REFUELLING UNIT FOR REFUELLING FUEL CELL OF HEARING AID

Abstract

Disclosed is a refueling unit for refueling a fuel cell. The refueling unit comprising a fuel cell receiving section and a cartridge receiving section. The refueling unit is configured to receive through a waste inlet a waste fluid. The refueling unit further comprises an intermediate fuel reservoir for storing fuel. The refueling unit is configured to firstly receive in the intermediate fuel reservoir a predetermined amount of fuel from a cartridge and secondly empty the intermediate fuel reservoir and guide said fuel stored therein into the fuel reservoir of a fuel cell connected to the fuel cell receiving section.

Claims

1. A refueling unit for refueling a fuel cell, said refueling unit comprising a fuel cell receiving section having a fuel outlet adapted for being fluidly connected to a fuel inlet of a fuel reservoir of a fuel cell, and waste inlet adapted for being fluidly connected to a waste outlet of said fuel reservoir of said fuel cell; a cartridge receiving section having a fuel inlet adapted for being fluidly connected with a fuel outlet of a cartridge comprising a fuel for refueling said fuel cell; wherein said refueling unit is configured to receive through said waste inlet a waste fluid stored in a fuel reservoir of a fuel cell connected to said fuel cell receiving section, characterized in that said refueling unit further comprises an intermediate fuel reservoir for storing fuel, said intermediate fuel reservoir being fluidly connected to said fuel inlet of said cartridge receiving section and said fuel outlet of said fuel cell receiving section, wherein said refueling unit is configured to firstly receive in said intermediate fuel reservoir a predetermined amount of fuel from a cartridge connected to said cartridge receiving section and secondly empty said intermediate fuel reservoir and guide said fuel stored therein out of said fuel outlet of said fuel cell receiving section and into the fuel reservoir of a fuel cell connected to said fuel cell receiving section.

2. A refueling unit according to claim 1, wherein said refueling unit further comprises a first piston and an actuator, wherein said first piston is configured to be movable in said intermediate fuel reservoir between a first position and a second position, said refueling unit being configured to receive in said intermediate fuel reservoir a predetermined amount of fuel from a cartridge connected to said cartridge receiving section by moving said first piston from said first position to said second position using said actuator, and secondly empty said intermediate fuel reservoir and guide said fuel stored therein out of said fuel outlet of said fuel cell receiving section by moving said first piston from said second position to said first position using said actuator.

3. A refueling unit according to claim 2, wherein said intermediate fuel reservoir is fluidly connected to said fuel inlet of said cartridge receiving section via a one-way valve allowing fluid flow only from said fuel inlet of said cartridge receiving section to said intermediate fuel reservoir.

4. A refueling unit according to claim 2, wherein said intermediate fuel reservoir is fluidly connected to said fuel outlet of said fuel cell receiving section via a one-way valve allowing fluid flow only from said intermediate fuel reservoir to said fuel outlet of said fuel cell receiving section.

5. A refueling unit according to claim 1, wherein said refueling unit further comprises an intermediate waste reservoir and a waste outlet, said intermediate waste reservoir being fluidly connected to said waste inlet of said fuel cell receiving section and said waste outlet, said refueling unit being configured to receive a waste fluid through said waste inlet from a fuel reservoir of a fuel cell connected to said fuel cell receiving section by firstly receiving in said intermediate waste reservoir said waste fluid and secondly empty said intermediate waste reservoir and guide said waste fluid stored therein out of said waste outlet.

6. A refueling unit according to claim 5, wherein said refueling unit further comprises a second piston, wherein said second piston is configured to be movable in said intermediate waste reservoir between a first position and a second position, said refueling unit being configured to receive in said intermediate waste reservoir a waste fluid from a fuel reservoir of a fuel cell connected to said fuel cell receiving section by moving said second piston from said first position to said second position, and secondly empty said intermediate waste reservoir and guide said waste fluid stored therein out of said waste outlet by moving said second piston from said second position to said first position.

7. A refueling unit according to claim 5, wherein said intermediate waste reservoir is fluidly connected to said waste inlet of said fuel cell receiving section via a one-way valve allowing fluid flow only from said waste inlet to said intermediate waste reservoir.

8. A refueling unit according to claim 5, wherein said intermediate waste reservoir is fluidly connected to said waste outlet via a one-way valve allowing only fluid flow from said intermediate waste reservoir to said waste outlet.

