Patents by Inventor Shiro Akiyama
Shiro Akiyama 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).
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Method for taking out a sealing plate of a fuel cell and a sealing plate directly used in the method
Patent number: 8652664Abstract: A fuel cell sealing plate taking-out method that may include taking out a sealing plate from a stack of sealing plates one by one while an air layer exists between adjacent sealing plates of the stack of fuel cells. A protrusion may be formed beforehand at one or more surfaces of each sealing plate. Due to the air layer existing between adjacent sealing plates, it may be possible to take out the sealing plate one by one from the stack of sealing plates.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shiro Akiyama, Shigemitsu Nomoto -
METHOD FOR TAKING OUT A SEALING PLATE OF A FUEL CELL AND A SEALING PLATE DIRECTLY USED IN THE METHOD
Publication number: 20120214087Abstract: A fuel cell sealing plate taking-out method that may include taking out a sealing plate from a stack of sealing plates one by one while an air layer exists between adjacent sealing plates of the stack of fuel cells. A protrusion may be formed beforehand at one or more surfaces of each sealing plate. Due to the air layer existing between adjacent sealing plates, it may be possible to take out the sealing plate one by one from the stack of sealing plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2012Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shiro AKIYAMA, Shigemitsu NOMOTO -
Patent number: 8202637Abstract: A fuel cell sealing plate taking-out method that may include forming an air layer between adjacent sealing plates and taking out a sealing plate from a stack of sealing plates one by one. A protrusion may be formed beforehand at one or more surfaces of each sealing plate. Also, a sealing plate taking-out apparatus having a suction pad and a projection that protrudes more than the suction pad toward the sealing plate. Due to the air layer formed between adjacent sealing plates, it may be possible to take out the sealing plate one by one from the stack of sealing plates.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2007Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shiro Akiyama, Shigemitsu Nomoto
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Publication number: 20100062309Abstract: A fuel cell is provided with a membrane-electrode assembly 15 in which catalyst layers 15b as a pair of electrodes are bonded to both the surfaces of an electrolyte membrane 15a, and diffusion layers 16 arranged on both the surfaces of this membrane-electrode assembly 15. The membrane-electrode assembly 15 and the diffusion layer 16s are laminated without bonding at least a part between the membrane-electrode assembly 15 and the diffusion layers 16. Thus, sliding and separating between the catalyst layer 15b and the diffusion layers 16 are allowed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2008Publication date: March 11, 2010Inventors: Shiro Akiyama, Hitoshi Hamada, Hironori Noto, Manabu Takashi, Kenichi Tokuda, Tsutomu Ochi, Tsunemasa Nishida, Takahiro Nitta, Shinji Matsuo
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Publication number: 20090252996Abstract: There is provided a conveying method for attracting and conveying separators for a fuel cell, from a stack of the separators, one at a time. According to the conveying method, when a separator arranged at the top of the separators stacked on top of each other is attracted, gas is supplied into a clearance formed between the separator and another separator arranged immediately below the separator. The clearance is formed due to presence of a seal portion that is formed on the separator so as to protrude therefrom in order to provide sealing to at least one of a fluid passage and a fluid manifold formed in the separator.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2006Publication date: October 8, 2009Inventors: Shigemitsu Nomoto, Shiro Akiyama
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Patent number: 7582377Abstract: A pressure loss in an oxidative gas passage of each of single cells is obtained This pressure loss is compared with predetermined ranks so as to carry out classification according to the ranks. The pressure loss in the oxidative gas passage has a predetermined permissible range comprising a first rank, a second rank , . . . , and an n-th rank respectively. The single cell that is to be measured at the moment is classified into a certain one of the ranks depending on which one of the first to n-th ranks corresponds to the pressure loss in the oxidative gas passage. Classification is similarly carried out as to a pressure loss in a fuel gas passage as well. Those of the single cells which are equivalent in rank are gathered up and combined to fabricate a fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2002Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shiro Akiyama
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Patent number: 7569298Abstract: A seal structure of a fuel cell includes a first seal surface formed in a first separator disposed on one side of an electrolyte membrane and a second seal surface formed in a second separator disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and a sealant collecting structure formed in or outside at least one of the first and second seal surfaces. The sealant collecting structure is constructed of a stepped receding surface formed in at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a concave or groove formed in an inner portion and/or an outer portion of at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a space formed outside at least one of the separators, or a stepped recess formed in at least one of the separators. The sealant collecting structure receives an extra sealant therein to ensure uniform seal pressure acting on the sealant and to prevent the extra sealant from being bulged out to gas passages and to a gas manifold.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2002Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Chisato Kato, Yoshio Kiyokawa, Shiro Akiyama
