Patents by Inventor Kenji Tsubosaka
Kenji Tsubosaka 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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Publication number: 20220228714Abstract: A hydrogen gas supply system comprises a storing unit that stores hydrogen, a communication unit that receives at least either of burden information indicative of an environmental burden exerted during manufacturing of hydrogen externally received by the storing unit and quality information indicative of quality with respect to the hydrogen externally received by the storing unit, a user interface unit that provides an output in accordance with the at least either of the burden information and the quality information with respect to the hydrogen supplied from the storing unit to the user, and a controller that controls the user interface unit based on an amount of the hydrogen received by the storing unit and the at least either of the burden information and the quality information, which is received by the communication unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Takahiko HASEGAWA, Shunji INOUE, Kenji TSUBOSAKA, Kimihiko TESHIMA, Takanori KITO
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Patent number: 11293592Abstract: A hydrogen gas supply system comprises a storing unit that stores hydrogen, a communication unit that receives at least either of burden information indicative of an environmental burden exerted during manufacturing of hydrogen externally received by the storing unit and quality information indicative of quality with respect to the hydrogen externally received by the storing unit, a user interface unit that provides an output in accordance with the at least either of the burden information and the quality information with respect to the hydrogen supplied from the storing unit to the user, and a controller that controls the user interface unit based on an amount of the hydrogen received by the storing unit and the at least either of the burden information and the quality information, which is received by the communication unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahiko Hasegawa, Shunji Inoue, Kenji Tsubosaka, Kimihiko Teshima, Takanori Kito
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Patent number: 11285842Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell vehicle comprising a motor configured to perform a regenerative operation and to drive the fuel cell vehicle; a fuel cell; a secondary battery; and a control unit. The control unit comprises a weight acquirer configured to obtain a current weight of the fuel cell vehicle; and a charge discharge controller configured to set a higher value to an upper limit value and to set a lower value to a lower limit value when the current weight calculated by the weight acquirer is an increased weight that is larger than a reference value, compared with the upper limit value and the lower limit value set when the current weight is the reference weight.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2019Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahiko Hasegawa, Shunji Inoue, Kenji Tsubosaka, Kimihiko Teshima, Takanori Kito
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Patent number: 11258086Abstract: A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly, includes: forming catalyst coated membrane using an electrode catalyst layer containing an ionomer having a sulfonic acid group and a catalyst carrier, and an electrolyte membrane; applying an ionization accelerator having a low molecular weight component represented by a chemical formula ClHmOn (where l, m, and n are natural numbers) for accelerating generation of sulfate ions, to the catalyst coated membrane; performing UV irradiation on the ionization accelerator applied to the catalyst coated membrane; heating the catalyst coated membrane having the ionization accelerator subjected to the UV irradiation; and bonding a gas diffusion layer containing a radical inhibiting substance to an outer surface of at least one of the ionization accelerator subjected to the UV irradiation or the catalyst coated membrane.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kenji Tsubosaka
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Publication number: 20210167409Abstract: A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly, includes: forming catalyst coated membrane using an electrode catalyst layer containing an ionomer having a sulfonic acid group and a catalyst carrier, and an electrolyte membrane; applying an ionization accelerator having a low molecular weight component represented by a chemical formula ClHmOn (where l, m, and n are natural numbers) for accelerating generation of sulfate ions, to the catalyst coated membrane; performing UV irradiation on the ionization accelerator applied to the catalyst coated membrane; heating the catalyst coated membrane having the ionization accelerator subjected to the UV irradiation; and bonding a gas diffusion layer containing a radical inhibiting substance to an outer surface of at least one of the ionization accelerator subjected to the UV irradiation or the catalyst coated membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2020Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventor: Kenji TSUBOSAKA
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Publication number: 20200180471Abstract: Provided is a display device for displaying information, the display device being provided in a movable body including a fuel cell, a storage portion in which fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell is stored, and a remaining amount measuring portion configured to measure an amount of the fuel gas in the storage portion. The display device includes a display portion configured to display the information, and a controlling portion configured to control the display portion. The controlling portion displays, on the display portion, the amount of the fuel gas stored in the storage portion based on information provided from the remaining amount measuring portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2019Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Kenji TSUBOSAKA, Takahiko HASEGAWA, Kimihiko TESHIMA, Shunji INOUE, Takanori KITO
