Patents by Inventor Naohiro Yoshida

Naohiro Yoshida 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: 8173315
    Abstract: The accuracy of detecting gas leakage in a fuel battery system is improved. A fuel battery system includes a fuel battery to which a reactive gas is supplied to generate power, and a gas passage (a fuel gas supply path and a fuel gas circulation path) connected to this fuel battery, this gas passage is provided with a plurality of adjoining closed spaces, and the system includes a detecting unit (a control section) to detect gas leakage in one closed space in a state in which at least a pressure of another closed space adjoining the one closed space as a gas leakage detection target on a downstream side is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8091664
    Abstract: A movable body includes a fuel cell, a fuel supply means which supplies fuel containing hydrogen to the fuel cell, a limit means which limits the amount of the supplied fuel, a body which includes a space in which an occupant is housed, a conversion means which converts the supplied electric power from the fuel cell to driving force for driving the body, a control portion which controls the operation of the conversion means, and an operating member. The operating member is disposed at a position where the operating member can be operated by the occupant housed in the body, and provides an instruction to execute a control that limits the amount of the supplied fuel using the limit means, without stopping the operation of the control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20110313606
    Abstract: Water contained in exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell stack is separated by a gas-liquid separator and is accumulated in a recovery tank. The procedure of the invention sets a release amount of water and selects one or multiple positions for water release, based on the driving conditions including the vehicle speed and the acceleration, the turning state, activation or non-activation of skid reduction control, the distance from any object detected by clearance sonars, a distance from a subsequent vehicle measured by an extremely high frequency radar, and the presence of raindrops detected by a raindrop detection sensor, and releases the water accumulated in the recovery tank from water outlets at the selected one or multiple positions among water outlets at multiple different locations. This arrangement ensures adequate release of the water produced by the fuel cell stack to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naohiro YOSHIDA, Toshiyuki KONDO, Masahiko HIBINO, Osamu YUMITA, Yoshihiro FUNAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20110313605
    Abstract: Water contained in exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell stack is separated by a gas-liquid separator and is accumulated in a recovery tank. The procedure of the invention sets a release amount of water and selects one or multiple positions for water release, based on the driving conditions including the vehicle speed and the acceleration, the turning state, activation or non-activation of skid reduction control, the distance from any object detected by clearance sonars, a distance from a subsequent vehicle measured by an extremely high frequency radar, and the presence of raindrops detected by a raindrop detection sensor, and releases the water accumulated in the recovery tank from water outlets at the selected one or multiple positions among water outlets at multiple different locations. This arrangement ensures adequate release of the water produced by the fuel cell stack to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naohiro YOSHIDA, Toshiyuki KONDO, Masahiko HIBINO, Osamu YUMITA, Yoshihiro FUNAYAMA
  • Patent number: 8067125
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell which has a catalyst layer therein and which receives supply of a reactive gas to generate power, and a refrigerant system which supplies a refrigerant to the fuel cell to control its temperature. A method for stopping an operation of the system is also provided. When operated in a low-temperature environment, the system cannot be restarted due to freezing in the fuel cell. When the temperature of the fuel cell during the next system start is a predetermined temperature or less, the supply of the refrigerant is stopped during the system stop, and the supply of the refrigerant is resumed after elapse of a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8067127
    Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell (20) which generates electricity by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas supplied to an anode side of the fuel cell and an oxidization gas supplied to a cathode side of the fuel cell; estimating means (50) for estimating whether there is a possibility that a chemical short is occurring in the fuel cell when supply of the fuel gas and the oxidization gas to the fuel cell is stopped; and scavenging means (12) for supplying a scavenging gas to the cathode side when it has been estimated that there is a possibility that the chemical short is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8017278
    Abstract: This invention provides a moving object having a fuel cell system, which is capable of preventing the entry of fuel gas into a cabin even if the leakage of the fuel gas occurs. The moving object, having the fuel cell system (1), has an air introduction mechanism (5) for introducing air from the outside of the moving object into a cabin space inside the moving object, wherein an air introduction port (50) for the air introduction mechanism (5) is formed a given distance apart from the fuel cell system (1), so that gas leaking from the fuel cell system (1) does not reach the air introduction port (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7981559
