Patents by Inventor Masahiro Matsutani

Masahiro Matsutani 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).

  • Patent number: 10923740
    Abstract: A fuel gas supply passage is provided at a central position of one side of opposing sides of a separator. A fuel gas supply passage is provided close to a fuel gas flow field in comparison with any of a plurality of fluid passages provided along the one side. An identification mark of the separator is provided between the fuel gas supply passage and an outer peripheral end of the separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Tomana, Kentaro Ishida, Satoshi Oyama, Masahiro Matsutani, Akihito Giga
  • Patent number: 10879542
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes an MEA, a first separator, and a second separator. A frame member is provided around an outer peripheral portion of an MEA, and held between the first separator and the second separator. The height of an oxygen-containing gas flow field formed by the second separator, from the MEA is larger than the height of a fuel gas flow field formed by the first separator, from the MEA. The central position of the MEA in the thickness direction and the central position of the frame member outer peripheral portion of the frame member in the thickness direction are offset from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro Ishida, Hiroshi Morikawa, Yosuke Nishida, Satoshi Oyama, Masahiro Matsutani
  • Patent number: 10854893
    Abstract: A power generation cell or a fuel cell includes an MEA, a first separator, and a second separator. A frame member is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the MEA. The frame member includes a frame member inner peripheral portion and a frame member outer peripheral portion held between the first separator and the second separator. The central position of a power generation area of the MEA in the thickness direction and the central position of the frame member outer peripheral portion in the thickness direction are offset from each other. Further, a first seal line of the first separator and a second seal line of the second separator, sealing the frame member outer peripheral portion, are non-symmetrical with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro Ishida, Masahiro Matsutani, Satoshi Oyama
  • Publication number: 20190288300
    Abstract: A fuel gas supply passage is provided at a central position of one side of opposing sides of a separator. A fuel gas supply passage is provided close to a fuel gas flow field in comparison with any of a plurality of fluid passages provided along the one side. An identification mark of the separator is provided between the fuel gas supply passage and an outer peripheral end of the separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Yu Tomana, Kentaro Ishida, Satoshi Oyama, Masahiro Matsutani, Akihito Giga
  • Publication number: 20190190038
    Abstract: A power generation cell or a fuel cell includes an MEA, a first separator, and a second separator. A frame member is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the MEA. The frame member includes a frame member inner peripheral portion and a frame member outer peripheral portion held between the first separator and the second separator. The central position of a power generation area of the MEA in the thickness direction and the central position of the frame member outer peripheral portion in the thickness direction are offset from each other. Further, a first seal line of the first separator and a second seal line of the second separator, sealing the frame member outer peripheral portion, are non-symmetrical with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Kentaro Ishida, Masahiro Matsutani, Satoshi Oyama
  • Publication number: 20190173104
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes an MEA, a first separator, and a second separator. A frame member is provided around an outer peripheral portion of an MEA, and held between the first separator and the second separator. The height of an oxygen-containing gas flow field formed by the second separator, from the MEA is larger than the height of a fuel gas flow field formed by the first separator, from the MEA. The central position of the MEA in the thickness direction and the central position of the frame member outer peripheral portion of the frame member in the thickness direction are offset from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Kentaro Ishida, Hiroshi Morikawa, Yosuke Nishida, Satoshi Oyama, Masahiro Matsutani
  • Patent number: 10305135
    Abstract: In a method of producing a fuel cell stack, press forming of a first metal separator of a power generation cell is performed to thereby form a first seal line as a seal around at least an oxygen-containing gas flow field. Further, a preliminary load is applied to the first seal line to thereby plastically deform the first seal line. Further, a joint separator and a membrane electrode assembly are stacked together, and a tightening load is applied to the joint separator and the membrane electrode assembly in a stacking direction, to thereby assemble the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Sakano, Satoshi Oyama, Masahiro Matsutani
  • Patent number: 10305118
