Patents by Inventor Yusai YOSHIMURA
Yusai YOSHIMURA 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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Patent number: 11855319Abstract: When leakage of fuel gas is detected by detection signals or disruption of the detection signals is detected, a FCECU limits a supply amount of the fuel gas from a fuel gas supply device, and shuts off the supply of the fuel gas by the fuel gas supply device when determining, after limiting the supply amount of the fuel gas, that the leakage of the fuel gas or the disruption of the detection signals has occurred.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2022Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jin Nishio, Tomonari Hattori, Koichi Kato, Yusai Yoshimura, Kazuhide Inoue, Koichi Takaku, Kuniaki Ojima
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Patent number: 11824237Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a circulation circuit, a gas liquid separator section, a purge channel, a purge valve and an ECU. In a method of operating the fuel cell system at low temperature, after start-up of the fuel cell system, the ECU performs a freezing determination processing step of determining freezing or non-freezing of the gas liquid separator, and in the case where freezing of the gas liquid separator is determined in the freezing determination step, the ECU performs a freezing confirmation processing step of immediately opening the purge valve for predetermined time.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2020Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masakazu Hamachi, Yusai Yoshimura
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Publication number: 20220311032Abstract: When leakage of fuel gas is detected by detection signals or disruption of the detection signals is detected, a FCECU limits a supply amount of the fuel gas from a fuel gas supply device, and shuts off the supply of the fuel gas by the fuel gas supply device when determining, after limiting the supply amount of the fuel gas, that the leakage of the fuel gas or the disruption of the detection signals has occurred.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Jin NISHIO, Tomonari HATTORI, Koichi KATO, Yusai YOSHIMURA, Kazuhide INOUE, Koichi TAKAKU, Kuniaki OJIMA
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Patent number: 11444294Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a fuel gas supply channel, a fuel gas circulation channel, a circulating pump that is driven by a pump motor having no sensor, and an ECU for controlling the rotation of the pump motor. A method for operating the fuel cell system rotates the pump motor when starting, and stops the supply of electric power to the pump motor after the rotational speed of the pump motor has reached a given value, and determines, in an inertial period, whether or not the rotational speed of the pump motor has become equal to or lower than a predetermined value within a given time period.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yusai Yoshimura, Hideo Numata, Nobuki Koiwa
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Patent number: 11398635Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a fuel gas supply channel, a circulation passage, a purge valve, and a temperature sensor. A method of operating the fuel cell system performs a judging step of determining whether or not the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is at or below a given temperature. Then, if the temperature is at or below the given temperature, the method performs a purge valve scavenging process step of intermittently opening and closing the purge valve multiple times, while supplying the fuel gas through the fuel gas supply channel.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2021Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuki Koiwa, Hideo Numata, Jumpei Ogawa, Yusai Yoshimura
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Patent number: 11394042Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a gas liquid separator, a water level sensor, a drain valve, and a control unit. When a failure detection processing method is performed, a control unit makes a determination of main conditions where the water level sensor determines that water is present, a power generation current value of the fuel cell stack is not more than a predetermined current threshold value, a drain valve for discharging water in the gas liquid separator is open. Then, the control unit counts elapsed time when the main conditions are satisfied, and in the case where the main conditions are kept satisfied for the elapsed time which is larger than a time threshold value, the control unit determines that the water level sensor has a failure.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yusai Yoshimura, Joji Nakashima
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Publication number: 20210305599Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a fuel gas supply channel, a circulation passage, a purge valve, and a temperature sensor. A method of operating the fuel cell system performs a judging step of determining whether or not the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is at or below a given temperature. Then, if the temperature is at or below the given temperature, the method performs a purge valve scavenging process step of intermittently opening and closing the purge valve multiple times, while supplying the fuel gas through the fuel gas supply channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Nobuki KOIWA, Hideo NUMATA, Jumpei OGAWA, Yusai YOSHIMURA
