Patents by Inventor Hiroya Nakaji
Hiroya Nakaji 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: 11407306Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel tank module that accommodates a fuel gas, and a rail arranged along a vehicle-width direction of the fuel cell vehicle in a floor part of the fuel cell vehicle, in which the fuel tank module includes a casing that accommodates a fuel tank accommodating the fuel gas, a block unit arranged in a bottom surface of the casing and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the rail and movable along the rail, and a fixation unit that can fix the block unit to the rail and release fixation of the block unit to the rail.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2021Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takanori Otsura, Hiroya Nakaji, Kazuhiro Higashiyama, Atsushi Fujimatsu, Koki Matsuno, Tsutomu Kumazaki, Itaru Kuwahara
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Publication number: 20210252971Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel tank module that accommodates a fuel gas, and a rail arranged along a vehicle-width direction of the fuel cell vehicle in a floor part of the fuel cell vehicle, in which the fuel tank module includes a casing that accommodates a fuel tank accommodating the fuel gas, a block unit arranged in a bottom surface of the casing and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the rail and movable along the rail, and a fixation unit that can fix the block unit to the rail and release fixation of the block unit to the rail.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2021Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Takanori OTSURA, Hiroya NAKAJI, Kazuhiro HIGASHIYAMA, Atsushi FUJIMATSU, Koki MATSUNO, Tsutomu KUMAZAKI, Itaru KUWAHARA
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Patent number: 10886541Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method of a terminal plate including a conductive plate and a terminal that is welded to the conductive plate and that is made of a different material from a material of the conductive plate. This manufacturing method comprises an overlapping process of laying an end portion of the terminal on the conductive plate; a pressing process of pressing part of overlapping surfaces of the conductive plate and the terminal, after the overlapping process; and a welding process of welding at least part of a remaining region excluding the pressed part of the overlapping surfaces, by friction stir welding.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2018Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Takaoka Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoo Yoshizumi, Hiroya Nakaji, Ken Asai, Masakazu Suzuki
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Patent number: 10511036Abstract: A channel forming body used in a fuel cell module has a gas channel, a water conduit, and a communication path that provides communication between the gas channel and the water conduit. When a ridge is seen in a cross-section perpendicular to a channel extension direction, one of both ends of an external shape of the ridge is shaped so as to be located closer to a center of the ridge than an imaginary surface of the channel assumed to extend in a straight line along the channel extension direction. Portions of the ridge located closer to the center of the ridge are formed opposite from each other at left and right ends of the external shape of the ridge with the communication path interposed therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2017Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroya Nakaji, Kazunori Shibata, Hiroki Okabe, Kousuke Kawajiri, Satoshi Futami, Keiji Hashimoto, Takamasa Kanie
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Patent number: 10340532Abstract: A separator for fuel cell includes a corrugated portion formed to have a corrugated cross section where a first groove that is concave to a first surface to form a flow path for a first fluid on the first surface and a second groove that is concave to a second surface opposite to the first surface to form a flow path for a second fluid on the second surface are arranged alternately and repeatedly. Each of the second grooves has at least one shallower groove section formed to have a less depth from the second surface than depth of a remaining groove section and provided to form a communication flow channel on the first surface side, which is arranged to communicate between two flow path spaces for the first fluid that are adjacent to each other across the shallower groove section.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2016Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroki Okabe, Hiroya Nakaji, Makoto Yoshida, Shigetaka Hamada, Takuya Kurihara, Kenji Sato, Hideaki Tanaka, Nobuhiko Nakagaki, Junji Ueda, Katsuhiko Kinoshita
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Patent number: 10181607Abstract: A gas flow passage-forming member is disposed between a membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly and a separator of a fuel cell, and the gas flow passage-forming member is configured to form a gas flow passage. The gas flow passage-forming member has a corrugated shape such that groove portions and ridge portions are provided on each of a front side and a back side of the gas flow passage-forming member. The groove portions each serve as the gas flow passage. The gas flow passage-forming member has communication holes providing communication between the front side and the back side, and the communication holes are provided in a region downstream of an upstream region in a gas flow direction. The upstream region is a non-communication region with no communication hole.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2017Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunori Shibata, Hiroya Nakaji, Hiroki Okabe, Yoshinori Shinozaki, Kousuke Kawajiri, Satoshi Futami, Takamasa Kanie
