Patent ID: 8246796

Claim:
An apparatus for recharging a fuel cell, comprising: a housing having a fuel cell cartridge holder; a water reservoir disposed in the housing and having water disposed therein; an electrolysis chamber for converting water into hydrogen and oxygen, the electrolysis chamber being in fluid communication with the water reservoir; wherein the electrolysis chamber includes a hydrogen passage for passing hydrogen from the electrolysis chamber to the fuel cell cartridge holder; a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the fuel cell cartridge holder, the vacuum pump being configured to selectively vent residual hydrogen from a fuel cell cartridge disposed in the fuel cell cartridge holder; and a controller coupled to the vacuum pump, the controller configured to activate the vacuum pump to vent residual hydrogen from a fuel cell cartridge disposed in the fuel cell cartridge holder prior to recharging of the fuel cell cartridge with hydrogen from the fuel cell cartridge holder.