Patents by Inventor Minoru Uoshima
Minoru Uoshima 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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Patent number: 7846596Abstract: A fuel cell system enables time required for purging to be reduced without a major increase in discharge gas concentration at a time of purging. It comprises a fuel cell; a fuel gas supply path for supplying the fuel gas to an anode; an oxidizing gas supply path for supplying an oxidizing gas to a cathode; a fuel gas circulating path for returning an unreacted fuel gas to an anode inlet side; a dilution box for diluting the fuel gas by the oxidizing gas and for discharging it to outside; and a fuel gas discharge path connecting the fuel gas circulating path and a dilution box discharge gas inlet. A drain valve, a purge valve and an air discharge valve are provided, opening areas of which are different from one another. The drain valve with a smallest opening area is initially opened.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2005Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chihiro Wake, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yasunori Kotani, Minoru Uoshima, Kenichiro Ueda, Koichiro Miyata
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Publication number: 20100136446Abstract: A stop method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell unit in which hydrogen is supplied to an anode, and air is supplied to a cathode so as to generate electrical power via an electrochemical reaction. The stop method includes the steps of stopping supply of hydrogen to the anode, and supplying air to the anode so as to discharge water remaining at the anode.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2010Publication date: June 3, 2010Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Shigeru INAI, Katsumi HAYASHI, Ryo JINBA, Hideo KATO, Tomoki KOBAYASHI, Minoru UOSHIMA, Yasunori KOTANI
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Patent number: 7687169Abstract: A stop method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell unit in which hydrogen is supplied to an anode, and air is supplied to a cathode so as to generate electrical power via an electrochemical reaction. The stop method includes the steps of stopping supply of hydrogen to the anode, and supplying air to the anode so as to discharge water remaining at the anode.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2004Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Inai, Katsumi Hayashi, Ryo Jinba, Hideo Kato, Tomoki Kobayashi, Minoru Uoshima, Yasunori Kotani
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Patent number: 7666532Abstract: A reaction gas is supplied to a cathode side of a fuel cell at a flow rate higher than that for a usual operation of the fuel cell to thaw the fuel cell system at startup in a freezing state of the system when the system has experienced a temperature lower than an operation temperature of an anode off-gas. A thawing state of the system is detected on the basis of at least two of temperatures of the anode off-gas, a cathode off gas, and a radiator liquid of the fuel cell to control supplying the reaction gas to the cathode side at a usual operation flow rate. An actual increase rate of the temperature of the anode off-gas is obtained and an increase rate of the temperature of the anode off-gas is calculated from the self-heating value to be compared to determine the thawing state.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2005Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichiro Miyata, Kenichiro Ueda, Chihiro Wake, Jumpei Ogawa, Minoru Uoshima
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Patent number: 7597974Abstract: The fuel cell system is equipped with a fuel cell for generating power by a reaction of fuel and oxidizer gases, a fuel gas flow passage for passing the fuel gas, an oxidizer gas flow passage for passing the oxidizer gas, a sweeping gas supply mechanism for sweeping any of the fuel and oxidizer gas flow passages by a sweeping gas, a sweeping determination mechanism for determining whether to perform sweeping by the sweeping gas supply mechanism, when receiving a stop request for stopping the fuel cell system, a pressure reduction mechanism for reducing a pressure within one of the flow passages lower than when determined not to perform the sweeping, when determined to perform the sweeping by the sweeping determination mechanism, and an actuation mechanism for actuating the sweeping gas supply mechanism after the pressure within the flow passage is reduced by the pressure reduction mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2005Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichiro Ueda, Tomoki Kobayashi, Shigeru Inai, Minoru Uoshima, Yasunori Kotani, Yoshikazu Murakami
