Patents by Inventor Hans-Rainer Zerfass

Hans-Rainer Zerfass 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: 10170775
    Abstract: A method for producing a glass solder green seal, wherein a paste comprising a glass solder powder is applied to the surface of a screen, which on the bottom side and in the screen mesh comprises regions having a coating impermeable to the paste, and the paste is pushed through the screen onto a substrate and subsequently dried, wherein printing is carried out onto an intermediate carrier serving as the substrate, from which the dried glass solder green seal can be completely detached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Federmann, Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Sonja-Michaela Gross-Barsnick
  • Patent number: 9812716
    Abstract: In order to provide a sealing assembly for a fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cell units, which are arranged consecutively in a stacking direction, wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises a housing with at least one housing part made of a metallic material, which also has an adequate electrical insulation effect and an adequate mechanical strength at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, it is proposed that the sealing assembly comprises at least one intermediate element made of a metallic material, wherein the intermediate element is soldered to a housing part of a first fuel cell unit at at least one location by means of a metal solder and is secured to a housing part of a second fuel cell unit at at least another location, wherein the intermediate element and/or the housing part of the first fuel cell unit is provided with a coating made of a ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Armin Diez, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz, Peter Lamp, Manfred Wier, Joachim Tachtler
  • Publication number: 20160072137
    Abstract: A method for producing a glass solder green seal, wherein a paste comprising a glass solder powder is applied to the surface of a screen, which on the bottom side and in the screen mesh comprises regions having a coating impermeable to the paste, and the paste is pushed through the screen onto a substrate and subsequently dried, wherein printing is carried out onto an intermediate carrier serving as the substrate, from which the dried glass solder green seal can be completely detached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Dirk FEDERMANN, Hans-Rainer ZERFASS, Sonja-Michaela GROSS-BARSNICK
  • Patent number: 9112193
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sealing assembly for metal components, wherein the sealing assembly has an electrical insulating effect, and wherein the sealing assembly comprises a ceramic layer and a base brazing material disposed thereon, to which germanium is added. The addition of germanium advantageously ranges from 0.1 to 5.0 mol %, and preferably between 0.5 and 2.5 mol %. A particular embodiment provides for the use of a brazing material which additionally comprises silicon in the range of >0 to 2.5 mol %, and preferably between 0.1 and 0.9 mol %. Furthermore, a brazing material having a further addition of 10 to 40% by volume of Al2TiO5, and preferably between 20 and 30% by volume of Al2TiO5, has proven to be particularly suited for the sealing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JUELICH GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Dirk Federmann
  • Publication number: 20140147767
    Abstract: In order to provide a sealing assembly for a fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cell units, which are arranged consecutively in a stacking direction, wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises a housing with at least one housing part made of a metallic material, which also has an adequate electrical insulation effect and an adequate mechanical strength at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, it is proposed that the sealing assembly comprises at least one intermediate element made of a metallic material, wherein the intermediate element is soldered to a housing part of a first fuel cell unit at at least one location by means of a metal solder and is secured to a housing part of a second fuel cell unit at at least another location, wherein the intermediate element and/or the housing part of the first fuel cell unit is provided with a coating made of a ceramic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Armin Diez, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz, Peter Lamp, Manfred Wier, Joachim Tachtler
  • Patent number: 8663864
    Abstract: In a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units, which are arranged consecutively in a stacking direction, wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises a housing with at least one housing part made of a metallic material, which has an adequate electrical insulation effect and an adequate mechanical strength at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, a sealing assembly is provided and comprises at least one intermediate element made of a metallic material, wherein the intermediate element is soldered to a housing part of a first fuel cell unit at at least one location by a metal solder and is secured to a housing part of a second fuel cell unit at at least another location, wherein the intermediate element and/or the housing part of the first fuel cell unit is provided with a coating made of a ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Armin Diez, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz, Peter Lamp, Manfred Wier, Joachim Tachtler
  • Publication number: 20110003228
