Patents by Inventor Keisuke Andou

Keisuke Andou 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).

  • Publication number: 20040137307
    Abstract: A seal-separator conjugation for a fuel cell which clamps a membrane electrode assembly sandwiching both surfaces of a polymer electrode membrane, comprising seals on a front surface and a rear surface of the separator at least at one end of the separator is disclosed. The conjugation is produced by pre-forming a rubber material or rubber materials into pre-formed seals within a mold having at least one supporting member for positioning the seal; inserting a separator between the pre-formed seals; and vulcanizing the pre-formed seals into the final seals while maintaining the pre-formed seals and the separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Daisuke Okonogi, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Tadashi Nishiyama, Keisuke Andou
  • Publication number: 20040121211
    Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which is inexpensive and has an excellent efficiency of generating electric power, by using a material alternative to a perfluoroalkylene sulfonic acid polymer. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises a pair of electrodes (2, 3) consisting of an oxygen electrode (2) and a fuel electrode (3) both having a catalyst layer (5) containing a catalyst and an ion conducting material; and a polymer electrolyte membrane (1) sandwiched between the two catalyst layers (5) of the both electrodes (2, 3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Yoichi Asano, Masaaki Nanaumi, Hiroshi Sohma, Nagayuki Kanaoka, Nobuhiro Saito, Keisuke Andou, Kaoru Fukuda, Junji Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20040043285
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and first and second separators in the form of meal plates for sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly. An anode of the membrane electrode assembly has a gas diffusion layer, and a cathode of the membrane electrode assembly has a gas diffusion layer. Each of the gas diffusion layers includes a foamed member made of metal material such as stainless steel. Resinous flow field walls are provided in the foamed member by impregnation for forming a reactant gas flow field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Nagoshi, Keisuke Andou, Hideaki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20040033412
    Abstract: A separator 21, 22 for use in a fuel cell that generates electricity by a reaction between fuel and oxidant is disclosed. The separator is formed by metal foam 28 which is impregnated with resin. Gas flow passages 23, 25 are formed on a contact surface for contacting with an electrode 19, 20, and conductive plating is applied on the parts where the metal foam 28 is exposed to view in the contact surface 21a, 21b of the separator 21, 22.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyuki Enjoji, Keisuke Andou, Kentaro Nagoshi
  • Publication number: 20030141672
    Abstract: A sealing resin-metal assembly includes a sealing resin layer injection molded on at least one side of a sheet metal via an elastic primer layer within a mold die. A portion of the elastic primer layer that is brought into abutment with the mold die is formed thicker than the other portion of the elastic primer layer that is not brought into abutment with the mold die so that a clamping pressure of the mole die is received by the elastic primer layer at the portion formed thicker, when the sealing resin layer is laminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Andou, Masajiro Inoue, Daisuke Okonogi, Tadashi Nishiyama
  • Publication number: 20030143451
    Abstract: A fuel cell metallic separator adapted to constitute a partition wall between single cells for a fuel cell stack, includes a metallic plate and a resin portion made of a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. At least either upper and lower peripheral edge portions or left and right peripheral edge portions of the metallic plate are integrally formed with the resin portion. The metallic plate is provided with a passage for fuel gas, oxide gas or coolant for a fuel cell and the resin portion has communication ports provided for allowing fuel gas, oxide gas or coolant to pass therethrough. The metallic plate and the resin portion are formed integrally through injection molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Andou, Naoyuki Enjoji, Hideaki Kikuchi, Tadashi Nishiyama, Mikihiko Kimura, Shinya Kawachi
  • Publication number: 20030134181
    Abstract: A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell has a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode, which face each other via a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. A metallic complex is added to the fuel electrode of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell. Since this metallic complex adsorbs oxygen as the oxygen partial pressure at the fuel electrode 7 increases and desorbs oxygen as the oxygen partial pressure decreases, oxygen produced when a reverse voltage is generated can be removed efficiently. It may be possible to prevent the deterioration of or damage to a catalyst material of the fuel cell and the electrolyte membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Kaoru Fukuda, Masaki Tani, Keisuke Andou, Chikara Iwasawa
  • Publication number: 20030129474
