Patents by Inventor Yuqing Zhou
Yuqing Zhou 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: 20230082620Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, a fuel cell, and a method of designing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell having a hybrid flow field structure that includes a plurality of parallel feed flow channels fluidically connected to an inlet bipolar plate region, a plurality of parallel exit flow channels fluidically connected to an outlet bipolar plate region, and an interwoven pattern formed by a plurality of simplified periodic array flow field structure generated based on flow patterns generated by homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization. The flow field structure enhances fuel cell performance by facilitating lower pressure drop via minimized fluid flow resistance, and removal of accumulated water in the oxygen channel and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) under the ribs of the bipolar plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2021Publication date: March 16, 2023Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, IncInventors: Ercan M. Dede, Yuqing Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Feng Zhou, Tomoki Tambo, Hiroshi Ukegawa
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Publication number: 20230079046Abstract: One or more methods of designing an FC bipolar plate that enhance the operational performance of FC. A first image analysis is conducted of image data of a fluid flow field structure having one or more dehomogenized microstructures to identify channels having a fluid flow blockage at a channel wall dead-end. The channel wall dead-end of each identified channel is selectively removed in a manner that fluidically connects each identified channel to an adjacent channel. Then, a second image analysis of the image data is conducted in response to selectively removing the channel wall dead-ends to measure a length of each channel wall. Channels walls having a length greater than a threshold channel wall length value are selectively cut, thereby providing reduced fluid flow resistance throughout the FC.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2021Publication date: March 16, 2023Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, IncInventors: Danny J. Lohan, Yuqing Zhou, Ercan M. Dede, Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
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Publication number: 20230065250Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, a fuel cell, and a method of designing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell having a flow field structure that includes a plurality of Representative Elementary Volumes (REVs) generated based on flow patterns generated by homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization. The flow field structure enhances fuel cell performance by facilitating lower pressure drop via minimized fluid flow resistance, and removal of accumulated water in the oxygen channel and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) under the ribs of the bipolar plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Feng Zhou, Yuqing Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Ercan M. Dede, Hiroshi Ukegawa, Tomoki Tambo
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Publication number: 20230058792Abstract: One or more methods of designing microchannel fluid flow networks in a fuel cell bipolar plate includes executing one or more programs on one or more computing devices having one or more processors to optimize the spatially varying orientations of homogenized anisotropic porous media by iteratively executing a gradient-based algorithm that incorporates objective functions of reaction uniformity and flow resistance, and then generate, in response to the homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization, one or more microchannel fluid flow networks by dehomogenizing the optimized anisotropic porous media.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2021Publication date: February 23, 2023Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa, Tsuyoshi Nomura, Ercan M. Dede
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Publication number: 20230059597Abstract: A fuel cell that includes one or more fuel cell bipolar plates having a bipolar plate body with an inlet region, an outlet region, a reaction region arranged between and fluidically connected to the inlet region and the outlet region, and one or more microchannel fluid flow networks extending from the inlet region to the outlet region. The microchannel fluid flow networks include a plurality of primary flow microchannels having one or more secondary flow microchannels branching therefrom to facilitate reaction uniformity and fluid flow resistance through the fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2021Publication date: February 23, 2023Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Tsuyoshi Nomura, Ercan M. Dede
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Publication number: 20220403610Abstract: Disclosed are a steel-concrete composite web and a construction method thereof, and relate to the field of bridge engineering. The steel-concrete composite web comprises a plurality of prefabricated web segments connected in sequence, wherein each prefabricated web segment comprises a corrugated steel web and a concrete encasement, each concrete encasement is arranged on the inner side of the corresponding corrugated steel web. The right and left edges of adjacent corrugated steel web segments are connected, and a pouring space is formed between adjacent concrete encasements; and each concrete encasement is provided with joint reinforcing rebars used for stretching into the pouring space, first concrete is poured into the pouring space to form a cast-in-place wet joint, and the joint reinforcing rebars are embedded into the cast-in-place wet joint.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicants: Guangxi Beitou Highway Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd., Guangxi Qianglu Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., Guangxi Road Construction Investment Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yun Zhang, Yuqing Liu, Xiaorong Zhou, Tingyi Luo, Sihao Wang, Yuan Ye, Haochu Cai, Ming Yang, Yasen Tang, Chunxiu Qin, Changzhou Xie
