Patents by Inventor Kotaro Akashi

Kotaro Akashi 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: 10305128
    Abstract: A cell system includes a laminated battery, a plurality of battery cells being laminated in the laminated battery, a first switch connected to a positive electrode of the laminated battery and configured to switch connection to the positive electrode to a shut-off state, and a second switch connected to a negative electrode of the laminated battery and configured to switch connection to the negative electrode to a shut-off state. Furthermore, the cell system includes a circuit to be connected at least either between the positive electrode and the first switch or between the negative electrode and the second switch; and a controller configured to shift control timings of the first switch and the second switch from the shut-off state to a connected state according to an electrical capacitance generated between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Sato, Kotaro Akashi, Masanobu Sakai, Hidetaka Nishimura, Kenji Kobayashi, Keita Tsuji
  • Patent number: 10290885
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring an impedance of a fuel cell is configured to: output an AC current to a fuel cell; and adjust an impedance so that an impedance between the fuel cell and a load device becomes higher than an impedance between a secondary battery and the load device at a frequency of the AC current output to the fuel cell. The apparatus is also configured to: adjust the AC current so that a positive-electrode side AC potential difference matches a negative-electrode side AC potential difference; and calculate an impedance of the fuel cell on the basis of the adjusted AC current and at least one AC potential difference of the positive-electrode side AC potential difference and the negative-electrode side AC potential difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Kotaro Akashi, Yohei Kaneko, Masashi Sato
  • Publication number: 20170214068
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring an impedance of a fuel cell is configured to: output an AC current to a fuel cell; and adjust an impedance so that an impedance between the fuel cell and a load device becomes higher than an impedance between a secondary battery and the load device at a frequency of the AC current outputted to the fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko MATSUMOTO, Kotaro AKASHI, Yohei KANEKO, Masashi SATO
  • Publication number: 20170141420
    Abstract: A cell system includes a laminated battery, a plurality of battery cells being laminated in the laminated battery, a first switch connected to a positive electrode of the laminated battery and configured to switch connection to the positive electrode to a shut-off state, and a second switch connected to a negative electrode of the laminated battery and configured to switch connection to the negative electrode to a shut-off state. Furthermore, the cell system includes a circuit to be connected at least either between the positive electrode and the first switch or between the negative electrode and the second switch; and a controller configured to shift control timings of the first switch and the second switch from the shut-off state to a connected state according to an electrical capacitance generated between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi SATO, Kotaro AKASHI, Masanobu SAKAI, Hidetaka NISHIMURA, Kenji KOBAYASHI, Keita TSUJI
  • Patent number: 8980490
    Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell; an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell; an aftercooler cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell, and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell to generate electricity at cold start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuhiro Taniguchi, Hiromasa Sakai, Kotaro Akashi, Nobutaka Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20140342259
    Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell; an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell; an aftercooler cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell, and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell to generate electricity at cold start-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ikuhiro TANIGUCHI, Hiromasa SAKAI, Kotaro AKASHI, Nobutaka TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 8822092
    Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (1) supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell (1); an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell (1); an aftercooler (7) cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell (1) by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector (16, 17) detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller (21a) starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler (7) are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell (1) to generate electricity at cold start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuhiro Taniguchi, Hiromasa Sakai, Kotaro Akashi, Nobutaka Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8394546
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a fuel cell for causing reactant gas to be electrochemically reacted to generate power, a reactant gas supply path for supplying reactant gas to the fuel cell, a reactant gas recirculation path for recirculating exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell and combining the recirculating exhaust gas with reactant gas flowing through the reactant gas supply path to the fuel cell, and a pump unit disposed in the reactant gas recirculation path to pump the recirculating exhaust gas through the reactant gas recirculation path. A pump-tempering apparatus increases the temperature of the pump unit and a controller controls the pump-tempering apparatus. After the controller receives a fuel cell system stop signal, the controller controls the pump-tempering apparatus such that the temperature of the pump unit becomes higher than the temperature of piping in the reactant gas recirculation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Nishimura, Takahito Osada, Takatada Usami, Ken Nakayama, Kotaro Akashi