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Publication number: 20200164769Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell vehicle comprising a motor configured to perform a regenerative operation and to drive the fuel cell vehicle; a fuel cell; a secondary battery; and a control unit. The control unit comprises a weight acquirer configured to obtain a current weight of the fuel cell vehicle; and a charge discharge controller configured to set a higher value to an upper limit value and to set a lower value to a lower limit value when the current weight calculated by the weight acquirer is an increased weight that is larger than a reference value, compared with the upper limit value and the lower limit value set when the current weight is the reference weight.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2019Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: Takahiko HASEGAWA, Shunji INOUE, Kenji TSUBOSAKA, Kimihiko TESHIMA, Takanori KITO
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Publication number: 20200156925Abstract: A hydrogen gas supply system comprises a storing unit that stores hydrogen, a communication unit that receives at least either of burden information indicative of an environmental burden exerted during manufacturing of hydrogen externally received by the storing unit and quality information indicative of quality with respect to the hydrogen externally received by the storing unit, a user interface unit that provides an output in accordance with the at least either of the burden information and the quality information with respect to the hydrogen supplied from the storing unit to the user, and a controller that controls the user interface unit based on an amount of the hydrogen received by the storing unit and the at least either of the burden information and the quality information, which is received by the communication unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2019Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Takahiko HASEGAWA, Shunji INOUE, Kenji TSUBOSAKA, Kimihiko TESHIMA, Takanori KITO
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Patent number: 10629924Abstract: A water-repellent layer for fuel cell contains a water-repellent material and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst. A mass ratio of the hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst to the water-repellent material is between 5 mass percent and 20 mass percent, inclusive.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2015Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Junji Nakanishi, Hiroo Yoshikawa, Kenji Tsubosaka, Takeaki Saito
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Patent number: 10547058Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly that has an electrode catalyst layer formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane. The electrode catalyst layer formed in the membrane electrode assembly is produced by a drying process that dries a catalyst ink which includes catalyst-supported particles having a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and an ionomer, at a predetermined temperature. The catalyst ink includes a plurality of different solvents having different boiling points. The predetermined temperature is set to be lower than the boiling point of the solvent having the lowest boiling point among the plurality of different solvents.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2015Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenji Tsubosaka, Hiroo Yoshikawa, Tsunemasa Nishida, Nobuaki Mizutani, Takeaki Saitou, Junji Nakanishi, Masato Hamano
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Patent number: 9991538Abstract: The method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly that has an electrode catalyst layer formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane comprises (a) producing an electrode catalyst layer by drying a catalyst ink that includes catalyst-supported particles having a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and an ionomer; and (b) selecting a produced electrode catalyst layer that contains an amount of sulfate ion equal to or less than a specified reference value, and manufacturing the membrane electrode assembly by using the selected electrode catalyst layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenji Tsubosaka, Hiroo Yoshikawa, Tsunemasa Nishida, Nobuaki Mizutani, Takeaki Saitou, Junji Nakanishi, Masato Hamano
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Patent number: 9761898Abstract: There is provided a technique of preventing degradation of an electrolyte membrane included in a fuel cell. A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly is provided as a power generation device where electrodes are arranged on both sides of an electrolyte membrane having proton conductivity. Each of the electrodes has a layered structure of stacking a catalyst layer arranged to support a catalyst and a gas diffusion layer arranged to spread a reactive gas over the entire electrode plane. The outer peripheral edge of the gas diffusion layer is located inward of the outer peripheral edge of the catalyst layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenji Tsubosaka, Hiroo Yoshikawa, Junji Nakanishi
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Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for gas diffusion layer of fuel cell, and fuel cell
