Patents by Inventor Juergen KRAFT

Juergen KRAFT 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: 20240117049
    Abstract: The invention relates to novel bispecific antigen binding molecules, comprising at least two antigen binding domains capable of specific binding to OX40 and a particular antigen binding domain capable of specific binding to Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP), and to methods of producing these molecules and to methods of using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.
    Inventors: Maria AMANN, Juergen Peter BACHL, Alexander BUJOTZEK, Carina CANTRILL, Harald DUERR, Janine FAIGLE, Sabine IMHOF-JUNG, Christian KLEIN, Thomas KRAFT, Estelle MARRER-BERGER, Ekkehard MOESSNER, Laurene POUSSE, Petra RUEGER, Johannes SAM, Roland STAACK, Dietrich TUERCK, Pablo UMANA, Joerg ZIELONKA
  • Patent number: 11923570
    Abstract: An assembly for an electrochemical device is provided, including a gas diffusion layer and a sealing element produced on the gas diffusion layer. The sealing element includes an inner sealing region fixed to the gas diffusion layer and an outer sealing region connected to the gas diffusion layer via the inner sealing region. The assembly has minimal warpage without the temperature in the injection molding tool having to be lowered and/or a geometric pre-compensation of the warpage of the sealing element in the inner sealing region. The sealing element includes a relief region arranged between the inner and outer sealing regions and a) includes a relief opening extending through the sealing element and/or b) has a smallest height (he), which is smaller than both one fourth of the greatest height (HI) of the inner sealing region and one fourth of the greatest height (HA) of the outer sealing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: EKPO FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Stahl, Oliver Fink, Karsten Dahl, Juergen Kraft
  • Publication number: 20240072280
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for starting a fuel cell stack at temperatures below the freezing point of a reaction product produced during the reaction between an anode-side fuel and a cathode-side fuel. The fuel cell stack comprises a plurality of individual cells having at least one internal cell which is arranged in the stacking direction in the interior of the fuel cell stack and an edge cell which is arranged in the stacking direction at the edge of the fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack is connected to a cooling circuit having cooling fluid for cooling the fuel cell stack, which cooling fluid can be conducted through the fuel cell stack by a pump arranged in the cooling circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Dominik BERON, Jürgen KRAFT, Stefan HEMMER, Tobias KRÜGER, Michael GÖTZ
  • Publication number: 20230411664
    Abstract: In order to provide a fuel cell device which is easy and cost-effective to manufacture and preferably has improved durability, it is proposed according to the invention that the fuel cell device comprises the following: -a fuel cell stack unit; -a supporting frame, in particular a housing, in which the fuel cell stack unit is arranged, -a bearing device, by means of which the fuel cell stack unit is mounted in the supporting frame, in particular in the housing, wherein the fuel cell device comprises a fixed bearing device and a floating bearing device, wherein the floating bearing device comprises one or more floating bearing units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Manuel MORCOS, Kai WAHL, Gerhard SCHULLER, Fabian MÖNCH, Jürgen KRAFT
  • Patent number: 11764386
    Abstract: A fuel cell device is provided, including a fuel cell stack, which includes a plurality of fuel cell units following each other in a stacking direction, and two end plates, between which the fuel cell stack is arranged. With the fuel cell device, harmful effects from hydrogen exiting the fuel cell units are avoided without making access to the fuel cell units impossible or causing a disproportionately large maintenance expenditure. The fuel cell device includes an enclosure which surrounds the fuel cell stack and the end plates, wherein the free remaining volume that remains within the enclosure between the enclosure, the fuel cell stack, and the end plates is less than 20% of the internal volume of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: EKPO FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Kraft, Michael Goetz, Manuel Morcos
  • Publication number: 20230091303
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flow element, in particular, as a component of a bipolar plate of an electrochemical device, comprising a plate-like base body that extends in two main directions of extension that are oriented at an angle in relation to one another, and has an extension in a height direction that is oriented transversely and in particular perpendicularly thereto, wherein the base body has a channel structure having a plurality of channels that are arranged laterally adjacent to one another, wherein the channels are formed by recesses in the base body and are separated from one another by raised portions, arranged between the recesses, of the base body, wherein regions having a normal level difference, defined in the height direction, as a height difference between a raised portion and an adjoining recess are provided, as well as regions having a level difference, reduced in comparison with the normal level difference, as a height difference between a raised portion and an adjoining recess, wherein,
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen KRAFT, Manuel MORCOS, Michael GÖTZ, Wadim KAISER
  • Publication number: 20230016017
    Abstract: In order to create a bipolar plate for an electrochemical device, comprising at least one first bipolar plate layer and one second bipolar plate layer, between which an edge channel extending along a longitudinal direction is formed, and comprising a fluid channel running substantially in parallel to the edge channel, in which bipolar plate at least an edge channel portion of the edge channel can be flowed through by a fluid media to be supplied to the electrochemical device, for example by a fluid reaction media or by a cooling media, even though the edge channel has no direct fluidic connection to a medium channel by which the respective fluid media is supplied to the electrochemical device, it is proposed that the bipolar plate comprises at least one fluidic connection through which a fluid medium can flow from the edge channel into the adjacent fluid channel and/or from the adjacent fluid channel into the edge channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Jürgen KRAFT, Michael GÖTZ, Manuel MORCOS