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Publication number: 20210305596Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a fuel gas supply channel, a fuel gas circulation channel, a circulating pump that is driven by a pump motor having no sensor, and an ECU for controlling the rotation of the pump motor. A method for operating the fuel cell system rotates the pump motor when starting, and stops the supply of electric power to the pump motor after the rotational speed of the pump motor has reached a given value, and determines, in an inertial period, whether or not the rotational speed of the pump motor has become equal to or lower than a predetermined value within a given time period.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Yusai YOSHIMURA, Hideo NUMATA, Nobuki KOIWA
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Publication number: 20210143454Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a circulation circuit, a gas liquid separator section, a purge channel, a purge valve and an ECU. In a method of operating the fuel cell system at low temperature, after start-up of the fuel cell system, the ECU performs a freezing determination processing step of determining freezing or non-freezing of the gas liquid separator, and in the case where freezing of the gas liquid separator is determined in the freezing determination step, the ECU performs a freezing confirmation processing step of immediately opening the purge valve for predetermined time.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2020Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventors: Masakazu HAMACHI, Yusai YOSHIMURA
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Publication number: 20210091396Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a gas liquid separator, a water level sensor, a drain valve, and a control unit. When a failure detection processing method is performed, a control unit makes a determination of main conditions where the water level sensor determines that water is present, a power generation current value of the fuel cell stack is not more than a predetermined current threshold value, a drain valve for discharging water in the gas liquid separator is open. Then, the control unit counts elapsed time when the main conditions are satisfied, and in the case where the main conditions are kept satisfied for the elapsed time which is larger than a time threshold value, the control unit determines that the water level sensor has a failure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2020Publication date: March 25, 2021Inventors: Yusai YOSHIMURA, Joji NAKASHIMA
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Patent number: 10230118Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel cell system including a fuel cell, includes measuring an impedance of the fuel cell that includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane to generate electric power via an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas. An output electric current output from the fuel cell is increased to a threshold electric current value when the impedance is equal to or higher than a threshold impedance value and a target electric current value is larger than the threshold electric current value. The output electric current is maintained at the threshold electric current value. The output electric current is increased from the threshold electric current value to the target electric current value.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2017Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Nobuki Koiwa, Osamu Ogami, Takashi Yamamoto, Yusai Yoshimura
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Patent number: 10050292Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel cell system including a fuel cell which includes an anode electrode and a cathode electrode sandwiching a solid polymer electrolyte membrane therebetween, includes driving a pump to supply an oxidant gas to the cathode electrode. The pump has a minimum supply amount of the oxidant gas. A fuel gas is supplied to the anode electrode to generate electric power via an electrochemical reaction between the fuel gas and the oxidant gas. It is determined whether a target amount of the oxidant gas to be supplied to the cathode electrode is lower than the minimum supply amount. An opening degree of a pressure adjusting valve is adjusted to adjust an amount of the oxidant gas supplied to the cathode electrode to be the target amount when the target amount is determined to be lower than the minimum supply amount.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2017Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Nobuki Koiwa, Osamu Ogami, Yusai Yoshimura, Akiji Ando
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Publication number: 20180027364Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a power supply part provided with a temperature raising unit, a vehicle compartment environment adjustment part configured to adjust the temperature inside the vehicle, a wireless communication part to communicate with the outside of the vehicle, and a control part.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoko Shintani, Kanako Ikeda, Chihiro Wake, Yusai Yoshimura
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Publication number: 20170352903Abstract: A fuel cell system includes first and second tanks, first and second pipes, a pipe, a first valve, a second valve, a pressure sensor, and circuitry. The first pipe is connected to the first tank. The second pipe is connected to the second tank. The pipe is connected to a fuel cell and connected to the first and second pipes to supply a reaction gas from the first and second tanks to the fuel cell. The first valve is provided at the first pipe. The second valve is provided at the second pipe. The pressure sensor is provided at the pipe between the joint point and the fuel cell. The circuitry determines whether a failure occurs in at least one of the first and second valves based on a change in the pressure detected by the pressure sensor while the first and second valves are controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2017Publication date: December 7, 2017Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yusai YOSHIMURA, Satoru KAWASE, Yuji MATSUMOTO