9. A refueling unit according to claim 6. wherein said refueling unit further comprises a first piston and an actuator, wherein said first piston is configured to be movable in said intermediate fuel reservoir between a first position and a second position, said refueling unit being configured to receive in said intermediate fuel reservoir a predetermined amount of fuel from a cartridge connected to said cartridge receiving section by moving said first piston from said first position to said second position using said actuator, and secondly empty said intermediate fuel reservoir and guide said fuel stored therein out of said fuel outlet of said fuel cell receiving section by moving said first piston from said second position to said first position using said actuator, and wherein said actuator is configured to move said second piston from said first position to said second position, and from said second position to said first position.

10. A refueling unit according to claim 9, wherein said first piston is mechanically coupled to said second piston via a force transferring element so that said first piston and said second piston simultaneously moves from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position, whereby the intermediate fuel reservoir is filled with fuel at the same time as the intermediate waste reservoir receives waste fluid, and the fuel stored in the intermediate fuel reservoir is guided out of said intermediate fuel reservoir at the same time as the waste fluid is guided out of said intermediate waste reservoir.

11. A refueling unit according to claim 1, wherein said fuel outlet and said waste inlet of said fuel cell receiving section is combined into a single inlet/outlet fluid connection port for being fluidly connected to a combined inlet/outlet fluid connection port of a fuel reservoir of a fuel cell.

12. A system comprising a refueling unit according to claim 1 and a hearing aid fitted with a fuel cell having a fuel reservoir with a single combined inlet/outlet fluid connection port connectable to the fuel cell receiving section of the refueling unit.

13. A method of refueling a fuel cell using a refueling unit according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: arranging a cartridge in said cartridge receiving section of said refueling unit; arranging a fuel cell having a fuel reservoir in said fuel cell receiving section, said fuel cell forming part of a hearing aid; receiving in said refueling unit a waste fluid stored in the fuel reservoir of said fuel cell; receiving in said intermediate fuel reservoir a predetermined amount of fuel from said cartridge connected to said cartridge receiving section; emptying said intermediate fuel reservoir and guiding said fuel stored therein out of said fuel outlet of said fuel cell receiving section and into the fuel reservoir of said fuel cell connected to said fuel cell receiving section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The above and/or additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be further elucidated by the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a refueling unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of a refueling unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIGS. 3a-e show a fluid system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying figures, which show by way of illustration how the invention may be practiced.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a refueling unit 1 for refueling a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refueling unit 1 comprises a fuel cell receiving section 2, a cartridge receiving section 3 and an intermediate fuel reservoir 4. The fuel cell receiving section 2 has a fuel outlet 21 for being fluidly connected to a fuel inlet of a fuel reservoir of a fuel cell and waste inlet 22 for being fluidly connected to a waste outlet of the fuel reservoir of the fuel cell. The cartridge receiving section 3 has a fuel inlet 30 for being fluidly connected with a fuel outlet of a cartridge comprising a fuel for refueling the fuel cell. The refueling unit 1 is configured to receive through the waste inlet 20 a waste fluid stored in a fuel reservoir of a fuel cell connected to the fuel cell receiving section 2. The waste fluid may be guided 60 out of the refueling unit 1 or guided 61 into the cartridge receiving section 3 for providing the waste fluid to a cartridge. The intermediate fuel reservoir 4 is fluidly connected to the fuel inlet 30 of said cartridge receiving section 3 and the fuel outlet 21 of said fuel cell receiving section 2. The refueling unit is configured to firstly receive in the intermediate fuel reservoir 4 a predetermined amount of fuel from a cartridge connected to the cartridge receiving section 3 and secondly empty the intermediate fuel reservoir 4 and guide the fuel stored therein out of the fuel outlet 21 of the fuel cell receiving section 2 and into the fuel reservoir of a fuel cell connected to the fuel cell receiving section 2. The fuel outlet 21 and the waste inlet 20 of the fuel cell receiving section 2 may be combined into a single inlet/outlet fluid connection port 22 for being fluidly connected to a combined inlet/outlet fluid connection port of a fuel reservoir of a fuel cell.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of a refueling unit 1 for refueling a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refueling unit 1 comprises a fuel cell receiving section 2, a cartridge receiving section 3, an intermediate fuel reservoir 4, an intermediate waste reservoir 5 and a waste outlet 6. The fuel cell receiving section 2 has an inlet/outlet fluid connection port 22. A fuel cell 80 e.g. of a hearing aid, is connected to the fuel cell receiving section 2. The inlet/outlet fluid connection port 22 is connected to an inlet/outlet port 82 of a fuel reservoir 81 of the fuel cell 80. A cartridge 31 comprising a fuel for refueling the fuel cell 80 is connected to the cartridge receiving section 3. The cartridge receiving section 3 has a fuel inlet 30 connected to a fuel outlet 32 of the cartridge 31.

