Patents by Inventor Shugo Higashi

Shugo Higashi 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: 7556873
    Abstract: Coolant passages (11a, 11b) are provided in unit cells (17a, 17b) which form a laminate (170) of the unit cells (17a, 17b). A coolant supply manifold (12) which distributes coolant from a coolant recirculation device (100) to the coolant passages (11a, 11b), and a coolant discharge manifold (13) which recovers coolant from the coolant passage (11a, 11b) to the coolant recirculation device (100), pass through the laminate (170). The coolant supply manifold (12) and coolant discharge manifold (13) are connected by two bypass passages (14a, 14b). At low temperature, heat transfer from the high temperature parts to the low temperature parts is promoted by shutting off circulation of coolant between the coolant recirculation device (100) and the laminate (170) by a valve (3, 4), and recirculating coolant inside the fuel cell stack (1) via the bypass passages (14a, 14b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shugo Higashi
  • Publication number: 20060246332
    Abstract: Coolant passages (11a, 11b) are provided in unit cells (17a, 17b) which form a laminate (170) of the unit cells (17a, 17b). A coolant supply manifold (12) which distributes coolant from a coolant recirculation device (100) to the coolant passages (11a, 11b), and a coolant discharge manifold (13) which recovers coolant from the coolant passage (11a, 11b) to the coolant recirculation device (100), pass through the laminate (170). The coolant supply manifold (12) and coolant discharge manifold (13) are connected by two bypass passages (14a, 14b). At low temperature, heat transfer from the high temperature parts to the low temperature parts is promoted by shutting off circulation of coolant between the coolant recirculation device (100) and the laminate (170) by a valve (3, 4), and recirculating coolant inside the fuel cell stack (1) via the bypass passages (14a, 14b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventor: Shugo Higashi
  • Patent number: 6955861
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell (1) having a water passage and passage for gas required for power generation, a first protection device (5, 10) which prevents freezing of water in the fuel cell by maintaining the temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a second protection device (11, 12) which prevents freezing of water in the fuel cell by discharging the water in the fuel cell (1). A controller (50) selects one of the first protection device (5, 10) and the second protection device (11, 12) as the protection device to be used when the fuel cell (1) has stopped, and the fuel cell (1) is protected from freezing of water by operating the selected protection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., UTC Fuel Cells, LLC
    Inventors: Koudai Yoshizawa, Akihiro Iiyama, Shugo Higashi, Patrick L. Hagans
  • Publication number: 20030162063
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell (1) having a water passage and passage for gas required for power generation, a first protection device (5, 10) which prevents freezing of water in the fuel cell by maintaining the temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a second protection device (11, 12) which prevents freezing of water in the fuel cell by discharging the water in the fuel cell (1). A controller (50) selects one of the first protection device (5, 10) and the second protection device (11, 12) as the protection device to be used when the fuel cell (1) has stopped, and the fuel cell (1) is protected from freezing of water by operating the selected protection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koudai Yoshizawa, Akihiro Iiyama, Shugo Higashi, Patrick L. Hagans