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).

  • Patent number: 12278404
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Ercan M. Dede, Yuqing Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Feng Zhou, Tomoki Tambo, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20250099047
    Abstract: The present application provides an examination table including a table panel assembly, a detector assembly carrying a detector and being capable of moving the detector relative to the table panel assembly, and a detector position indicating apparatus. The detector assembly includes a coverage area constituting an imaging region. The detector position indicating apparatus includes at least one light transmitting plate provided in a non-imaging region of the table panel assembly, and at least one light emitting unit fixed to the detector assembly, the at least one light emitting unit comprising an indicator light, and light emitted by the indicator light being capable of passing through the at least one light transmitting plate to indicate a current position of the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Fusheng Li, Yuqing Li, Youbao Cao, Lingzhi Zhou, Gang Hong
  • Patent number: 12252555
    Abstract: A selenium-chelating pea oligopeptide, a preparation method thereof and use thereof. After the selenium-chelating pea oligopeptide is subjected to digestion treatment in at least one of following three ways, a change rate of selenium content not more than 3% with respect to the selenium content before the digestion treatment: hydrolyzing for 4 hours by a pepsin at a pH value of 2 and a temperature of 37° C.; hydrolyzing for 6 hours by a trypsin at a pH value of 7.5 and a temperature of 37° C.; maintaining the temperature constant at 37° C., firstly hydrolyzing for 4 hours by the pepsin at a pH value of 2, and then continuing to hydrolyze for 6 hours by a trypsin at a pH value of 6.8. The preparation method thereof includes mixing and reacting an aqueous solution of pea oligopeptide and sodium selenite, and then being subjected to alcohol precipitation and drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: CHINA NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF FOOD & FERMENTATION INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Muyi Cai, Ruizeng Gu, Jun Lu, Wenying Liu, Xiuyuan Qin, Xingchang Pan, Zhe Dong, Yong Ma, Yaguang Xu, Yongqing Ma, Liang Chen, Lu Lu, Haixin Zhang, Ying Wei, Yan Liu, Kelu Cao, Jing Wang, Guoming Li, Ming Zhou, Yuchen Wang, Yuqing Wang, Kong Ling, Yuan Bi, Xinyue Cui
  • Publication number: 20250059795
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to multiple three-dimensional (3D) structures formation from a network of circularly-packed structural elements. In one embodiment, a system includes a circularly-packed network of structural elements that form multiple 3D structures. Diameters of the structural elements define a shape of the 3D structures. The circularly-packed network is adaptable to form 1) a first 3D structure and 2) a second 3D structure with a different shape than the first 3D structure. The system also includes a set of joints that connect adjacent structural elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Research Foundation for the State University of New York
    Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Masato Tanaka, Yuyang Song, Xianfeng David Gu, Shikui Chen, Zhou Zhao, Lingfeng Gao
  • Patent number: 12218392
    Abstract: A method of designing a fuel cell includes executing one or more programs on one or more computing devices having one or more processors to predict a location of one or more liquid regions and one or more vapor regions in microchannels at an air layer of a plate of the fuel cell. Based on the prediction, fluid flow networks for the air layer, a hydrogen layer, and a coolant layer of the fuel cell are simultaneously optimized via homogenized flow optimization. In response to the results of the homogenized flow optimization, one or more multi-scale Turing-patterned microstructures are generated for the air layer and the hydrogen layer. One or more multi-scale Turing-patterned microstructures are generated for the coolant layer by stacking the air layer and the hydrogen layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Ercan M. Dede
  • Patent number: 12199320
    Abstract: 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. One or more support members are to extend between the air layer and the hydrogen layer to define one or more additional coolant flow paths between the air layer and the hydrogen layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Ercan M. Dede
  • Publication number: 20240405231
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and bipolar plate structure for a fuel cell stack inside a polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack. The bipolar plate structure may be created, wherein creating the bipolar plate structure may include forming a z-shaped pattern for a plurality of hydrogen flow channels. Creating the bipolar plate structure may include forming a z-shaped pattern for a plurality of air flow channels. Creating the bipolar plate structure may include forming an x-shaped crossing pattern for a plurality of coolant flow channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Ercan M. Dede, Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 12100870
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Yuqing Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Ercan M. Dede, Hiroshi Ukegawa, Tomoki Tambo
  • Patent number: 12064935
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nomura, Yuqing Zhou
  • Patent number: 12062820
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC
    Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa, Tsuyoshi Nomura, Ercan M. Dede
  • Patent number: 12036612
