Patents by Inventor Nobuaki Nonoyama
Nobuaki Nonoyama 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: 20190326616Abstract: Stacked unit cells 100 of a fuel cell each comprise a membrane electrode assembly 10, a pair of gas separators 40 and 50, and a first sealing portion 26 provided between the pair of gas separators. The fuel cell further comprises a second sealing potion provided between adjacent ones of the unit cells, a first manifold in which reaction gas flows, and a second manifold in which a coolant flows. One of the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion is an adhesive sealing portion, and another one of the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion is formed of a gasket. The adhesive sealing portion and the gasket are provided along the outer circumference of the manifold, in the fuel cell as viewed in a stacking direction. The gasket and the adhesive sealing portion are arranged in this order from a side closer to the manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2019Publication date: October 24, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takuya KURIHARA, Nobuaki NONOYAMA, Kenji SATO, Sachio OKADA
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Publication number: 20190305326Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; first and second catalyst layers respectively formed on first and second surface of the electrolyte membrane; and a separator disposed opposite to the electrolyte membrane with respect to the first catalyst layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuaki NONOYAMA, Norishige KONNO, Masayuki ITO
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Publication number: 20190305325Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; first and second catalyst layers respectively formed on first and second surfaces of the electrolyte membrane; and a separator, the first catalyst layer being arranged between the separator and the electrolyte membrane, wherein the separator includes first and second grooves through which reactant gas flows between the first catalyst layer and the separator.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuaki NONOYAMA, Norishige KONNO, Masayuki ITO
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Publication number: 20190288302Abstract: A fuel cell stack that can suppress degraded cooling performance due to the presence of air bubbles. The fuel cell stack includes a plurality of stacked fuel cells, each fuel cell having a power generation portion and a pair of separators. The fuel cell stack further includes a plurality of refrigerant channels inside the power generation portion that are provided in a region corresponding to the power generation portion and that allow communication between the refrigerant inlet manifold and refrigerant outlet manifold, and a refrigerant channel outside the power generation portion that is provided in a region above the power generation portion in the gravity direction and that allows communication between the refrigerant inlet manifold and refrigerant outlet manifold. The refrigerant channels inside and outside the power generation portion communicate with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Nobuaki NONOYAMA
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Publication number: 20190280311Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stacked body including unit cells that are stacked and an end member arranged at an end side of the stacked body in a stacking direction of the stacked body.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Arisawa, Nobuaki Nonoyama, Masahiro Katayama
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Publication number: 20190165391Abstract: A fuel cell that can have a voltage-detection cell connector reliably held thereon without the thickness of the fuel cell increased to a thickness of greater than that originally required to generate power. The fuel cell includes a recess portion in which a cell connector is adapted to be inserted. In the recess portion, a guide portion, which can guide a cell connector being inserted into the recess portion, is formed of a part of a separator (or a second extending portion thereof). In a portion of the recess portion opposite the second extending portion, a protrusion that forms a part of an insulating resin sheet, which is arranged between a pair of separators, protrudes toward the second extending portion. A to-be-crimped portion of the cell connector inserted in the recess portion is pressed against the second extending portion by the protrusion so that its stable posture is held.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventors: Masahiro IMANISHI, Nobuaki NONOYAMA
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Patent number: 10164281Abstract: A fuel-cell unit cell comprises: a membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly; a cathode-side separator made of a press-molded plate, the cathode-side separator forming a plurality of cathode gas flow paths and non-flow-path portions therebetween on a cathode-side surface of the membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly; and an anode-side separator made of a press-molded plate, the anode-side separator forming a plurality of anode gas flow paths and non-flow-path portions therebetween on an anode-side surface of the membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly. At least one gas flow path among the plural cathode gas flow paths and the plural anode gas flow paths includes a constricting portion that is configured to reduce a flow-path height in a stacking direction of the fuel-cell unit cells as well as to reduce a flow path cross-sectional area of the gas flow path.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2017Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Daisuke Hayashi, Atsushi Ida, Kazunori Shibata, Nobuaki Nonoyama, Shuji Kurita
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Publication number: 20180301717Abstract: A gasket comprising: a first sealing part surrounding the sealed area; and a second sealing part surrounding the sealed area and being provided external to an area surrounded by the first sealing part. When a compressive deformation ratio is defined as a ratio of a deformation amount in a height direction to pressure applied to the gasket in the height direction, in the first sealing part, the compressive deformation ratio at a section to be arranged on a first fuel cell side is greater than the compressive deformation ratio at a section to be arranged on a second fuel cell side, and in the second sealing part, the compressive deformation ratio at a section to be arranged on the second fuel cell side is greater than the compressive deformation ratio at a section to be arranged on the first fuel cell side.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuaki Nonoyama, Kenji Sato, Hideya Kadono