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sealing assembly for metal components, wherein the sealing assembly has an electrical insulating effect, and wherein the sealing assembly comprises a ceramic layer and a base brazing material disposed thereon, to which germanium is added. The addition of germanium advantageously ranges from 0.1 to 5.0 mol %, and preferably between 0.5 and 2.5 mol %. A particular embodiment provides for the use of a brazing material which additionally comprises silicon in the range of>0 to 2.5 mol %, and preferably between 0.1 and 0.9 mol %. Furthermore, a brazing material having a further addition of 10 to 40% by volume of Al2TiO5, and preferably between 20 and 30% by volume of Al2TiO5, has proven to be particularly suited for the sealing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Dirk Federmann
  • Publication number: 20100310964
    Abstract: In order to provide a sealing assembly for a fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cell units, which are arranged consecutively in a stacking direction, wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises a housing with at least one housing part made of a metallic material, which also has an adequate electrical insulation effect and an adequate mechanical strength at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, it is proposed that the sealing assembly comprises at least one intermediate element made of a metallic material, wherein the intermediate element is soldered to a housing part of a first fuel cell unit at least one location by means of a metal solder and is secured to a housing part of a second fuel cell unit at least another location, wherein the intermediate element and/or the housing part of the first fuel cell unit is provided with a coating made of a ceramic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Armin Diez, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz, Peter Lamp, Manfred Wier, Joachim Tachtler
  • Patent number: 7550018
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing an electrically insulating sealing arrangement for a fuel cell stack which comprises a plurality of fuel cell units that succeed one another along a stack direction by means of which the housings of the fuel cell units are connectable to one another in such a way that an adequate electrically insulating effect and adequate mechanical rigidity are ensured even at the high operating temperature. The method involves producing a ceramic metal layer and at least partially converting the metal of the ceramic metal layer into an electrically non conductive compound so as to produce a non conductive boundary layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Rudolf Henne, Johannes Arnold
  • Publication number: 20080220313
    Abstract: In order to produce a seal arrangement for a fuel cell stack which comprises a plurality of fuel cell units that succeed one another in a stack direction wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises a housing incorporating at least one housing part consisting of a metallic material such that it exhibits an adequate electrically insulating effect and adequate mechanical rigidity even at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, it is proposed that the seal arrangement comprises at least one housing part of a first fuel cell unit consisting of a metallic material which is provided with a coating of a ceramic material, wherein the housing part of the first fuel cell unit is brazed to a housing part of a second fuel cell unit by means of a metallic braze at least one position that is provided with the ceramic coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Armin Diez, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz
  • Patent number: 7422818
    Abstract: A sealing structure in a fuel cell and/or an electrolyzer (particularly a solid-oxide fuel cell and/or a solid-oxide electrolyzer) is arranged between neighboring separator plates of a cell stack. The sealing structure is constructed in at least two layers, including at least one insulating layer and at least one sealing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Olav Finkenwirth, Bernd Kuhn, Hans-Rainer Zerfass
  • Publication number: 20070231664
    Abstract: In order to produce a fuell cell stack which comprises a plurality of fuel cell units succeeding one another in the direction of the pile and wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises a housing incorporating at least one housing part consisting of a metallic material, such that the fuel cell units thereof are of simple construction and also exhibit an adequate electrically insulating effect and adequate mechanical rigidity even at a high operating temperature of the fuel pile, it is proposed that the fuell cell stack should comprise at least one distributor element which comprises at least one gas distribution channel for supplying a fuel gas or an oxidizing agent to a plurality of fuel cell units or for removing an exhaust gas or surplus oxidizing agent from a plurality of fuel cell units, wherein at least one housing part of at least one fuel cell unit is brazed to the at least one distributor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Armin Diez, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz
  • Publication number: 20070065707
    Abstract: In order to provide a method of producing an electrically insulating sealing arrangement for a fuel cell stack which comprises a plurality of fuel cell units that succeed one another along a stack direction by means of which the housings of the fuel cell units are connectable to one another in such a way that an adequate electrically insulating effect and adequate mechanical rigidity are ensured even at the high operating temperature, it is proposed that the method comprise the following process steps: producing a ceramic metal layer from a mixture of a ceramic material and a metal material and/or a metal precursor; and at least partially converting the metal of the ceramic metal layer into an electrically non conductive metal compound so as to produce a non conductive boundary layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Rudolf Henne, Johannes Arnold