  • Patent number: 11557771
    Abstract: In order to provide an electrochemically active unit for an electrochemical device including a membrane electrode assembly, at least one gas diffusion layer and a seal that is linked to at least one of the at least one gas diffusion layers, in the manufacture whereof as even as possible a construction of the penetration region in which the gas diffusion layer of the electrochemically active unit is penetrated by the sealing material of the seal over the periphery of the gas diffusion layer is achievable, the seal includes a linking region, a distribution region and a connection region that connects the linking region and the distribution region to one another, wherein the connection region has a minimum height that is less than a quarter of the maximum height of the distribution region and less than a quarter of the maximum height of the linking region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Stahl, Juergen Kraft, Karsten Dahl, Oliver Fink, Alexander Groeh
  • Patent number: 11552309
    Abstract: An electrochemical device comprises a stack consisting of a plurality of electrochemical units which succeed one another along a stack direction and which each include a membrane electrode arrangement, a bipolar plate and at least one sealing element, at least one medium channel which extends along the stack direction, a flow field through which a medium can flow from the medium channel to another medium channel, and a connection channel through which the flow field and the medium channel are in fluid connection with one another, wherein the sealing arrangement includes a connection channel region in which the sealing arrangement crosses the connection channel, and at least one neighboring region which is located in front of or behind the connection channel region in the longitudinal direction of the sealing arrangement, wherein the sealing arrangement has a lower average height in the connection channel region than in the neighboring region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Juergen Kraft, Peter Stahl, Michael Goetz, Manuel Morcos
  • Publication number: 20220384822
    Abstract: In order to create an electrochemical device, comprising a plurality of electrochemical units, which succeed one another along a stack direction, wherein each electrochemical unit comprises a bipolar plate and an electrically insulating seal, and a clamping device for clamping the electrochemical units along the stack direction, in which electrochemical device the risk of a short circuit between adjacent bipolar plates is reduced without the expenditure for the production of the electrochemical device being excessively increased, it is proposed that at least one seal of at least one electrochemical unit in the pressed state protrudes laterally beyond a contour of the bipolar plate of the electrochemical unit in a direction of protrusion directed perpendicularly to the stack direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Peter STAHL, Jürgen KRAFT, Manuel MORCOS, Michael GÖTZ
  • Patent number: 11469436
    Abstract: In order to provide a fuel cell device which can be produced simply and cost-effectively, it is proposed that the fuel cell device comprises the following: a plurality of fuel cell elements which are stacked one on top of another along a stacking direction and form a fuel cell stack; a clamping device for securing the fuel cell elements; a fluid guide unit for supplying fuel and/or oxidizer and/or coolant to the fuel cell elements and/or for removing fuel and/or oxidizer and/or exhaust gas and/or coolant from the fuel cell elements, wherein the clamping device comprises two or more crossmembers which extend at least approximately perpendicularly to the stacking direction, wherein in each case at least one crossmember is arranged at each end of the fuel cell stack, wherein the crossmembers can be drawn towards one another by means of clamping elements and the fuel cell stack can thereby be clamped between the crossmembers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Stefan Hemmer, Jürgen Kraft, Manuel Morcos, Michael Götz, Wadim Kaiser
  • Publication number: 20220320533
    Abstract: A method for producing a multi-layer bipolar plate for an electrochemical device is disclosed. The method includes producing at least one sealing element made of an elastic material on a first bipolar plate layer of the bipolar plate; connecting the first bipolar plate layer with the sealing element produced thereon and a second bipolar plate layer of the bipolar plate by welding along at least one connection welding seam, in which method an impairment to the sealing element produced on the first bipolar plate layer as a result of a subsequent welding operation can be reliably avoided and the freedom of design of the electrochemical unit is preferably increased, and that during the welding operation, the second bipolar plate layer faces toward a welding energy source and that during the welding operation, a weld pool produced by the welding energy source does not completely penetrate the first bipolar plate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Peter Stahl, Juergen Kraft
  • Patent number: 11183698
    Abstract: A fuel cell device is provided, including a media system for supplying fluid media to electrochemical units of the fuel cell device and/or for discharging fluid media from the electrochemical units of the fuel cell device, wherein the media system includes at least one valve to which, in a standard operating state of the fuel cell device, an electrical standard input power is suppliable in order to maintain the valve in a desired valve state. The fuel cell device is able to be reliably started with as little effort as possible, even under frost conditions. The fuel cell device is switchable into a heating operating state in which an electrical heating input power that is greater than the electrical standard input power is suppliable to the at least one valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Stefan Hemmer, Peter Stahl, Juergen Kraft
  • Patent number: 11158913