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Publication number: 20180375111Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method of a terminal plate including a conductive plate and a terminal that is welded to the conductive plate and that is made of a different material from a material of the conductive plate. This manufacturing method comprises an overlapping process of laying an end portion of the terminal on the conductive plate; a pressing process of pressing part of overlapping surfaces of the conductive plate and the terminal, after the overlapping process; and a welding process of welding at least part of a remaining region excluding the pressed part of the overlapping surfaces, by friction stir welding.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN TAKAOKA CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoo YOSHIZUMI, Hiroya NAKAJI, Ken ASAI, Masakazu SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20180034079Abstract: A gas flow passage-forming member is disposed between a membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly and a separator of a fuel cell, and the gas flow passage-forming member is configured to form a gas flow passage. The gas flow passage-forming member has a corrugated shape such that groove portions and ridge portions are provided on each of a front side and a back side of the gas flow passage-forming member. The groove portions each serve as the gas flow passage. The gas flow passage-forming member has communication holes providing communication between the front side and the back side, and the communication holes are provided in a region downstream of an upstream region in a gas flow direction. The upstream region is a non-communication region with no communication hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazunori SHIBATA, Hiroya NAKAJI, Hiroki OKABE, Yoshinori SHINOZAKI, Kousuke KAWAJIRI, Satoshi FUTAMI, Takamasa KANIE
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Publication number: 20170331123Abstract: A channel forming body used in a fuel cell module has a gas channel, a water conduit, and a communication path that provides communication between the gas channel and the water conduit. When a ridge is seen in a cross-section perpendicular to a channel extension direction, one of both ends of an external shape of the ridge is shaped so as to be located closer to a center of the ridge than an imaginary surface of the channel assumed to extend in a straight line along the channel extension direction. Portions of the ridge located closer to the center of the ridge are formed opposite from each other at left and right ends of the external shape of the ridge with the communication path interposed therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2017Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Hiroya Nakaji, Kazunori Shibata, Hiroki Okabe, Kousuke Kawajiri, Satoshi Futami, Keiji Hashimoto, Takamasa Kanie
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Patent number: 9799897Abstract: In a fuel cell, a cathode passage extends from an oxidizing gas supply hole to an oxidizing gas discharge hole. A turn interval at which a flow direction of an oxidizing gas returns to an original direction in an upstream-side passage region is different from the turn interval in a downstream-side passage region. A ratio between the turn interval in the upstream-side passage region and the turn interval in the downstream-side passage region is set to 1.1:1 to 3:1. The upstream-side passage region is overlapped with a most downstream-side passage portion of an anode passage with a membrane electrode assembly interposed between the upstream-side passage region and the most downstream-side passage portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2015Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroya Nakaji, Naohiro Takeshita, Hideki Kubo, Takashi Kondo, Seiji Mizuno, Norishige Konno
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Publication number: 20160380277Abstract: A separator for fuel cell includes a corrugated portion formed to have a corrugated cross section where a first groove that is concave to a first surface to form a flow path for a first fluid on the first surface and a second groove that is concave to a second surface opposite to the first surface to form a flow path for a second fluid on the second surface are arranged alternately and repeatedly. Each of the second grooves has at least one shallower groove section formed to have a less depth from the second surface than depth of a remaining groove section and provided to form a communication flow channel on the first surface side, which is arranged to communicate between two flow path spaces for the first fluid that are adjacent to each other across the shallower groove section.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2016Publication date: December 29, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroki OKABE, Hiroya NAKAJI, Makoto YOSHIDA, Shigetaka HAMADA, Takuya KURIHARA, Kenji SATO, Hideaki TANAKA, Nobuhiko NAKAGAKI, Junji UEDA, Katsuhiko KINOSHITA
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Publication number: 20160141639Abstract: In a fuel cell, a cathode passage extends from an oxidizing gas supply hole to an oxidizing gas discharge hole. A turn interval at which a flow direction of an oxidizing gas returns to an original direction in an upstream-side passage region is different from the turn interval in a downstream-side passage region. A ratio between the turn interval in the upstream-side passage region and the turn interval in the downstream-side passage region is set to 1.1:1 to 3:1. The upstream-side passage region is overlapped with a most downstream-side passage portion of an anode passage with a membrane electrode assembly interposed between the upstream-side passage region and the most downstream-side passage portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2015Publication date: May 19, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroya NAKAJI, Naohiro TAKESHITA, Hideki KUBO, Takashi KONDO, Seiji MIZUNO, Norishige KONNO
