Patents by Inventor Tibor Fabian
Tibor Fabian 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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Publication number: 20120189876Abstract: A fuel cell purge system including a fuel cell assembly, a fuel supply that supplies fuel to the fuel cell assembly at a first flow rate, an adjustable load that applies a load on the fuel cell assembly, and a purge valve coupled to the fuel cell assembly, and a purge management module. The fuel cell purge system purges the fuel cell assembly by detecting a purge initiation event, adjusting a system parameter to initiate a purge, detecting a purge completion event, and adjusting a system parameter to cease the purge.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2011Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: Ardica Technologies, Inc.Inventors: TIBOR FABIAN, TOBIN FISHER, DANIEL BRAITHWAITE
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Patent number: 8192890Abstract: A fuel cell air exchanger is provided. The fuel cell air exchanger includes a platform having at least one throughput opening and at least one holding post, where the holding post fixedly holds a fuel cell offset from the platform and proximal to the opening, where the opening can have many shapes. The fuel cell air exchanger provides an unimpeded air exchange through the openings to the fuel cell and can be flexible, semi-flexible or rigid. The fuel cell air exchanger can hold an array of fuel cells and fuel cell electronics. A chimney feature provides enhanced airflow when the air exchanger is disposed in a vertical position.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Ardica Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Tobin J. Fisher, Tibor Fabian
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Publication number: 20120100443Abstract: The present invention discloses a fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell including a liquid storage area that includes a liquid reactant, a reaction area that includes a solid reactant, wherein the liquid reactant is pumped into the reaction area such that the liquid reactant reacts with the solid reactant to produce reaction components, a product collection area that receives the reaction components, a barrier, and a container with an interior volume that substantially encloses the reaction area, liquid storage area, product collection area. The barrier separates and defines several of the aforementioned areas, and moves to simultaneously increase the product collector area and decrease the liquid storage area as the liquid reactant is pumped from the liquid storage area and the reaction components are transferred into the product collection area.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2010Publication date: April 26, 2012Inventors: DANIEL BRAITHWAITE, JESSE THOMAS, ADAM RODRIGUEZ, TOBIN FISHER, TIBOR FABIAN
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Publication number: 20110070151Abstract: A hydrogen generator that includes a solid fuel mixture, a liquid reactant, a liquid delivery medium (LDM), a movable boundary interface (MBI), a reaction zone, wherein the MBI provides constant contact between a reacting surface of the solid fuel mixture and the liquid reactant delivered by the LDM to form the reaction zone, and a product separation media, fluidly coupled to the reaction zone by a fluid junction, that degasses a product. The hydrogen generator may further include auxiliary LDMs disposed throughout the hydrogen generator, wherein said auxiliary LDMs may be operated based on a ratio of the liquid reactant flow rate to the hydrogen generation rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2010Publication date: March 24, 2011Inventors: DANIEL BRAITHWAITE, Matthieu JONEMANN, TIBOR FABIAN
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Publication number: 20110053016Abstract: The method of generating and delivering on-demand power to the consumer in a low-carbon-emitting manner comprises the steps of: generating energy from a low-carbon-emitting source, using the generated energy to generate a hydrogen storage composition, transporting the hydrogen storage composition and a reagent to the consumer, facilitating the use of the hydrogen storage composition to generate electricity, and facilitating the return of the by-products to a regeneration facility. This method is preferably used to distribute an on-demand power source to the consumer. One potential advantage of this distribution method includes low carbon emissions. By leveraging low-emission energy sources, utilizing low-emission distribution channels, and placing the energy source (H2) and energy generation (conversion of H2 to electricity) in the consumer's hands, unexpected savings in environmental impact, as measured by carbon emission, can be achieved.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Daniel Braithwaite, Tibor Fabian, Richard Martin
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Patent number: 7886429Abstract: A method is provided for producing a measuring transducer in order to transform at least one physical variable into at least one electric variable. A plurality of planar, insulating and conductive layers are respectively structured according to predefineable models which are adapted to each other and which are assembled in order to form a multi-layered arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2004Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignees: ABB AG, Stanford UniversityInventors: Peter Krippner, Fritz B. Prinz, Sangkyun Kang, Tibor Fabian
