Patents by Inventor Minobu Mizuno
Minobu Mizuno 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: 7968242Abstract: Consumed hydrogen-off gas is discharged from a fuel cell via a hydrogen-off gas exhaust flow passage. Consumed oxygen-off gas is discharged from the fuel cell via an oxygen-off gas exhaust flow passage. The oxygen-off gas flowing through the oxygen-off gas exhaust flow passage and the hydrogen-off gas flowing through the hydrogen-off gas exhaust flow passage are mixed and diluted in a mixing portion. The gases mixed in the mixing portion flow into a combustor via a gas-liquid separator. The combustor, which includes a platinum catalyst, causes hydrogen contained in the mixed gases to react with oxygen by combustion and further reduces the concentration of hydrogen contained in the mixed gases. The mixed gases whose concentration of hydrogen has been reduced by the combustor is discharged to the atmosphere.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2002Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kiyoshi Yoshizumi, Kazunori Yanagihara, Tsukuo Ishitoya, Shinpei Miura, Yasuhiro Nonobe, Minobu Mizuno
-
Publication number: 20100151360Abstract: Consumed hydrogen-off gas is discharged from a fuel cell via a hydrogen-off gas exhaust flow passage. Consumed oxygen-off gas is discharged from the fuel cell via an oxygen-off gas exhaust flow passage. The oxygen-off gas flowing through the oxygen-off gas exhaust flow passage and the hydrogen-off gas flowing through the hydrogen-off gas exhaust flow passage are mixed and diluted in a mixing portion. The gases mixed in the mixing portion flow into a combustor via a gas-liquid separator. The combustor, which includes a platinum catalyst, causes hydrogen contained in the mixed gases to react with oxygen by combustion and further reduces the concentration of hydrogen contained in the mixed gases. The mixed gases whose concentration of hydrogen has been reduced by the combustor is discharged to the atmosphere.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2010Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi Yoshizumi, Kazunori Yanagihara, Tsukuo Ishitoya, Shinpei Miura, Yasuhiro Nonobe, Minobu Mizuno
-
Patent number: 7608354Abstract: A gas/liquid separation device is connected to a discharge valve which can discharge fuel gas to the outside of a fuel cell system along with water accumulated in the gas/liquid separation device. A change in pressure at a portion upstream of the discharge valve, which occurs due to an opening operation of the discharge valve, is detected or estimated, and an integral value is obtained by integrating the amount of change in the pressure with respect to time from when the discharge valve is opened or a parameter value corresponding to the integral value is obtained. The integral value represents an amount of fuel gas discharged due to the opening operation of the discharge valve. It is therefore possible to reliably discharge a desired amount of fuel gas by deciding a closing time at which the discharge valve is closed based on the integral value or the parameter value.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2005Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenji Umayahara, Shimpei Miura, Minobu Mizuno, Yasunobu Jufuku, Masahiko Hasegawa
-
Patent number: 7534520Abstract: A fuel cell system according to the present invention comprises fuel cell stacks for generating electrical power upon receipt of hydrogen gas and oxidized gas; an end plate to which the fuel cell stacks are fastened; hydrogen system parts (hydrogen inlet valve, regulator, hydrogen pump, gas-liquid separator, hydrogen discharge valve, hydrogen supply pipe, hydrogen discharge pipe, distribution pipes, and connection pipes) for supplying hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stacks; and a stack case for housing at least the fuel cell stacks and hydrogen system parts. The hydrogen system parts are congregated and mounted on the end plate.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2006Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasunobu Jufuku, Minobu Mizuno
-
Publication number: 20080070090Abstract: Consumed hydrogen-off gas is discharged from a fuel cell via a hydrogen-off gas exhaust flow passage. Consumed oxygen-off gas is discharged from the fuel cell via an oxygen-off gas exhaust flow passage. The oxygen-off gas flowing through the oxygen-off gas exhaust flow passage and the hydrogen-off gas flowing through the hydrogen-off gas exhaust flow passage are mixed and diluted in a mixing portion. The gases mixed in the mixing portion flow into a combustor via a gas-liquid separator. The combustor, which includes a platinum catalyst, causes hydrogen contained in the mixed gases to react with oxygen by combustion and further reduces the concentration of hydrogen contained in the mixed gases. The mixed gases whose concentration of hydrogen has been reduced by the combustor is discharged to the atmosphere.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi Yoshizumi, Kazunori Yanagihara, Tsukuo Ishitoya, Shinpei Miura, Yasuhiro Nonobe, Minobu Mizuno