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that generates electricity using an electrochemical reaction of fuel gas and oxidizing gas, having: a pressure adjustment valve which is provided on a fuel gas supply path for conducting the fuel gas from a fuel gas supply source to a fuel cell and which adjusts the supply gas pressure of the fuel gas; a degree of opening adjustment valve provided downstream of the pressure adjustment valve on the fuel gas supply path, the degree of opening thereof being set in stages or continuously in accordance with a degree of opening signal; and control means that adjusts the degree of opening adjustment signal in accordance with the operating condition of the fuel cell system and controls the state quantity of fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell to a target quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7976999
    Abstract: The fuel cell system is provided which detects a freeze among specific components and portions thereof by evaluating various conditions upon starting operation of the fuel cell system. If a freeze is detected through those evaluations, the start of the system is prohibited in order to prevent some deterioration in the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuo Fujita, Kimihide Horio, Tadaichi Matsumoto, Naohiro Yoshida, Kenji Kurita, Shinya Sakaguchi, Hiroaki Mori
  • Patent number: 7975788
    Abstract: Water contained in exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell stack 22 is separated by a gas-liquid separator 48 and is accumulated in a recovery tank 54. The procedure of the invention sets a release amount of water and selects one or multiple positions for water release, based on the driving conditions including the vehicle speed and the acceleration, the turning state, activation or non-activation of skid reduction control, the distance from any object detected by clearance sonars 94a through 94d, a distance from a subsequent vehicle measured by an extremely high frequency radar 92, and the presence of raindrops detected by a raindrop detection sensor, and releases the water accumulated in the recovery tank 54 from water outlets at the selected one or multiple positions among water outlets 58a through 58f at multiple different locations. This arrangement ensures adequate release of the water produced by the fuel cell stack 22 to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Yoshida, Toshiyuki Kondo, Masahiko Hibino, Osamu Yumita, Yoshihiro Funayama
  • Patent number: 7771856
    Abstract: In a power supply device including a fuel cell unit with a stack of fuel cells or a fuel cell stack and a secondary battery, an intermittent drive mode is selected under a preset condition to receive power supply only from the secondary battery. The control procedure of the invention determines whether a temporary stop of the fuel cell stack or continuance of the stop of the fuel cell stack leads to potential performance deterioration of the fuel cell stack at a restart of the fuel cell unit. In response to estimation of the potential performance deterioration, the control procedure controls the power supply device to continue or start power generation of the fuel cell stack, regardless of selection of the intermittent drive mode under the preset condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Yoshida, Hiroaki Mori
  • Publication number: 20100176220
    Abstract: A moving body, such as a vehicle, having one or more fuel cells mounted thereon. The fuel cells, which power the moving body, generate electricity and release water as a by-product. Accordingly, the moving body includes a water discharge module that releases water produced by the fuel cells to the atmosphere using a water outlet. The water outlet may be located in a front section of the moving body. The moving body may further include a water tank that temporarily stores water before releasing the water to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naohiro YOSHIDA, Toshiyuki KONDO, Masahiko HIBINO, Osamu YUMITA, Yoshihiro FUNAYAMA
  • Patent number: 7748890
    Abstract: A gas processing device for mixing a first gas (H2) and a second gas (air) comprises a flow passage (110) through which the second gas (air) passes, an inflow port (104) for introducing the first gas (H2) in a non-parallel direction to the flow direction of the second gas (air) within the flow passage (110), and a housing (101) for sealing a part of the flow passage (110). The flow passage (110) comprises hole structures (111), through which the second gas (air) and first gas (H2) pass in and out, in at least a part of the region sealed by the housing (101). According to this constitution, the hole structures generate turbulence, and hence the degree of mixing between the first gas (H2) and second gas (air) can be improved, enabling a uniform reduction in the gas concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Yoshida, Toshiyuki Kondo
  • Publication number: 20100021097
    Abstract: A rolling device in which rust development or damage on a raceway surface or rolling surface is hard to occur even if water and the like intrude is provided. A self-aligning roller bearing comprises an inner ring 1, an outer ring 2, and a plurality of rolling elements 3 disposed rotatably between a raceway surface 1a of the inner ring 1 and a raceway surface 2a of the outer ring 2. At least any one of the inner ring 1, the outer ring 2, and the rolling elements 3 is provided with a metal coating formed by shot peening of a powder of metal less noble than iron at least on a part of its surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Uchida, Takamasa Ohira, Haruo Kamijo, Tsuyoshi Saito, Dai Kinno, Shingo Higashi, Naohiro Yoshida, Sadayuki Tanaka, Seisuke Takeda, Akitoshi Maeda, Tooru Shouda, Masateru Kondo, Kazunobu Taketa, Tomohiro Motoda