    Abstract: 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. A permeable support infill structure, composed of sintered thermally conductive powder particles, is arranged at the cooling layer to prevent flow blockage at the coolant layer, define a thermally conductive path between the air layer and the hydrogen layer, and facilitate coolant flow through the permeable support infill structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Ercan M. Dede, Yuqing Zhou
  • Patent number: 11977281
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean P. Rodrigues, Paul Donald Schmalenberg, Yuqing Zhou, Ercan Mehmet Dede
  • Publication number: 20240119185
    Abstract: One or more multi-zoned microreactor flow field configurations that facilitate optimized reaction-fluid performance, and one or more methods of designing such multi-zoned microreactor flow fields.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sarah N. Hankins, Yuqing Zhou, Ercan Dede, Danny Lohan
  • Patent number: 11896038
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to inhibited waxy starches and methods for using them. One aspect of the disclosure is an inhibited waxy starch based on maize, wheat, or tapioca having an amylopectin content in the range of 90-100%; and a sedimentation volume in the range of 10-50 mL/g; in which the amylopectin fraction of the inhibited waxy starch based on maize, wheat, or tapioca has no more than 48.5% medium-length branches having a chain length from 13-24 (measured by a valley-to-valley method as described herein), and the starch is not pregelatinized. Methods of using the starch materials in food products are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Tate & Lyle Solutions USA LLC
    Inventors: Judith K. Whaley, Weichang Liu, Yuqing Zhou, Xian Chen, Leslie George Howarth, Mark Beltz
  • Publication number: 20240039016
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a first fuel cell; a second fuel cell; a cathode configured to receive a positive charge from the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell; an anode disposed apart from the cathode and configured to receive a negative charge from the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell; a manifold enclosing the anode and the cathode; coolant disposed within the manifold and surrounding the cathode and the anode; and a seal disposed between the cathode and the anode so as to prevent the coolant from leaking into the first fuel cell, wherein the cathode includes a seal portion disposed adjacent to the seal and a remaining portion separated from the seal by the seal portion, and wherein the remaining portion of the cathode is configured to be non-parallel with the anode so as to reduce shunt current at the seal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoki Tambo, Ercan Dede, Yuqing Zhou
  • Publication number: 20240039012
    Abstract: A fuel cell (FC) assembly having a stack that includes a bipolar plate and a gas diffusion layer (GDL) composed of a microporous metal foam having embedded therein a plurality of discrete microchannels or a plurality of discrete microstructures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuqing Zhou, Gaohua Zhu, Ercan M Dede, Liang Wang, Hongfei Jia, Debasish Banerjee
  • Patent number: 11885652
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method fluid flow measurements which include a pressure transducer and a flexible tube. The pressure transducer is tuned to measure flow speeds having a Reynolds number less than 100 and include an inlet. The flexible tube has a first end fluidly coupled to the inlet and a second end positioned adjacent to and in fluid communication with a plurality of fluid outlets of a microchannel flow structure. Each of the plurality of fluid outlets has a cross section defining an outlet area. The second end has a cross section defining a flexible tube area that is larger than the outlet area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ercan M. Dede, Yuqing Zhou, Feng Zhou, Danny Lohan
  • Patent number: 11864357
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc., University of Colorado Boulder
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Yuqing Zhou, Ercan Mehmet Dede, Robert Erickson, Dragan Maksimovic, Vivek Sankaranarayanan, Yucheng Gao
  • Publication number: 20230343970
    Abstract: A bipolar plate-gas diffusion layer (GDL) assembly for a polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cell includes a flat metallic bipolar plate and a porous metal GDL adjacent to and in direct contact with the flat metallic bipolar plate. The porous metal GDL includes flow channels defined by flow channels walls with flow channel surfaces. The flow channel walls and flow channel surfaces have an average porosity generally equal to an average porosity of an interior of the porous metal GDL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gaohua Zhu, Liang Wang, Yuqing Zhou, Debasish Banerjee, Hongfei Jia, Ercan Mehmet Dede, Hiroyuki Kawai, Masaki Ando
  • Publication number: 20230152517
    Abstract: Embodiments of a thermally modulated photonic switch are presented herein. One embodiment comprises a topology-optimized structure that includes dispersed silicon and silicon dioxide. This topology-optimized structure includes an input waveguide, a first output waveguide, and a second output waveguide. The topology-optimized structure routes a light beam from the input waveguide to the first output waveguide, when the topology-optimized structure is at a first predetermined temperature that causes a refractive index of the silicon in the topology-optimized structure to assume a first predetermined value, and the topology-optimized structure routes a light beam from the input waveguide to the second output waveguide, when the topology-optimized structure is at a second predetermined temperature that causes the refractive index of the silicon in the topology-optimized structure to assume a second predetermined value that is distinct from the first predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Sean P. Rodrigues, Yuqing Zhou