Patent number: 9570758Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fuel cell. An insulating member has a plurality of communication holes disposed on a side of a gas diffusion layer, which is formed by stacking a layer made of a carbon fiber and a water-repellent layer, where the water-repellent layer is provided. The gas diffusion layer and the insulating member are sandwiched by a pair of electrodes, and a pair of contact pressure plates are disposed on respective rear surfaces of the pair of electrodes so as to sandwich the pair of electrodes so that the gas diffusion layer is pressurized by the pair of contact pressure plates. When a voltage is applied to the pair of electrodes while maintaining the pressurized state, the protrusion portion of the carbon fiber is burned and removed by Joule heat.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignees: NIPPON SOKEN, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yuichi Gomi, Katsuhide Kikuchi, Hiroshi Fujitani, Akito Kawasumi, Junji Nakanishi, Kenji Tsubosaka -
Patent number: 9525187Abstract: Gas diffusion layers, that is, an anode-side gas diffusion layer and a cathode-side gas diffusion layer that are attached to an MEA have irregularities on fiber surfaces of carbon fibers deposited in a layer thickness direction. These irregularities on the fiber surfaces are formed when the fibers are extruded from an extrusion nozzle to be spun.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2013Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenji Tsubosaka, Riri Fujito, Kenta Fujii
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Patent number: 9466851Abstract: This fuel-cell gas diffusion layer includes a conductive porous layer constituted by: porous carbon formed so as to have a porosity distribution substantially uniform in a stacking direction with respect to a membrane electrode assembly; and a PTFE resin arranged dispersedly across the inside of the carbon. When a ratio of a surface of the carbon to a surface that is exposed without being covered with the PTFE resin is defined as an exposure ratio, the exposure ratio of a surface, on a cathode electrode side, of the conductive porous layer, is higher than the exposure ratio, on a diffusion-layer base material side, of the conductive porous layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2013Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kenji Tsubosaka
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Patent number: 9397349Abstract: A fuel cell includes: a membrane-electrode assembly in which electrode catalyst layers are formed on two sides of an electrolyte membrane; and a cerium-containing layer that is formed at an outer side of at least one of the two surfaces of the membrane-electrode assembly, and that contains a cerium-containing oxide in an amount that is greater than 5 wt % and less than or equal to 30 wt % where 100 wt % is an amount of solid components except the cerium-containing oxide which form the cerium-containing layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2010Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenji Tsubosaka, Hitoshi Hamada, Manabu Kato
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Publication number: 20160133945Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly that has an electrode catalyst layer formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane. The electrode catalyst layer formed in the membrane electrode assembly is produced by a drying process that dries a catalyst ink which includes catalyst-supported particles having a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and an ionomer, at a predetermined temperature. The catalyst ink includes a plurality of different solvents having different boiling points. The predetermined temperature is set to be lower than the boiling point of the solvent having the lowest boiling point among the plurality of different solvents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenji TSUBOSAKA, Hiroo YOSHIKAWA, Tsunemasa NISHIDA, Nobuaki MIZUTANI, Takeaki SAITOU, Junji NAKANISHI, Masato HAMANO
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Publication number: 20160133946Abstract: The method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly that has an electrode catalyst layer formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane comprises (a) producing an electrode catalyst layer by drying a catalyst ink that includes catalyst-supported particles having a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and an ionomer; and (b) selecting a produced electrode catalyst layer that contains an amount of sulfate ion equal to or less than a specified reference value, and manufacturing the membrane electrode assembly by using the selected electrode catalyst layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenji TSUBOSAKA, Hiroo YOSHIKAWA, Tsunemasa NISHIDA, Nobuaki MIZUTANI, Takeaki SAITOU, Junji NAKANISHI, Masato HAMANO
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Publication number: 20160104905Abstract: A water-repellent layer for fuel cell contains a water-repellent material and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst. A mass ratio of the hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst to the water-repellent material is between 5 mass percent and 20 mass percent, inclusive.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Junji NAKANISHI, Hiroo Yoshikawa, Kenji Tsubosaka, Takeaki Saito
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Publication number: 20160103187Abstract: An inspection device 20 for inspecting a workpiece 100 having a stepped portion 115, comprises: a pair of electrode plates 220, 230 for nipping the workpiece 100 therebetween and applying voltage to the workpiece 100, the pair of electrode plates 220, 230 including a first electrode plate 220 to be disposed on the stepped portion side 115 and a second electrode plate 230 to be disposed on the opposite side from the stepped portion 115 of the workpiece 100; and a heat transferring member 240 to be disposed so as not to create a gap between the stepped portion 115 and the first electrode plate 220.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke ITOH, Hiroo YOSHIKAWA, Kenji TSUBOSAKA, Tetsuo NOGUCHI