Patents by Inventor Itaru Shibata

Itaru Shibata 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).

  • Patent number: 11302974
    Abstract: An electrode structure includes a first electrode unit, a second electrode unit and a first insulating frame, in which the electrode units are adjacent to each other. The first insulating unit has an airflow space therein and includes an electrically conducive base with an airflow plane and an air cell cathode disposed on an outer surface of the airflow plane. The second insulating unit includes an electrically conductive base and an air cell anode disposed on an outer surface of the electrically conductive base. The first insulating frame spaces and joins the adjacent electrode units to each other such that the air cell cathode and the air cell anode of the adjacent electrode units are opposed to each other. The first insulating frame together with the adjacent electrode units forms an electrolytic solution container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Shibata, Noriko Uchiyama, Hirokazu Komatsu, Yoshiko Tsukada
  • Publication number: 20190363414
    Abstract: An electrode structure includes a first electrode unit, a second electrode unit and a first insulating frame, in which the electrode units are adjacent to each other. The first insulating unit has an airflow space therein and includes an electrically conducive base with an airflow plane and an air cell cathode disposed on an outer surface of the airflow plane. The second insulating unit includes an electrically conductive base and an air cell anode disposed on an outer surface of the electrically conductive base. The first insulating frame spaces and joins the adjacent electrode units to each other such that the air cell cathode and the air cell anode of the adjacent electrode units are opposed to each other. The first insulating frame together with the adjacent electrode units forms an electrolytic solution container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru SHIBATA, Noriko UCHIYAMA, Hirokazu KOMATSU, Yoshiko TSUKADA
  • Patent number: 10418676
    Abstract: An electrode structure includes a first electrode unit, a second electrode unit and a first insulating frame, in which the electrode units are adjacent to each other. The first insulating unit has an airflow space therein and includes an electrically conducive base with an airflow plane and an air cell cathode disposed on an outer surface of the airflow plane. The second insulating unit includes an electrically conductive base and an air cell anode disposed on an outer surface of the electrically conductive base. The first insulating frame spaces and joins the adjacent electrode units to each other such that the air cell cathode and the air cell anode of the adjacent electrode units are opposed to each other. The first insulating frame together with the adjacent electrode units forms an electrolytic solution container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Shibata, Noriko Uchiyama, Hirokazu Komatsu, Yoshiko Tsukada
  • Patent number: 10181625
    Abstract: The present invention is an air battery B1 in which a cathode assembly 40, including a porous cathode layer 41, and an anode assembly 30 are disposed on mutually opposite sides of an electrolytic solution layer ?. It includes an electrically conductive cathode support plate 42 that supports the porous cathode layer 41 and includes a ventilation area, wherein the porous cathode layer 41 covers the ventilation area and further extends to a non-ventilation area outside the ventilation area, and includes a dense portion 41a at an outer edge part facing the non-ventilation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Shibata, Atsushi Miyazawa, Yoshiko Tsukada, Naoya Matsuoka, Mori Nagayama
  • Publication number: 20160322683
    Abstract: An electrode structure includes a first electrode unit, a second electrode unit and a first insulating frame, in which the electrode units are adjacent to each other. The first insulating unit has an airflow space therein and includes an electrically conducive base with an airflow plane and an air cell cathode disposed on an outer surface of the airflow plane. The second insulating unit includes an electrically conductive base and an air cell anode disposed on an outer surface of the electrically conductive base. The first insulating frame spaces and joins the adjacent electrode units to each other such that the air cell cathode and the air cell anode of the adjacent electrode units are opposed to each other. The first insulating frame together with the adjacent electrode units forms an electrolytic solution container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru SHIBATA, Noriko UCHIYAMA, Hirokazu KOMATSU, Yoshiko TSUKADA
  • Publication number: 20150214588
    Abstract: The present invention is an air battery B1 in which a cathode assembly 40, including a porous cathode layer 41, and an anode assembly 30 are disposed on mutually opposite sides of an electrolytic solution layer ?. It includes an electrically conductive cathode support plate 42 that supports the porous cathode layer 41 and includes a ventilation area, wherein the porous cathode layer 41 covers the ventilation area and further extends to a non-ventilation area outside the ventilation area, and includes a dense portion 41a at an outer edge part facing the non-ventilation area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Shibata, Atsushi Miyazawa, Yoshiko Tsukada, Naoya Matsuoka, Mori Nagayama
  • Patent number: 8323845
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell plate structure includes a cell element layer composed of a solid electrolyte, an air electrode layer and a fuel electrode layer, a porous base body supporting the cell element layer, and a gas-impermeable member having electric conductivity. The cell element layer is arranged such that the solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the air electrode layer and the fuel electrode layer, with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer being joined to the porous base body. The gas-impermeable member is associated with the solid electrolyte layer to allow gas internally passing through the porous base body to be separated from gas flowing outside the porous base body. Such a cell plate structure can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, which in turn can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell electric power generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Hatano, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Fuminori Satou, Itaru Shibata, Keiko Kushibiki, Naoki Hara, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa, Makoto Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 7811716
