1. A method for delivering an implant to a patient, comprising:
inserting a sheath having a hollow center into an incision in the patient; inserting a shaft of a delivery device into the center of the sheath;
associating an end termination member of the implant with a slot in the shaft; advancing the shaft and the associated implant through the sheath; and
anchoring the implant in the soft tissue of the patient’s pelvic floor region through one or more tangs of the implant.
2. The method of claim 1, comprising pulling the end termination member through the sheath.
3. The method of claim 1, comprising pushing the end termination member through the sheath.
4. The method of claim 1, comprising inserting the shaft into the sheath prior to inserting the sheath into the incision.
5. The method of claim 1, comprising removing the sheath from the patient.
6. The method of claim 5, comprising anchoring the end termination member in the soft tissue of the patient’s pelvic floor region.
7. The method of claim 1, comprising removing the end termination member from the implant.
8. The method of claim 1, comprising inserting the sheath through the patient’s gluteus maximums.
9. The method of claim 1, comprising inserting the sheath through the sacrospinous.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A fuel cell stack including two or more planar electrochemical fuel cells with metallic bipolar separators disposed between the anode face of one electrochemical fuel cell and the cathode face of an adjacent electrochemical fuel cell, each of the planar electrochemical fuel cells comprising:
a structural core formed of a first porous electrode material having at least one active power producing area and at least one inactive area;
a plurality of fuel gas flow grooves crossing the active power-producing areas on one side of the core;
a plurality of oxidant gas flow grooves arranged on the other side of the core;
a dense electrolyte layer covering the active power producing areas on one side of the core;
a layer formed of a second porous electrode material covering the dense electrolyte layer; and
a dense electronic insulator layer covering the structural core except in the active power-producing areas;
wherein each of the metallic bipolar separators comprises:
a metallic plate having a first fuel gas contacting surface and a second oxidant gas contacting surface;
an outer edge and inner edges surrounding interior openings through the metallic plate; and
at least a portion of each of the outer edge and inner edges curled to form a tubular bead with a lumen and a seam parallel to an axis of the tubular bead.
2. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the first porous electrode material forming the structural core of the electrochemical cell is anode material and the second porous electrode material covering the dense electrolyte layer is cathode material, and wherein fuel gas contacts the anode surface and oxidant gas contacts the cathode surface.
3. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the first porous electrode material forming the structural core of the electrochemical cell is cathode material and the second porous electrode material covering the dense electrolyte layer is anode material, and wherein fuel gas contacts the anode surface and oxidant gas contacts the cathode surface.
4. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the dense electronic insulator layer covering the structural core of the electrochemical cell is a continuous extension of the electrolyte layer in the active power-producing areas.
5. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the bipolar separators form electrically conductive paths between the anode of one electrochemical cell and the cathode of the next electrochemical cell, such that the cathode forming one end of the stack has a positive voltage relative to the anode forming the other end of the stack, and the voltage measured at the one end of the stack is equal to the sum of voltages of each electrochemical cell in the stack.
6. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein smooth perimeter sealing surfaces are formed in the inactive area surrounding the active areas on the fuel side and the oxidant side of each electrochemical fuel cell.
7. The fuel cell stack of claim 6, wherein the metallic bipolar separators incorporate tubular beads that align with the perimeter sealing surfaces of the electrochemical fuel cells and are compressed between opposing perimeter sealing surfaces of the adjacent cells.
8. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein at least one fuel gas manifold opening or oxidant gas manifold opening passes through the electrochemical cell inactive areas, and smooth manifold sealing surfaces surround each manifold opening on the fuel side and the oxidant side of the core.
9. The fuel cell stack of claim 8, wherein the metallic bipolar separators incorporate interior openings surrounded by tubular beads that register with the at least one fuel gas manifold opening or oxidant gas manifold opening;
the tubular beads align with the manifold sealing surfaces in the electrochemical fuel cells; and
the tubular beads are compressed between opposing sealing surfaces of adjacent cells.
10. The fuel cell stack of claim 9, wherein at least one fuel gas feed or exhaust groove crosses each smooth fuel gas manifold sealing surface on the fuel side of each electrochemical cell and connects with at least one fuel gas flow groove in the active power-producing area.