    Abstract: First, a passive film is removed from a surface of a separator sheet. For example, the separator sheet may be immersed in an acidic liquid to remove the passive film. Then, the separator sheet is washed with water, taken out from the water, and heated. After the heating, the separator sheet is subjected to an electrolytic treatment to obtain a separator for a fuel cell. The resultant separator has a seal forming portion, and the outermost surface of the seal forming portion contains, based on 100% by weight of the total of a Cr oxide, an Mo oxide, an Fe oxide, Fe, and Ni, 5% by weight or less of the sum of the Fe and Ni and 60% by weight or more of the Cr oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Terada, Yuki Hama, Masahiro Matsutani, Akihito Giga, Takehiro Mugishima, Mayu Kurata
  • Publication number: 20170222247
    Abstract: In a method of producing a fuel cell stack, press forming of a first metal separator of a power generation cell is performed to thereby form a first seal line as a seal around at least an oxygen-containing gas flow field. Further, a preliminary load is applied to the first seal line to thereby plastically deform the first seal line. Further, a joint separator and a membrane electrode assembly are stacked together, and a tightening load is applied to the joint separator and the membrane electrode assembly in a stacking direction, to thereby assemble the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Masaaki SAKANO, Satoshi OYAMA, Masahiro MATSUTANI
  • Patent number: 9105915
    Abstract: An end plate of a fuel cell stack is directly fixed to a humidifier. A resin pipe is attached to an oxygen-containing gas outlet of an end plate through a resin coupling pipe. The resin pipe includes one end having a large diameter and the other end having a small diameter. The other end is provided at an off gas supply channel of the humidifier. The off gas supply channel includes an inclined channel. The other end extends up to an end of the inclined channel where inclination of the inclined channel is started. An off gas ejection port is formed at the other end. The off gas ejection port is opened to the end of the inclined channel where inclination is started. Condensed water returned along the inclined channel flows from the off gas ejection port into the resin pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Miyajima, Masaharu Suzuki, Satoshi Iitaka, Hideharu Naito, Yohei Hidaka, So Fujiwara, Kaoru Fukui, Masahiro Matsutani, Nariyuki Yoshinaga
  • Publication number: 20140295321
    Abstract: First, a passive film is removed from a surface of a separator sheet. For example, the separator sheet may be immersed in an acidic liquid to remove the passive film. Then, the separator sheet is washed with water, taken out from the water, and heated. After the heating, the separator sheet is subjected to an electrolytic treatment to obtain a separator for a fuel cell. The resultant separator has a seal forming portion, and the outermost surface of the seal forming portion contains, based on 100% by weight of the total of a Cr oxide, an Mo oxide, an Fe oxide, Fe, and Ni, 5% by weight or less of the sum of the Fe and Ni and 60% by weight or more of the Cr oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru TERADA, Yuki HAMA, Masahiro MATSUTANI, Akihito GIGA, Takehiro MUGISHIMA, Mayu KURATA
  • Patent number: 8268470
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a ventilator of fuel-cell vehicles for ventilating hydrogen in the hydrogen-system unit area arranging a hydrogen circulating device in the fuel-cell vehicles boarding the fuel cell. The ventilator of fuel-cell vehicle includes a first ventilating device for taking ventilating air in from a front side of the fuel-cell vehicle to hydrogen-system unit area arranging the fuel cell, the hydrogen supply device, and the hydrogen exhaust device in the center of front and rear direction of the fuel-cell vehicle; and a second ventilating device for sucking the ventilating air taken in from the rear end of vehicle body of the fuel-cell vehicle to the hydrogen-system unit area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsunori Matsumoto, Masahiro Matsutani
  • Patent number: 7824811
    Abstract: A fuel cell discharge-gas processing device that dilutes anode off-gas discharged from a fuel cell anode by mixing the anode off-gas with a diluent gas so as to produce a diluted gas and then discharges mixture of the anode off-gas and the diluent gas, includes: a dilution container; an anode off-gas introduction path; a diluent gas path through; a diluent gas emission hole; a mixed gas discharge hole; at least one partition panel; and a communication gas path, wherein the anode off-gas emission hole is provided so as to emit anode off-gas toward the partition panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Numata, Akio Yamamoto, Shujiro Nozaki, Masahiro Matsutani, Kazunori Fukuma
  • Publication number: 20100190068
