Patents by Inventor Koji Katano
Koji Katano 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: 20150061804Abstract: A reactor unit comprises a reactor and a base to which the reactor is attached. The base has base-side bonding surfaces to be bonded to a bonding surface of the reactor. A base connector, which does not include the base-side bonding surfaces, is configured to have a thickness smaller than those of first and second bases, which include the base-side bonding surfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2012Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Katano, Hiroyuki Sekine, Ikuhiro Nakamura
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Patent number: 8905726Abstract: Provided is a compressor fixation structure that can reduce the occurrence of condensation. In a fixation structure for a compressor that has an electric motor and a compression mechanism provided adjacently to the electric motor and driven by the electric motor, when forming a motor housing for the electric motor and a compression mechanism housing for the compression mechanism separately from each other, a fixation part to be fixed to an object to which the compressor is to be attached is provided in the compression mechanism housing. Consequently, the compression mechanism housing is integrated with the object, and the heat capacity of the compression mechanism including the compression mechanism housing can be assumed to be a larger capacity which includes the heat capacity of the object.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota JidoshokkiInventors: Koji Katano, Yusuke Shimoyana, Masato Sowa
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Publication number: 20140308589Abstract: An air compressor as a fluid compressor includes: a suction port and a delivery port provided at upper and lower portions, respectively, of a pump chamber; a suction passage in communication with the inside of the pump chamber via the suction port; a delivery passage in communication with the inside of the pump chamber via the delivery port; and a driving rotor and a driven rotor provided in the pump chamber. At least a part of the suction passage is located below the suction port.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji KATANO, Daisuke MASAKI
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Patent number: 8815463Abstract: Deterioration of an electrolyte and a sealing member is suppressed taking account of the durable temperature characteristics thereof, while enhancing the starting performance of a fuel cell. For this realization, in a system comprising a gas piping system for supplying a reactant gas to a fuel cell, and a gas supply controller for altering the supply state of the reactant gas in response to a power generation request, a gas supply quantity is altered in accordance with the temperature of the fuel cell. Preferably, the gas supply quantity is altered in accordance with the durable temperature characteristics of a passage member forming a gas passage of the reactant gas. Furthermore, the differential pressure of the gas supply state between the anode side and the cathode side of the fuel cell is preferably taken into account and the differential pressure between both poles is suppressed by altering the gas supply quantity on the cathode side as the case may be.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2007Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Katano, Norio Yamagishi, Akihisa Hotta
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Patent number: 8758952Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel cell system including a fuel cell, a pipe forming a fuel supply passage through which a fuel gas supplied from a fuel supply source flows to the fuel cell, an on/off valve which regulates a gas state on the upstream side of the fuel supply passage to supply the gas to the downstream side, and control means for controlling the opening/closing operation of the on/off valve. The control means sets a required time from the opening time of the on/off valve to the closing time of the valve so that the vibration level of the pipe on the upstream side of the on/off valve is a predetermined reference level or less.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2008Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Katano
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Patent number: 8741497Abstract: A fuel cell system having a hydrogen supply path for supplying a hydrogen gas to a fuel cell, an injector which is provided in the hydrogen supply path and which regulates the pressure of the gas on the upstream side of the hydrogen supply path to inject the pressure-regulated hydrogen gas to the downstream side of the hydrogen supply path, and a surge tank 81 which is provided in the hydrogen supply path on the upstream side from the injector and which suppresses the fluctuation of the pressure of the gas in the hydrogen supply path.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2007Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Katano, Nobutaka Teshima
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Publication number: 20140113161Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle (1) includes: a fuel cell (11); a storage battery (17); a power control unit (10), electrically connected to the fuel cell (11) and the storage battery (17), for controlling electric power in the vehicle (1); a power distribution unit (16), provided on an electrical path between the storage battery (17) and the power control unit, for distributing the electric power from the storage battery; and power-generation auxiliary machines (15) which are electrically connected to the power distribution unit (16) and to which the electric power, distributed by the power distribution unit (16), is supplied for performing operation for electric power generation by the fuel cell (11). The power distribution unit (16) and the power control unit (10) are connected directly without use of a harness.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2012Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Koji Katano