11. The fuel cell stack of claim 10, wherein the metallic bipolar separator tubular beads bridge fuel gas feed and exhaust grooves crossing fuel gas sealing surfaces in one cell, while maintaining compressive sealing pressure against the opposing oxidant gas sealing surfaces of the adjacent cell.
12. The fuel cell stack of claim 9, wherein at least one oxidant gas feed or exhaust groove crosses each smooth oxidant manifold sealing surface on the oxidant side of each electrochemical cell and connects with at least one oxidant gas flow groove in the active power-producing area.
13. The fuel cell stack of claim 12, wherein the metallic bipolar separator tubular beads bridge oxidant gas feed and exhaust grooves crossing oxidant gas sealing surfaces in one cell, while maintaining compressive sealing pressure against the opposing fuel gas sealing surfaces of the adjacent cell.
14. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the tubular bead lumens of the metallic bipolar separators are at least partially filled with material to modify the mechanical properties of the tubular beads, wherein the material is selected from one or more of wire, braze metal, refractory powder, and refractory fiber.
15. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the tubular bead seams of the metallic bipolar separators are closed by welding, brazing, or glass sealing.
16. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the metallic bipolar separator tubular beads are oriented such that the seams are contacted only by fuel gas.
17. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the metallic bipolar separator tubular beads are oriented such that the seams are contacted only by oxidant gas.
18. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein positive and negative metallic endplates are assembled to the cathode and anode ends of the stack, respectively.
19. The fuel cell stack of claim 18, wherein:
the stack is terminated by a first metallic bipolar separator added between the positive metallic endplate and the cathode end of the stack, and a second metallic bipolar separator added between the negative metallic endplate and the negative end of the stack;
the added metallic bipolar separators form electrically conductive paths between the stack ends and the metallic endplates such that the endplates become fuel cell power connection terminals;
the metallic endplates incorporate smooth perimeter sealing surfaces that oppose the smooth perimeter seals on the adjacent electrochemical fuel cells;
at least one of the metallic endplates incorporates apertures that register with the bipolar separator and electrochemical fuel cell manifold openings, and include smooth manifold sealing surfaces that oppose the smooth manifold sealing surfaces on the adjacent electrochemical fuel cells; and
the tubular beads of the added metallic bipolar separators are compressed between opposing sealing surfaces of the adjacent electrochemical fuel cells and the end plates.
20. The fuel cell stack of claim 19, wherein at least one bleed passage supplies fuel gas to the interface between the first added metallic bipolar separator and the positive metallic endplate.
21. The fuel cell stack of claim 19, wherein at least one bleed passage supplies fuel gas to the interface between the second added metallic bipolar separator and the positive metallic endplate.
22. The fuel cell stack of claim 19, wherein a clamping force perpendicular to the plane of the cells is applied to the end plates, the clamping force being sufficient to compress the tubular beads of the metallic bipolar separators and provide electrical contact between the electrochemical cells, metallic bipolar separators, and metallic endplates.
23. A metallic bipolar separator, comprising
a metallic plate having a first fuel gas contacting surface and a second oxidant gas contacting surface;
the metallic plate having an outer edge and inner edges surrounding interior openings through the plate; and
at least a portion of each of the outer edge and inner edges curled to form a tubular bead with a lumen and a seam parallel to an axis of the tubular bead.
24. The metallic bipolar separator of claim 23, wherein the tubular beads are compressed between opposing sealing surfaces of adjacent electrochemical fuel cells or end plates such that the beads conform to the mating surfaces and effect a seal.
25. The metallic bipolar separator of claim 23, wherein the tubular bead lumens are at least partially filled with material to modify the mechanical properties of the tubular beads, wherein the material is selected from one or more of wire, braze metal, refractory powder, and refractory fiber.
26. The metallic bipolar separator of claim 23, wherein the tubular bead seams are closed by welding, brazing, or glass sealing.
27. The metallic bipolar separator of claim 23, wherein the tubular beads are oriented such that the seams are contacted only by fuel gas.
28. The metallic bipolar separator of claim 23, wherein the tubular beads are oriented such that the seams are contacted only by oxidant gas.