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Patent number: 7563528Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, an oxidant gas passage, a cathode off-gas passage, a fuel gas passage, a circulation passage, an anode off-gas passage, a fuel shutoff valve, a supply device, a humidifier and a control device. The supply device supplies a scavenging gas, which is for scavenging the fuel cell, to the anode and the cathode. The humidifier humidifies the scavenging gas. The control device controls the supply device when the fuel cell is turned off so that supply of the fuel gas to the anode is shut off and the scavenging gas is supplied to the anode and the cathode, wherein supply of the scavenging gas to the cathode is conducted through the humidifier.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2005Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Inai, Katsumi Hayashi, Hiromichi Yoshida, Hideo Kato, Ryo Jinba, Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yasunori Kotani, Minoru Uoshima, Yoshikazu Murakami
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Publication number: 20080176116Abstract: A start-up method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that carries out power generation by the electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and the oxygen gas in the air; a fuel gas discharge path and a fuel gas supply path that are connected to the fuel cell; a fuel gas circulation path in which the fuel gas discharge path merges with the fuel gas supply path; and a purge valve provided on the fuel gas circulation path in order to discharge the circulating fuel gas from the fuel gas circulation path. The method includes the steps of opening the purge valve at the same time that the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell and replacing the nitrogen gas that originates in the air and is present in the fuel gas circulation path by fuel gas; and closing the purge valve after the nitrogen gas in the fuel gas circulation path has been replaced by the fuel gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2007Publication date: July 24, 2008Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masanori Hayashi, Kenichiro Ueda, Yoshio Hosono, Minoru Uoshima, Junji Uehara, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yuji Matsumoto, Chihiro Wake
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Patent number: 7399543Abstract: A fuel cell system has a fuel cell having a cathode and an anode; a device for supplying an oxidant gas to the cathode; a device for supplying a fuel gas to the anode; a device for controlling a pressure of the oxidant gas in accordance with an operation state of the fuel cell; a regulator to which a pressure of the oxidant gas is applied as a signal pressure via a signal pressure line, wherein the regulator regulates a pressure of the fuel gas based on the signal pressure; and a device for scavenging the signal pressure line by using a scavenging gas when or after electric power generation is stopped. A device for controlling the signal pressure may be provided in the signal pressure line. Preferably, the scavenging gas has a pressure and a temperature higher than those of the oxidant gas supplied to the cathode.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2005Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasunori Kotani, Tomoki Kobayashi, Minoru Uoshima, Chihiro Wake, Yoshikazu Murakami
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Publication number: 20080044691Abstract: Upon stop of electric power generation of a fuel cell a hydrogen shutoff valve is closed, and a cathode is purged. At the same time, an air introducing valve and the purge valve are opened. The air taken in by the compressor is introduced into the anode through the air introducing tube to exhaust the hydrogen remaining in the anode to replace the hydrogen with the air. When the replacement of the hydrogen with the air has been finished, the compressor is turned off and the air introducing valve and the purge valve are opened. After that, if a temperature of the fuel cell is determined to be equal to or lower than a threshold “a”, a cathode-prioritized purge and an anode-prioritized purging are performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2007Publication date: February 21, 2008Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chihiro Wake, Minoru Uoshima, Yuichiro Kosaka
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Patent number: 7282286Abstract: A start-up method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that carries out power generation by the electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and the oxygen gas in the air; a fuel gas discharge path and a fuel gas supply path that are connected to the fuel cell; a fuel gas circulation path in which the fuel gas discharge path merges with the fuel gas supply path; and a purge valve provided on the fuel gas circulation path in order to discharge the circulating fuel gas from the fuel gas circulation path. The method includes the steps of opening the purge valve at the same time that the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell and replacing the nitrogen gas that originates in the air and is present in the fuel gas circulation path by fuel gas; and closing the purge valve after the nitrogen gas in the fuel gas circulation path has been replaced by the fuel gas.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2003Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masanori Hayashi, Kenichiro Ueda, Yoshio Hosono, Minoru Uoshima, Junji Uehara, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yuji Matsumoto, Chihiro Wake
