Patents by Inventor Rolf Lorenz LOEFFLER
Rolf Lorenz LOEFFLER 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).
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Patent number: 11524572Abstract: A pressurized gas tank for a motor vehicle includes a cylindrical axially extending housing with two end pieces axially connected thereto connected together by one or more tie rods configured for axial transmission of tensile force. The tie rods include an axially continuous through-channel configured to be connected to a vehicle cooling system including a circulating liquid coolant to cool the pressurized gas at least during refueling of the pressurized gas tank.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2021Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Guenter Hans Grosch, Bert Hobein, Thomas Werner Steinkopf, Rolf Lorenz Loeffler, Julio Orozco Santos Coy, Stefan Kaimer, Florian Huth
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Patent number: 11362357Abstract: A system and method for generating vibrations in a fuel cell system include a vibration device which can be arranged on the fuel cell system or is formed by at least one component of the fuel cell system, for generating excitation vibrations which can be transmitted to the component. An electronic actuating system includes a controller and memory for actuating the vibration device, which may include a coolant pump or a compressor, at a natural frequency of a fuel system component for de-icing. At temperatures below 0° C., the electronic actuating system is adapted to actuate the vibration device during a switch-on process and/or a switch-off process of the fuel cell system taking into consideration at least one natural frequency of the component. Embodiments including actuating a compressor, cooling pump, and/or valve to transmit vibrations to a component to be de-iced at a natural frequency of the component.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Julio Orozco Santos Coy, Rolf Lorenz Loeffler, Arnulf Sponheimer
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Publication number: 20220149402Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell assembly with at least a first fuel cell stack and a second fuel cell stack. Waste gas extracted from the first fuel cell stack is routed to an input of the second fuel cell stack. The first and second fuel cell stacks may be of the same size or the second fuel cell stack may be sized smaller than the first fuel cell stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2021Publication date: May 12, 2022Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Stefan KAIMER, Hans Guenter GROSCH, Julio OROZCO SANTOS COY, Rolf Lorenz LOEFFLER
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Publication number: 20220009343Abstract: A method for producing a compressed gas tank for a motor vehicle includes inserting a bundle of heat-conducting elements through an opening in a housing of the compressed gas tank and exerting a force on the bundle that radially expands the bundle within the housing beyond the size of the opening. The heat-conducting elements may be helically wound about a central axis when inserted through the opening with a torsional force applied to unwind the elements while radially expanding and reducing axial length of the bundle. A compressed gas tank for a motor vehicle includes a plurality of heat-conducting elements including at least one tube within a tank housing that extend axially along the tank and radially within the housing to a size exceeding an opening of the housing. The tube is configured to circulate coolant to cool compressed gas within the tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Guenter Hans GROSCH, Bert HOBEIN, Thomas Werner STEINKOPF, Rolf Lorenz LOEFFLER, Julio OROZCO SANTOS COY, Stefan KAIMER, Florian HUTH
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Publication number: 20220009342Abstract: A pressurized gas tank for a motor vehicle includes a cylindrical axially extending housing with two end pieces axially connected thereto connected together by one or more tie rods configured for axial transmission of tensile force. The tie rods include an axially continuous through-channel configured to be connected to a vehicle cooling system including a circulating liquid coolant to cool the pressurized gas at least during refueling of the pressurized gas tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Guenter Hans GROSCH, Bert HOBEIN, Thomas Werner STEINKOPF, Rolf Lorenz LOEFFLER, Julio OROZCO SANTOS COY, Stefan KAIMER, Florian HUTH
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Patent number: 11171343Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes multiple stacked individual cells each having an anode and a cathode, a common fuel inlet duct, a common fuel outlet duct, a common oxidizing agent inlet duct, a common oxidizing agent outlet duct, and at least one microwave source configured to selectively generate microwave radiation into the common fuel outlet duct and/or into the common oxidizing agent outlet duct to manage water contained therein to melt ice and/or expedite evaporation.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2019Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Arnulf Sponheimer, Stephan Strahl, Julio Orozco Santos Coy, Rolf Lorenz Loeffler
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Patent number: 10957923Abstract: A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle system and method inhibit formation of black ice on road surfaces at low temperatures as a result of exhaust water by treating the exhaust water prior to discharge with a deicing or antifreeze substance to lower the freezing point of the water. A metering device may meter a deicing or antifreeze substance, such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, urea, or the like to be dissolved in the exhaust water that is produced during the production of energy. The vehicle may include a bypass valve that selectively bypasses the water treatment system when ambient conditions are not conducive to ice formation. The bypass valve is operated to direct exhaust flow to a condenser and water treatment system when ambient conditions are favorable to ice formation, with the deicing or antifreeze substance metered based on current or predicted ambient or road surface conditions.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Guenter Hans Grosch, Thomas Werner Steinkopf, Stephan Strahl, Rainer Lach, Rolf Lorenz Loeffler
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Publication number: 20200287228Abstract: A system and method for generating vibrations in a fuel cell system include a vibration device which can be arranged on the fuel cell system or is formed by at least one component of the fuel cell system, for generating excitation vibrations which can be transmitted to the component. An electronic actuating system includes a controller and memory for actuating the vibration device, which may include a coolant pump or a compressor, at a natural frequency of a fuel system component for de-icing. At temperatures below 0° C., the electronic actuating system is adapted to actuate the vibration device during a switch-on process and/or a switch-off process of the fuel cell system taking into consideration at least one natural frequency of the component. Embodiments including actuating a compressor, cooling pump, and/or valve to transmit vibrations to a component to be de-iced at a natural frequency of the component.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Julio OROZCO SANTOS COY, Rolf Lorenz LOEFFLER, Arnulf SPONHEIMER
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Publication number: 20200091537Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes multiple stacked individual cells each having an anode and a cathode, a common fuel inlet duct, a common fuel outlet duct, a common oxidizing agent inlet duct, a common oxidizing agent outlet duct, and at least one microwave source configured to selectively generate microwave radiation into the common fuel outlet duct and/or into the common oxidizing agent outlet duct to manage water contained therein to melt ice and/or expedite evaporation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Arnulf Sponheimer, Stephan Strahl, Julio Orozco Santos Coy, Rolf Lorenz Loeffler
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Publication number: 20190305342Abstract: A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle system and method inhibit formation of black ice on road surfaces at low temperatures as a result of exhaust water by treating the exhaust water prior to discharge with a deicing or antifreeze substance to lower the freezing point of the water. A metering device may meter a deicing or antifreeze substance, such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, urea, or the like to be dissolved in the exhaust water that is produced during the production of energy. The vehicle may include a bypass valve that selectively bypasses the water treatment system when ambient conditions are not conducive to ice formation. The bypass valve is operated to direct exhaust flow to a condenser and water treatment system when ambient conditions are favorable to ice formation, with the deicing or antifreeze substance metered based on current or predicted ambient or road surface conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Guenter Hans GROSCH, Thomas Werner STEINKOPF, Stephan STRAHL, Rainer LACH, Rolf Lorenz LOEFFLER