Patents by Inventor Michiaki Kato

Michiaki Kato 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: 8187417
    Abstract: A disassembly method for membrane electrode assembly for fuel cell, and a disassembly method for fuel cell are provided, disassembly methods which are advantageous for the recovery of catalysts that are included in catalytic layers by making structural destruction of the catalytic layers progress by means of expanding a volumetrically-expandable material inside the catalytic layers. In such a state that a catalytic layer includes a volumetrically-expandable material that is capable of expanding volumetrically, the volumetrically-expandable material, which is included in the catalytic layer, is expanded by means of expansion treatment. Next, expansion of the volumetrically-expandable material, which has undergone volumetric expansion in the catalytic layer, is cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michiaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20100200161
    Abstract: A disassembly method for membrane electrode assembly for fuel cell, and a disassembly method for fuel cell are provided, disassembly methods which are advantageous for the recovery of catalysts that are included in catalytic layers by making structural destruction of the catalytic layers progress by means of expanding a volumetrically-expandable material inside the catalytic layers. In such a state that a catalytic layer includes a volumetrically-expandable material that is capable of expanding volumetrically, the volumetrically-expandable material, which is included in the catalytic layer, is expanded by means of expansion treatment. Next, expansion of the volumetrically-expandable material, which has undergone volumetric expansion in the catalytic layer, is cancelled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Michiaki Kato
  • Patent number: 6827986
    Abstract: The present invention is a grafted polymer electrolyte membrane prepared by first preparing a precursor membrane comprising a polymer which is capable of being graft polymerized, exposing the surface of the precursor membrane to a plasma in an oxidative atmosphere, then graft-polymerizing a side chain polymer to the plasma treated precursor membrane and introducing a proton conductive functional group to the side chain. The resulting grafted polymer electrolyte membrane has excellent stability and performance when used in a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell or for electrolysis of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michio Asukabe, Michiaki Kato, Takumi Taniguchi, Yu Morimoto, Masaya Kawasumi
  • Publication number: 20010026893
    Abstract: The present invention is a grafted polymer electrolyte membrane prepared by first preparing a precursor membrane comprising a polymer which is capable of being graft polymerized, exposing the surface of the precursor membrane to a plasma in an oxidative atmosphere, then graft-polymerizing a side chain polymer to the plasma treated precursor membrane and introducing a proton conductive functional group to the side chain. The resulting grafted polymer electrolyte membrane has excellent stability and performance when used in a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell or for electrolysis of water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michio Asukabe, Michiaki Kato, Takumi Taniguchi, Yu Morimoto, Masaya Kawasumi
  • Patent number: 6242123
    Abstract: A solid polyelectrolyte membrane for a fuel cell, comprises a synthetic resin comprising main chains and side chains, the main chains having a copolymer structure of a first olefin hydrocarbon and an olefin perfluorocarbon, the side chains having a sulfonic acid group containing crosslinked copolymer structure of a second olefin hydrocarbon and a diolefin hydrocarbon. The solid polyelectrolyte membrane is an inexpensive, solid polyelectrolyte membrane for fuel cells, of which the water content is controlled so that it does not cause too much wetting of electrode catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Nezu, Naoki Ito, Chiaki Yamada, Michiaki Kato, Michio Asukabe