Patents by Inventor Naohiro MITANI

Naohiro MITANI 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: 11705572
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly having electrodes disposed on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane, a gas diffusion layer stacked on one surface of the membrane electrode assembly, a resin frame assembled onto the one surface of the membrane electrode assembly so as to surround the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer apart from the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer, and a resin sheet disposed between the gas diffusion layer and the resin frame, and the membrane electrode assembly so as to fill a space between the inner periphery of the resin frame and the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Adachi, Katsuhiko Kinoshita, Yu Ashitaka, Naohiro Mitani, Yusuke Watanabe, Kenji Sato
  • Publication number: 20220190360
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a separator for a fuel cell includes: a roughening step of forming a roughened region in a surface of a separator body; and a molding step of molding a gasket on the surface of the separator body. In the molding step, the gasket is molded in an area including at least a part of the roughened region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji SATO, Nobuo KANAI, Takuya KURIHARA, Naohiro MITANI
  • Publication number: 20220037681
    Abstract: To provide a fuel cell production method configured to suppress the formation of a blister in a thermoplastic sheet. The production method is a method for producing a fuel cell, wherein the method comprises: a first attaching step, a disposing step and a second attaching step in which, after the disposing step, the membrane electrode assembly and the resin frame are attached via the thermoplastic sheet, and the membrane electrode assembly and the gas diffusion layer are attached via the thermoplastic sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Makoto ICHIKAWA, Naohiro MITANI, Makoto ADACHI
  • Publication number: 20210159533
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly having electrodes disposed on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane, a gas diffusion layer stacked on one surface of the membrane electrode assembly, a resin frame assembled onto the one surface of the membrane electrode assembly so as to surround the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer apart from the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer, and a resin sheet disposed between the gas diffusion layer and the resin frame, and the membrane electrode assembly so as to fill a space between the inner periphery of the resin frame and the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Makoto ADACHI, Katsuhiko KINOSHITA, Yu ASHITAKA, Naohiro MITANI, Yusuke WATANABE, Kenji SATO
  • Patent number: 10683186
    Abstract: There is provided a technique of reducing the possibility of the occurrence of wrinkles in the process of bonding strip-shaped members to each other. A long strip-shaped first member is conveyed in a longitudinal direction of the first member. A width of a long strip-shaped second member in the shorter direction of the second member is larger than a width of the first member in a shorter direction of the first member. The second member is placed such that respective ends in a shorter direction of the second member are freed. The second member is bonded to the first member being conveyed, such that the shorter direction of the first member is aligned with the shorter direction of the second member and that respective ends in the shorter direction of the first member are placed between the respective ends in the shorter direction of the second member. The second member bonded to the first member is then conveyed along with the conveyed first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Aimu, Naohiro Mitani
  • Patent number: 10647536
    Abstract: There is provided a technique of reducing the possibility of the occurrence of wrinkles in the process of bonding strip-shaped members to each other. A long strip-shaped first member is conveyed in a longitudinal direction of the first member. A width of a long strip-shaped second member in the shorter direction of the second member is larger than a width of the first member in a shorter direction of the first member. The second member is placed such that respective ends in a shorter direction of the second member are freed. The second member is bonded to the first member being conveyed, such that the shorter direction of the first member is aligned with the shorter direction of the second member and that respective ends in the shorter direction of the first member are placed between the respective ends in the shorter direction of the second member. The second member bonded to the first member is then conveyed along with the conveyed first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Judosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Aimu, Naohiro Mitani
  • Publication number: 20180215567
    Abstract: There is provided a technique of reducing the possibility of the occurrence of wrinkles in the process of bonding strip-shaped members to each other. A long strip-shaped first member is conveyed in a longitudinal direction of the first member. A width of a long strip-shaped second member in the shorter direction of the second member is larger than a width of the first member in a shorter direction of the first member. The second member is placed such that respective ends in a shorter direction of the second member are freed. The second member is bonded to the first member being conveyed, such that the shorter direction of the first member is aligned with the shorter direction of the second member and that respective ends in the shorter direction of the first member are placed between the respective ends in the shorter direction of the second member. The second member bonded to the first member is then conveyed along with the conveyed first member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori AIMU, Naohiro MITANI