Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Kanazawa
Hirofumi Kanazawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240014429Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes: a fuel cell module; and a power converter. The fuel cell module includes a first fuel cell module including a first fuel cell stack that is a stack of first single cells, and a second fuel cell module including a second fuel cell stack that is a stack of second single cells. The power converter includes a first power converter, and a second power converter. The first power converter is located on a first surface of the first fuel cell module. The second power converter is located on a first surface of the second fuel cell module. The first surfaces face each other. A first normal direction to the first surfaces is orthogonal to a stacking direction of the first single cells and the second single cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2023Publication date: January 11, 2024Inventors: Yoshihiro SHINOZAKI, Masayuki ITO, Keita KINOSHITA, Hirofumi KANAZAWA, Yugo ICHIDA
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Patent number: 11127962Abstract: A fuel cell system and a fuel cell vehicle that prevent deformation of a fuel cell case when an external force is applied are provided. A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell case configured to contain a fuel cell; and an auxiliary device fixed to a side surface of the fuel cell case. The auxiliary device includes: a first support part fixed to the fuel cell case; a second support part fixed to the fuel cell case at a position spaced apart from the first support part; and a main body part supported by the first support part and the second support part spaced apart from the fuel cell case. The first support part is broken before the second support part is broken when an external force is applied to the main body part in a direction approaching the fuel cell case.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumiaki Takasaki, Hirofumi Kanazawa
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Patent number: 10730379Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell vehicle, including a high voltage system disposed in a front compartment of the vehicle, and a first protruding portion that protrudes in a left-right direction of the vehicle toward a vehicle body of the vehicle further than a portion of the high voltage system that is closest to the vehicle body, and is fixed to the high voltage system, in which, when the vehicle is placed on a horizontal plane, the first protruding portion is arranged such that a position of a first most-protruded portion of the first protruding portion that protrudes most toward the vehicle body in a height direction is located at the same position or higher than a center of gravity of the high voltage system.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoki Tambo, Hirofumi Kanazawa, Tadashi Akiyama
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Patent number: 10724645Abstract: A three-way valve includes an inflow port, a body having therein a valve chamber introducing fluid from an inflow passage of the inflow port; a first outflow port having an outflow passage extending at an acute angle to a reference direction in which the inflow passage extends; a second outflow port having an outflow passage extending from the valve chamber at an acute angle to the reference direction; and a valve element disposed inside the valve chamber and movable to adjust flow rates of the fluid in the first outflow port and the second outflow port. At least one of the first outflow port and the second outflow port includes a bent portion connecting the outflow passage and a downstream passage such that the downstream passage becomes closer to the reference direction than an extending direction of the outflow passage to the reference direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masami Konaka, Hirofumi Kanazawa, Tadao Shimizu
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Publication number: 20190386324Abstract: A fuel cell system and a fuel cell vehicle that prevent deformation of a fuel cell case when an external force is applied are provided. A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell case configured to contain a fuel cell; and an auxiliary device fixed to a side surface of the fuel cell case. The auxiliary device includes: a first support part fixed to the fuel cell case; a second support part fixed to the fuel cell case at a position spaced apart from the first support part; and a main body part supported by the first support part and the second support part spaced apart from the fuel cell case. The first support part is broken before the second support part is broken when an external force is applied to the main body part in a direction approaching the fuel cell case.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumiaki TAKASAKI, Hirofumi KANAZAWA
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Publication number: 20190136989Abstract: A flow path switching valve includes a rotatable portion, a packing portion and a valve main body. The valve main body includes: a valve chamber that receives the rotatable portion and the packing portion; an inflow hole; and an outflow hole. The packing portion is configured to be positioned at a predetermined position, at which the packing portion closes an outflow-hole opening end of the outflow hole, in response to rotation of the rotatable portion. When the packing portion is positioned at the predetermined position, the packing portion is urged against a main-body seal portion in a radial direction of a valve axis by a pressure of fluid in the valve chamber, which is higher than a pressure in the outflow hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2017Publication date: May 9, 2019Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tamaki SUZUKI, Nobuyuki HASHIMURA, Tadao SHIMIZU, Hirofumi KANAZAWA
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Publication number: 20180372232Abstract: A three-way valve includes an inflow port, a body having therein a valve chamber introducing fluid from an inflow passage of the inflow port; a first outflow port having an outflow passage extending at an acute angle to a reference direction in which the inflow passage extends; a second outflow port having an outflow passage extending from the valve chamber at an acute angle to the reference direction; and a valve element disposed inside the valve chamber and movable to adjust flow rates of the fluid in the first outflow port and the second outflow port. At least one of the first outflow port and the second outflow port includes a bent portion connecting the outflow passage and a downstream passage such that the downstream passage becomes closer to the reference direction than an extending direction of the outflow passage to the reference direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Masami KONAKA, Hirofumi KANAZAWA
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Publication number: 20180297461Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell vehicle, including a high voltage system disposed in a front compartment of the vehicle, and a first protruding portion that protrudes in a left-right direction of the vehicle toward a vehicle body of the vehicle further than a portion of the high voltage system that is closest to the vehicle body, and is fixed to the high voltage system, in which, when the vehicle is placed on a horizontal plane, the first protruding portion is arranged such that a position of a first most-protruded portion of the first protruding portion that protrudes most toward the vehicle body in a height direction is located at the same position or higher than a center of gravity of the high voltage system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoki TAMBO, Hirofumi Kanazawa, Tadashi Akiyama