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Patent number: 7163760Abstract: A bypass plate and an intermediate plate are interposed between a stack body and a negative electrode terminal of a fuel cell stack. An oxygen-containing gas passage extends through the bypass plate and the stack body. The intermediate plate has a small opening. The opening has a cross sectional area smaller than a cross sectional area of the oxygen-containing gas supply passage. The opening is formed by an extension extending into the oxygen-containing gas supply passage. The extension removes water in the oxygen-containing gas, and discharges the water into a bypass flow passage.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2002Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Manabu Tanaka, Shigeru Inai, Yuya Sato, Minoru Koshinuma, Masanori Hayashi, Minoru Uoshima, Shuhei Goto
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Publication number: 20060141309Abstract: A reaction gas is supplied to a cathode side of a fuel cell at a flow rate higher than that for a usual operation of the fuel cell to thaw the fuel cell system at startup in a freezing state of the system when the system has experienced a temperature lower than an operation temperature of an anode off-gas. A thawing state of the system is detected on the basis of at least two of temperatures of the anode off-gas, a cathode off gas, and a radiator liquid of the fuel cell to control supplying the reaction gas to the cathode side at a usual operation flow rate. An actual increase rate of the temperature of the anode off-gas is obtained and an increase rate of the temperature of the anode off-gas is calculated from the self-heating value to be compared to determine the thawing state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2005Publication date: June 29, 2006Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichiro Miyata, Kenichiro Ueda, Chihiro Wake, Jumpei Ogawa, Minoru Uoshima
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Publication number: 20060099466Abstract: A fuel cell system enables time required for purging to be reduced without a major increase in discharge gas concentration at a time of purging. It comprises a fuel cell; a fuel gas supply path for supplying the fuel gas to an anode; an oxidizing gas supply path for supplying an oxidizing gas to a cathode; a fuel gas circulating path for returning an unreacted fuel gas to an anode inlet side; a dilution box for diluting the fuel gas by the oxidizing gas and for discharging it to outside; and a fuel gas discharge path connecting the fuel gas circulating path and a dilution box discharge gas inlet. A drain valve, a purge valve and an air discharge valve are provided, opening areas of which are different from one another. The drain valve with a smallest opening area is initially opened.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2005Publication date: May 11, 2006Inventors: Chihiro Wake, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yasunori Kotani, Minoru Uoshima, Kenichiro Ueda, Koichiro Miyata
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Publication number: 20060088742Abstract: A fuel cell system has a fuel cell having a cathode and an anode; a device for supplying an oxidant gas to the cathode; a device for supplying a fuel gas to the anode; a device for controlling a pressure of the oxidant gas in accordance with an operation state of the fuel cell; a regulator to which a pressure of the oxidant gas is applied as a signal pressure via a signal pressure line, wherein the regulator regulates a pressure of the fuel gas based on the signal pressure; and a device for scavenging the signal pressure line by using a scavenging gas when or after electric power generation is stopped. A device for controlling the signal pressure may be provided in the signal pressure line. Preferably, the scavenging gas has a pressure and a temperature higher than those of the oxidant gas supplied to the cathode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2005Publication date: April 27, 2006Inventors: Yasunori Kotani, Tomoki Kabayashi, Minoru Uoshima, Chihiro Wake, Yoshikazu Murakami
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Publication number: 20050255346Abstract: The fuel cell system is equipped with a fuel cell for generating power by a reaction of fuel and oxidizer gases; a fuel gas flow passage for passing the fuel gas; an oxidizer gas flow passage for passing the oxidizer gas; a sweeping gas supply mechanism for sweeping any of the fuel and oxidizer gas flow passages by a sweeping gas; a sweeping determination mechanism for determining whether to perform sweeping by the sweeping gas supply mechanism, when receiving a stop request for stopping the fuel cell system; a pressure reduction mechanism for reducing a pressure within one of the flow passages lower than when determined not to perform the sweeping, when determined to perform the sweeping by the sweeping determination mechanism; and an actuation mechanism for actuating the sweeping gas supply mechanism after the pressure within the flow passage is reduced by the pressure reduction mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2005Publication date: November 17, 2005Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichiro Ueda, Tomoki Kobayashi, Shigeru Inai, Minoru Uoshima, Yasunori Kotani, Yoshikazu Murakami