[0043] The intermediate fuel reservoir 4 is fluidly connected to the fuel inlet 30 of the cartridge receiving section 3 via a one-way valve 91 allowing fluid flow only from the fuel inlet 30 of said cartridge receiving section 3 to the intermediate fuel reservoir 4. The intermediate fuel reservoir 4 is fluidly connected to the inlet/outlet fluid connection port 22 via a one-way valve 92 allowing fluid flow only from the intermediate fuel reservoir 4 to the inlet/outlet fluid connection port 22 of the fuel cell receiving section 2.

[0044] The intermediate waste reservoir 5 is fluidly connected to inlet/outlet fluid connection port 22 via a one-way valve 93 allowing fluid flow only from the inlet/outlet fluid connection port 22 of the fuel cell receiving section 2 to the intermediate waste reservoir 5. The intermediate waste reservoir 5 is fluidly connected to waste outlet 6 via a one-way valve 94 allowing fluid flow only from the intermediate waste reservoir 5 to the waste outlet 6.

[0045] The refueling unit comprises further a first piston 41, a second piston 51 and an actuator 7. The first piston 41 is configured to be movable in the intermediate fuel reservoir 4 between a first position (illustrated by the dotted line 43) and a second position (illustrated by the dotted line 42). The second piston 41 is configured to be movable in the intermediate waste reservoir 5 between a first position (illustrated by the dotted line 53) and a second position (illustrated by the dotted line 52). The refueling unit 1 is configured to receive in the intermediate fuel reservoir 4 a predetermined amount of fuel from the cartridge 31 connected to the cartridge receiving section 3 by moving the first piston 41 from the first position 43 to the second position 42 using the actuator 7, and secondly empty the intermediate fuel reservoir 4 and guide the fuel stored therein out of the inlet/outlet fluid connection port 22 of the fuel cell receiving section 2 by moving the first piston 41 from the second position 42 to the first position 43 using the actuator 7. The refueling unit 1 is configured to receive in the intermediate waste reservoir 51 a waste fluid from the fuel reservoir 81 of the fuel cell 80 connected to the fuel cell receiving section 2 by moving the second piston 51 from the first position 53 to the second position 52, and secondly empty the intermediate waste reservoir 5 and guide the waste fluid stored therein out of the waste outlet 6 by moving the second piston 51 from the second position 52 to the first position 53.

[0046] The first piston 41 may be mechanically coupled to the second piston 51 via a force transferring element so that the first piston 41 and the second piston 51 simultaneously move from the first position 43 53 to the second position 42 52 and from the second position 42 52 to the first position 43 53, whereby the intermediate fuel reservoir 4 is filled with fuel at the same as the intermediate waste reservoir 5 receives waste fluid, and the fuel stored in the intermediate fuel reservoir 4 is guided out of said intermediate fuel reservoir 4 at the same time as the waste fluid is guided out of the intermediate waste reservoir 5.

[0047] In one embodiment the one-way valves 91-94 are implemented using a fluid system 90 as described further in relation to FIGS. 3a-e. However, in other embodiments other type of one-way valves may be used.