    Abstract: A bipolar plate for an electrochemical device, including a first bipolar plate layer and a second bipolar plate layer joined by a weld seam arrangement, wherein the first bipolar plate layer has a first and a second medium passage opening. The weld seam arrangement includes a first and a second medium channel weld seam, and a connecting weld seam which crosses the first and the second medium channel weld seams. Either a) the connecting weld seam is produced by a welding energy source which the first bipolar plate layer faced during the welding process, and the weld seam end of the connecting weld seam lies within the medium-conducting region of the bipolar plate which is surrounded by the first medium channel weld seam, and/or b) the connecting weld seam crosses the first medium channel weld seam and/or the second medium channel weld seam at least twice in each case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Arno Bayer, Peter Stahl, Juergen Kraft
  • Publication number: 20210135254
    Abstract: An assembly for an electrochemical device is provided, including a gas diffusion layer and a sealing element produced on the gas diffusion layer. The sealing element includes an inner sealing region fixed to the gas diffusion layer and an outer sealing region connected to the gas diffusion layer via the inner sealing region. The assembly has minimal warpage without the temperature in the injection molding tool having to be lowered and/or a geometric pre-compensation of the warpage of the sealing element in the inner sealing region. The sealing element includes a relief region arranged between the inner and outer sealing regions and a) includes a relief opening extending through the sealing element and/or b) has a smallest height (he), which is smaller than both one fourth of the greatest height (H1) of the inner sealing region and one fourth of the greatest height (HA) of the outer sealing region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Stahl, Oliver Fink, Karsten Dahl, Juergen Kraft
  • Publication number: 20210126266
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing an electrochemically active unit that includes a membrane and at least one assembly, which includes a gas diffusion layer and a sealing element produced on the gas diffusion layer. The method is reliably performable with less expenditure on process apparatuses and process time and includes the following: producing the sealing element on the gas diffusion layer; connecting the sealing element and/or the gas diffusion layer to a support element; and assembling the membrane and the at least one assembly, which includes the gas diffusion layer and the sealing element, to form the electrochemically active unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Stahl, Juergen Kraft
  • Publication number: 20210126275
    Abstract: An electrochemical device is provided, including: a stack of a plurality of electrochemical units succeeding one another along a stacking direction, each including an electrochemically active membrane electrode arrangement, a bipolar plate, and a sealing system; at least one medium channel extending along the stacking direction through a plurality of electrochemical units; and a flow field via which a medium from the medium channel can flow transversely to the stacking direction to another medium channel. The sealing system includes a flow field sealing arrangement extending around a flow field, and a medium channel sealing arrangement extending around a medium channel. The flow field sealing arrangement is fixed to the membrane electrode arrangement and the medium channel sealing arrangement is fixed to the bipolar plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Stahl, Juergen Kraft
  • Publication number: 20200381748
    Abstract: An electrochemical device is provided, including a stack of a plurality of electrochemical units, at least one medium channel extending along a stack direction, at least one flow field via which a medium is able to flow transversely to the stack direction from the medium channel to another medium channel, and at least one connecting channel via which the flow field and the medium channel are in fluidic connection. The connecting channel has a medium channel-side mouth opening extending along a circumferential direction of the flow field from a first medium channel-side rim to a second medium channel-side rim, and a flow field-side mouth opening extending along the circumferential direction from a first to a second flow field-side rim. At least one of the flow field-side rims is offset away from the respective other flow field-side rim along the circumferential direction in relation to one of the medium channel-side rims.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Juergen Kraft, Manuel Morcos
  • Patent number: 10840516
    Abstract: To provide a flow element which in particular is used as a component of a bipolar plate in electrochemical devices, which is stable and permits efficient flow guiding, it is proposed that the flow element comprises a plate-like main body that is formed as a shaped sheet metal product and has a channel structure, wherein the channel structure comprises a plurality of channels which are formed by recesses in the main body and are separated from one another by raised portions of the main body, wherein there is provided at least one region with normal level difference that defines, with respect to a height direction running perpendicular to two main directions of extent of the main body, a height difference between a recess and an adjoining raised portion, wherein there is provided at least one region with reduced level difference, in which a height difference between a recess and an adjoining raised portion is less than the normal level difference, wherein the at least one region with reduced level difference co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Juergen Kraft, Manuel Morcos, Michael Goetz
  • Patent number: 10833337
    Abstract: An electrochemical device is provided that includes a stack of a plurality of electrochemical units that succeed one another in a stacking direction and each include an electrochemically active membrane electrode assembly, at least one gas diffusion layer and a bipolar plate having at least one flow field, in which at least one flow field is sealed off simply and reliably and the occurrence of parasitic flows is prevented, wherein at least one bipolar plate has at least one edge web, which borders a flow field of the bipolar plate and is in contact with a gas diffusion layer adjacent to the bipolar plate, and wherein the electrochemical device further includes at least one flow field seal element that seals off the flow field bordered by the edge web and is in contact with the edge web and in contact with the gas diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Peter Stahl, Juergen Kraft, Michael Goetz