  • Publication number: 20070003811
    Abstract: In order to provide a sealing arrangement for a fuel cell stack, which comprises a plurality of fuel cell units, which are arranged consecutively in a stacking direction, wherein the sealing arrangement has an electrical insulation effect, and which also has an adequate electrical insulation effect and an adequate mechanical strength at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, it is proposed that the sealing arrangement comprises at least one ceramic-metal layer formed from a mixture of a ceramic material and a metal material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Rudolf Henne, Johannes Arnold
  • Patent number: 7086651
    Abstract: The invention relates to the application of a projection to a metal layer of a metallic cylinder-head gasket for an internal-combustion engine having at least one elastic metal sheet, which is provided with one opening or a plurality of adjacent openings depending on the number of combustion chambers of the internal-combustion engine, a bead being provided in the at least one elastic metal sheet around each opening, at a distance from the latter, so that a straight section of sheet metal is left clear in the region of the edge of the opening, for which bead a spring travel limiter or stopper, which runs coaxially with respect to the bead and is formed by the projection, is provided, the projection being produced from a mixture which contains a plastic with a high mineral filler content. A mixture of an elastomer in particular with a filler which has been surface-treated by means of a silane is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Viktor Winkovic
  • Publication number: 20060083978
    Abstract: In order to provide a sealing assembly for a fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cell units, which are arranged consecutively in a stacking direction, wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises a housing with at least one housing part made of a metallic material, which also has an adequate electrical insulation effect and an adequate mechanical strength at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, it is proposed that the sealing assembly comprises at least one intermediate element made of a metallic material, wherein the intermediate element is soldered to a housing part of a first fuel cell unit at at least one location by means of a metal solder and is secured to a housing part of a second fuel cell unit at at least another location, wherein the intermediate element and/or the housing part of the first fuel cell unit is provided with a coating made of a ceramic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventors: Hans-Rainer Zerfass, Armin Diez, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz, Peter Lamp, Manfred Wier, Joachim Tachtler
  • Patent number: 6949306
    Abstract: In order to provide a high temperature resistant adhesive based on water glass which is particularly suited for sticking metal substrates and which remains gas-tight and does not lose its electrical insulating properties even at high operational temperatures, it is proposed that the adhesive should comprise an additive in the form of boron nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Elring Klinger AG
    Inventors: Thomas Anhorn, Peter Schenk, Hans-Rainer Zerfass
  • Publication number: 20050186463
    Abstract: A sealing structure in a fuel cell and/or an electrolyzer (particularly a solid-oxide fuel cell and/or a solid-oxide electrolyzer) is arranged between neighboring separator plates of a cell stack. The sealing structure is constructed in at least two layers, including at least one insulating layer and at least one sealing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
    Inventors: Olav Finkenwirth, Bernd Kuhn, Hans-Rainer Zerfass
  • Publication number: 20050153188
    Abstract: In order to provide a component of a fuel cell unit that has an electric insulation effect at the operating temperature of the fuel cell unit and that has an adequate electrically insulating effect and an adequate mechanical strength also at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell unit, it is proposed that the component comprises a basic body and at least one electrically insulating insulation layer, which is disposed on the basic body and contains aluminium oxide, wherein the insulation layer is produced by anodizing an aluminium-containing layer disposed on the basic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Schenk, Hans-Rainer Zerfass
  • Publication number: 20050121500
    Abstract: In order to provide a method for producing a soldered joint between a substrate for at least one electrode and a contact element of a fuel cell unit which results in the substrate being reliably soldered to the contact element but without impairing the functioning of the substrate by surplus solder material, it is proposed that the method comprise the following process steps: applying a mixture, which comprises a soldering material and a bonding agent containing an elastomer material and/or a resin, to the contact element and/or the substrate; bringing the substrate and the contact element into contact; soldering the substrate and the contact element by heating them up to a soldering temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Schenk, Hans-Rainer Zerfass