  • Patent number: 7638218
    Abstract: In a fuel cell system of the invention, a pressure regulator is provided in the pathway of a hydrogen supply conduit that connects a hydrogen tank to a fuel cell stack. An anode off gas discharged from the fuel cell stack is recirculated through a recirculation pipe into the hydrogen supply conduit. A hydrogen pump is provided in the pathway of the recirculation pipe to increase the pressure of the anode off gas. A control unit of the fuel cell system includes a hydrogen pump control module, an abnormality diagnosis module, and an atmospheric pressure-based correction module. The hydrogen pump control module regulates the rotation speed of the hydrogen pump corresponding to a power demand to be output from the fuel cell system. The abnormality diagnosis module detects an abnormal state, based on a result of determination of whether the pressure of the hydrogen supply measured by a pressure sensor is within a certain range defined by two preset threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Yoshida, Tetsuya Bono, Kenji Kurita, Hiroaki Mori
  • Publication number: 20090286110
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel cell system including a fuel cell which has a catalyst layer therein and which receives supply of a reactive gas to generate a power, and a refrigerant system which supplies a refrigerant to the fuel cell to control a temperature of the fuel cell, and it also relates to a method for stopping an operation of the system. When the system is operated in a low-temperature environment, the system cannot be restarted owing to freezing in the fuel cell. Therefore, during stop of the system, control has heretofore been performed so that a flow rate of a coolant to the fuel cell is reduced to lower a cooling performance and that the operation of the fuel cell is continued to raise the temperature of the fuel cell or the like. However, the control is performed regardless of a situation during the next system start, so that there has been a problem that the control might become useless.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090246306
    Abstract: An injection apparatus having a mechanism wherein an object is advanced and retracted by a plurality of shafts 23, 24, the injection apparatus includes: a plurality of axial force detection parts 27, 28 configured to detect an axial force of each of the shafts 23, 24; and a control part 40 configured to compare detection values detected by the axial force detection parts 27, 28, the control part 40 being configured to calculate an amount of operation of a position of a shaft to be operated in the plurality of the shafts 23, 24 based on a difference of the axial forces of the shafts 23, 24 indicated by the detection values so as to correct the position, the control part 40 being configured to cancel the difference of the axial forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Naohiro Yoshida, Hiroshi Morita, Masahiro Hayakawa, Hiroshi Satou
  • Publication number: 20090243131
    Abstract: An injection molding machine includes a pressure detector 35, 48, 87 or 151 being a strain detector configured to detect strain when voltage is input to the strain detector. A value of the voltage being input to the pressure detector 35, 48, 87 or 151 is changed during one molding cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoki Tanaka, Okito Nishio, Masahiro Hayakawa, Naohiro Yoshida, Daisuke Maruo
  • Publication number: 20090239105
    Abstract: The accuracy of detecting gas leakage in a fuel battery system is improved. A fuel battery system includes a fuel battery to which a reactive gas is supplied to generate power, and a gas passage (a fuel gas supply path and a fuel gas circulation path) connected to this fuel battery, this gas passage is provided with a plurality of adjoining closed spaces, and the system includes a detecting unit (a control section) to detect gas leakage in one closed space in a state in which at least a pressure of another closed space adjoining the one closed space as a gas leakage detection target on a downstream side is lowered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7581431
    Abstract: A gas leak detection device for a fuel cell system equipped with a main valve (SV1) in a fuel gas supply source (11), comprising a shutdown valve (SV2) provided in a fuel gas supply channel downstream of the main valve (SV1), pressure monitoring devices (p1, p2, 20) for monitoring a pressure in the fuel gas supply channel between the main valve and the shutdown valve, a depressurization treatment devices (10, 15, SV5) for depressurizing the inside of the fuel gas supply channel, and a determination device (20) for monitoring a variation of pressure in a sealed space of the fuel gas supply channel formed between the main valve and the shutdown valve after the main valve and the shutdown valve have been closed and determining the operation state of the main valve based on the variation of pressure in the sealed space. In the depressurization treatment, the fuel gas supply channel is depressurized until the pressure enters a pressure range in which the pressure can be monitored in the pressure monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshida