Thomas M Kmetich

20130108940, May 2, 2013

Oct 25, 2012

13/659938

Jason L. Stimits - Avon OH, US
Chad E. Law - Milan OH, US
Russell H. Barton - New Westminster, CA
Thomas J. Kmetich - Willoughby Hills OH, US
Allison M. Fisher - Valley City OH, US
Guanghong Zheng - Westlake OH, US
Olen Vanderleeden - Port Moody, CA

EVEREADY BATTERY COMPANY, INC. - St. Louis MO

H01M 8/06
B01J 7/00

429426, 422198

A hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system including a fuel cell battery and the hydrogen generator. The hydrogen generator includes a cartridge, a housing with a cavity to removably contain the cartridge, and an initiation system. The cartridge includes a casing; a plurality of pellets including a hydrogen containing material; a plurality of solid heat transfer members in contact with but not penetrating the casing; a hydrogen outlet in the casing; and a hydrogen flow path from each pellet to the hydrogen outlet. A plurality of heating elements is disposed inside the housing. When the cartridge is in the cavity, each heating element is disposed so heat can be conducted from the heating element and through the casing and corresponding heat transfer member to initiate the release of hydrogen gas. The initiation system can selectively heat one or more pellets to release hydrogen gas as needed.

20140044605, Feb 13, 2014

Jul 17, 2013

13/943945

Chad E. Law - Milan OH, US
Jason L. Stimits - Avon OH, US
Mark D. Vandayburg - Westlake OH, US
Gerald A. Zsigo - North Ridgeville OH, US
Thomas J. Kmetich - Willoughby Hills OH, US
Craig R. Huddleston - Lakewood OH, US
Andrew Jasin - Avon OH, US

B01J 7/00

422198

A packaged fuel unit and a refillable hydrogen generator that uses the fuel unit to produce hydrogen gas are disclosed. The fuel unit includes a reactant that can undergo a thermal decomposition reaction that produces hydrogen gas when heated to at least a minimum initiation temperature. The reactant is contained within a package that includes a poor thermal conductor with one or more thermal conductor sections for conducting heat from outside the package to the reactant. The hydrogen generator includes a holder with a cavity in which the fuel unit can be removably disposed and a heating system for heating the fuel unit when disposed therein. The hydrogen generator can be part of a fuel cell system including a fuel cell battery that is provided with hydrogen gas from the hydrogen generator.

6472089, Oct 29, 2002

Jun 13, 2000

09/592962

James C. Stricker - Hinckley OH
Thomas J. Kmetich - Willoughby Hills OH

Eveready Battery Company, Inc. - St. Louis MO

H01M 200

429 1, 429178, 429179, 429181, 429185, 429186, 429157, 429160, 429163, 429164, 429167, 429168, 429169, 429170, 429120

An electrochemical cell is provided that has a negative terminal cover with a hole therein or a raised portion with notches therein to provide adequate air ingress during the coating of a non-conductive material on the raised portion of the negative terminal. The addition of the hole or notches in the negative terminal cover prevents a vacuum from forming and thereby prevents migration of the non-conductive material toward the center of the negative terminal cover. The process of making an electrochemical cell with a negative terminal cover that has a hole therein or has a raised portion with notches therein is also provided.

20160159647, Jun 9, 2016

Feb 17, 2016

15/045916

- San Jose CA, US
Chad E. Law - Milan OH, US
Jason L. Stimits - Avon OH, US
Mark D. Vandayburg - Westlake OH, US
Gerald A. Zsigo - North Ridgeville OH, US
Thomas J. Kmetich - Willoughby Hills OH, US
Craig R. Huddleston - Lakewood OH, US
Andrew Jasin - Avon OH, US

Intelligent Energy Inc. - San Jose CA

C01B 3/04

A packaged fuel unit and a refillable hydrogen generator that uses the fuel unit to produce hydrogen gas are disclosed. The fuel unit includes a reactant that can undergo a thermal decomposition reaction that produces hydrogen gas when heated to at least a minimum initiation temperature. The reactant is contained within a package that includes a poor thermal conductor with one or more thermal conductor sections for conducting heat from outside the package to the reactant. The hydrogen generator includes a holder with a cavity in which the fuel unit can be removably disposed and a heating system for heating the fuel unit when disposed therein. The hydrogen generator can be part of a fuel cell system including a fuel cell battery that is provided with hydrogen gas from the hydrogen generator.