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Publication number: 20050196654Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, an oxidant gas passage, a cathode off-gas passage, a fuel gas passage, a circulation passage, an anode off-gas passage, a fuel shutoff valve, a supply device, a humidifier and a control device. The supply device supplies a scavenging gas, which is for scavenging the fuel cell, to the anode and the cathode. The humidifier humidifies the scavenging gas. The control device controls the supply device when the fuel cell is turned off so that supply of the fuel gas to the anode is shut off and the scavenging gas is supplied to the anode and the cathode, wherein supply of the scavenging gas to the cathode is conducted through the humidifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2005Publication date: September 8, 2005Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Inai, Katsumi Hayashi, Hiromichi Yoshida, Hideo Kato, Ryo Jinba, Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yasunori Kotani, Minoru Uoshima, Yoshikazu Murakami
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Patent number: 6926980Abstract: A system and method for draining remaining water in a gas passage of a fuel cell, which has a simple structure and the remaining can be efficiently and reliably drained outside. Water which remains in a gas passage of the fuel cell is first drained by increasing the flow rate of the reaction gas while the operation of the fuel cell is stopped. The remaining water which has not been drained is then drained by increasing the pressure of the reaction gas and then decreasing the increased pressure. The increase and decrease operation of the pressure of the reaction gas is started after the increase of the flow rate of the reaction gas is started. Typically, the increase of the pressure of the reaction gas is started when a predetermined time has elapsed after the increase of the flow rate of the reaction gas is started.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2002Date of Patent: August 9, 2005Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideo Kato, Katsumi Hayashi, Minoru Uoshima
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Publication number: 20050074641Abstract: A stop method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell unit in which hydrogen is supplied to an anode, and air is supplied to a cathode so as to generate electrical power via an electrochemical reaction. The stop method includes the steps of stopping supply of hydrogen to the anode, and supplying air to the anode so as to discharge water remaining at the anode.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2004Publication date: April 7, 2005Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Inai, Katsumi Hayashi, Ryo Jinba, Hideo Kato, Tomoki Kobayashi, Minoru Uoshima, Yasunori Kotani
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Publication number: 20040229088Abstract: A start-up method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that carries out power generation by the electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and the oxygen gas in the air; a fuel gas discharge path and a fuel gas supply path that are connected to the fuel cell; a fuel gas circulation path in which the fuel gas discharge path merges with the fuel gas supply path; and a purge valve provided on the fuel gas circulation path in order to discharge the circulating fuel gas from the fuel gas circulation path. The method includes the steps of opening the purge valve at the same time that the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell and replacing the nitrogen gas that originates in the air and is present in the fuel gas circulation path by fuel gas; and closing the purge valve after the nitrogen gas in the fuel gas circulation path has been replaced by the fuel gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2003Publication date: November 18, 2004Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masanori Hayashi, Kenichiro Ueda, Yoshio Hosono, Minoru Uoshima, Junji Uehara, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yuji Matsumoto, Chihiro Wake
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Patent number: 6699609Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell in which a first reactant gas and a second reactant gas are supplied to generate electricity. An evaporator evaporates a raw fuel, which combustor exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell and uses the exhaust gas to evaporate and volatile a raw material for the first reactant gas. A reformer reforms the evaporated and volatilized raw fuel vapor of the raw material by a reforming catalyst to produce the first reactant gas. An air-introducing device introduces the air that is used to be reformed into the evaporator or the reformed in a manner wherein the flow rate of the air is controlled depending upon the output from the fuel cell and upon the temperature of the raw fuel vapor.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2001Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasunori Kotani, Hikaru Okada, Nobutaka Nakajima, Seiji Tonegawa, Minoru Uoshima