    Abstract: An end plate of a fuel cell stack is directly fixed to a humidifier. A resin pipe is attached to an oxygen-containing gas outlet of an end plate through a resin coupling pipe. The resin pipe includes one end having a large diameter and the other end having a small diameter. The other end is provided at an off gas supply channel of the humidifier. The off gas supply channel includes an inclined channel. The other end extends up to an end of the inclined channel where inclination of the inclined channel is started. An off gas ejection port is formed at the other end. The off gas ejection port is opened to the end of the inclined channel where inclination is started. Condensed water returned along the inclined channel flows from the off gas ejection port into the resin pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi MIYAJIMA, Masaharu SUZUKI, Satoshi IITAKA, Hideharu NAITO, Yohei HIDAKA, So FUJIWARA, Kaoru FUKUI, Masahiro MATSUTANI, Nariyuki YOSHINAGA
  • Patent number: 7678487
    Abstract: A discharged fuel diluter for a fuel cell includes: a dilution case which defines a dilution space; an offgas introduction pipe which penetrates the dilution case, supplying offgas discharged from the fuel cell in the case; a partitioning member having a rib provided in the dilution case; and a dilution gas pipe which penetrates the dilution case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Numata, Shujiro Nozaki, Makoto Anazawa, Masahiro Matsutani, Akio Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20090317692
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a ventilator of fuel-cell vehicles for ventilating hydrogen in the hydrogen-system unit area arranging a hydrogen circulating device in the fuel-cell vehicles boarding the fuel cell. The ventilator of fuel-cell vehicle includes a first ventilating device for taking ventilating air in from a front side of the fuel-cell vehicle to hydrogen-system unit area arranging the fuel cell, the hydrogen supply device, and the hydrogen exhaust device in the center of front and rear direction of the fuel-cell vehicle; and a second ventilating device for sucking the ventilating air taken in from the rear end of vehicle body of the fuel-cell vehicle to the hydrogen-system unit area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsunori Matsumoto, Masahiro Matsutani
  • Patent number: 7604890
    Abstract: A fuel cell discharge-gas processing device includes: an anode off-gas introduction path which introduces an anode off-gas discharged from an anode of a fuel cell; a dilution container which is connected to the anode off-gas introduction path, and into which the anode off-gas is introduced; and a bypass path which branches off from a cathode gas supply path for supplying a cathode gas to a cathode of the fuel cell, and is connected to the dilution container so as to bypass the fuel cell. While the fuel cell is in operation, the cathode gas supplied from the bypass path into the dilution container is discharged to an exterior of the dilution container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Numata, Akio Yamamoto, Masahiro Matsutani, Shujiro Nozaki, Shinri Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7556110
    Abstract: At least two or more energy storage units are disposed on the right and left sides, in a traveling direction, of a vehicle, and a drive unit for controlling these energy storage units is located between the two or more energy storage units. The drive unit is lower in height than the two or more energy storage units, whereby air passage are formed above the drive unit and between the two or more energy storage units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Yamamoto, Minoru Matsunaga, Koichi Yamamoto, Masahiro Matsutani, Mitsunori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7371477
    Abstract: Hydrogen gas supplied to and then purged from a fuel cell is temporarily retained in a reservoir provided in an exhaust fuel diluter, and diluted before release into atmosphere. Cathode exhaust gas discharged from a cathode of the fuel cell is mixed to dilute the hydrogen gas, and air continues to be supplied to the cathode of the fuel cell for a specific period of time even after generation of electric power in the fuel cell is stopped, so that the hydrogen gas retained in the reservoir is continuously diluted with the cathode exhaust gas and released. Air for ventilation of the fuel cell may be used instead or in addition, to dilute and release the hydrogen gas retained in the reservoir after the generation of electric power in the fuel cell is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Yamamoto, Kazunori Fukuma, Takatsugu Koyama, Hideo Numata, Masahiro Matsutani
  • Patent number: 7285351
    Abstract: An apparatus for dilution of discharged fuel of a fuel cell is provided, which has an inlet for guiding purged hydrogen gas coming from the fuel cell, a reservoir for storing the purged hydrogen gas guided through the inlet, and a cathode exhaust gas pipe penetrating the reservoir. The cathode exhaust gas pipe has a feature that it has holes inside the reservoir and is supplied with cathode exhaust gas of the fuel cell. Also the apparatus has a feature that the cathode exhaust gas pipe sucks the purged hydrogen gas stored in the reservoir through the holes and discharges the purged hydrogen gas diluted by mixing with the cathode exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Yamamoto, Kazunori Fukuma, Takatsugu Koyama, Hideo Numata, Masahiro Matsutani