Patents by Inventor Masato Akita
Masato Akita 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: 20090148739Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell includes a cathode catalyst layer; an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer; a first fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has pores; a second fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has larger pores than the those of the first fuel control layer; a third fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has smaller porous than those of the first fuel control layer and those of the second fuel control layer; and an anode GDL layer that is water-repellent and conductive, wherein the membrane and the layers above are arranged in the above order.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Yoshihiro Akasaka, Masato Akita, Ryosuke Yagi, Hiroyasu Sumino, Kazuhiro Yasuda, Taishi Fukazawa
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Publication number: 20090104499Abstract: A fuel cell system has a membrane electrode composite including an anode, cathode and an electrolyte membrane sandwiched between the anode and the cathode. A lyophobic porous member is located adjacent to the anode, and an anode channel plate is also located adjacent to the porous member. A gas recovery channel and a fuel supply channel are formed in the anode channel plate, gas generated at the anode side is recovered in the gas recovery channel and a liquid fuel is supplied to the anode through the fuel supply channel. The generating system also includes a circulating system along which the fuel circulates, and a fuel supply section that supplies fuel to the circulating system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Inventors: Yuusuke SATO, Masato Akita, Takuya Hongo, Ryosuke Yagi
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Publication number: 20080280187Abstract: A liquid cartridge for supplying liquid to an external device connected therewith is provided with a casing, a partition member movably fitted in the casing, which partitions the casing into a first chamber and a second chamber, an outlet port communicating between the first chamber and the external device and a pressure unit housed in the second chamber, which presses the partition member so as to discharge the liquid out of the outlet port.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2008Publication date: November 13, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Atsushi Sadamoto, Yuusuke Sato, Eiichi Sakaue, Masato Akita
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Publication number: 20080248359Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane, and anode and cathode electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane therebetween; a gas/liquid separation layer provided at an opposite side of the anode electrode with the electrolyte membrane; an auxiliary porous layer provided on the gas/liquid separation layer; and an anode passage plate provided on the auxiliary porous layer, including a fuel passage, wherein the auxiliary porous layer is softer than the gas/liquid separation layer and the anode passage plate, and including lyophobic, electric conductive and gas permeability properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2008Publication date: October 9, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Koichiro KAWANO, Yuusuke SATO, Ryosuke YAGI, Masato AKITA
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Publication number: 20080241619Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell generating electric power, and including a fuel electrode which includes an anode catalyst, which is disposed in one side of an electrolyte membrane, which is supplied with liquid fuel, and which discharges gas generated by a chemical reaction accelerated by the anode catalyst, and an oxidizing agent electrode which includes a cathode catalyst, which is disposed in the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and which is supplied with air, and a control unit controlling a load applied to the fuel cell. The control unit increases the load in at least one of two cases, one case being when electric power generated by the fuel cell lowers below a predetermined reference value and another case being at predetermined time intervals, and stops the increase of the load after elapsing a predetermined time period from the start of the increase of the load.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Inventors: Norihiro TOMIMATSU, Masato Akita, Ryosuke Yagi
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Publication number: 20080241635Abstract: A fuel cell include a membrane electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode opposed to the anode, and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode; a lyophobic porous body in contact with the anode; and an anode passage plate in contact with the lyophobic porous body, the anode passage plate including a gas collection passage and a fuel supplying passage, the gas collection passage collects a gas generated in the anode via the lyophobic porous body, the fuel supplying passage supplies a fuel to the anode via the lyophobic porous body.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Yuusuke SATO, Koichiro Kawano, Ryosuke Yagi, Masato Akita
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Publication number: 20080241618Abstract: A fuel cell is provided with an assembly including an electrolytic membrane and anode and cathode electrodes on both sides of the membrane, a unit providing a path for supplying liquid fuel to the anode side of the membrane, a unit providing a path for supplying air to the cathode electrode side of the membrane, a unit providing a path for discharging gas from the anode electrode side of the membrane, and stacking members stacked in a state of sealing each other on an outer surface of the anode electrode. In this cell, the anode electrode and the stacking members configure a stacking structure, the liquid fuel supply path includes at least one through-hole passing through the stacking structure, and the gas discharge path includes at least one through-hole passing through the stacking structure independently of the at least one through-hole of the liquid fuel supply path.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Inventors: Yuusuke Sato, Hiroaki Hirazawa, Masato Akita