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Patent number: 9726182Abstract: A water pump has a pump section having radial impeller blades, a rotational shaft for rotating the radial impeller blades, and a motor section provided in the rear of the pump section and driving the rotational shaft. The motor section has a motor casing, a motor housed in the motor casing and rotating the rotational shaft, bearings provided on both sides of the motor interposed between them on the rotational shaft, interposed between an inner surface of the motor casing and the rotational shaft, and rotatably supporting the rotational shaft. In the motor casing, a vent hole for venting air between a motor space in which the motor is disposed in the motor casing and an outside of the motor casing is formed.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2012Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Hirofumi Kanazawa, Takeshi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9214685Abstract: Piping interconnecting a fuel cell and a humidifier is laid with a rising gradient from the end on the humidifier side of the piping toward the end on the fuel cell side of the piping. The piping is first bent vertically downward and then vertically upward, and this forms a water containing trap in the piping. Problems caused by freezing of condensed water occurring in the piping can be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2007Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hirofumi Kanazawa
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Patent number: 9118046Abstract: This specification discloses a humidifier that attains the inhibition of the damaging of a steam permeable membrane at low temperatures, and a fuel cell system. The humidifier has a steam permeable membrane therein. In the humidifier, an oxidizing gas and an oxidizing off gas with a humidity higher than that of the oxidizing gas are introduced, and the oxidizing gas is humidified by the oxidizing off gas via the steam permeable membrane. The steam permeable membrane is located at a position lower than an inlet for the oxidizing gas but higher than an outlet therefor. Further, the steam permeable membrane is located at a position lower than an inlet for the oxidizing off gas but higher than an outlet therefor.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2008Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hirofumi Kanazawa
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Publication number: 20140294631Abstract: A water pump has a pump section having radial impeller blades, a rotational shaft for rotating the radial impeller blades, and a motor section provided in the rear of the pump section and driving the rotational shaft. The motor section has a motor casing, a motor housed in the motor casing and rotating the rotational shaft, bearings provided on both sides of the motor interposed between them on the rotational shaft, interposed between an inner surface of the motor casing and the rotational shaft, and rotatably supporting the rotational shaft. In the motor casing, a vent hole for venting air between a motor space in which the motor is disposed in the motor casing and an outside of the motor casing is formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2012Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hirofumi Kanazawa, Takeshi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 8308943Abstract: In a humidifying membrane module, a humidifying membrane having plural hollow fiber membranes bundled together is housed in a humidifying membrane chassis having a cylindrical outer periphery, and the humidifying membrane chassis is housed in an assembly chassis having a cylindrical inner periphery. The assembly chassis has an inlet port for taking air that is made to flow into hollow parts of the humidifying membrane, an outlet port for discharging the air, an inlet port for taking an off-gas that is made to flow in gaps in the humidifying membrane, and an outlet port for discharging the off-gas. The air and the off-gas flow in flow paths formed by utilizing the humidifying membrane chassis and the assembly chassis, but are not mixed with each other at positions other than the humidifying membrane owing to annular sealing members provided between the humidifying chassis and the assembly chassis.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2007Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, NOK CorporationInventors: Hirofumi Kanazawa, Toshiyuki Kondo, Hiroyasu Shirakawa
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Publication number: 20100151337Abstract: This specification discloses a humidifier that attains the inhibition of the damaging of a steam permeable membrane at low temperatures, and a fuel cell system. The humidifier has a steam permeable membrane therein. In the humidifier, an oxidizing gas and an oxidizing off gas with a humidity higher than that of the oxidizing gas are introduced, and the oxidizing gas is humidified by the oxidizing off gas via the steam permeable membrane. The steam permeable membrane is located at a position lower than an inlet for the oxidizing gas but higher than an outlet therefor. Further, the steam permeable membrane is located at a position lower than an inlet for the oxidizing off gas but higher than an outlet therefor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2008Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hirofumi Kanazawa
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Publication number: 20100068603Abstract: In a humidifying membrane module, a humidifying membrane having plural hollow fiber membranes bundled together is housed in a humidifying membrane chassis having a cylindrical outer periphery, and the humidifying membrane chassis is housed in an assembly chassis having a cylindrical inner periphery. The assembly chassis has an inlet port for taking air that is made to flow into hollow parts of the humidifying membrane, an outlet port for discharging the air, an inlet port for taking an off-gas that is made to flow in gaps in the humidifying membrane, and an outlet port for discharging the off-gas. The air and the off-gas flow in flow paths formed by utilizing the humidifying membrane chassis and the assembly chassis, but are not mixed with each other at positions other than the humidifying membrane owing to annular sealing members provided between the humidifying chassis and the assembly chassis.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2007Publication date: March 18, 2010Inventors: Hirofumi Kanazawa, Toshiyuki Kondo, Hiroyasu Shirakawa
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Publication number: 20090068539Abstract: Piping interconnecting a fuel cell and a humidifier is laid with a rising gradient from the end on the humidifier side of the piping toward the end on the fuel cell side of the piping. The piping is first bent vertically downward and then vertically upward, and this forms a water containing trap in the piping. Problems caused by freezing of condensed water occurring in the piping can be avoided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2007Publication date: March 12, 2009Inventor: Hirofumi Kanazawa