Patents by Inventor Hideharu Naito

Hideharu Naito 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).

  • Publication number: 20230290984
    Abstract: One side of a casing of a fuel cell stack is provided with an opening, a filter permeable to a fuel gas, and a cover covering the filter. The cover includes a first vent connecting the inside and the outside of the cover, and a second vent provided below the first vent and connecting the inside and the outside of the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Yuki ICHINOE, Hideharu NAITO, Takashi TAKURA
  • Patent number: 11688876
    Abstract: A fuel cell system which is mounted in a vehicle is equipped with a stack case in which a fuel cell stack is accommodated. A rearward opening is formed at a rear portion of the stack case facing toward the rear of the vehicle. Cell voltage detection terminals that are electrically connected to electrodes of the fuel cell stack are exposed in the rearward window. A filter cover which is configured to include a filter material is provided on the rearward opening. The filter cover has a vehicle heightwise direction rib that extends along a heightwise direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideharu Naito, Takashi Takura
  • Patent number: 11646436
    Abstract: A fuel cell system mounted in a vehicle includes a stack case for housing a fuel cell stack. In the stack case, a rear opening is formed in a rear portion facing backward. A cell voltage detection terminal electrically connected to an electrode of the fuel cell stack is exposed in the rear opening. A multilayer filter is provided in the rear opening. The multilayer filter has an inner mesh member, a filter member, and an outer mesh member. An electrical equipment housing case for housing electrical equipment faces the rear opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideharu Naito, Takashi Takura
  • Patent number: 11637308
    Abstract: A stack case of a fuel cell system includes a case body, a first end cover, and a second end cover. A recess is formed in an upper surface of the case body. An interruption control unit as an electrical equipment unit is placed in the recess. A plurality of first screw holes are formed in one end surface of the case body, and a plurality of second screw holes are formed in the other end surface of the case body. A first screw hole aligned with a recess in a direction in which a plurality of power generation cells are stacked together penetrates through the case body from one end surface of the case body to a side surface of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Yoshitomi, Hideharu Naito
  • Patent number: 11588164
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells together in a vehicle width direction and a voltage control unit including a voltage controller and a control case are mounted in a front box of a fuel cell vehicle. The control case is joined to a stack case in a manner that the control case is provided adjacent to the stack case in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the plurality of power generation cells. A cell voltage detection unit is provided between the fuel cell stack and a voltage control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Naito, Kosuke Nishiyama, Yasunori Ichikizaki
  • Patent number: 11495821
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes an insulating collar member provided in an end plate and screwed with a positioning pin, and a rotation restriction mechanism that restricts rotation of the collar member relative to the end plate in a screw tightening direction of the positioning pin. A method of assembling the fuel cell stack includes a screwing step and a stacking step. In the screwing step, rotation of the collar member relative to the end plate in the screw tightening direction of the positioning pin is restricted by the rotation restriction mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Naito, Masahiro Sato
  • Patent number: 11482722
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a stack case storing the fuel cell stack, and an auxiliary device case joined to the stack case, and storing fuel cell auxiliary devices. The auxiliary device case includes an end plate part which applies a tightening load in a stacking direction to the fuel cell stack, as an integral part of the auxiliary device case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Yoshitomi, Hideharu Naito, Masahiro Sato, Yuki Ichinoe
  • Publication number: 20220311039
    Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a stack case in which there is accommodated a fuel cell stack in which unit cells are stacked. An opening is formed in an end part in the stack case. In this opening, cell voltage detection terminals, which are electrically connected to electrodes of the unit cells, are exposed. The opening is closed by a closing member in which filter bodies are retained. When the opening is viewed from the front, the filter bodies are arranged at positions that do not overlap with the cell voltage detection terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Hideo AIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220289013
    Abstract: In a mounting structure for a fuel cell drive system, a mount member includes a first mount and a second mount. The first mount connects the first end of a stack case to the first frame. The second mount connects the second end of an auxiliary device case to the second frame. The fuel cell drive system includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member. The first connecting member connects the stack case and a motor to each other. The second connecting member connects the auxiliary device case and a speed reducer to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Kohei KAKUTA
  • Publication number: 20220293995
    Abstract: A fuel cell system which is mounted in a vehicle is equipped with a stack case in which a fuel cell stack is accommodated. A rearward opening is formed at a rear portion of the stack case facing toward the rear of the vehicle. Cell voltage detection terminals that are electrically connected to electrodes of the fuel cell stack are exposed in the rearward window. A filter cover which is configured to include a filter material is provided on the rearward opening. The filter cover has a vehicle heightwise direction rib that extends along a heightwise direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Takashi TAKURA
  • Publication number: 20220293994
