Patents by Inventor Karuki Hamada

Karuki Hamada 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: 9130210
    Abstract: A battery pack (1) includes: paired supporting members (35); a battery module (3, 5, 7) disposed between the supporting members (35); and a stack member (43) supporting the battery module (3, 5, 7) by linking the supporting members to each other. An extending portion (43a) protruding from the battery module (3, 5, 7) is formed by extending an end portion of the stack member (43). Accessories (12) are attached to a side surface on a side where the extending portion (43a) of the stack member (43) is disposed, the side surface being one of side surfaces of the battery pack which are provided with the paired supporting members (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji, Yukari Tadokoro, Taichi Oyama
  • Patent number: 8748029
    Abstract: A battery pack (1) includes: multiple battery modules (3, 5, 7) stacked in a vertical direction with a predetermined gap (G1) provided between the battery modules (3, 5) and with a predetermined gap (G2) between the battery modules (5, 7); and a battery controller (13) attached to sides of the battery modules (3, 5, 7) in such a manner as to face the predetermined gap (G1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukari Tadokoro, Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji
  • Publication number: 20140065458
    Abstract: A battery pack (1) includes: paired supporting members (35); a battery module (3, 5, 7) disposed between the supporting members (35); and a stack member (43) supporting the battery module (3, 5, 7) by linking the supporting members to each other. An extending portion (43a) protruding from the battery module (3, 5, 7) is formed by extending an end portion of the stack member (43). Accessories (12) are attached to a side surface on a side where the extending portion (43a) of the stack member (43) is disposed, the side surface being one of side surfaces of the battery pack which are provided with the paired supporting members (35).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji, Yukari Tadokoro, Taichi Oyama
  • Patent number: 8592068
    Abstract: A battery pack (1) includes: paired supporting members (35); a battery module (3, 5, 7) disposed between the supporting members (35); and a stack member (43) supporting the battery module (3, 5, 7) by linking the supporting members to each other. An extending portion (43a) protruding from the battery module (3, 5, 7) is formed by extending an end portion of the stack member (43). Accessories (12) are attached to a side surface on a side where the extending portion (43a) of the stack member (43) is disposed, the side surface being one of side surfaces of the battery pack which are provided with the paired supporting members (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji, Yukari Tadokoro, Taichi Oyama
  • Publication number: 20120040236
    Abstract: A battery pack (1) includes: multiple battery modules (3, 5, 7) stacked in a vertical direction with a predetermined gap (G1) provided between the battery modules (3, 5) and with a predetermined gap (G2) between the battery modules (5, 7); and a battery controller (13) attached to sides of the battery modules (3, 5, 7) in such a manner as to face the predetermined gap (G1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Yukari Tadokoro, Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji
  • Publication number: 20120040237
    Abstract: A battery pack (1) includes: paired supporting members (35); a battery module (3, 5, 7) disposed between the supporting members (35); and a stack member (43) supporting the battery module (3, 5, 7) by linking the supporting members to each other. An extending portion (43a) protruding from the battery module (3, 5, 7) is formed by extending an end portion of the stack member (43). Accessories (12) are attached to a side surface on a side where the extending portion (43a) of the stack member (43) is disposed, the side surface being one of side surfaces of the battery pack which are provided with the paired supporting members (35).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji, Yukari Tadokoro, Taichi Oyama
  • Patent number: 7713056
    Abstract: A catalytic combustor is configured to accelerate the combustion processing of anode off gas in the combustor to reduce the amount of unburned hydrogen discharged to the outside of the combustor. Anode off gas and cathode off gas discharged from the fuel cell are fed into the catalytic combustor and combusted with a catalyst. Ventilation air is supplied from inside of the fuel cell is also supplied to the catalytic combustor. A portion of the catalytic combustor located upstream of the catalyst inside is divided into an upper flow path and a lower flow path by a partitioning plate and a gas flow passage is provided upstream of the upper and lower flow paths. The cathode off gas is supplied to the gas flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji, Nobuo Sakiyama
  • Publication number: 20090110972
    Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided with: a fuel cell generating electrical power by causing hydrogen and oxygen to react; a burner burning discharge cathode gas and discharge anode gas from the fuel cell; a cathode line supplying cathode gas to the fuel cell; an anode line which supplying anode gas to the fuel cell; a cathode switch valve switching the flow of cathode gas in the cathode line; a cathode bypass line connecting the cathode switch valve and the burner; and a controller controlling the cathode switch valve to supply cathode gas via the cathode bypass line to the catalyst burner, without supplying anode gas to the burner, to cause temperature of exhaust gas of the burner to rise so as to reduce an amount of water vapor in the burner to a predetermined level, thereafter stopping the fuel cell system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Tadashi SHOJI, Karuki HAMADA
  • Publication number: 20090016401
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining a combustion state includes a catalytic combustion unit for mixing an anode off-gas discharged from a fuel pole of a fuel cell and an oxidizing agent gas, and having a catalytic unit for performing combustion processing. An upstream temperature detecting unit detects a gas temperature at an upstream side of the catalytic unit, and a gas-phase combustion determining unit compares at least one of the gas temperature detected by the upstream temperature detecting unit and a rate of upstream temperature increase with a determining reference value to determine if gas-phase combustion occurs at the upstream side of the catalytic unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Nobuo Sakiyama
  • Publication number: 20080193887
    Abstract: A catalytic combustor is configured to accelerate the combustion processing of anode off gas in the combustor to reduce the amount of unburned hydrogen discharged to the outside of the combustor. Anode off gas and cathode off gas discharged from the fuel cell are fed into the catalytic combustor and combusted with a catalyst. Ventilation air is supplied from inside of the fuel cell is also supplied to the catalytic combustor. A portion of the catalytic combustor located upstream of the catalyst inside is divided into an upper flow path and a lower flow path by a partitioning plate and a gas flow passage is provided upstream of the upper and lower flow paths. The cathode off gas is supplied to the gas flow passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji, Nobuo Sakiyama
  • Publication number: 20080118879
    Abstract: A controller determines whether a rate of temperature rise on an upstream side of a catalyst portion is at a determination criterion value or higher, and, when the rate of temperature rise on the upstream side of the catalyst portion is at the determination criterion value or higher, the controller determines that a combustor is in an abnormal combustion state. Therefore, an abnormal combustion state of the combustor can be detected before temperature of the combustor becomes high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji, Nobuo Sakiyama
  • Publication number: 20080096063
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a fuel cell power generating system that includes a fuel cell having an anode serving as a fuel electrode and a cathode serving as an oxidant electrode a treatment unit configured to treat anode off gas that is discharged from the anode of the fuel cell, by mixing or reacting the anode off gas with air a anode-side discharge passage configured and arranged to supply anode off gas to the treatment unit, and a supply unit configured and arranged to supply air to the treatment unit, said air not being cathode off discharged from the cathode of the fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Tadashi Shoji, Masahiro Usuda, Nobuo Sakiyama
  • Patent number: 7326483
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a combustor and a water tank and a drain collector. The combustor has an exhaust line and a combustor drain. The water tank has a water-tank drain. The drain collector collects drainage from the drains into the exhaust line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Takeshi Aoyagi
  • Publication number: 20050136302
    Abstract: A fuel cell generates electric power by the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and the oxygen in air. After the hydrogen discharged without being consumed by an anode is burned in a burner, it is discharged out of a fuel cell system. Therefore, the fuel cell system has a cathode switch valve in the middle of the cathode line, and when the fuel cell system stops, non-saturated air of a compressor bypasses the fuel cell, and supplies the air to the catalytic burner. Although the cathode exhaust gas of saturated water vapor is circulating to the catalytic burner at the time of regular operation of the fuel cell, the non-saturated air which bypasses the fuel cell and is supplied can replace the inside of the catalytic burner with dry air. Therefore, the amount of water vapor in the catalytic burner is decreased at the time of a stop, and the catalyst is quickly activated at the time of re-starting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Tadashi Shoji, Karuki Hamada
  • Publication number: 20050112431
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a combustor and a water tank and a drain collector. The combustor has an exhaust line and a combustor drain. The water tank has a water-tank drain. The drain collector collects drainage from the drains into the exhaust line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: Karuki Hamada, Takeshi Aoyagi