-
Patent number: 7310961Abstract: A heat exchange portion is configured by arranging a condenser for air conditioning, an EV radiator, and a FC radiator in one plane substantially perpendicular to a direction in which a fuel cell vehicle moves, at a front portion of the fuel cell vehicle, in order of an operating temperature, from an upper position to a lower position. A fan is provided behind the heat exchange portion such that a center thereof is closer to the condenser than to the FC radiator. In addition, a fan shroud is provided, in which plural ram pressure holes are formed in a portion which covers the FC radiator.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2005Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Jun Hoshi, Minobu Mizuno, Mitsuru Kimata, Susumu Ichikawa, Keiichi Yoshii, Akira Yamanaka, Yoshihiko Sonoda, Hiroshi Nonoyama
-
Publication number: 20070259243Abstract: A fuel cell system according to the present invention comprises fuel cell stacks for generating electrical power upon receipt of hydrogen gas and oxidized gas; an end plate to which the fuel cell stacks are fastened; hydrogen system parts (hydrogen inlet valve, regulator, hydrogen pump, gas-liquid separator, hydrogen discharge valve, hydrogen supply pipe, hydrogen discharge pipe, distribution pipes, and connection pipes) for supplying hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stacks; and a stack case for housing at least the fuel cell stacks and hydrogen system parts. The hydrogen system parts are congregated and mounted on the end plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2006Publication date: November 8, 2007Inventors: Yasunobu Jufuku, Minobu Mizuno
-
Publication number: 20070196709Abstract: A gas/liquid separation device is connected to a discharge valve which can discharge fuel gas to the outside of a fuel cell system along with water accumulated in the gas/liquid separation device. A change in pressure at a portion upstream of the discharge valve, which occurs due to an opening operation of the discharge valve, is detected or estimated, and an integral value is obtained by integrating the amount of change in the pressure with respect to time from when the discharge valve is opened or a parameter value corresponding to the integral value is obtained. The integral value represents an amount of fuel gas discharged due to the opening operation of the discharge valve. It is therefore possible to reliably discharge a desired amount of fuel gas by deciding a closing time at which the discharge valve is closed based on the integral value or the parameter value corresponding to the integral value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2005Publication date: August 23, 2007Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenji Umayahara, Shimpei Miura, Minobu Mizuno, Yasunobu Jufuku, Masahiko Hasegawa
-
Patent number: 7195282Abstract: Hydrogen tanks 21 are located in the vicinity of a front axle of a left front wheel FWL and a right front wheel FWR in a front space 61 of a motor vehicle and are arranged to have their longitudinal axis along a width of the vehicle. The hydrogen tanks 21 are positioned at a height substantially the same as a mounting height of a front bumper 64. This layout desirably ensures sufficient spaces in a trunk room 62 on the rear side of the vehicle and in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. This layout also enables the load of the hydrogen tanks 21 to be directly applied to the left and right front wheels FWL and FWR, while ensuring the good weight balance over the width of the vehicle. The positioning of the hydrogen tanks 21 at substantially the same height as the mounting height of the front bumper 64 effectively reduces a potential shock to the hydrogen tanks 21 in the event of a vehicle collision.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2005Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Minobu Mizuno
-
