Patent ID: 9537161
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: F16K,H01M,Y02E,Y10T

Claim:
1. A flow-control valve for a fuel cell system, said valve comprising: a fluid inlet configured to receive a fuel cell reactant; a fluid outlet disposed fluidly downstream of said fluid inlet; a body defining a fluid reactant passageway therethrough that is cooperative with said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said body having a valve seat within said fluid reactant passageway between said fluid inlet and fluid outlet; a generally rigid coupling plate adjacent said valve seat, said coupling plate including one or more protruding tabs; a biasing member biasing said coupling plate towards said valve seat and a valve plate seated on said valve seat interposed between said coupling plate and said body, said valve plate defining a seating region adjacent said coupling plate and having a localized connection surface with one or more apertures receiving therein the one or more tabs of said coupling plate, the localized connection surface pressing against said body and said coupling plate to define a point of inflection within said valve plate such that a flexural force induced in said valve plate by a load imparted thereto causes a moment to form at said localized connection surface to thereby initiate a breakup of ice formed at said localized connection surface.