Abstract: A vehicle front structure, which can improve structural strength to protect a high voltage electrical component and improve collision safety performance, is provided. The vehicle front structure includes: a side frame, disposed on a side part of a vehicle and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; a sub-frame, installed below the side frame and supporting a suspension component; a high voltage electrical component, disposed below a floor panel and located behind the sub-frame; a reinforcing frame, disposed around the high voltage electrical component; and a block component, disposed at a front end of the reinforcing frame. The block component has an inclined surface, and the inclined surface is inclined upward toward the sub-frame.

Abstract: A power conversion device includes a main body portion that converts inputted current, an output portion that is separate from the main body portion and includes an output terminal portion that outputs current converted by the main body portion, and a conductive member that connects the main body portion and the output portion with each other and transmits the current from the main body portion to the output terminal portion.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode; an oxidant gas flowpath supplying the oxidant gas to the fuel cell and discharging the oxidant gas from the fuel cell; a first shut-off valve disposed upstream from the fuel cell and having a first valve body; a second shut-off valve disposed downstream from the fuel cell and having a second valve body; a cathode control unit for sealing the cathode; and a scavenging unit for scavenging the anode by supplying the oxidant gas to the anode, wherein the cathode control unit, before scavenging the anode by using the scavenging unit, unseals the cathode by opening the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve. The fuel cell system is capable of preventing the valve bodies pressed against seat sections from being frozen even below the freezing temperature, and capable of avoiding a situation unable to restart a turned-off state of the fuel cell system.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a fuel cell system that blocks the oxidant gas flow passage. This fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, the oxidant gas supply passage, the oxidant gas exhaust passage, the first valve and second valve of normally open type, the first motor that operates open and close operations of the first valve, the second motor that operates open and close operations of the second valve, and the ECU that controls the first motor and the second motor. This ECU controls the first valve and the second valve to be in the open state during the power generation in the fuel cell stack, thereby to open the cathode flow passage, and controls the first valve and the second valve to be in the close state after the power generation in the fuel cell stack is stopped, thereby to block the cathode flow passage.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a normally-closed first shut-off valve provided upstream from the fuel cell and opening and closing pipes c1 and allowing air supplied from an air pump to pass therethrough; a normally-closed second shut-off valve opening and closing a pipe allowing cathode off-gas, discharged from the fuel cell, to pass therethrough; a valve-driving section for opening and closing discs of the shut-off valves; and valve lock units maintaining discs of the shut-off valves in open state when the cathode is released by opening the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve during electro-chemical reaction progressing in the fuel cell. This structure provides a simple and small-size fuel cell system capable of maintaining opening state of shut-off valves stably and reliably.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fluid passage for warming, a gas-liquid separator, a supply passage and a recirculating module. The fuel cell generates power with supply of a reaction gas. The gas-liquid separator separates moisture contained in an anode exhaust gas which is discharged from the fuel cell. The supply passage returns the anode exhaust gas, from which the moisture has been separated by the gas-liquid separator, to an inlet side of the reaction gas. The recirculating module mixes the anode exhaust gas, which is returned via the supply passage, with the reaction gas. The gas-liquid separator lies adjacent to the recirculating module, and the fluid passage for warming is disposed between the gas-liquid separator and the recirculating module.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a fuel cell system that blocks the oxidant gas flow passage. This fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, the oxidant gas supply passage, the oxidant gas exhaust passage, the first valve and second valve of normally open type, the first motor that operates open and close operations of the first valve, the second motor that operates open and close operations of the second valve, and the ECU that controls the first motor and the second motor. This ECU controls the first valve and the second valve to be in the open state during the power generation in the fuel cell stack, thereby to open the cathode flow passage, and controls the first valve and the second valve to be in the close state after the power generation in the fuel cell stack is stopped, thereby to block the cathode flow passage.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode; an oxidant gas flowpath supplying the oxidant gas to the fuel cell and discharging the oxidant gas from the fuel cell; a first shut-off valve disposed upstream from the fuel cell and having a first valve body; a second shut-off valve disposed downstream from the fuel cell and having a second valve body; a cathode control unit for sealing the cathode; and a scavenging unit for scavenging the anode by supplying the oxidant gas to the anode, wherein the cathode control unit, before scavenging the anode by using the scavenging unit, unseals the cathode by opening the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve. The fuel cell system is capable of preventing the valve bodies pressed against seat sections from being frozen even below the freezing temperature, and capable of avoiding a situation unable to restart a turned-off state of the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a normally-closed first shut-off valve provided upstream from the fuel cell and opening and closing pipes c1 and allowing air supplied from an air pump to pass therethrough; a normally-closed second shut-off valve opening and closing a pipe allowing cathode off-gas, discharged from the fuel cell, to pass therethrough; a valve-driving section for opening and closing discs of the shut-off valves; and valve lock units maintaining discs of the shut-off valves in open state when the cathode is released by opening the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve during electro-chemical reaction progressing in the fuel cell. This structure provides a simple and small-size fuel cell system capable of maintaining opening state of shut-off valves stably and reliably.

Abstract: A gas-liquid separator for a fuel cell system onboard a vehicle includes an upper chamber, a lower chamber, a plate for separating the upper and lower chambers, a pipe for circulating the exhaust gas and connecting holes bored in the plate. The upper chamber receives exhaust gas from the fuel cell system to separate water contained in the exhaust gas. The lower chamber has a portion for discharging the water which is separated by the upper chamber. The pipe, which is attached to the upper chamber, has fluid communication with an inside of the upper chamber. The connecting holes provide fluid communication between the upper and lower chambers. The connecting holes are positioned off a center of the plate so that the connecting holes lie apart from the pipe.