Publication number: 20060102398Abstract: In a fuel cell equipped vehicle (10), hydrogen cylinders (18) storing hydrogen gas to be supplied to a fuel cell battery (30), a fuel cell (30), fuel cell accessories (31), a storage battery (40), and a PCU (50) that controls the supply of electric power from the fuel cell (30) and the storage battery (40) to a front wheels-driving electric motor (14) and a rear wheels-driving electric motor (16) are arranged in that order under a floor of a passenger compartment (R1). Therefore, these major component devices do not reduce the spaces of a passenger compartment (R1), a forward compartment (R2), and a rearward compartment (R3). Since the component devices disposed under the floor of the passenger compartment (R1) have relatively great weights, the center of gravity of the vehicle comes to a low position in a central portion of the vehicle, thus achieving good running stability of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2003Publication date: May 18, 2006Inventor: Minobu Mizuno
-
Patent number: 6994178Abstract: A motor for driving an axle shaft of a vehicle, a fuel cell, and a power control unit are arranged in the same space of a vehicle body in an electric vehicle. The motor is mounted on a suspension frame. The fuel cell and power control unit are mounted on a FC frame provided on the suspension frame.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2002Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Minobu Mizuno
-
Publication number: 20050279113Abstract: A heat exchange portion is configured by arranging a condenser for air conditioning, an EV radiator, and a FC radiator in one plane substantially perpendicular to a direction in which a fuel cell vehicle moves, at a front portion of the fuel cell vehicle, in order of an operating temperature, from an upper position to a lower position. A fan is provided behind the heat exchange portion such that a center thereof is closer to the condenser than to the FC radiator. In addition, a fan shroud is provided, in which plural ram pressure holes are formed in a portion which covers the FC radiator.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2005Publication date: December 22, 2005Inventors: Jun Hoshi, Minobu Mizuno, Mitsuru Kimata, Susumu Ichikawa, Keiichi Yoshii, Akira Yamanaka, Yoshihiko Sonoda, Hiroshi Nonoyama
-
Publication number: 20050224265Abstract: Hydrogen tanks 21 are located in the vicinity of a front axle of a left front wheel FWL and a right front wheel FWR in a front space 61 of a motor vehicle and are arranged to have their longitudinal axis along a width of the vehicle. The hydrogen tanks 21 are positioned at a height substantially the same as a mounting height of a front bumper 64. This layout desirably ensures sufficient spaces in a trunk room 62 on the rear side of the vehicle and in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. This layout also enables the load of the hydrogen tanks 21 to be directly applied to the left and right front wheels FWL and FWR, while ensuring the good weight balance over the width of the vehicle. The positioning of the hydrogen tanks 21 at substantially the same height as the mounting height of the front bumper 64 effectively reduces a potential shock to the hydrogen tanks 21 in the event of a vehicle collision.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2005Publication date: October 13, 2005Inventor: Minobu Mizuno
-
Publication number: 20020189873Abstract: A motor for driving an axle shaft of a vehicle, a fuel cell, and a power control unit are arranged in the same space of a vehicle body in an electric vehicle. The motor is mounted on a suspension frame. The fuel cell and power control unit are mounted on a FC frame provided on the suspension frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2002Publication date: December 19, 2002Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Minobu Mizuno
-
Publication number: 20020094469Abstract: Consumed hydrogen-off gas is discharged from a fuel cell via a hydrogen-off gas exhaust flow passage. Consumed oxygen-off gas is discharged from the fuel cell via an oxygen-off gas exhaust flow passage. The oxygen-off gas flowing through the oxygen-off gas exhaust flow passage and the hydrogen-off gas flowing through the hydrogen-off gas exhaust flow passage are mixed and diluted in a mixing portion. The gases mixed in the mixing portion flow into a combustor via a gas-liquid separator. The combustor, which includes a platinum catalyst, causes hydrogen contained in the mixed gases to react with oxygen by combustion and further reduces the concentration of hydrogen contained in the mixed gases. The mixed gases whose concentration of hydrogen has been reduced by the combustor is discharged to the atmosphere.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2002Publication date: July 18, 2002Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi Yoshizumi, Kazunori Yanagihara, Tsukuo Ishitoya, Shinpei Miura, Yasuhiro Nonobe, Minobu Mizuno