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Patent number: 8697299Abstract: A fuel cell system which can encase a dilution device while keeping the height of a fuel cell case as low as possible by utilizing the lower space in the case effectively. A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack generating power through an electrochemical reaction between a gas supplied to the anode side and a gas supplied to a cathode side, a dilution device for diluting an anode off gas discharged from the fuel cell stack with a cathode off gas and discharging the diluted gas, and a fuel cell case for encasing the fuel cell stack and the dilution device. In this fuel cell system, a lateral opening of the fuel cell case for passing an exhaust pipe extending to the exhaust downstream of the dilution device is arranged above the lowermost portion of the inner surface of the dilution device with respect to the gravitational direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2008Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Katano
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Patent number: 8673467Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes under a floor of the vehicle: a fuel cell generating electric power through an electrochemical reaction between reaction gases; a fluid supply/discharge unit for the fuel cell; and a converter converting electric power from the fuel cell, the converter being contained in a center tunnel provided, at a center in a vehicle width direction, so as to be curved toward a cabin along a vehicle axis in a front-back direction, the fuel cell and the unit being arranged on a rear side of the vehicle relative to the converter and arranged in the vehicle width direction, wherein the converter is provided to be offset toward the fuel cell with respect to a centerline of the center tunnel along the vehicle axis and to be offset toward the unit with respect to a centerline of the fuel cell along the vehicle axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Katano, Hiroshi Arisawa, Hiroyuki Sekine, Ikuhiro Nakamura
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Publication number: 20140011109Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack in which end plates are respectively disposed at two ends of a unit-cell stack of unit cells in the stacking direction, and in which a fuel gas channel for conveying a fuel gas along surfaces of one of the end plates in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the one end plate is formed within the one end plate; an injector that is integrally provided in one of the surfaces of the one end plate and that injects the fuel gas into the fuel gas channel; and a relief valve that is integrally provided in the other of the surfaces of the one end plate and that prevents overpressure in the fuel gas channel. The relief valve is disposed at a position offset from an injection axis of the injector.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2012Publication date: January 9, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Koji Katano
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Patent number: 8607906Abstract: Provided is a vehicle-installation structure for a fuel cell with the capability of reducing a pressure drop in a gas flow path in the fuel cell. A vehicle-installation structure for a fuel cell in which: a fuel cell stack with an end of cells in a stacking direction being supported by an end plate is installed in a vehicle so that the stacking direction of the cells extends along a right-left direction of the vehicle; and an off gas of an oxidant gas from the fuel cell stack is exhausted via a diluter from a rear side with respect to the fuel cell stack in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, wherein a junction between a plurality of exhaust manifolds for guiding the off gas of the oxidant gas discharged from the fuel cell stack is arranged on a front side in the end plate in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2009Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Katano
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Patent number: 8594874Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a converter for boosting the output voltage of a fuel cell stack and supplies the boosted voltage to a first inverter for a drive motor and a second inverter for an air compressor motor, voltage acquisition means, and converter control means. The voltage acquisition means acquires a required voltage of the air compressor motor according to a target air compressor motor torque based on acceleration demand of the air compressor motor. The converter control means sets the voltage boost ratio of the converter and controls the converter by comparing the required voltage of the air compressor motor and a required voltage of the drive motor.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2010Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Katano
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Publication number: 20130306387Abstract: This fuel cell vehicle comprises a DC-DC converter constituted of a power input portion, reactors, and switching circuit sections. Connecting portions of the power input portion to the reactors and connecting portions of the reactors to the switching circuit sections in the DC-DC converter are all arranged side by side along a forward-backward direction of the vehicle, and arranged in this state on the side of one side surface of the DC-DC converter on one of the right side and left side of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2011Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Katano, Hiroyuki Sekine, Ikuhiro Nakamura
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Patent number: 8572828Abstract: The present invention includes a mounting structure for mounting a component between a first member and a second member. According to the mounting structure, the component is first placed on a surface of the first member. Then, the second member is fitted with the component by a fitting device, so that the component is positioned relative to the second member. Thereafter, the component is fixed in position relative to the first member by a joint device.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2008Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignees: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshihiro Sakai, Akihisa Hotta, Koji Katano, Toshiyuki Inagaki, Nobutaka Teshima
