Patents by Inventor Rob Baumert

Rob Baumert 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: 6588522
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction unit for delivering mechanical power from a combustion engine to a vehicle drive shaft and driving wheels, electric loads and a vehicle cooling loop for cooling vehicle components and/or said combustion engine. A fuel cell system, which supplies the electric loads with electric power, includes a fuel cell stack, an anode fuel input, a anode exhaust, a cathode fuel input, a cathode exhaust, and a fuel cell cooling loop for cooling the fuel cell stack via an input line which delivers a cooling medium into the fuel cell stack and an output line which removes the heated cooling medium from the fuel cell stack. A compression/expansion unit is provided between the output line of the fuel cell stack and the vehicle cooling loop. The expansion side of the compression/expansion unit in thermal contact with the heated cooling medium, which is at a first temperature level, so that heat is transferred from the heated cooling medium to the expansion side of the compression/expansion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Ballard Power System AG
    Inventors: Rob Baumert, Craig Greenhill
  • Patent number: 6571897
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction unit capable of delivering mechanical power for driving the vehicle; electric loads; and a fuel cell system for supplying the electric loads with electric power. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack with an anode input line, an anode exhaust line, a cathode input line, and an cathode exhaust line. A compression/expansion loop is employed in the cathode exhaust line. The expansion side of the compression/expansion loop is in thermal contact with the cathode exhaust to cool the cathode exhaust and to transfer the heat of the exhaust to the compression side of the compression/expansion loop at a higher temperature level. A water separator is arranged in the cathode exhaust line for collecting water vapor of product water that is carried in the cathode exhaust and is recycled to the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignees: Ballard Power Systems AG, Ballard Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rob Baumert, Craig Greenhill, Henry H. Voss, Brian Wells
  • Publication number: 20030029650
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction unit capable of delivering mechanical power for driving the vehicle; electric loads; and a fuel cell system for supplying the electric loads with electric power. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack with an anode input line, an anode exhaust line, a cathode input line, and an cathode exhaust line. A compression/expansion loop is employed in the cathode exhaust line. The expansion side of the compression/expansion loop is in thermal contact with the cathode exhaust to cool the cathode exhaust and to transfer the heat of the exhaust to the compression side of the compression/expansion loop at a higher temperature level. A water separator is arranged in the cathode exhaust line for collecting water vapor of product water that is carried in the cathode exhaust and is recycled to the fuel cell system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Rob Baumert, Craig Greenhill, Henry H. Voss, Brian Wells
  • Publication number: 20030029649
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction unit for delivering mechanical power to drive at least one wheel drive shaft with driving wheels; electric loads; a vehicle cooling loop for cooling vehicle components and/or said combustion engine; a fuel cell system for supplying the electric loads with electric power, the fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack, an anode fuel input and an anode exhaust and a cathode fuel input and an cathode exhaust, and a fuel cell cooling loop for cooling the fuel cell stack including an input line for delivering a cooling medium into the fuel cell stack and an output line for removing the heated cooling medium from the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Rob Baumert, Craig Greenhill
  • Patent number: 6516905
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising a combustion engine capable of delivering mechanical power for driving at least one wheel drive shaft with driving wheels, auxiliary vehicular electric loads, an alternator powered by the combustion engine for generating electricity, an electric storage device for storing alternator generated electricity, and at least one auxiliary electric power supply for supplying electrical energy to said electric loads. The auxiliary electric power supply includes a fuel cell system with an anode fuel input and a cathode fuel input, and an electrolyzer which is capable of generating hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen production side of said electrolyzer is in fluid connection with the at least one anode fuel supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Rob Baumert, Craig Greenhill, Robert Hastings, Jim Smith