[0048] FIGS. 3a-e show a fluid system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fluid system 100 comprises a first member 101, a membrane sheet 102, and a second member 103. FIG. 3a shows a top view of the fluid system 100, FIG. 3b shows a side view of the fluid system 100, FIG. 3c shows a top view of the first member 101, FIG. 3d shows a bottom view of the second member 103, and FIG. 3e shows a top view of the membrane sheet 102. The first member 101 has a first surface 110, a first inlet/outlet fluid connection port 111, a second inlet/outlet fluid connection port 118, a first flow channel 112, a third flow channel 115, a fifth flow channel 116 and a seventh flow channel 117. The membrane sheet 102 has a first side 121, a second side 122 opposite to said first side 121, a first slit 123, a second slit 124, a third slit 125, and a fourth slit 126. The second member 103 has a first surface 130, a third inlet/outlet fluid connection port 132, a second fluid outlet 137, a third fluid inlet 138, a second flow channel 131, a fourth flow channel 134, a sixth flow channel 135, and an eighth flow channel 136. The first side 121 of the membrane sheet 102 is abutting the first surface 110 of the first member 101 and the second side 122 of the membrane sheet 102 is abutting the first surface 130 of the second member 103. The first flow channel 112 forms a fluid passage from the first inlet/outlet fluid connection port 111 towards the first slit 123, the second flow channel 131 forms a fluid passage from the first slit 123 to the third inlet/outlet fluid connection port 132, the third flow channel 115 forms a fluid passage from the second inlet/outlet fluid connection port 118 towards the second slit 124, the fourth flow channel 134 forms a fluid passage from the second slit 124 to the second fluid outlet 137, the fifth flow channel 116 forms a fluid passage from the third slit 125 to the first inlet/outlet fluid connection port 111, the sixth flow channel 135 forms a fluid passage from the third fluid inlet 138 towards the third slit 125, the seventh flow channel 117 forms a fluid passage from the fourth slit 126 to the second inlet/outlet fluid connection port 118, and the eighth flow channel 136 forms a fluid passage from the third inlet/outlet fluid connection port 132 towards the fourth slit 126. The second member 103 has a first cavity portion 133 forming part of the second flow channel 131, and a second cavity portion 139 forming part of the fourth flow channel 134. The first member 101 has a third cavity portion 150 forming part of the fifth flow channel 116, and a fourth cavity portion 151 forming part of the seventh flow channel 117. The cavity portions 131 139 150 151 are configured to allow said membrane sheet to deform into them whereby the slits 123-126 may be opened.

[0049] The fluid system 100 is configured to allow the membrane sheet 102 to deform into the first cavity portion 139 and thereby open the first slit 123 and enable a fluid to flow from the first inlet/outlet fluid connection port 111 to the third inlet/outlet fluid connection port 132 via the first slit 123 when the pressure at the first slit 123 is higher on the first side 121 of the membrane sheet 102 than on the second side 122 of the membrane sheet 102; and wherein the fluid system 100 is further configured to secure that the first slit 123 is substantially closed when the pressure at the first slit 123 is higher on the second side 122 of the membrane sheet 102 than on the first side 121 of the membrane sheet 102.

[0050] The fluid system 100 is further configured to allow the membrane sheet 102 to deform into the second cavity portion 134 and thereby open the second slit 124 and enable a fluid to flow from the second inlet/outlet fluid connection port 118 to the second fluid outlet 137 via the second slit 124 when the pressure at the second slit 124 is higher on the first side 121 of the membrane sheet 102 than on the second side 122 of the membrane sheet 102; and wherein the fluid system 100 is further configured to secure that the second slit 124 is substantially closed when the pressure at the second slit 124 is higher on the second side of the membrane sheet 122 than on the first side of the membrane sheet 121.

[0051] The fluid system 100 is further configured to allow the membrane sheet 102 to deform into the third cavity portion 150 and thereby open the third slit 125 and enable a fluid to flow from the third fluid inlet 138 to the first inlet/outlet fluid connection port 111 via the third slit 125 when the pressure at the third slit 125 is higher on the second side 122 of the membrane sheet 102 than on the first side 121 of the membrane sheet 102; and wherein the fluid system 100 is further configured to secure that the third slit 125 is substantially closed when the pressure at the third slit 125 is higher on the first side 121 of the membrane sheet 102 than on the second side 122 of the membrane sheet 102.

[0052] The fluid system 100 is further configured to allow the membrane sheet 102 to deform into the fourth cavity portion 151 and thereby open the fourth slit 126 and enable a fluid to flow from the third inlet/outlet fluid connection port 132 to second inlet/outlet fluid connection port 118 via the fourth slit 126 when the pressure at the fourth slit 126 is higher on the second side 122 of the membrane sheet 102 than on the first side 121 of the membrane sheet 102; and wherein the fluid system 100 is further configured to secure that the fourth slit 126 is substantially closed when the pressure at the fourth slit 126 is higher on the first side 121 of the membrane sheet 102 than on the second side 122 of the membrane sheet 102.

[0053] In the illustrated embodiments, the first member 101 and the second member 103 have different size, i.e. the first member 101 is larger than the second member 103. However, in other embodiments, the second member 103 may be equal to or larger than the first member 101.

[0054] Although some embodiments have been described and shown in detail, the invention is not restricted to them, but may also be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject matter defined in the following claims. In particular, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilised and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0055] In device claims enumerating several means, several of these means can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims or described in different embodiments does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0056] It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.