Patents by Inventor Hideaki Tanahashi

Hideaki Tanahashi 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: 9470314
    Abstract: A rubber gasket for a fuel cell is interposed between a first member and a second member stacked in the fuel cell. The fuel cell includes: a seat portion arranged on a surface of the first member; and a lip portion that includes a first hill portion projecting from the seat portion toward the second member and having a curved surface with a first curvature radius and a second hill portion projecting from the first hill portion toward the second member and having a curved surface with a second curvature radius smaller than the first curvature radius, and that makes elastic contact with the second member. The seat portion includes a planar inclined surface inclined with respect to the surface direction at a connecting portion leading to a bottom of the first hill portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignees: SUMITOMO RIKO COMPANY LIMITED, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideya Kadono, Hiroki Itakura, Kenji Sato, Takuya Kurihara, Hideaki Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 9437883
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a fuel cell module includes: forming an outer divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness in a seal member arrangement portion of a separator to produce an outer temporary assembly, and forming an inner divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber in a peripheral edge portion of an electrode member to produce an inner temporary assembly; fitting the inner temporary assembly into a frame of the outer temporary assembly to produce a cell assembly temporary assembly; arranging a cell assembly stack, in which a plurality of the cell assembly temporary assemblies are stacked, in a forming die; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: SUMITOMO RIKO COMPANY LIMITED, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanahashi, Shinichi Haga, Hideya Kadono, Yutaka Ishioka, Kenji Sato, Fumishige Shizuku, Hiroo Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20160049670
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a fuel cell module includes: forming an outer divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness in a seal member arrangement portion of a separator to produce an outer temporary assembly, and forming an inner divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber in a peripheral edge portion of an electrode member to produce an inner temporary assembly; fitting the inner temporary assembly into a frame of the outer temporary assembly to produce a cell assembly temporary assembly; arranging a cell assembly stack, in which a plurality of the cell assembly temporary assemblies are stacked, in a forming die; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Applicants: Sumitomo Riko Company Limited, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki TANAHASHI, Shinichi HAGA, Hideya KADONO, Yutaka ISHIOKA, Kenji SATO, Fumishige SHIZUKU, Hiroo YOSHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150380694
    Abstract: A rubber gasket for a fuel cell is interposed between a first member and a second member stacked in the fuel cell. The fuel cell includes: a seat portion arranged on a surface of the first member; and a lip portion that includes a first hill portion projecting from the seat portion toward the second member and having a curved surface with a first curvature radius and a second hill portion projecting from the first hill portion toward the second member and having a curved surface with a second curvature radius smaller than the first curvature radius, and that makes elastic contact with the second member. The seat portion includes a planar inclined surface inclined with respect to the surface direction at a connecting portion leading to a bottom of the first hill portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicants: SUMITOMO RIKO COMPANY LIMITED, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideya KADONO, Hiroki ITAKURA, Kenji SATO, Takuya KURIHARA, Hideaki TANAHASHI
  • Patent number: 9178242
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a fuel cell module includes: forming an outer divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness in a seal member arrangement portion of a separator to produce an outer temporary assembly, and forming an inner divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber in a peripheral edge portion of an electrode member to produce an inner temporary assembly fitting the inner temporary assembly into a frame of the outer temporary assembly to produce a cell assembly temporary assembly; arranging a cell assembly stack, in which a plurality of the cell assembly temporary assemblies are stacked, in a forming die; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUMITOMO RIKO COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanahashi, Shinichi Haga, Hideya Kadono, Yutaka Ishioka, Kenji Sato, Fumishige Shizuku, Hiroo Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 9017901
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a cell assembly for a fuel cell includes: producing an electrode member, a separator, and a seal member preform, which has a frame shape and which is formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness, in a predetermined shape in advance; arranging the electrode member, the separator, and the seal member preform in a forming die including a pressing member, and closing the forming die while the pressing member is pressing a side of the electrode member that is opposite to the separator in the thickness direction; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item so that the seal member seals the peripheral edge portion of the electrode member and integrates the electrode member and the separator with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Riko Company Limited
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanahashi, Shinichi Haga, Hideya Kadono, Yutaka Ishioka, Fumishige Shizuku, Kenji Sato, Hiroo Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8974982
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) having an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes arranged on both sides of the electrolyte membrane in the thickness direction, a pair of frames having a frame shape and holding an outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane, a pair of gas diffusion layers arranged inside the pair of frames and on both sides of the MEA in the thickness direction, and a gasket covering at least a part of the pair of frames. The fuel cell further includes a first cross-linking adhesive member formed of rubber which includes a membrane accommodating portion having an indented shape for accommodating the outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane and a first intermediate portion interposed between the pair of frames and which is subjected to cross-linking adhesion with the outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane and the pair of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanahashi, Yutaka Ishioka, Kazutaka Iizuka, Chisato Kato
  • Patent number: 8679702
    Abstract: A fuel cell module includes: an electrode member having a membrane electrode assembly, which is formed from an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrode catalyst layers that is disposed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane in the thickness direction, and having a pair of porous layers disposed on both sides of the membrane electrode assembly in the thickness direction; a separator disposed layered on the electrode member so as to contact at least one of the porous layers; and an adhesive rubber member sealing a peripheral edge portion of the electrode member, wherein the electrode member and the separator are integrated by the adhesive rubber member, and a tensile product of the adhesive rubber member is 1,500 MPa·% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanahashi, Yutaka Ishioka, Shinichi Haga, Hideya Kadono, Kenji Sato, Fumishige Shizuku