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Publication number: 20080233444Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a mixing tank storing a fuel solution; a power generator comprising a membrane electrode assembly having an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, generating power by reaction of the fuel solution with air; a fuel circulation unit circulating the fuel solution to the anode electrode; an air supply unit supplying air to the cathode electrode; and an air supply mechanism supply air to the anode electrode so as to discharge the fuel solution from the inside of the anode electrode to the mixing tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2008Publication date: September 25, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Ryosuke Yagi, Yuusuke Sato, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Masato Akita
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Publication number: 20080138668Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer provided on one side of the electrolyte membrane, the anode catalyst layer accelerating the reaction of methanol with water to produce proton, electron and carbon dioxide; a cathode catalyst layer provided on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, the cathode catalyst layer accelerating the reaction between the proton, the electron and oxygen to produce water; a dense water-repelling layer having water-repelling property provided on the opposite side of the anode catalyst layer to the electrolyte membrane, the dense water-repelling layer being formed by calcining a slurry containing carbon powder and water-repelling polymer and having a thickness of 100 ?m or more after calcination; and a porous gas-diffusing layer provided on the opposite side of the dense water-repelling layer to the anode catalyst layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2007Publication date: June 12, 2008Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masato Akita, Ryosuke Yagi, Yuusuke Sato, Eiichi Sakaue
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Publication number: 20080107955Abstract: A direct type fuel cell power generator comprises an anode electrode including an anode catalyst layer, a cathode electrode including a cathode catalyst layer, a fuel container comprising at least two electromotive portion units, each of which comprises an electrolyte film disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, the fuel container housing a fuel therein, and a fuel flow path to supply a fuel in the electromotive portion unit. In the power generator, the fuel flow path has a flow path which produces flow-back again from the fuel container to the first electromotive portion unit via the first electromotive portion unit and the second electromotive portion unit, and which is not branched during the flow-back.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2008Publication date: May 8, 2008Inventors: Masato Akita, Takashi Yamauchi, Masahiro Takashita, Eiichi Sakaue, Kei Matsuoka
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Patent number: 7351486Abstract: A direct type fuel cell power generator comprises an anode electrode including an anode catalyst layer, a cathode electrode including a cathode catalyst layer, a fuel container comprising at least two electromotive portion units, each of which comprises an electrolyte film disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, the fuel container housing a fuel therein, and a fuel flow path to supply a fuel in the electromotive portion unit. In the power generator, the fuel flow path has a flow path which produces flow-back again from the fuel container to the first electromotive portion unit via the first electromotive portion unit and the second electromotive portion unit, and which is not branched during the flow-back.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2003Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masato Akita, Takashi Yamauchi, Masahiro Takashita, Eiichi Sakaue, Kei Matsuoka
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Publication number: 20080075988Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks; a mixing tank in which a liquid fuel mixture is stored; a plurality of liquid feed pumps configured to feed the liquid fuel mixture to the fuel cell stacks; a switch unit configured to switch on and off of a load connected with the fuel cell stacks: and a controller configured to control a feed of the fuel mixture to the fuel cell stacks, according to an ambient temperature of the fuel cell stacks.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2007Publication date: March 27, 2008Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Takahiro SUZUKI, Masato Akita, Kei Matsuoka, Ryosuke Yagi, Akihiro Ozeki, Yuusuke Sato
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Publication number: 20080070070Abstract: A fuel cartridge to be connected to a direct methanol fuel cell power generating device includes a spare fuel tank which stores a liquid fuel and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device and a harmful substance trap member. The spare fuel tank stores a liquid fuel and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device. The harmful substance trap member is fixed to the spare fuel tank and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device. The harmful substance trap member contains a harmful substance trap material which traps gaseous harmful substances exhausted from the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Inventors: Hirotaka Sakai, Nobuo Shibuya, Hiroyuki Hasebe, Norihiro Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Sumino, Hirohisa Miyamoto, Masato Akita