  • Patent number: 8034142
    Abstract: A gas/liquid separator is provided in which separation performance for fluid into gas and liquid is enhanced. A gas/liquid separator includes a body which separates a circulation gas into water and hydrogen gas in a separating space, a supply port from which the circulation gas flows into the inner space, the supply port being provided on the side wall surface forming the separating space, and a discharge port through which the separated hydrogen gas flows out of the separating space, the discharge port being provided on the side wall surface. In this case, the discharge port is provided above the supply port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Sakakida, Hiroshi Tanaka, Junichi Hasegawa, Ken Nakayama, Kazuhiro Kageyama, Satoshi Okano, Takayoshi Nabeta, Yoshinori Nakano, Nobuo Sakatsume, Kotaro Akashi, Hisashi Niioka, Douglas Vanderwees, Mark Britton, Manaf Hasan, Craig Hogg
  • Publication number: 20100035095
    Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (1) supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell (1); an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell (1); an aftercooler (7) cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell (1) by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector (16, 17) detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller (21a) starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler (7) are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell (1) to generate electricity at cold start-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Ikuhiro Taniguchi, Hiromasa Sakai, Kotaro Akashi, Nobutaka Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20090205297
    Abstract: A gas/liquid separator in which separation performance for fluid into gas and liquid is enhanced is provided. A gas/liquid separator 10 includes a body 40 which separates a circulation gas into water and hydrogen gas in a separating space S1, a supply port 45 from which the circulation gas flows into the inner space S1, the supply port 45 being provided on the side wall surface 43 forming the separating space S1, and a discharge port48 through which the separated hydrogen gas flows out of the separating space S1, the discharge port 48 being provided on the side wall surface 43. In this case, the discharge port 48 is provided above the supply port 45.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicants: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., DANA CANADA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Sakakida, Hiroshi Tanaka, Junichi Hasegawa, Ken Nakayama, Kazuhiro Kageyama, Satoshi Okano, Takayoshi Nabeta, Yoshinori Nakano, Nobuo Sakatsume, Kotaro Akashi, Hisashi Niioka, Douglas Vanderwees, Mark Britton, Manaf Hasan, Craig Hogg
  • Publication number: 20090169928
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a fuel cell for causing reactant gas to be electrochemically reacted to generate power, a reactant gas supply path for supplying reactant gas to the fuel cell, a reactant gas recirculation path for recirculating exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell and combining the recirculating exhaust gas with reactant gas flowing through the reactant gas supply path to the fuel cell, and a pump unit disposed in the reactant gas recirculation path to pump the recirculating exhaust gas through the reactant gas recirculation path. A pump-tempering apparatus increases the temperature of the pump unit and a controller controls the pump-tempering apparatus. After the controller receives a fuel cell system stop signal, the controller controls the pump-tempering apparatus such that the temperature of the pump unit becomes higher than the temperature of piping in the reactant gas recirculation path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka NISHIMURA, Takahito Osada, Takatada Usami, Ken Nakayama, Kotaro Akashi
  • Patent number: 7427378
    Abstract: An analysis method and analysis apparatus involve analysis for a sulfur component using ultraviolet fluorescence capable of removing the interferential influence of NO with good efficiency and certainty to thereby measure a concentration of only sulfur components such as SO2 and others even in continuous measurement over a long term with a high precision. An analysis method involves analysis for a sulfur component using ultraviolet fluorescence. A sample gas is illuminated with ultraviolet and fluorescence is emitted by the ultraviolet illumination and detected to measure concentrations of sulfur components including at least SO2 in the sample gas. NO, which is an interferential component in the sample gas, is oxidized to nitrogen dioxide, followed by the illuminating of the sample gas with ultraviolet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Horiba, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kotaro Akashi, Hitoshi Hirai
  • Publication number: 20050079625
    Abstract: An analysis method and analysis apparatus involve analysis for a sulfur component using ultraviolet fluorescence capable of removing the interferential influence of NO with good efficiency and certainty to thereby measure a concentration of only sulfur components such as SO2 and others even in continuous measurement over a long term with a high precision. An analysis method involves analysis for a sulfur component using ultraviolet fluorescence. A sample gas is illuminated with ultraviolet and fluorescence is emitted by the ultraviolet illumination and detected to measure concentrations of sulfur components including at least SO2 in the sample gas. NO, which is an interferential component in the sample gas, is oxidized to nitrogen dioxide, followed by the illuminating of the sample gas with ultraviolet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Applicant: Horiba, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kotaro Akashi, Hitoshi Hirai