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Publication number: 20170250422Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel cell system including a fuel cell which includes an anode electrode and a cathode electrode sandwiching a solid polymer electrolyte membrane therebetween, includes driving a pump to supply an oxidant gas to the cathode electrode. The pump has a minimum supply amount of the oxidant gas. A fuel gas is supplied to the anode electrode to generate electric power via an electrochemical reaction between the fuel gas and the oxidant gas. It is determined whether a target amount of the oxidant gas to be supplied to the cathode electrode is lower than the minimum supply amount. An opening degree of a pressure adjusting valve is adjusted to adjust an amount of the oxidant gas supplied to the cathode electrode to be the target amount when the target amount is determined to be lower than the minimum supply amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2017Publication date: August 31, 2017Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Nobuki KOIWA, Osamu OGAMI, Yusai YOSHIMURA, Akiji ANDO
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Publication number: 20170250425Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel cell system including a fuel cell, includes measuring an impedance of the fuel cell that includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane to generate electric power via an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas. An output electric current output from the fuel cell is increased to a threshold electric current value when the impedance is equal to or higher than a threshold impedance value and a target electric current value is larger than the threshold electric current value. The output electric current is maintained at the threshold electric current value. The output electric current is increased from the threshold electric current value to the target electric current value.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2017Publication date: August 31, 2017Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Nobuki KOIWA, Osamu OGAMI, Takashi YAMAMOTO, Yusai YOSHIMURA
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Patent number: 9543600Abstract: A fuel cell system that can supply fuel gas appropriately is provided. The fuel cell system includes an injector 23A and an injector 23B which inject fuel gas, and an ECU 50. The ECU 50 adjusts the flow rate of the fuel gas that is injected from the injector 23A by adjusting the valve opening time period and the valve closing time period of the injector 23A, which are repeated alternately, and make at least a part of the valve opening time period of the injector 23B overlap with the valve closing time period of the injector 23A when opening the valve of the injector 23B.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Shinjiro Morita, Koichiro Miyata, Yusai Yoshimura, Osamu Ohgami
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Patent number: 9373855Abstract: Provided is a fuel-cell system having a control device which controls driving of a first fuel supply device and a second fuel supply device. The control device includes, a driving-interval setting unit which sets first driving intervals for the first fuel supply device and second driving intervals for the second fuel supply device, a first fuel-supply-device control unit which sets valve-open durations of the first fuel supply device according to the first driving intervals, and a second fuel-supply-device control unit which sets valve-open durations of the second fuel supply device according to the second driving intervals. The driving-interval setting unit sets the second driving intervals to be shorter than the first driving intervals.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2013Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Osamu Ohgami, Koichiro Miyata, Yusai Yoshimura
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Publication number: 20140147760Abstract: Provided is a fuel-cell system having a control device which controls driving of a first fuel supply device and a second fuel supply device. The control device includes, a driving-interval setting unit which sets first driving intervals for the first fuel supply device and second driving intervals for the second fuel supply device, a first fuel-supply-device control unit which sets valve-open durations of the first fuel supply device according to the first driving intervals, and a second fuel-supply-device control unit which sets valve-open durations of the second fuel supply device according to the second driving intervals. The driving-interval setting unit sets the second driving intervals to be shorter than the first driving intervals.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Osamu OHGAMI, Koichiro MIYATA, Yusai YOSHIMURA
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Publication number: 20140141345Abstract: A fuel cell system that can supply fuel gas appropriately is provided. The fuel cell system includes an injector 23A and an injector 23B which inject fuel gas, and an ECU 50. The ECU 50 adjusts the flow rate of the fuel gas that is injected from the injector 23A by adjusting the valve opening time period and the valve closing time period of the injector 23A, which are repeated alternately, and make at least a part of the valve opening time period of the injector 23B overlap with the valve closing time period of the injector 23A when opening the valve of the injector 23B.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2013Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Shinjiro MORITA, Koichiro MIYATA, Yusai YOSHIMURA, Osamu OHGAMI