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Patent number: 9099693Abstract: In a fuel cell having a separator in which main cooling water channels are formed, a separator for another unit cell stacked on the cooling water channel formation surface side of the separator, and a second sealing member interposed between the separators and to seal a cooling medium flowing in the main cooling water channels, an outer peripheral rib for regulating the flow of cooling water to the second sealing member side is provided inside relative to the second sealing member in the separator surface direction in order to improve the efficiency of cooling with the cooling medium.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2006Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroya Nakaji, Tsutomu Ochi, Chisato Kato, Tsunemasa Nishida, Manabu Takahashi, Yasuyuki Asai
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Publication number: 20130177827Abstract: A separator for fuel cell includes a corrugated portion formed to have a corrugated cross section where a first groove that is concave to a first surface to form a flow path for a first fluid on the first surface and a second groove that is concave to a second surface opposite to the first surface to form a flow path for a second fluid on the second surface are arranged alternately and repeatedly. Each of the second grooves has at least one shallower groove section formed to have a less depth from the second surface than depth of a remaining groove section and provided to form a communication flow channel on the first surface side, which is arranged to communicate between two flow path spaces for the first fluid that are adjacent to each other across the shallower groove section.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2010Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroki Okabe, Hiroya Nakaji, Makoto Yoshida, Shigetaka Hamada, Takuya Kurihara, Kenji Sato, Hideaki Tanaka, Nobuhiko Nakagaki, Junji Ueda, Katsuhiko Kinoshita
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Patent number: 8455156Abstract: A separator has a concavo-convex structure formed in mutually reversed shapes on two opposite sides thereof to define flow paths of different fluids on the respective two sides. The concavo-convex structure includes multiple first projections formed and protruded on one side of the two opposite sides and arranged at intervals having a preset regularity. The concavo-convex structure also includes multiple second projections formed and protruded on the other side of the two opposite sides in a specific area corresponding to an area for formation of the multiple first projections on the one side and arranged at intervals having a preset regularity. The concavo-convex structure further includes reinforcing elements protruded on the one side.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2008Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshinori Yamamoto, Hiroya Nakaji, Hitoshi Hamada, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Haruyuki Aono
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Publication number: 20100239957Abstract: A separator has a concavo-convex structure formed in mutually reversed shapes on two opposite sides thereof to define flow paths of different fluids on the respective two sides. The concavo-convex structure includes multiple first projections formed and protruded on one side of the two opposite sides and arranged at intervals having a preset regularity. The concavo-convex structure also includes multiple second projections formed and protruded on the other side of the two opposite sides in a specific area corresponding to an area for formation of the multiple first projections on the one side and arranged at intervals having a preset regularity. The concavo-convex structure further includes reinforcing elements protruded on the one side.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2008Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshinori Yamamoto, Hiroya Nakaji, Hitoshi Hamada, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Haruyuki Aono
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Publication number: 20080166608Abstract: In a fuel cell having a separator in which main cooling water channels are formed, a separator for another unit cell stacked on the cooling water channel formation surface side of the separator, and a second sealing member interposed between the separators and to seal a cooling medium flowing in the main cooling water channels, an outer peripheral rib for regulating the flow of cooling water to the second sealing member side is provided inside relative to the second sealing member in the separator surface direction in order to improve the efficiency of cooling with the cooling medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2006Publication date: July 10, 2008Inventors: Hiroya Nakaji, Tsutomu Ochi, Chisato Kato, Tsunemasa Nishida, Manabu Takahashi, Yasuyuki Asai
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Publication number: 20080145741Abstract: A fuel battery cell which includes a fuel cell separator having a reaction gas passage, an inlet side reaction gas manifold which is in communication with an inlet portion of the reaction gas passage, and an outlet side reaction gas manifold which is in communication with an outlet portion of the reaction gas passage, wherein at least one of lower surfaces of the inlet side reaction gas manifold and the outlet side reaction gas manifold is inclined toward the reaction gas passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2007Publication date: June 19, 2008Inventors: Kenji Kimura, Hiroya Nakaji, Junichi Shirahama
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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: 20040115486Abstract: In a fuel cell according to an aspect of the invention, a fuel cell stack is formed by stacking several cells in which pressure loss is small as compared with normal cells, in the vicinity of an end portion of the stack, which is far from a fuel gas supply port and an oxidizing gas supply port.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2003Publication date: June 17, 2004Inventors: Naohiro Takeshita, Tsuyoshi Takahashi, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Chisato Kato, Hiroya Nakaji, Yasuyuki Asai, Hironori Noto