  • Publication number: 20120009506
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a cell assembly for a fuel cell includes: producing an electrode member, a separator, and a seal member preform, which has a frame shape and which is formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness, in a predetermined shape in advance; arranging the electrode member, the separator, and the seal member preform in a forming die including a pressing member, and closing the forming die while the pressing member is pressing a side of the electrode member that is opposite to the separator in the thickness direction; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item so that the seal member seals the peripheral edge portion of the electrode member and integrates the electrode member and the separator with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: TOKAI RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.,
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanahashi, Shinichi Haga, Hideya Kadono, Yutaka Ishioka, Fumishige Shizuku, Kenji Sato, Hiroo Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20110305976
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a fuel cell module includes: forming an outer divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness in a seal member arrangement portion of a separator to produce an outer temporary assembly, and forming an inner divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber in a peripheral edge portion of an electrode member to produce an inner temporary assembly fitting the inner temporary assembly into a frame of the outer temporary assembly to produce a cell assembly temporary assembly; arranging a cell assembly stack, in which a plurality of the cell assembly temporary assemblies are stacked, in a forming die; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOKAI RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanahashi, Shinichi Haga, Hideya Kadono, Yutaka Ishioka, Kenji Sato, Fumishige Shizuku, Hiroo Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8039162
    Abstract: A unit cell for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a membrane/electrode assembly including a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode disposed on either side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the assembly being sandwiched from either side by a first separator and a second separator to give a stacked construction to form therebetween a fuel gas flow passage and an oxidant gas flow passage. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane has a projecting portion projecting outwardly beyond the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, and the projecting portion is coated by a reinforcing resin member. Connecting grooves formed on a primary face of the separators connecting both ends of the fuel gas/oxidant gas flow passages with a fuel/oxidant gas feed/discharge ports, respectively. The reinforcing resin member is placed so as to bridge openings of the connecting grooves in order to give a tunnel construction to the connecting grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ishioka, Hideaki Tanahashi, Yasuhiko Mihara
  • Publication number: 20090253014
    Abstract: A fuel cell module includes: an electrode member having a membrane electrode assembly, which is formed from an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrode catalyst layers that is disposed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane in the thickness direction, and having a pair of porous layers disposed on both sides of the membrane electrode assembly in the thickness direction; a separator disposed layered on the electrode member so as to contact at least one of the porous layers; and an adhesive rubber member sealing a peripheral edge portion of the electrode member, wherein the electrode member and the separator are integrated by the adhesive rubber member, and a tensile product of the adhesive rubber member is 1,500 MPa·% or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicants: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki TANAHASHI, Yutaka ISHIOKA, Shinichi HAGA, Hideya KADONO, Kenji SATO, Fumishige SHIZUKU
  • Publication number: 20090214917
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) having an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes arranged on both sides of the electrolyte membrane in the thickness direction, a pair of frames having a frame shape and holding an outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane, a pair of gas diffusion layers arranged inside the pair of frames and on both sides of the MEA in the thickness direction, and a gasket covering at least a part of the pair of frames. The fuel cell further includes a first cross-linking adhesive member formed of rubber which includes a membrane accommodating portion having an indented shape for accommodating the outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane and a first intermediate portion interposed between the pair of frames and which is subjected to cross-linking adhesion with the outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane and the pair of frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki TANAHASHI, Yutaka ISHIOKA, Kazutaka IIZUKA, Chisato KATO
  • Publication number: 20070287056
    Abstract: An adhesive sealing member having favorable creep resistance and providing excellent productivity of fuel cells, and a fuel cell using the same. The adhesive sealing member satisfies (a) a requirement that the adhesive sealing member is used in a fuel cell, (b) a requirement that the adhesive sealing member includes a thermoplastic resin as a main component, and (c) a requirement that the adhesive sealing member includes resin particles of which a heat-resisting temperature is higher than a melting point of the thermoplastic resin. A resin composing the resin particles is preferably a crosslinked acrylic polymer and/or a crosslinked styrene polymer. In the fuel cell, scaling is made by using the adhesive sealing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: TOKAI RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanahashi, Yutaka Ishioka, Takuji Nagano
  • Publication number: 20070184327
    Abstract: A unit cell for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a membrane/electrode assembly including a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode disposed on either side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the assembly being sandwiched from either side by a first separator and a second separator to give a stacked construction to form therebetween a fuel gas flow passage and an oxidant gas flow passage. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane has a projecting portion projecting outwardly beyond the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, and the projecting portion is coated by a reinforcing resin member. Connecting grooves formed on a primary face of the separators connecting both ends of the fuel gas/oxidant gas flow passages with a fuel/oxidant gas feed/discharge ports, respectively. The reinforcing resin member is placed so as to bridge openings of the connecting grooves in order to give a tunnel construction to the connecting grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: TOKAI RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ishioka, Hideaki Tanahashi, Yasuhiko Mihara