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Patent number: 7297426Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cartridge for supplying methanol aqueous solution to a direct methanol fuel cell system, comprising a memory which stores at least a concentration of the methanol aqueous solution.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2003Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Hirotaka Sakai, Nobuo Shibuya, Hiroyuki Hasebe, Norihiro Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Sumino, Hirohisa Miyamoto, Masato Akita
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Publication number: 20070072048Abstract: A fuel cell includes a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, a fuel supply port, and a porous material layer for transferring a liquid fuel from the fuel supply port to the fuel electrode. The porous material layer has different values of at least one of a porosity, a permeability and a tortuosity factor depending on the distance of a site of the porous material layer from at least one of the fuel supply port and the fuel electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2006Publication date: March 29, 2007Inventors: Takuya Hongo, Yutaka Sata, Eiichi Sakaue, Yuusuke Sato, Hirohisa Miyamoto, Norihiro Tomimatsu, Takahiro Suzuki, Atsushi Sadamoto, Masato Akita
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Publication number: 20070026274Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an anode electrode to which fuel is to be supplied; a cathode electrode to which an oxidant containing air or oxygen is to be supplied; an electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode; a catalyst section configured to accelerate a chemical reaction of at least a portion of a material discharged from the cathode electrode and a material discharged from the anode electrode; an oxidant supply unit configured to supply the oxidant to the cathode electrode; and a control unit configured to control an amount of the oxidant to be supplied to the cathode electrode. The control unit controls the oxidant supply unit to increase the amount of the oxidant to be supplied to the cathode electrode when the oxidant supply unit starts to operate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2006Publication date: February 1, 2007Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Masato AKITA, Takahiro Suzuki, Tomohiro Hirayama, Terumasa Nagasaki
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Patent number: 6878473Abstract: A fuel cell power generating apparatus comprises an electromotive section, a container, a methanol aqueous solution recovery mechanism, and flow rate controller controlling the flow rate Jm (mL/min) which controls the flow rate Jm (mL/min) at which the methanol aqueous solution is supplied from the container, in accordance with an evaluated concentration of the methanol aqueous solution in the container, wherein the fuel cell power generating apparatus satisfies conditions (1) to (3) given below: 2?Cm0?5??(1) L?40??(2) N·0.65/L·S?Jm?N·5.2/L·S??(3).Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2002Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Takashi Yamauchi, Masahiro Takashita, Masato Akita, Norihiro Tomimatsu, Yoshihiko Nakano
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Publication number: 20040224209Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes a casing, an electromotive element which is located in the casing and generates electric power through a chemical reaction, and a fuel container which is removably connected to the casing and contains a fuel to be supplied to the electromotive element. The casing has a base and a wall surface in the form of an outwardly convex curved surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2004Publication date: November 11, 2004Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Ryoji Ninomiya, Hirohisa Miyamoto, Norihiro Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Sumino, Masato Akita, Nobuo Shibuya
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Publication number: 20040166389Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided with a direct methanol fuel cell having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte membrane put therebetween, a fuel supply unit supplying fuel to the anode, an air supply unit supplying air to the cathode and a heat exchanger exchanging heat between the fuel supplied by the fuel supply unit to the anode and an exhaust exhausted from the fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2003Publication date: August 26, 2004Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Kei Matsuoka, Masato Akita, Hiroaki Hirazawa, Yuusuke Sato
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Publication number: 20040166393Abstract: A direct type fuel cell power generator comprises an anode electrode including an anode catalyst layer, a cathode electrode including a cathode catalyst layer, a fuel container comprising at least two electromotive portion units, each of which comprises an electrolyte film disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, the fuel container housing a fuel therein, and a fuel flow path to supply a fuel in the electromotive portion unit. In the power generator, the fuel flow path has a flow path which produces flow-back again from the fuel container to the first electromotive portion unit via the first electromotive portion unit and the second electromotive portion unit, and which is not branched during the flow-back.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2003Publication date: August 26, 2004Inventors: Masato Akita, Takashi Yamauchi, Masahiro Takashita, Eiichi Sakaue, Kei Matsuoka