    Abstract: A fuel cell comprises: a cell plate (11; 110; 110A, 110B); an electroconductive gas separator (13; 130; 130A; 130B) which cooperates with the cell plate, to form a gas passage; and a holder member (15; 150; 150A; 150B) which holds a part of the cell plate. The cell plate includes a supporting body (37; 370; 370A; 370B), and a cell (39; 390; 390A; 390B) formed on the supporting body. The cell includes a solid electrolyte (43), a cathode substance layer (45) formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte, and an anode substance layer (41) formed on the other surface of the solid electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Nakajima, Keiko Kushibiki, Itaru Shibata, Fuminori Satou
  • Patent number: 7790328
    Abstract: A single cell for a solid oxide fuel cell, in which a solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched by an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer. This single cell includes a substrate having openings and an insulating and stress absorbing layer stacked on an upper surface of this substrate. The solid electrolyte layer is formed on an upper surface of the insulating and stress absorbing layer so as to cover the openings, the upper electrode layer is stacked on an upper surface of the solid electrolyte layer, and the lower electrode layer is coated on a lower surface of the solid electrolyte layer via the openings from a lower surface of the substrate. A cell plate, in which these single cells are disposed two-dimensionally on a common substrate. Furthermore, a solid oxide fuel cell, in which these cell plates and plate-shaped separators including gas passages on both surfaces thereof are alternately stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiko Kushibiki, Fuminori Sato, Naoki Hara, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Masaharu Hatano, Makoto Uchiyama, Itaru Shibata, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 7354676
    Abstract: A cell body for a fuel cell comprises a metal support and an electrolyte layer and an air electrode layer. The electrolyte layer and the air electrode layer are formed on the metal support. A concave portion is formed in an arbitrary pattern on the metal support, and the bottom of the concave portion is made to be porous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Hara, Itaru Shibata, Makoto Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 7338729
    Abstract: A fuel cell collector structure of the present invention includes a single cell which is formed by sandwiching a plate-shaped solid electrolyte between a fuel electrode and an air electrode, a collector which is provided at a position adjacent to the single cell, and a separator which is provided at the position adjacent to the collector. In the fuel cell collector structure, the collector is made of a porous electric conductor having a plurality of apertures on a surface, the single cell and/or the separator has a plurality of electrically conductive projections on the surface, and the projections intrude into the apertures to come into contact with the collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiko Hishitani, Itaru Shibata, Fuminori Satou, Keiko Kushibiki, Yasushi Nakajima, Shigeo Ibuka
  • Patent number: 7326484
    Abstract: A single cell for a fuel cell in which an air electrode or a fuel electrode includes at least two layers. The air electrode includes an adhering cathode layer formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the air electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting cathode layer formed on the adhering cathode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function of the air electrode. Alternatively, the fuel electrode includes an adhering anode layer formed on the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the fuel electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting anode layer formed on the adhering anode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Itaru Shibata, Tatsuo Sugiyama, Masaharu Hatano, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Makoto Uchiyama, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa, Naoki Hara, Keiko Kushibiki, Fuminori Satou
  • Patent number: 7226691
    Abstract: A unit cell for a solid oxide fuel cell is provided with a substrate including a portion having a first porosity, a battery element formed on the substrate and having an electrode layer and an electrolyte layer, and a low porosity layer provided in at least one of the substrate and the battery element to have a second porosity lower than the first porosity. Sizes of a plurality of pores of the low porosity layer falls in a value equal to or less than 10 ?m to laminate a part of the battery element on the low porosity layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Itaru Shibata, Shigeo Ibuka, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Hiromi Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 7186475
    Abstract: A unit cell for a solid electrolyte fuel cell is provided with an air electrode, a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte sandwiched between the air electrode and the fuel electrode, and a porous metallic base body joined to at lease one of the air electrode and the fuel electrode. The porous metallic base body includes a plurality of porous base body layers stacked to form a laminated structure in which one layer joined to at least one of the air electrode and the fuel electrode has porosity lower than that of the other layer not joined to at least one of the air electrode and the fuel electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Itaru Shibata, Keiko Kushibiki, Fuminori Satou, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Makoto Uchiyama, Masaharu Hatano
  • Publication number: 20070015033