20160104907, Apr 14, 2016

Dec 18, 2015

14/975485

- San Jose CA, US
Jason L. Stimits - Avon OH, US
Chad E. Law - Milan OH, US
Russell H. Barton - New Westminster, CA
Thomas J. Kmetich - Willoughby Hills OH, US
Allison M. Fisher - Valley City OH, US
Guanghong Zheng - Westlake OH, US
Olen Vanderleeden - Port Moody CA, US

Intelligent Energy Inc. - San Jose CA

H01M 8/06
C01B 3/08
C01B 3/02

A hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system including a fuel cell battery and the hydrogen generator. The hydrogen generator includes a cartridge, a housing with a cavity to removably contain the cartridge, and an initiation system. The cartridge includes a casing; a plurality of pellets including a hydrogen containing material; a plurality of solid heat transfer members in contact with but not penetrating the casing; a hydrogen outlet in the casing; and a hydrogen flow path from each pellet to the hydrogen outlet. A plurality of heating elements is disposed inside the housing. When the cartridge is in the cavity, each heating element is disposed so heat can be conducted from the heating element and through the casing and corresponding heat transfer member to initiate the release of hydrogen gas. The initiation system can selectively heat one or more pellets to release hydrogen gas as needed.

20150203353, Jul 23, 2015

Apr 1, 2015

14/676393

- San Jose CA, US
Guanghong Zheng - Westlake OH, US
Jason L. Stimits - Avon OH, US
Chad E. Law - Milan OH, US
Russell H. Barton - New Westminster, CA
Richard A. Langan - Parma OH, US
Thomas J. Kmetich - WIlloughby Hills OH, US
Gerald A. Zsigo - North Ridgeville OH, US

INTELLIGENT ENERGY INC. - San Jose CA

C01B 3/00
B01J 19/24

Disclosed is a fuel unit for a gas generator such as a hydrogen gas generator that can supply gas to a gas consuming system such as a fuel cell system. The fuel unit includes a housing containing a solid fuel composition and a heat producing material. The fuel composition contains gas releasing solid material that reacts to release gas when heated. The heat producing material reacts exothermically to produce heat. A plurality of quantities of the heat producing material are in thermal communication with corresponding portions of an unsegregated quantity the fuel composition such that, following initiation of a reaction of each quantity of the heat producing material, the quantity of heat producing material will heat the corresponding portion of the unsegregated quantity of the fuel composition, and the corresponding portion of the unsegregated quantity of the fuel composition will react to release a quantity of the gas.

20150182938, Jul 2, 2015

Mar 11, 2015

14/645203

- San Jose CA, US
Thomas J. Kmetich - Willoughby Hills OH, US

INTELLIGENT ENERGY INC. - San Jose CA

B01J 19/24
C01B 3/04
H01M 8/06

A hydrogen generator, a fuel cell for use in the hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system are disclosed. The hydrogen generator includes a housing and a plurality of fuel pellets disposed in the housing. Each fuel pellet includes a hydrogen-containing reactant that will react to release hydrogen gas when heated. The hydrogen generator also includes a plurality of heating elements extending into the plurality of fuel pellets to generate heat to selectively heat one or more fuel pellets to initiate a reaction to produce hydrogen gas. The hydrogen generator further includes a plurality of electrical contacts operatively coupled to the plurality of heating elements to selectively supply electrical power to the plurality of heating elements.

20150072256, Mar 12, 2015

Nov 13, 2014

14/541047

- San Jose CA, US
Olen R. Vanderleden - Port Moody, CA
Richard A. Langan - Parma OH, US
Chad E. Law - Milan OH, US
Thomas J. Kmetich - Willoughby Hills OH, US
Craig R. Huddleston - Lakewood OH, US
Jason L. Stimits - Avon OH, US
Gerald Zsigo - North Ridgeville OH, US
Kevin P. Murray - Schaumburg IL, US

B01J 19/12
C01B 3/04
H01M 8/06

429423, 422164

A hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system including the hydrogen generator are disclosed. The hydrogen generator includes a reactant that undergoes a thermal decomposition reaction to produce hydrogen when heated. A laser is used to initiate the reaction. The reactant is contained in a reactant composition in a user-replaceable disc-shaped fuel unit. The reactant composition can be segregated into individual quantities. The fuel unit and the laser beam are periodically realigned by incrementally rotating the fuel unit and/or incrementally redirect the laser beam.