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Publication number: 20110020215Abstract: A chemical hydride liquid reactant distribution mixture is provided. The mixture includes a fuel mixture having at least one hydride and at least one activating agent. The invention further includes a liquid-distributing agent (LDA), a form-stabilizing agent, and at least one anti-caking agent. The liquid reactant distribution mixture reduces caking and precipitation while promoting liquid reactant distribution, where the chemical hydride liquid reactant distribution mixture generates hydrogen via hydrolysis.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2009Publication date: January 27, 2011Inventors: WonHyoung Ryu, Daniel Braithwaite, Tibor Fabian
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Patent number: 7846593Abstract: A method and device for fuel cell heat and water management is provided. A thermally and electrically conductive hydrophilic heat and mass transport element is provided to the fuel cell spanning from inside to outside the cell. The transport element is deposited between current collector and gas diffusion layers, where heat is transported along the transport element from an interior portion of the element inside the cell to an exterior portion of the element outside the cell. Liquid water is transported along the element into or out of the cell, and heat is removed from the exterior portion by any combination of radiation, free convection and forced convection, and where the liquid water is removed from the exterior portion by any combination of convection driven evaporation and advection. The water is added to the cell from the exterior to the interior by any combination of advection and capillary wicking.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2007Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Honda Motor Co., LtdInventors: Tibor Fabian, Shawn Litster, Juan G. Santiago, Cullen Bule, Jun Sasahara, Tadahiro Kubota
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Patent number: 7799453Abstract: Water flooding at the cathode of a fuel cell is a common problem in fuel cells. By integrating an electroosmotic (EO) pump to remove product water from the cathode area, fuel cell power can be increased. Integration of EO pumps transforms the designs of air channel and air breathing cathodes, reducing air pumping power loads and increasing oxidant transport. Hydration of gas streams, management of liquid reactants, and oxidant delivery can also be accomplished with integrated electroosmotic pumps. Electroosmotic pumps have no moving parts, can be integrated as a layer of the fuel cell, and scale with centimeter to micron scale fuel cells.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2004Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Juan Santiago, Jonathan Posner, Friedrich B. Prinz, Tibor Fabian, John Eaton, Suk-Won Cha, Cullen Buie, Daejoogn Kim, Hideaki Tsuru, Jun Sasahara, Tadahiro Kubota, Yuji Saito
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Patent number: 7754368Abstract: A simple, inexpensive and highly efficient fuel cell has boundary structures made of a photo-sensitive material in combination with selective patterning. Printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication techniques combine boundary structures with two and three dimensional electrical flow path. Photo-sensitive material and PCB fabrication techniques are alternately or combined utilized for making micro-channel structures or micro stitch structures for substantially reducing dead zones of the diffusion layer while keeping fluid flow resistance to a minimum. The fuel cell assembly is free of mechanical clamping elements. Adhesives that may be conductively contaminated and/or fiber-reinforced provide mechanical and eventual electrical connections, and sealing within the assembly. Mechanically supporting backing layers are pre-fabricated with a natural bend defined in combination with the backing layers' elasticity to eliminate massive support plates and assist the adhesive bonding.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2007Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior, Honda Motor Co., LtdInventors: Jun Sasahara, Daniel Braithwaite, Suk-Won Cha, Tibor Fabian, Tadahiro Kubota, Nariaki Kuriyama, Sang-Joon John Lee, Ryan O'Hayre, Friedrich B. Prinz, Yuji Saito, Toshifumi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20100173214Abstract: The current invention is a fuel cell controller that includes a first control loop, where the first control loop is disposed to adjust a fuel cell current to regulate a hydrogen output pressure from the fuel cell to a pressure target valve, and further includes a second control loop disposed to adjust a hydrogen flow rate from a hydrogen generator to match a DC/DC power output to a power target value.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2009Publication date: July 8, 2010Inventors: Tibor Fabian, Tobin J. Fisher, Daniel Braithwaite
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Patent number: 7700218Abstract: A simple, inexpensive and highly efficient fuel cell has boundary structures made of a photo-sensitive material in combination with selective patterning. Printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication techniques combine boundary structures with two and three dimensional electrical flow path. Photo-sensitive material and PCB fabrication techniques are alternately or combined utilized for making micro-channel structures or micro stitch structures for substantially reducing dead zones of the diffusion layer while keeping fluid flow resistance to a minimum. The fuel cell assembly is free of mechanical clamping elements. Adhesives that may be conductively contaminated and/or fiber-reinforced provide mechanical and eventual electrical connections, and sealing within the assembly. Mechanically supporting backing layers are pre-fabricated with a natural bend defined in combination with the backing layers' elasticity to eliminate massive support plates and assist the adhesive bonding.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Honda Motor Co., LtdInventors: Jun Sasahara, Daniel Braithwaite, Suk-Won Cha, Tibor Fabian, Tadahiro Kubota, Nariaki Kuriyama, Sang-Joon John Lee, Ryan O'Hayre, Friedrich B. Prinz, Yuji Saito, Toshifumi Suzuki
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Patent number: 7685879Abstract: The disclosure relates to a differential pressure transducer unit comprising an over-load protection system which is used to measure low differential pressure in liquids and gases under high static pressure load which can be connected to flanges on the working pressure lines. The differential pressure transducer unit consists of a planar multi-layered arrangement comprising layers which are conductive, insulating and which are insulated from each other, whereby the insulating and conductive layers comprises recesses which at least partially cover each other, wherein the measuring mechanism and the measuring value processing means are accommodated. At least one of the layers is a functional component of the over-load protection system.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2004Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignees: ABB AG, Stanford UniversityInventors: Sangkyun Kang, Wolfgang Scholz, Peter Krippner, Dieter Binz, Tibor Fabian, Fritz B. Prinz
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Patent number: 7670699Abstract: A simple, inexpensive and highly efficient fuel cell has boundary structures made of a photo-sensitive material in combination with selective patterning. Printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication techniques combine boundary structures with two and three dimensional electrical flow path. Photo-sensitive material and PCB fabrication techniques are alternately or combined utilized for making micro-channel structures or micro stitch structures for substantially reducing dead zones of the diffusion layer while keeping fluid flow resistance to a minimum. The fuel cell assembly is free of mechanical clamping elements. Adhesives that may be conductively contaminated and/or fiber-reinforced provide mechanical and eventual electrical connections, and sealing within the assembly. Mechanically supporting backing layers are pre-fabricated with a natural bend defined in combination with the backing layers' elasticity to eliminate massive support plates and assist the adhesive bonding.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2007Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Honda Motor Co., LtdInventors: Jun Sasahara, Daniel Braithwaite, Suk-Won Cha, Tibor Fabian, Tadahiro Kubota, Nariaki Kuriyama, Sang-Joon John Lee, Ryan O'Hayre, Friedrich B. Prinz, Yuji Saito, Toshifumi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20090305112Abstract: A fuel cell air exchanger is provided. The fuel cell air exchanger includes a platform having at least one throughput opening and at least one holding post, where the holding post fixedly holds a fuel cell offset from the platform and proximal to the opening, where the opening can have many shapes. The fuel cell air exchanger provides an unimpeded air exchange through the openings to the fuel cell and can be flexible, semi-flexible or rigid. The fuel cell air exchanger can hold an array of fuel cells and fuel cell electronics. A chimney feature provides enhanced airflow when the air exchanger is disposed in a vertical position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2009Publication date: December 10, 2009Inventors: Tobin J. Fisher, Tibor Fabian
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Publication number: 20090269634Abstract: A fuel cell gas purge system is provided that includes at least one fuel cell, such as a fuel cell stack or a fuel cell array, a fuel supply, and an adjustable fuel cell current load. The system further includes at least one passive purge valve disposed to purge accumulated non-fuel matter in the fuel cell, and operates according to a pressure differential across the valve. The valve can be a passive bi-directional valve, such as a dome valve, or a passive unidirectional valve. Further included is a purge management module that has a purge request module to determine when to increase the pressure of the hydrogen fuel to initiate the purge, and a purge complete module to determine when to adjust the pressure of the hydrogen fuel to complete the purge. The non-fuel matter can include non-fuel gases or condensed water.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2009Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventors: Tibor Fabian, Tobin J. Fisher, Daniel Braithwaite