Abstract: An air supply system is provided that can reduce noise of a compressor and over a wider frequency band, along with the space and cost. The air supply system includes a compressor that draws in gas to discharge the drawn in gas at an increased pressure, an intake flow path 43 in which the gas drawn in by the compressor flows, a discharge flow path 44 in which the gas discharged from the compressor 41 flows, and rectification apparatuses 45A and 45B that are disposed in the vicinity of the compressor 41 in the intake flow path 43 and the discharge flow path 44, respectively, and that rectify gas flowing therein.

Abstract: The present invention is carried out to improve the starting capability of a fuel cell at low temperatures. The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell 1 which generate electric power by supplying hydrogen gas and a oxidant gas, a hydrogen gas passage 10 for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell 1, a hydrogen off gas circulation passage 20 for returning the hydrogen off gas to the hydrogen supply flow path 10, a hydrogen pump 7 provided at the hydrogen gas off gas circulation passage 20 for boosting the hydrogen off gas, a hydrogen off gas bypass passage 22 for returning the hydrogen off gas to the hydrogen supply flow path 10, an ejector 6 for sending hydrogen off gas in the hydrogen off gas bypass passage 20 provided in the hydrogen gas supply flow path 10 to the hydrogen supply flow path 10.

Abstract: A valve housing has a bottomed hollow cylindrical main body and a boss projecting from and smaller in diameter than the main body. The main body has a tapered surface circumferentially along a joint where a side wall and a bottom wall of the main body are joined to each other. A plurality of inlet ports are defined in the tapered surface. The boss has an outlet port for discharging a fluid introduced into the main body. When a valve head coupled to the movable member is displaced and a seating ridge of a resilient member mounted on the valve head is seated on a valve seat surface, the inlet ports and the outlet port are brought out of fluid communication with each other.

Abstract: A valve housing has a bottomed hollow cylindrical main body and a boss projecting from and smaller in diameter than the main body. The main body has a tapered surface circumferentially along a joint where a side wall and a bottom wall of the main body are joined to each other. A plurality of inlet ports are defined in the tapered surface. The boss has an outlet port for discharging a fluid introduced into the main body. When a valve head coupled to the movable member is displaced and a seating ridge of a resilient member mounted on the valve head is seated on a valve seat surface, the inlet ports and the outlet port are brought out of fluid communication with each other.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fluid passage for warming, a gas-liquid separator, a supply passage and a recirculating module. The fuel cell generates power with supply of a reaction gas. The gas-liquid separator separates moisture contained in an anode exhaust gas which is discharged from the fuel cell. The supply passage returns the anode exhaust gas, from which the moisture has been separated by the gas-liquid separator, to an inlet side of the reaction gas. The recirculating module mixes the anode exhaust gas, which is returned via the supply passage, with the reaction gas. The gas-liquid separator lies adjacent to the recirculating module, and the fluid passage for warming is disposed between the gas-liquid separator and the recirculating module.

Abstract: A gas-liquid separator for a fuel cell system onboard a vehicle includes an upper chamber, a lower chamber, a plate for separating the upper and lower chambers, a pipe for circulating the exhaust gas and connecting holes bored in the plate. The upper chamber receives exhaust gas from the fuel cell system to separate water contained in the exhaust gas. The lower chamber has a portion for discharging the water which is separated by the upper chamber. The pipe, which is attached to the upper chamber, has fluid communication with an inside of the upper chamber. The connecting holes provide fluid communication between the upper and lower chambers. The connecting holes are positioned off a center of the plate so that the connecting holes lie apart from the pipe.

Abstract: The present invention is carried out to improve the starting capability of a fuel cell at low temperatures. The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell 1 which generate electric power by supplying hydrogen gas and a oxidant gas, a hydrogen gas passage 10 for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell 1, a hydrogen off gas circulation passage 20 for returning the hydrogen off gas to the hydrogen supply flow path 10, a hydrogen pump 7 provided at the hydrogen gas off gas circulation passage 20 for boosting the hydrogen off gas, a hydrogen off gas bypass passage 22 for returning the hydrogen off gas to the hydrogen supply flow path 10, an ejector 6 for sending hydrogen off gas in the hydrogen off gas bypass passage 20 provided in the hydrogen gas supply flow path 10 to the hydrogen supply flow path 10.

Abstract: The ejector includes a diffuser, a nozzle, a needle, and a drive section. A throat portion and an increasing diameter portion are formed in a third conduit of the diffuser, and the nozzle and the needle are arranged coaxially with the third conduit. A first taper section of the needle is inserted into an aperture portion of the nozzle, and a second taper section is housed in the increasing diameter portion. A gap between the aperture portion and the first taper section constitutes a first fluid conduit, and a gap between the increasing diameter portion and the second taper section constitutes a second fluid conduit. The needle is provided so as to be shiftable in its axial direction by the drive section, and, by shifting the needle in its axial direction, it is possible to change both the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit simultaneously.

Abstract: The ejector includes a diffuser, a nozzle, a needle, and a drive section. A throat portion and an increasing diameter portion are formed in a third conduit of the diffuser, and the nozzle and the needle are arranged coaxially with the third conduit. A first taper section of the needle is inserted into an aperture portion of the nozzle, and a second taper section is housed in the increasing diameter portion. A gap between the aperture portion and the first taper section constitutes a first fluid conduit, and a gap between the increasing diameter portion and the second taper section constitutes a second fluid conduit. The needle is provided so as to be shiftable in its axial direction by the drive section, and, by shifting the needle in its axial direction, it is possible to change both the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit simultaneously.