Patent ID: 7732085

Claim:
A fuel cell device, comprising: a first chamber constructed so as to hold a quantity of a gas as stored gas in a first gas storage chamber; a second chamber constructed so as to hold a quantity of a gas as stored gas in a second gas storage chamber; a first piston in said first chamber, said first piston being movable between a first position and a second position, said second position compressing the gas in said first gas storage chamber; a second piston in said second chamber, said second piston being movable between a first position and a second position, said second position compressing the gas in said second gas storage chamber; a fuel cell membrane; a first flow channel from said first chamber to said fuel cell membrane, said first flow channel providing fluid communication of the stored gas in said first gas storage chamber to said fuel cell membrane when said first piston is in said second position; a second flow channel from said second chamber to said fuel cell membrane, said second flow channel providing fluid communication of the stored gas in said second gas storage chamber to said fuel cell membrane when said second piston is in said second position; and a flow control switch in at least one of said first flow channel and said second flow channel, said flow control switch having an initially closed position blocking said at least one of said first and second flow channels, said flow control switch being operable to an open position to open said at least one of said first and second flow channels, wherein said flow control switch includes at least one thin wall portion blocking flow through said at least one of said first flow channel and said second flow channel, a piercing member moveable by at least one of said first and second pistons to pierce said at least one thin wall portion to permit flow of a gas through said at least one of said first flow channel and said second flow channel.