Patents by Inventor Ron Brost

Ron Brost 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: 9017838
    Abstract: A spinning electrode fuel cell is disclosed. The spinning electrode fuel cell includes a housing and a stacked disk assembly which is rotatably mounted in the housing. The stacked disk assembly includes multiple electrochemical cells connected to each other. A motor engages the stacked disk assembly for rotating the stacked disk assembly in the housing. A fuel flow pathway is provided in the housing for distributing a fuel to the electrochemical cells. An oxidant flow pathway is provided in the housing and physically separated from the fuel flow pathway for distributing an oxidant to the electrochemical cells. A method of fabricating a fuel cell is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Ron Brost, William Schank, James Waldecker
  • Publication number: 20130252062
    Abstract: A secondary redox flow battery having a charge capacity and an efficiency includes an anode half-cell and a cathode half-cell having a fluid-containing vessel defining a cavity in which is disposed an electrode and a catholyte. The catholyte consists of a solvent, at least two cation species, and an anionic transition metal complex. The catholyte cation species are selected from the group consisting of Group I element ions, Group II element ions and ammonium ions. The battery also includes a reservoir fluidly communicating with the cavity and a separator ionically communicating between the anode half-cell and the cathode half-cell. The battery is capable of a discharge current equal to or greater than 20 milliamperes/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: ZINC AIR, INC.
    Inventors: Howard Wilkins, Ron Brost, Kristine Brost, Richard Bendert, Paula Kosted
  • Patent number: 7611791
    Abstract: A spirally-wound fuel cell assembly is disclosed. The spirally-wound fuel cell assembly includes an enclosure. Multiple cell assemblies are disposed in electrical contact with each other and provided in the enclosure. Each of the cell assemblies has at least one membrane electrode assembly including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a proton conductive membrane sandwiched between the negative electrode and the positive electrode. An oxidant channel is provided in each of the cell assemblies for receiving an oxidant gas. A fuel gas pathway is defined around the cell assemblies for receiving a fuel gas. A method of fabricating a fuel cell assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Ron Brost, William Schank, James Waldecker, Bruce Blakemore
  • Patent number: 7233128
    Abstract: A state of charge control system and method uses a region of voltage linearity and a long-term average voltage to estimate an average battery state of charge for storage batteries and to eliminate errors due to hysteresis, drift and sensor noncompliance. An average state of charge Sn is calculated using a current integral method and an average state of charge Sv based on an average observed voltage Vn for a time period exceeding a predefined minimum time but before a predefined maximum time has elapsed is also calculated. If the absolute value of the difference between the Sv and Sn are not are within an acceptable error band, then an offset value is calculated to correct the Sn by subtracting the Sv from the Sn, and thus, to maintain a more accurate Sn. Additionally, a closed current integral method is used to reduce errors due to hysteresis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ron Brost, Bruce Blakemore
  • Publication number: 20070117002
    Abstract: A spinning electrode fuel cell is disclosed. The spinning electrode fuel cell includes a housing and a stacked disk assembly which is rotatably mounted in the housing. The stacked disk assembly includes multiple electrochemical cells connected to each other. A motor engages the stacked disk assembly for rotating the stacked disk assembly in the housing. A fuel flow pathway is provided in the housing for distributing a fuel to the electrochemical cells. An oxidant flow pathway is provided in the housing and physically separated from the fuel flow pathway for distributing an oxidant to the electrochemical cells. A method of fabricating a fuel cell is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Ron Brost, William Schank, James Waldecker
  • Publication number: 20070111080
    Abstract: A spirally-wound fuel cell assembly is disclosed. The spirally-wound fuel cell assembly includes an enclosure. Multiple cell assemblies are disposed in electrical contact with each other and provided in the enclosure. Each of the cell assemblies has at least one membrane electrode assembly including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a proton conductive membrane sandwiched between the negative electrode and the positive electrode. An oxidant channel is provided in each of the cell assemblies for receiving an oxidant gas. A fuel gas pathway is defined around the cell assemblies for receiving a fuel gas. A method of fabricating a fuel cell assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Ron Brost, William Schank, James Waldecker, Bruce Blakemore
  • Publication number: 20060022643
    Abstract: A state of charge control system and method uses a region of voltage linearity and a long-term average voltage to estimate an average battery state of charge for storage batteries and to eliminate errors due to hysteresis, drift and sensor noncompliance. An average state of charge Sn is calculated using a current integral method and an average state of charge Sv based on an average observed voltage Vn for a time period exceeding a predefined minimum time but before a predefined maximum time has elapsed is also calculated. If the absolute value of the difference between the Sv and Sn are not are within an acceptable error band, then an offset value is calculated to correct the Sn by subtracting the Sv from the Sn, and thus, to maintain a more accurate Sn. Additionally, a closed current integral method is used to reduce errors due to hysteresis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Ron Brost, Bruce Blakemore