Tachtler, Franz-Josef Wetzel
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Publication number: 20040060523Abstract: A system comprising an internal combustion engine, which particularly serves to provide the locomotion of a vehicle, and a fuel cell, which serves, among other things, to generate current for electrical units of the vehicle is provided. In order to utilize the heat loss of the fuel cell when the vehicle is stationary as well as the residual heat of the fuel cell for the internal combustion engine, a thermal coupling of the fuel cell and the internal combustion engine is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2003Publication date: April 1, 2004Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Franz-Josef Wetzel, Joachim Tachtler
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Publication number: 20040058211Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell system in a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. The fuel cell system comprise; at least one fuel cell that can be operated with hydrogen or combustion gas that is produced in a reformer; an internal combustion engine, which is operated with the same or with another combustion gas, and; optionally comprises an auxiliary heating device. In order to increase the overall efficiency of the fuel cell system, the invention provides that an outlet of the fuel cell can be brought into flow connection with an inlet of the internal combustion engine or with an inlet of an auxiliary heating device in order to utilize the excess of combustion gas in the exhaust gas of the fuel cell. The fuel cell is, in particular, operated with a volume flow that ensures a maximum electric power output.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Applicant: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Joachim Tachtler, Franz-Josef Wetzel