Patent · US Active

Heated O-ring

US7525072B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by

2References

19Claims

0Family size

Assignee

GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC · US

Inventors

Rainer Pechtold · Idstein, DE
Thorsten Rohwer · Trebur, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 13, 2005
Grant date	Apr 28, 2009
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 7, 2027

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY02T90/40
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A heated O-ring that has particular application for providing sealing in the connector region of a compressed hydrogen storage tank in a fuel cell system. In one embodiment, an electrical heating wire is wound through the O-ring so that resistive heating is provide by applying an electrical potential to the wire so that the temperature of the O-ring does not decrease below a predetermined temperature. In another embodiment, electrical heating elements are provided adjacent to and in contact with the O-ring, where an electrical potential applied to the heating elements causes the heating elements to maintain the temperature of the O-ring.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.