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Publication number: 20220399416Abstract: A display substrate includes a substrate, at least one inorganic film, metal film(s) and organic film(s), the at least one inorganic film is disposed on the substrate; at least one edge portion of the entire at least one inorganic film is step-shaped. The metal film(s) are disposed on a side of the at least one inorganic film facing away from the substrate. A metal film includes a conductive pattern and residual pattern(s), and an orthographic projection of a residual pattern on the substrate is located within an orthographic projection of a step-shaped edge portion of the at least one inorganic film on the substrate. An organic film is disposed on a side of the metal film facing away from the substrate, and an edge portion of the organic film covers the residual pattern of the metal film.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2021Publication date: December 15, 2022Inventors: Linhong HAN, Yi ZHANG, Weiyun HUANG, Yiyang ZHANG, Yue LONG, Youngyik KO, Shikai QIN, Yuqing YANG, Pengfei YU, Yang ZHOU
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Publication number: 20220386509Abstract: A double-sided cold plate includes a manifold comprising openings extending from a first surface of the manifold through the manifold to a second surface of the manifold forming recesses within the manifold and an inlet channel and an outlet channel fluidly coupled to the recesses within the manifold, a plurality of first heat sinks coupled to the first surface of the manifold enclosing the openings on the first surface, and a plurality of second heat sinks positioned adjacent each other along a length of the manifold and coupled to the second surface of the manifold, enclosing the openings on the second surface, a width of the plurality of second heat sinks is greater than a width of the manifold thereby forming an overhanging portion on each lengthwise side of the manifold, the overhanging portion configured to mechanically support a plurality of electrical components positioned around a perimeter of the manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2021Publication date: December 1, 2022Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., University of Colorado BoulderInventors: Feng Zhou, Yuqing Zhou, Ercan Mehmet Dede, Robert Erickson, Dragan Maksimovic, Vivek Sankaranarayanan, Yucheng Gao
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Patent number: 11501032Abstract: Methods are provided for designing a structure with developable surfaces using a surface developability constraint. The surface developability constraint is developed based on the discovery of a sufficient condition for surface piecewise developability, namely surface normal directions lie on a small, finite number of planes. Automated methods and algorithms may include providing a design domain and a characteristic function of a material in the design domain to be optimized. The methods include defining a nodal density of the material, and determining surface normal directions of a plurality of planes. A density gradient that describes the surface normal directions is then determined. The methods include performing a topology optimization process on the design domain using a surface developability constraint that is based, at least in part, on the characteristic function. A geometric domain is then created for the structure using results from the topology optimization.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Yuqing Zhou, Tsuyoshi Nomura, Kazuhiro Saitou
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Publication number: 20220334414Abstract: A silicon on insulator (SOI) photonic device having a waveguide is provided that includes a mode overlap portion with a topology optimized structure situated below an electrode of the capacitance structure. The device can significantly change a refractive index in a volume of mode overlap depending upon the applied potential to the capacitor and allows for a ? phase shift in a modest mode overlap volume. The topology optimized structure has a waveguide and substrate that are partitioned in three dimensions using an extruded projection design. The electrode is a transition metal di-chalcogenide monolayer sheet (2D TMD). The enhanced mode overlay from the topology optimized waveguide portion allows a large reduction in the length of the waveguide with the mode overlap to achieve the needed phase shift for a photonic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2021Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: Sean P. Rodrigues, Paul Donald Schmalenberg, Yuqing Zhou, Ercan Mehmet Dede
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Publication number: 20220319756Abstract: The present invention discloses a 220 KV transformer sleeve. The sleeve includes a sleeve assembly and a connecting assembly. The sleeve assembly includes a sleeve brace, an adjustable part coupled with the sleeve brace. The connecting assembly includes a rotating part and a mobile part. The sleeve is secured on the transformer core body through screws, and the adjustable part can be opened through the connecting assembly. When maintenance is required, there is no need to dismantle the entire sleeve. The work efficiency is greatly improved. This minimizes inductance leakage and prevents eddy currents from occurring.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Liren ZHOU, Yuqing SANG, Yan SUN, Shuang HAO, Guoping TONG, Zhengrong LI, Jie LV
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Publication number: 20220319757Abstract: Provided in the present invention is a 220 KV transformer movable sleeve for easy maintenance which includes a sleeve assembly and a connecting component. The sleeve assembly includes a sleeve and an end cap, and the access port is provided on the sleeve, the access port is matched with the end cap, and the connecting component includes a rotating part, a moving part and a driving part. The access port is arranged on the sleeve assembly, and the inspection can only be carried out by opening the access port during inspection, without dismantling the entire movable sleeve, and greatly improving the work efficiency. The rubber strip is combined with the metal sleeve. The method reduces the influence of magnetic flux leakage on the metal movable sleeve and prevents it from generating eddy current heating. Through the driving part, the end cap can be automatically opened, saving time and effort.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Liren ZHOU, Yuqing SANG, Yan SUN, Shuang HAO, Guoping TONG, Zhengrong LI, Jie LV
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Publication number: 20220310722Abstract: Provided are a display motherboard, a preparation method thereof, a display substrate and a display device. The display motherboard includes a plurality of display substrate regions and a cutting region located at a periphery of each of the plurality of display substrate regions; the display motherboard includes a driving structure layer arranged in each of the plurality of display substrate regions and a marking structure layer arranged in each cutting region, wherein the marking structure layer includes a cutting mark layer; and a planarization layer arranged on the driving structure layer and the marking structure layer, and covering the marking structure layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2020Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Linhong HAN, Yi ZHANG, Guangzhou ZHAO, Yiyang ZHANG, Yuqing YANG, Tingliang LIU, Pengfei YU, Yang ZHOU, Qun MA, Xiping LI, Shikai QIN, Weiyun HUANG, Yue LONG