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Publication number: 20090047548Abstract: A fuel cell sealing plate taking-out method that may include forming an air layer between adjacent sealing plates and taking out a sealing plate from a stack of sealing plates one by one. A protrusion may be formed beforehand at one or more surfaces of each sealing plate. Also, a sealing plate taking-out apparatus having a suction pad and a projection that protrudes more than the suction pad toward the sealing plate. Due to the air layer formed between adjacent sealing plates, it may be possible to take out the sealing plate one by one from the stack of sealing plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2007Publication date: February 19, 2009Inventors: Shiro Akiyama, Shigemitsu Nomoto
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Patent number: 7255944Abstract: A stack structure of a fuel cell according to an aspect of the invention includes a plurality of separators of the fuel cell, and a protruding portion which has a tip portion that contacts a reference portion of an assembly jig during assembly of the fuel cell. Since the tip portion of the protruding portion contacts the reference portion of the assembly jig, an adhesive agent does not come out from the tip portion of the protruding portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent positioning accuracy in stacking cells from being reduced. The reduction of the positioning accuracy is due to adhesion of the spreading adhesive agent to the reference portion of the assembly jig. In addition, it is possible to prevent a short-circuit from occurring. The occurrence of the short-circuit is due to deformation of the separator caused by making the separator contact the reference portion of the assembly jig.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2003Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shiro Akiyama, Yasuyuki Asai, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Hiroya Nakaji
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Publication number: 20040023099Abstract: A stack structure of a fuel cell according to an aspect of the invention includes a plurality of separators of the fuel cell, and a protruding portion which has a tip portion that contacts a reference portion of an assembly jig during assembly of the fuel cell. Since the tip portion of the protruding portion contacts the reference portion of the assembly jig, an adhesive agent does not come out from the tip portion of the protruding portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent positioning accuracy in stacking cells from being reduced. The reduction of the positioning accuracy is due to adhesion of the spreading adhesive agent to the reference portion of the assembly jig. In addition, it is possible to prevent a short-circuit from occurring. The occurrence of the short-circuit is due to deformation of the separator caused by making the separator contact the reference portion of the assembly jig.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventors: Shiro Akiyama, Yasuyuki Asai, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Hiroya Nakaji
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Publication number: 20030091873Abstract: A pressure loss in an oxidative gas passage of each of single cells is obtained by causing gas to flow through the oxidative gas passage and calculating a difference between gas pressures detected by first and second pressure gauges. This pressure loss is compared with predetermined ranks so as to carry out classification according to the ranks. The pressure loss in the oxidative gas passage has a predetermined permissible range that is divided into two or more small ranges, which are referred to as a first rank, a second rank, . . . , and an n-th rank respectively. The single cell that is to be measured at the moment is classified into a certain one of the ranks depending on which one of the first to n-th ranks corresponds to the pressure loss in the oxidative gas passage. Classification is similarly carried out as to a pressure loss in a fuel gas passage as well. Those of the single cells which are equivalent in rank are gathered up and combined to fabricate a fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2002Publication date: May 15, 2003Inventor: Shiro Akiyama
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Publication number: 20020187384Abstract: A seal structure of a fuel cell includes a first seal surface formed in a first separator disposed on one side of an electrolyte membrane and a second seal surface formed in a second separator disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and a sealant collecting structure formed in or outside at least one of the first and second seal surfaces. The sealant collecting structure is constructed of a stepped receding surface formed in at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a concave or groove formed in an inner portion and/or an outer portion of at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a space formed outside at least one of the separators, or a stepped recess formed in at least one of the separators. The sealant collecting structure receives an extra sealant therein to ensure uniform seal pressure acting on the sealant and to prevent the extra sealant from being bulged out to gas passages and to a gas manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2002Publication date: December 12, 2002Inventors: Chisato Kato, Yoshio Kiyokawa, Shiro Akiyama