Patent ID: 8187758

Claim:
A fuel cell apparatus comprising: (a) a fuel cartridge comprising: a liquid reactant dispenser; a reaction chamber, separate from the liquid reactant dispenser, containing a solid reactant that produces hydrogen gas when mixed with a liquid reactant; and a connector sub-assembly comprising an inlet fluidly coupled to the liquid reactant dispenser, an outlet fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber, a flexible diaphragm in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet, and a hydrogen discharge port fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber; and (b) a fuel cell system removably coupled to the fuel cartridge, comprising: a fuel cell; and a connector sub-assembly, connectable to the fuel cartridge connector sub-assembly, comprising an actuator and a hydrogen intake port fluidly coupled to the fuel cell that aligns with the hydrogen discharge port when the fuel cartridge and fuel cell system are connected; wherein the actuator causes the diaphragm to reciprocate and pump a liquid reactant from the liquid reactant dispenser to the reaction chamber, wherein the liquid reactant is substantially contained within the fuel cartridge during the pumping, wherein the liquid reactant reacts within the reaction chamber to produce a fuel.