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Patent number: 11455438Abstract: Methods for multi-component topology optimization for composite structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of designing a structure by computer-implemented topology optimization includes establishing a plurality of design points within a design domain and establishing at least a first orientation field and a second orientation field. The method further includes assigning values for the one or more membership fields, the one or more density fields, the first orientation field and the second orientation field, and projecting the values onto a simulation model. The method includes achieving convergence of an objective function for a design variable by iteratively executing a topology optimization of the simulation model using the values. Each design point of the plurality of design points is a member of no component or a member of one of the first component and the second component.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2018Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Tsuyoshi Nomura, Kazuhiro Saitou, Yuqing Zhou
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Publication number: 20220275110Abstract: The present disclosure relates to waxy maize starches having desirably high process stability, and to methods relating to them, including methods for making and using them. One aspect of the disclosure is a waxy maize starch having an amyiopectin content in the range of 90-100%; wherein the amyiopectin fraction of the waxy maize starch has at least 28.0% DP3-12 branches: and no more than 53.0% DP 13-24 branches, no more than 16.0% DP 25-36 branches. Such waxy maize starches can be advantaged over conventional waxy maize starches in that they can have increased process stability, especially with respect to freeze-thaw stability. Methods of making the starch materials, using exo-hydrolyzing enzymes and methods of using the starch materials in food products are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2020Publication date: September 1, 2022Inventors: Zheng YOU, Yuqing ZHOU, Kevin KOVACH, Jonathan HOPWOOD, Judith WHALEY
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Patent number: 11428478Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe manifold microchannel heat sinks having a gridded microchannel assembly with free-form fin geometries for cooling heat-generating devices in the electronics modules. In an embodiment, a manifold microchannel heat sink includes a target surface and a gridded microchannel assembly comprising a plurality of microchannel cells. Each microchannel cell is surrounded by thermally-conductive sidewalls and includes a fluid inlet, a microchannel structure fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The microchannel structure extends from the target surface and defines a microchannel extending in a normal direction with respect to the target surface. The microchannel structure includes a base plate disposed on the target surface and a three-dimensional fin structure disposed on the base plate. The three-dimensional fin structure has a shape optimized for thermal performance and fluid performance.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2020Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Ercan M. Dede, Tsuyoshi Nomura
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Publication number: 20220194044Abstract: Inflatable structures, or aeromorphs, are provided with reinforcing member shape controlling features. The inflatable structure includes a bladder formed of a programmable substrate and defining an outer perimeter. The bladder includes a plurality of seams and a plurality of foldable segments defined by the plurality of seams. At least one hinge is provided, located adjacent each foldable segment. The hinge is configured to permit a folding movement of the respective foldable segment. At least one reinforcing member is provided, secured to the bladder and configured to guide a directional movement of at least one of the plurality of foldable segments, control a shape of the inflatable structure, and determine a sequence of folding. In various aspects, the reinforcing member includes a thermoplastic polyurethane, and is secured to a surface of the bladder with additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3-D printing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2021Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nomura, Yuqing Zhou
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Publication number: 20220140360Abstract: A fuel cell that includes an air fuel cell bipolar plate and a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate respectively having a Turing-pattern microstructure configuration. The spatial arrangement of the air fuel cell bipolar plate and the hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate is such that the air layer of the air fuel cell bipolar plate and the hydrogen layer of the hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate are opposed to each other to define a microstructure configuration for a coolant layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2020Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, IncInventors: Yuqing Zhou, Ercan M. Dede, Tsuyoshi Nomura
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Publication number: 20220140359Abstract: A fuel cell may include a first fuel cell bipolar plate defining an air layer, a second fuel cell bipolar plate defining a hydrogen layer, and a coolant layer defined by the air layer and the hydrogen layer. The coolant layer includes a plurality of coolant microchannels that facilitate flow of a coolant. A permeable support layer is arranged between the air layer and the hydrogen layer to define a gap therebetween to prevent flow blockage of the coolant microchannels while facilitating coolant flow therethrough.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2020Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, IncInventors: Ercan M. Dede, Yuqing Zhou
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Publication number: 20220140376Abstract: One or more methods of obtaining an optimal design of a fuel cell having fluid flow networks. In one or more methods, air, hydrogen, and coolant flow networks are simultaneously designed using porous media optimization and Turing pattern dehomogenization.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2020Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, IncInventors: Yuqing Zhou, Ercan M. Dede, Tsuyoshi Nomura