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: 11870121
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Gasda, Robert Hintz, Karanpal Bhangu, Siddharth Patel, Harald Herchen, Victor Silva, Thuy Thanh Muhl, Tyler Dawson, David Edmonston, Tad Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20230155157
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Michael GASDA, Robert HINTZ, Karanpal BHANGU, Siddharth PATEL, Harald HERCHEN, Victor SILVA, Thuy Thanh MUHL, Tyler DAWSON, David EDMONSTON, Tad ARMSTRONG
  • Patent number: 9647283
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
  • Publication number: 20150162631
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
  • Patent number: 8993191
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
  • Publication number: 20130029245
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
  • Patent number: 7447026
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Vance Murakami, Robert Hintz, Henry C. Coles
  • Publication number: 20080055845
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Vance Murakami, Robert Hintz, Henry C. Coles
  • Patent number: 6877926
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Craig Lauchner, Robert Hintz
  • Patent number: 6796625
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Craig Lauchner, Robert Hintz
  • Publication number: 20040047679
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Craig Lauchner, Robert Hintz
  • Publication number: 20040047681
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Craig Lauchner, Robert Hintz
  • Patent number: 6702124
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Craig E Lauchner, Ryan Abbott, Robert Hintz, Larry Zieminski
  • Publication number: 20030106863
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Craig E. Lauchner, Ryan Abbott, Robert Hintz, Larry Zieminski