    Abstract: The stack case includes a main body with a rectangular opening and a lid member covering the opening. A single positioning pin and a protrusion protrude outward of the main body from an edge in the opening of the side portion. The positioning pin inserted into the insertion hole of the lid member supports the lid member rotatably about the axis of the positioning pin. In a state where the positioning pin is inserted into the insertion hole, the placement surface of the lid member is placed on the positioning surface of the protrusion, whereby the lid member is positioned with respect to the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Hideo AIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220285718
    Abstract: An opening is formed at an end portion of a stack case that houses a fuel cell stack. A unit cell constituting a fuel cell stack is provided with a cell voltage detection terminal at a position facing an opening. A conductor extends from the cell voltage detection terminal. The opening is covered with a porous cover that is formed with a plurality of through-holes. The porous cover is formed with an annular protrusion on an end face facing the cell voltage detection terminal. The annular protrusion is located among the plurality of through-holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Takashi TAKURA, Izumi SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220274492
    Abstract: A mounting structure for a fuel cell system includes a drive unit and a connecting structure. The connecting structure includes a first mount, a second mount, and a third mount. The first mount connects one end of the case unit in the stacking direction to the drive unit. The second mount connects the other end of the case unit in the stacking direction to the drive unit. The third mount connects the electrical unit to the drive unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Hideki ICHINOSE
  • Publication number: 20220271321
    Abstract: A fuel cell system mounted on a vehicle includes a fuel cell stack and a stack case. In the stack case, an inflow hole structure is formed on a lower portion of a front end surface facing forward in the traveling direction of the vehicle. An outflow hole structure is formed on an upper portion of the front end surface. Air around the stack case enters the inside of the stack case from the inflow hole structure. Air exiting from the inside of the stack case passes through the outflow hole structure. The opening area of the outflow hole structure is larger than the opening area of the inflow hole structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Takashi TAKURA
  • Publication number: 20220271318
    Abstract: The fuel cell stack includes a stacked body formed of a plurality of power generation cells stacked one another, a pair of end plates, and a positioning pin for positioning the plurality of power generation cells. One end of the positioning pin is provided with a first screw part which is screw-engaged with the end plate. The other end of the positioning pin is provided with a second screw part into which the extension pin is screw-engaged. The screw tightening direction of the second screw part is the reverse of the screw tightening direction of the first screw part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventor: Hideharu NAITO
  • Publication number: 20220271320
    Abstract: A fuel cell system mounted in a vehicle includes a stack case for housing a fuel cell stack. In the stack case, a rear opening is formed in a rear portion facing backward. A cell voltage detection terminal electrically connected to an electrode of the fuel cell stack is exposed in the rear opening. A multilayer filter is provided in the rear opening. The multilayer filter has an inner mesh member, a filter member, and an outer mesh member. An electrical equipment housing case for housing electrical equipment faces the rear opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Takashi TAKURA
  • Publication number: 20220271322
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a stack case in which a fuel cell stack is housed, a ventilation device that is provided in the stack case and takes in outside air into the stack case, and a flow guide portion that is provided for the ventilation device and in which a plurality of slit-shaped air introduction passages that are inclined upward from the outside to the inside of the stack case are arranged in parallel, wherein an upper end of an inlet of each of the air introduction passages is located below a lower end of an outlet of each of the air introduction passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Hideharu NAITO, Takashi TAKURA
  • Patent number: 11424473
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells together in a stacking direction, the power generation cells each having a separator, and a pair of end plates provided at both ends of the stack body in the stacking direction. Further, the fuel cell stack includes a support bar extending between the pair of end plates in the stacking direction and configured to engage with an outer peripheral portion of the separator. The width of the support bar is decreased gradually from one end and the other end toward a central portion in an extension direction in which the support bar extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Naito, Kosuke Takagi, Satoshi Kasagami
  • Patent number: 11417905
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a stack case and an auxiliary device case. The stack case stores a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells in a horizontal direction. The auxiliary device case stores a fuel cell auxiliary devices. The inside of the of the stack case and the inside of the auxiliary device case that are adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction are partitioned by a partition wall. An auxiliary device side passage which connects the inside of the auxiliary device case and an auxiliary device side exhaust gas duct together is provided in an upper part of the auxiliary device case. A plurality of ribs protruding toward the inside of the auxiliary device case and extending in a vertical direction are provided in the partition wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Naito, Masahiro Sato
  • Patent number: 11404713
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a cell stack body, a stack case containing the cell stack body, and an end plate fixed to an end of the stack case. At least two recesses are provided at the end of the stack case, each of the recesses holding one end of each of positioning pins which position the stack case and the end plate. At least two positioning holes, into which the positioning pins are inserted, are provided in the end plate correspondingly to the at least two recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Naito, Masahiro Sato, Takahiro Tanaka, Jun Tanaka, Yosuke Konno