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that has a sufficient sealing performance while having a restrained dimension in the stacking direction thereof. The fuel cell is formed by stacking a plurality of fuel cell units, each fuel cell unit comprising: an electrode assembly formed by disposing electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte; a pair of separators that sandwich the electrode assembly in the thickness direction thereof; and gas sealing members that are disposed at an outer peripheral portion of the electrode assembly, and that seal respective reaction gas flow passages that are formed between each separator and the electrode assembly and are bounded by the separators and electrode assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Kikuchi, Narutoshi Sugita, Yoshihiro Nakanishi, Tadashi Nishiyama, Keisuke Andou
  • Publication number: 20030087140
    Abstract: A fuel cell that is small and light has separators having communication ports for reaction gases and cooling medium that are provided on an outer side of gas sealing members so as to penetrate each of the separators, and communication paths that detour around the gas sealing members in the thickness direction of the separators and connect the reaction gas communication ports with reaction gas flow passages. Furthermore, support members are provided to support the portions of the separators at which the gas sealing members and the cooling surface sealing member are disposed so as to be offset with respect to each other as viewed in the stacking direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Kikuchi, Narutoshi Sugita, Seiji Sugiura, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Toshiya Wakahoi, Keisuke Andou
  • Publication number: 20020155340
    Abstract: The membrane electrode assembly comprising a pair of opposing electrodes each having a catalytic layer, and a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched by the electrodes, part of the catalytic layers being projecting into the polymer electrolyte membrane is produced by (1) coating a catalytic layer of one electrode with a solution of a polymer electrolyte in an organic solvent, (2) coating the resultant polymer electrolyte membrane with a catalyst slurry for the other electrode, while the amount of the organic solvent remaining in the polymer electrolyte membrane is 5-20 weight % based on the polymer electrolyte membrane, and (3) after drying, hot-pressing the polymer electrolyte membrane and the electrodes formed on both sides of the membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Nanaumi, Hiroshi Sohma, Junji Matsuo, Nobuhiro Saito, Keisuke Andou, Yuichiro Sugiyama, Kaoru Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20020122970
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a seal-integrated separator for a fuel cell is presented, with which seals can be accurately positioned and the assembling time for the fuel cell units may be greatly reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masajiro Inoue, Toshihiko Suenaga, Nobuaki Kimura, Keisuke Andou
  • Publication number: 20020117780
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a seal-integrated separator for a fuel cell is presented, with which seals can be accurately positioned and the assembling time for the fuel cells may be greatly reduced. The method comprises the steps of: providing an upper mold having a groove positioned corresponding to second and fourth seals disposed on one side of a separator body, and a lower mold having a groove positioned corresponding to first and third seals disposed on the other side of the separator body; holding the separator body between the upper mold and the lower mold; and injecting melted seal material to form the seals into each of the grooves in the upper mold and the lower mold through separate gates respectively formed in the upper and lower molds. Through this method, a seal-integrated separator having the first to fourth seals which are integrated on both sides of the separator body is fabricated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masajirou Inoue, Toshihiko Suenaga, Nobuaki Kimura, Keisuke Andou
  • Publication number: 20020102453
    Abstract: In a solid polymer electrolyte membrane [film] type fuel cell of the invention, where a pair of electrodes are provided on opposite sides of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane [film], and the outside thereof is clamped by a pair of separators, and nonconductive picture frame-shaped members 61 are arranged at the outer edge portions of the separators, for allowing increase and decrease of a space between separators, while sealing a gap between the separators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiko Suenaga, Narutoshi Sugita, Takayuki Ogawa, Keisuke Andou, Masajiro Inoue
  • Publication number: 20020064699
    Abstract: A solid polymer fuel cell includes an electrolyte membrane having a polymer ion-exchange component, and an air electrode and a fuel electrode between which the electrolyte membrane is sandwiched. Each of the air electrode and the fuel electrode can be formed of a polymer ion-exchange component and a plurality of catalyst particles including a catalyst metal carried on surfaces of carbon black particles, and includes no third component. When a moistening for maintaining the electrolyte membrane in a wet state is carried out from both of the side of the air electrode and the side of the fuel electrode, the carbon black particles have a water-repellent property such that an amount A of water adsorbed under a saturated steam pressure at 60° C. is equal to or smaller than 80 cc/g, and a ratio Wp/Wc of a weight Wp of polymer ion-exchange component incorporated to a weight Wc of carbon black particles incorporated is set in a range of 0.4≦Wp/Wc≦1.25.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: Kaoru Fukuda, Keisuke Andou, Nobuhiro Saito, Masaaki Nanaumi, Junji Matsuo