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Publication number: 20080257054Abstract: The disclosure relates to a differential pressure transducer unit comprising an over-load protection system which is used to measure low differential pressure in liquids and gases under high static pressure load which can be connected to flanges on the working pressure lines. The differential pressure transducer unit consists of a planar multi-layered arrangement comprising layers which are conductive, insulating and which are insulated from each other, whereby the insulating and conductive layers comprises recesses which at least partially cover each other, wherein the measuring mechanism and the measuring value processing means are accommodated. At least one of the layers is a functional component of the over-load protection system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2004Publication date: October 23, 2008Applicant: ABB PATENT GMBHInventors: Sangkyun Kang, Wolfgang Scholz, Peter Krippner, Dieter Binz, Tibor Fabian, Fritz B. Prinz
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Patent number: 7422191Abstract: A bistable minivalve includes a movable component, an actuator that is electrostatically, magnetically, or mechanically coupled to the movable component for controllably switching the movable component between open and closed states, and a casing providing structural support. The movable component has an actuation surface [300] movably positioned in the valve conduit and a bistable element attached to the actuation surface providing mechanical stability to the open and closed states of the movable component. The bistable element may be realized as a pair of elastic buckling beams [302, 304] attached at their midpoints to opposite sides of the actuation surface. Optionally, there may also be elastic support beams [306, 308] attached at their endpoints to the actuation surface and attached at their midpoints to the elastic buckling beams.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2005Date of Patent: September 9, 2008Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Dino Accoto, Friedrich B. Prinz, Tibor Fabian, WonHyoung Ryu, Jun Sasahara, Hideaki Tsuru, Georg Brasseur
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Publication number: 20080124588Abstract: A simple, inexpensive and highly efficient fuel cell has boundary structures made of a photo-sensitive material in combination with selective patterning. Printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication techniques combine boundary structures with two and three dimensional electrical flow path. Photo-sensitive material and PCB fabrication techniques are alternately or combined utilized for making micro-channel structures or micro stitch structures for substantially reducing dead zones of the diffusion layer while keeping fluid flow resistance to a minimum. The fuel cell assembly is free of mechanical clamping elements. Adhesives that may be conductively contaminated and/or fiber-reinforced provide mechanical and eventual electrical connections, and sealing within the assembly. Mechanically supporting backing layers are pre-fabricated with a natural bend defined in combination with the backing layers' elasticity to eliminate massive support plates and assist the adhesive bonding.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Inventors: Jun Sasahara, Daniel Braithwaite, Suk-Won Cha, Tibor Fabian, Tadahiro Kubota, Nariaki Kuriyama, Sang-Joon John Lee, Ryan O'Hayre, Friedrich B. Prinz, Yuji Saito, Toshifumi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20080124609Abstract: A simple, inexpensive and highly efficient fuel cell has boundary structures made of a photo-sensitive material in combination with selective patterning. Printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication techniques combine boundary structures with two and three dimensional electrical flow path. Photo-sensitive material and PCB fabrication techniques are alternately or combined utilized for making micro-channel structures or micro stitch structures for substantially reducing dead zones of the diffusion layer while keeping fluid flow resistance to a minimum. The fuel cell assembly is free of mechanical clamping elements. Adhesives that may be conductively contaminated and/or fiber-reinforced provide mechanical and eventual electrical connections, and sealing within the assembly. Mechanically supporting backing layers are pre-fabricated with a natural bend defined in combination with the backing layers' elasticity to eliminate massive support plates and assist the adhesive bonding.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Inventors: Jun Sasahara, Daniel Braithwaite, Suk-Won Cha, Tibor Fabian, Tadahiro Kubota, Nariaki Kuriyama, Sang-Joon John Lee, Ryan O'Hayre, Friedrich B. Prinz, Yuji Saito, Toshifumi Suzuki