Patents by Inventor Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr

Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr 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: 8875735
    Abstract: A coolant reservoir and associated multi-functional unit for a thermal sub-system of a fuel cell system. The coolant reservoir includes a flame arrester positioned in a gas region of the reservoir. The multi-functional unit includes a first pressure relief valve that automatically opens if the pressure within the gas region goes above a first predetermined pressure. The multi-functional unit may also include a second pressure release valve that quickly releases pressure in the coolant reservoir if the pressure within the gas region goes above a second higher predetermined pressure. The multi-functional unit also includes an air-line and a check valve for allowing ambient air to enter the gas region if the pressure within the gas region falls below ambient pressure. The multi-functional unit also includes a cooling fluid fill line having plumbing that causes the coolant reservoir to vent prior to a cooling fluid cap being removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Rainer Pechtold, Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr
  • Patent number: 8053127
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a cooling tank reservoir with a pressure release valve and a cooling fluid conduit wrapped around the pressure release valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr
  • Patent number: 8007948
    Abstract: An ion exchange cartridge for a coolant system of a fuel cell stack is provided. The ion exchange cartridge includes a housing with an ion exchange resin disposed therein. The housing includes an inlet and at least one fluid-permeable outlet window configured for coolant to flow therethrough. The ion exchange cartridge is adapted to be removably disposed in the coolant system. An ion exchange cartridge assembly and a coolant tank assembly having the ion exchange cartridge are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr, Marlene Rinner, Mario Naretto Rosso
  • Publication number: 20090269639
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a cooling tank reservoir with a pressure release valve and a cooling fluid conduit wrapped around the pressure release valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr, Dirk Wexel
  • Publication number: 20090269638
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a cooling tank reservoir with a pressure release valve and a cooling fluid conduit wrapped around the pressure release valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr
  • Publication number: 20090233134
    Abstract: An ion exchange cartridge for a coolant system of a fuel cell stack is provided. The ion exchange cartridge includes a housing with an ion exchange resin disposed therein. The housing includes an inlet and at least one fluid-permeable outlet window configured for coolant to flow therethrough. The ion exchange cartridge is adapted to be removably disposed in the coolant system. An ion exchange cartridge assembly and a coolant tank assembly having the ion exchange cartridge are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Ralph T.J. Hobmeyr, Marlene Rinner, Mario Naretto Rosso
  • Patent number: 7413822
    Abstract: A device and method to convert residual hydrogen present in a fuel cell cooling system into water. An oxygen-bearing fluid is supplied to the cooling system from a source that also has elevated moisture levels to minimize the likelihood that the oxygen-bearing fluid will dry out or otherwise deplete the coolant in the cooling system. One or more valves are included to avoid the formation of adverse pressure gradients that could inhibit the continued supply of the oxygen-bearing fluid to the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr, Ferdinand Foeh, Uwe Hannesen
  • Patent number: 7368196
    Abstract: A fuel cell system with fuel cells displaying cooling channels assembled to form a fuel cell stack, with a coolant cycle in which coolant is circulated by a pump in a main cycle which includes the cooling channels and a cooler and with a heat storage unit and a heating device is characterized by the fact that the heat storage unit is arranged in a branch on the coolant cycle parallel to the cooler, that a heat exchanger that can be heated by the heating device is arranged in a second branch parallel to the heat storage unit, that a second pump in the first branch is arranged in front of the heat storage unit, that a two-way switching valve is provided which displays a first connection arranged in a first branch in front of the second pump, a second connection arranged in the first branch in front of the second pump and a third connection which is arranged in the second branch in front of the heat exchanger, and that a T connection is provided between the first branch, the second branch and the main cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dirk M. Wexel, Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr
  • Patent number: 7354669
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a process for preventing the freezing of water in a structural component containing at least one moving part in the anode cycle of a fuel cell system, characterized by the fact that at the time of a switching-off process the structural component is scavenged by a dry scavenging gas in order to remove a quantity of water present there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph T. J. Hobmeyr, Dirk M. Wexel
  • Publication number: 20040219401
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a process for preventing the freezing of water in a structural component containing at least one moving part in the anode cycle of a fuel cell system, characterized by the fact that at the time of a switching-off process the structural component is scavenged by a dry scavenging gas in order to remove a quantity of water present there.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Ralph T.J. Hobmeyr, Dirk M. Wexel
  • Publication number: 20040209135
    Abstract: A fuel cell system with fuel cells displaying cooling channels (26) assembled to form a fuel cell stack (10), with a coolant cycle (16) in which coolant is circulated by a pump (72) in a main cycle (70) which includes the cooling channels and a cooler (74) and with a heat storage unit (100) and a heating device (104) is characterized by the fact that the heat storage unit (100) is arranged in a branch (102) on the coolant cycle (16) parallel to the cooler (74), that a heat exchanger (106) that can be heated by the heating device (104) is arranged in a second branch (108) parallel to the heat storage unit (100), that a second pump (110) in the first branch (102) is arranged in front of the heat storage unit (100), that a two-way switching valve (112) is provided which displays a first connection (114) arranged in a first branch (102) in front of the second pump (110), a second connection (116) arranged in the first branch (102) in front of the second pump (110) and a third connection (118) which is arranged in
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Dirk M. Wexel, Ralph T.J. Hobmeyr