    Abstract: A single cell for a solid oxide fuel cell, in which a solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched by an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer. This single cell includes a substrate having openings and an insulating and stress absorbing layer stacked on an upper surface of this substrate. The solid electrolyte layer is formed on an upper surface of the insulating and stress absorbing layer so as to cover the openings, the upper electrode layer is stacked on an upper surface of the solid electrolyte layer, and the lower electrode layer is coated on a lower surface of the solid electrolyte layer via the openings from a lower surface of the substrate. A cell plate, in which these single cells are disposed two-dimensionally on a common substrate. Furthermore, a solid oxide fuel cell, in which these cell plates and plate-shaped separators including gas passages on both surfaces thereof are alternately stacked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiko Kushibiki, Fuminori Sato, Naoki Hara, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Masaharu Hatano, Makoto Uchiyama, Itaru Shibata, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 7157169
    Abstract: A fuel cell of the present invention includes a fuel cell stack (1) for being formed by stacking a plurality of cell plates (2) having a flat shape, the cell plates (2) being configured by arranging a plurality of cells, the cell having an electrolyte layer (2a), a fuel electrode layer (2b) and an air electrode layer (2c). A combustion heater plate (3) includes a porous combustion plate (3a) and a gas non-pass layer (3b) covering a surface of the porous combustion plate (3a). The combustion heater plate (3) is disposed between the cell plates (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiko Kushibiki, Masaharu Hatano, Itaru Shibata, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa, Naoki Hara, Dong Song, Yoshiko Hishitani, Fuminori Satou, Makoto Uchiyama, Mitsugu Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20060269822
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell plate structure includes a cell element layer composed of a solid electrolyte, an air electrode layer and a fuel electrode layer, a porous base body supporting the cell element layer, and a gas-impermeable member having electric conductivity. The cell element layer is arranged such that the solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the air electrode layer and the fuel electrode layer, with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer being joined to the porous base body. The gas-impermeable member is associated with the solid electrolyte layer to allow gas internally passing through the porous base body to be separated from gas flowing outside the porous base body. Such a cell plate structure can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, which in turn can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell electric power generation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Masaharu Hatano, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Fuminori Satou, Itaru Shibata, Keiko Kushibiki, Naoki Hara, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa, Makoto Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 7122265
    Abstract: A single cell for a solid oxide fuel cell, in which a solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched by an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer. This single cell includes a substrate having openings and an insulating and stress absorbing layer stacked on an upper surface of this substrate. The solid electrolyte layer is formed on an upper surface of the insulating and stress absorbing layer so as to cover the openings, the upper electrode layer is stacked on an upper surface of the solid electrolyte layer, and the lower electrode layer is coated on a lower surface of the solid electrolyte layer via the openings from a lower surface of the substrate. A cell plate, in which these single cells are disposed two-dimensionally on a common substrate. Furthermore, a solid oxide fuel cell, in which these cell plates and plate-shaped separators including gas passages on both surfaces thereof are alternately stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiko Kushibiki, Fuminori Sato, Naoki Hara, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Masaharu Hatano, Makoto Uchiyama, Itaru Shibata, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 7122268
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell plate structure includes a cell element layer composed of a solid electrolyte, an air electrode layer and a fuel electrode layer, a porous base body supporting the cell element layer, and a gas-impermeable member having electric conductivity. The cell element layer is arranged such that the solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the air electrode layer and the fuel electrode layer, with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer being joined to the porous base body. The gas-impermeable member is associated with the solid electrolyte layer to allow gas internally passing through the porous base body to be separated from gas flowing outside the porous base body. Such a cell plate structure can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, which in turn can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell electric power generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Hatano, Mitsugu Yamanaka, Fuminori Satou, Itaru Shibata, Keiko Kushibiki, Naoki Hara, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa, Makoto Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 7074513
    Abstract: A unit cell for a solid electrolyte type fuel cell is provided with a fuel electrode, an air electrode making a pair with the fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte interposed between the fuel electrode and the air electrode, a porous metallic base body disposed on at lease one of a surface of the fuel electrode on the far side from the solid electrolyte and a surface of the air electrode on the far side from the solid electrolyte such that the fuel electrode, the electrolyte, and a plurality of concave portions formed in the porous metallic base body so as to extend, in a laminating direction in which the fuel electrode, the electrolyte, the air electrode and the porous metallic base body are laminated, from a surface of the porous metallic base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Itaru Shibata, Masaharu Hatano, Tatsuhiro Fukuzawa, Naoki Hara, Dong Song, Yoshiko Hishitani, Fuminori Satou, Keiko Kushibiki, Makoto Uchiyama, Mitsugu Yamanaka