Patents by Inventor Robert Hintz
Robert Hintz 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: 11870121Abstract: A fuel cell column includes a stack of alternating fuel cells and interconnects, where the interconnects separate adjacent fuel cells in the stack and contain fuel and air channels which are configured to provide respective fuel and air to the fuel cells. a manifold plate containing a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole located in a bottom surface of the manifold plate, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the manifold plate, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole, and a mitigation structure configured to reduce stress applied to the stack due to at least one of a shape mismatch or coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the stack and the manifold plate.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATIONInventors: Michael Gasda, Robert Hintz, Karanpal Bhangu, Siddharth Patel, Harald Herchen, Victor Silva, Thuy Thanh Muhl, Tyler Dawson, David Edmonston, Tad Armstrong
-
Publication number: 20230155157Abstract: A fuel cell column includes a stack of alternating fuel cells and interconnects, where the interconnects separate adjacent fuel cells in the stack and contain fuel and air channels which are configured to provide respective fuel and air to the fuel cells. a manifold plate containing a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole located in a bottom surface of the manifold plate, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the manifold plate, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole, and a mitigation structure configured to reduce stress applied to the stack due to at least one of a shape mismatch or coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the stack and the manifold plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2022Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Michael GASDA, Robert HINTZ, Karanpal BHANGU, Siddharth PATEL, Harald HERCHEN, Victor SILVA, Thuy Thanh MUHL, Tyler DAWSON, David EDMONSTON, Tad ARMSTRONG
-
Patent number: 9647283Abstract: A measurement device for measuring voltages along a linear array of voltage sources, such as a fuel cell stack, includes at least one movable contact or non-contact voltage probe that measures a voltage of an array element.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2015Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATIONInventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
-
Publication number: 20150162631Abstract: A measurement device for measuring voltages along a linear array of voltage sources, such as a fuel cell stack, includes at least one movable contact or non-contact voltage probe that measures a voltage of an array element.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
-
Patent number: 8993191Abstract: A measurement device for measuring voltages along a linear array of voltage sources, such as a fuel cell stack, includes at least one movable contact or non-contact voltage probe that measures a voltage of an array element.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2012Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Bloom Energy CorporationInventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
-
Publication number: 20130029245Abstract: A measurement device for measuring voltages along a linear array of voltage sources, such as a fuel cell stack, includes at least one movable contact or non-contact voltage probe that measures a voltage of an array element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2012Publication date: January 31, 2013Applicant: Bloom Energy CorporationInventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
-
Patent number: 7447026Abstract: An enclosure for housing electronic equipment comprises a cabinet for receiving the electronic equipment and a cooling system, wherein the cooling system comprises a coolant circulation system including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and at least one fluid coupling device in fluid communication therewith, at least two heat exchange units, each heat exchange unit comprising a liquid-cooled heat exchanger in fluid communication with the coolant circulation system via the at least one fluid coupling device and each heat exchange unit including at least one blind mating sleeve, and at least one fan positioned to blow air across the heat exchanger, the cabinet including at least one guide pin for facilitating blind connection of the heat exchange unit to the fluid coupling device, the guide pin being positioned so as to be received in a blind mating sleeve when the heat exchange units are mounted in the cabinet.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2006Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Vance Murakami, Robert Hintz, Henry C. Coles
-
Publication number: 20080055845Abstract: An enclosure for housing electronic equipment comprises a cabinet for receiving the electronic equipment and a cooling system, wherein the cooling system comprises a coolant circulation system including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and at least one fluid coupling device in fluid communication therewith, at least two heat exchange units, each heat exchange unit comprising a liquid-cooled heat exchanger in fluid communication with the coolant circulation system via the at least one fluid coupling device and each heat exchange unit including at least one blind mating sleeve, and at least one fan positioned to blow air across the heat exchanger, the cabinet including at least one guide pin for facilitating blind connection of the heat exchange unit to the fluid coupling device, the guide pin being positioned so as to be received in a blind mating sleeve when the heat exchange units are mounted in the cabinet.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2006Publication date: March 6, 2008Inventors: Vance Murakami, Robert Hintz, Henry C. Coles
-
Patent number: 6877926Abstract: A slide member positive coupling alignment assembly for preventing false installation of a first member of a slide assembly with respect to a second member of the slide assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention is comprised of a first member of a slide assembly. A second member of a slide assembly has a removably coupled stopping portion. The stopping portion is adapted to provide a barrier with regard to the first member such that during a coupling of the first member with respect to the second member misalignment is minimized.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2002Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Craig Lauchner, Robert Hintz
-
Patent number: 6796625Abstract: A one-motion installation slide assembly for bypassing a removably coupled locking connection of a first member of a slide with respect to a second member of the slide is disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention is comprised of a first member and a second member removably coupled to the first member. The second member is adapted to provide a removably coupled locking connection with the first member such that during an initial coupling of the first member with the second member the removably coupled locking connection is bypassed.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2002Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Craig Lauchner, Robert Hintz
-
Publication number: 20040047679Abstract: A one-motion installation slide assembly for bypassing a removably coupled locking connection of a first member of a slide with respect to a second member of the slide is disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention is comprised of a first member and a second member removably coupled to the first member. The second member is adapted to provide a removably coupled locking connection with the first member such that during an initial coupling of the first member with the second member the removably coupled locking connection is bypassed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2002Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: Craig Lauchner, Robert Hintz
-
Publication number: 20040047681Abstract: A slide member positive coupling alignment assembly for preventing false installation of a first member of a slide assembly with respect to a second member of the slide assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention is comprised of a first member of a slide assembly. A second member of a slide assembly has a removably coupled stopping portion. The stopping portion is adapted to provide a barrier with regard to the first member such that during a coupling of the first member with respect to the second member misalignment is minimized.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2002Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: Craig Lauchner, Robert Hintz
-
Patent number: 6702124Abstract: A slide assembly for slidably mounting a computer server unit to a rack. The slide assembly includes a stationary member and at least one slidable member slidably mounted thereto. A front bracket is mounted to a front end of the stationary member and a rear bracket is mounted to a rear end of the stationary member. Both the front and rear brackets include a plurality of mounting pins and a spring element. The mounting pins are positioned within holes in the rack columns and the spring element applies a bias force against the rack column to hold the slide assembly to the rack.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2001Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Craig E Lauchner, Ryan Abbott, Robert Hintz, Larry Zieminski
-
Publication number: 20030106863Abstract: A slide assembly for slidably mounting a computer server unit to a rack. The slide assembly includes a stationary member and at least one slidable member slidably mounted thereto. A front bracket is mounted to a front end of the stationary member and a rear bracket is mounted to a rear end of the stationary member. Both the front and rear brackets include a plurality of mounting pins and a spring element. The mounting pins are positioned within holes in the rack columns and the spring element applies a bias force against the rack column to hold the slide assembly to the rack.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2001Publication date: June 12, 2003Inventors: Craig E. Lauchner, Ryan Abbott, Robert Hintz, Larry Zieminski