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Patent number: 8563190Abstract: A fuel cell comprises: multiple unit cells stacked upright in a vertical direction or stacked in a vertically inclined orientation; an insulating plate arranged on a vertically upper-side end of the stacked multiple unit cells; a cooling medium supply manifold arranged to distribute a supply flow of a cooling medium into the multiple unit cells and a cooling medium discharge manifold arranged to join together discharged flows of the cooling medium from the multiple unit cells; and a de-airing passage formed to release a gas accumulated in either the cooling medium supply manifold or the cooling medium discharge manifold, wherein the cooling medium supply discharge manifold and the cooling medium discharge manifold are respectively connected to a cooling medium supply piping and a cooling medium discharge piping on a vertically lower-side end of the fuel cell, and the de-airing passage is formed such that a portion of the de-airing passage is made in the insulating plate wherein the portion of the de-airing paType: GrantFiled: December 16, 2009Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Katano
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Patent number: 8563191Abstract: A fuel cell system according to one aspect of the invention is operated in an ordinary mode and in a gas leakage detection mode. The fuel cell system includes fuel cells, a fuel gas supplier configured to supply a fuel gas to the fuel cells, a shutoff valve provided in a flow path for leading a flow of the fuel gas supply from the fuel gas supplier to the fuel cells and configured to shut off the fuel gas supply, and a variable pressure regulator provided in the flow path between the shutoff valve and the fuel cells to regulate a pressure of the fuel gas in a downstream in a flow direction of the fuel gas supply to a variable pressure value. In the ordinary mode, the fuel cell system sets the pressure value of the variable pressure regulator to an ordinary power generation pressure value for ordinary power generation.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2006Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Totota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Katano, Keigo Suematsu, Nobuhiro Tomosada
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Patent number: 8546035Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell system capable of ensuring responsiveness during acceleration even when a motor with a smaller torque as compared to the related art is used. A control apparatus reduces the revolution speeds of motors of an air compressor, a circulation pump and a cooling pump by a coasting operation, without performing a regenerative control, when a load required from a fuel cell (electrical power required by various motors and auxiliary apparatuses) is being reduced and a travel speed is equal to or higher than a set speed. With such a configuration, even when a driver later reaccelerates a vehicle by, for example, pressing down an accelerator, required acceleration force is smaller as compared to the related art, and thus a motor with a small torque can be employed.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2009Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Katano
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Patent number: 8546034Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell, a reactant gas pipe for supplying a reactant gas to the fuel cell, and an injector for controlling the state of the gas on the upstream side in the reactant gas pipe and supplying the reactant gas to the downstream side by driving a valve element with an electromagnetic drive force at a predetermined drive cycle to separate the valve element from a valve seat. The injector is provided integrally in the fuel cell, and hence the vibration and noise of the injector can be absorbed and suppressed by the fuel cell as a heavy article.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2007Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Katano, Norio Yamagishi, Akihisa Hotta
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Patent number: 8524407Abstract: A gas supply device for use in a fuel cell system, comprises: a first injector configured to have a first maximum valve-openable pressure; a second injector arranged in parallel with the first injector and configured to have a lower flow rate than the first injector and a greater second maximum valve-openable pressure than the first maximum valve-openable pressure; a first pressure sensor located upstream of the first and second injectors; and a controller configured to control open/close operation of the first and second injectors, wherein at a start of the fuel cell system, (i) when pressure in the upstream of the first and second injectors is greater than the first maximum valve-openable pressure but is less than or equal to the second maximum valve-openable pressure, the controller opens the second injector, and (ii) when the pressure in the upstream of the first and second injectors is less than or equal to the first maximum valve-openable pressure, the controller opens the first injector or the second iType: GrantFiled: January 15, 2010Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Katano
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Publication number: 20130202979Abstract: A piping unit includes a cathode gas supply passage arranged to supply a cathode gas, and a cathode gas discharge passage arranged to discharge a cathode off-gas. The cathode gas supply passage includes a cathode supply valve, upstream cathode gas piping and downstream cathode gas piping. The cathode gas discharge passage includes a cathode exhaust valve, upstream cathode off-gas piping and downstream cathode off-gas piping. The cathode gas supply passage and the cathode gas discharge passage are connected with each other by cathode bypass piping and are integrated with each other by joining the cathode supply valve with the upstream cathode off-gas piping.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2010Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicants: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Katano, Naritsune Miyanaga, Takashi Mishima