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Publication number: 20180294499Abstract: At least one separator of the two separators is formed of a press-formed plate having recesses and protrusions. Among portions of the recesses and protrusions, a portion coming toward the MEGA plate is designated as recessed portion, and a portion going apart from the MEGA plate is designated as protruded portion. The one separator has a first recessed portion bonded to the frame member, a first protruded portion contiguous to the first recessed portion, and a second recessed portion formed on one side of the first protruded portion opposed to the first recessed portion. The fuel cell stack is capable to take a tightened state in which a tightening load is imparted to the plurality of unit cells by the tightening member, and a non-tightened state in which no tightening load is imparted. The unit cells are so configured that the second recessed portion is in contact with the frame member in the tightened state, and the second recessed portion is out of contact with the frame member in the non-tightened state.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takuya KURIHARA, Nobuaki NONOYAMA
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Publication number: 20180241069Abstract: The fuel cell FC includes a discharge manifold AMe for discharging anode offgas from inside the fuel cell to outside the fuel cell. In the discharge manifold AMe, discharge pipe 45 is placed, and a support mechanism 400 is provided, the support mechanism including one or plural supporting portions 41 for supporting the discharge pipe 45 as well as an engaging portion 43 for placing a distal end portion 45a of the discharge pipe 45 at a position apart from a closed end E2 of the discharge manifold AMe.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2018Publication date: August 23, 2018Inventors: Nobuaki Nonoyama, Masaya Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20180131013Abstract: A single cell of a fuel cell has: a membrane-electrode assembly; and first and second separators holding the membrane-electrode assembly therebetween. The first separator has plural first straight or wavy groove channels that are arranged in parallel to each other in a first in-plane direction. A cross section along the first in-plane direction of each of the plural first groove channels has a first uneven shape. The first uneven shape has a first pitch P1 along the first in-plane direction. The second separator has plural second wavy groove channels that are aligned along the first in-plane direction. A second uneven shape of the plural second groove channels has a second pitch P2 along the first in-plane direction. The first pitch P1 and the second pitch P2 differ from each other, and neither a value of P1/P2 nor a value of P2/P1 is an integer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuaki NONOYAMA, Masaya KOBAYASHI
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Publication number: 20170373336Abstract: A fuel-cell unit cell comprises: a membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly; a cathode-side separator made of a press-molded plate, the cathode-side separator forming a plurality of cathode gas flow paths and non-flow-path portions therebetween on a cathode-side surface of the membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly; and an anode-side separator made of a press-molded plate, the anode-side separator forming a plurality of anode gas flow paths and non-flow-path portions therebetween on an anode-side surface of the membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly. At least one gas flow path among the plural cathode gas flow paths and the plural anode gas flow paths includes a constricting portion that is configured to reduce a flow-path height in a stacking direction of the fuel-cell unit cells as well as to reduce a flow path cross-sectional area of the gas flow path.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2017Publication date: December 28, 2017Inventors: Daisuke HAYASHI, Atsushi IDA, Kazunori SHIBATA, Nobuaki NONOYAMA, Shuji KURITA
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Publication number: 20170229716Abstract: A technique of reducing the possibility that the thickness of an adhesive layer in a seal member becomes non-uniform is provided. There is provided a fuel cell comprising a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly; a seal member in a film-like form that is arranged in a periphery of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly; and a first separator and a second separator arranged such as to place the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the seal member therebetween. The seal member includes a first adhesive layer that is arranged to face the first separator, a second adhesive layer that is arranged to face the second separator, and a core layer that is placed between the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer and is harder than the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2017Publication date: August 10, 2017Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Nobuaki NONOYAMA
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Patent number: 9525188Abstract: With regard to at least one unit cell out of a plurality of unit cells, when the at least one unit cell is viewed along a stacking direction of the plurality of unit cells, at least one bonding area out of first to third bonding areas is formed at a position that does not overlap with another bonding area.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2013Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Nobuaki Nonoyama
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Patent number: 9431661Abstract: A cathode catalyst layer used for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that includes an electrolyte membrane is provided. The cathode catalyst layer comprises a catalyst having weight of not greater than 0.3 mg/cm2 of a reaction surface of the cathode catalyst layer that is adjoining the electrolyte membrane; and an electrolyte resin having oxygen permeability of not less than 2.2*10?14 mol/m/s/Pa in an environment of temperature of 80 degrees Celsius and relative humidity of 50%.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2011Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, E.I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANYInventors: Nobuaki Nonoyama, Masanori Aimu, Randal Lewis Perry, Mark Gerrit Roelofs, Robert Clayton Wheland, Ralph Munson Aten
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Publication number: 20160064766Abstract: A fuel cell includes a first separator and a second separator. A second protrusion is formed on a first sealing portion of the first separator. A concave portion is formed in a second sealing portion of the second separator. When fuel cells are stacked together sequentially in the vertical direction without displacing relative to one another, the center of the second protrusion and the center of the concave portion are aligned with each other. Even if the fuel cells are displaced while being stacked together, the upper fuel cell in the vertical direction is moved to decrease the distance between the center of the second protrusion and the center of the corresponding concave portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2015Publication date: March 3, 2016Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiji Hashimoto, Satoshi Futami, Kousuke Kawajiri, Nobuaki Nonoyama
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Publication number: 20150380762Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus comprises a fuel cell that has a stacked structure of a plurality of fuel cell units; an outer cover that is provided to cover at least part of a side face of the fuel cell along a stacking direction of the fuel cell; and an intermediate layer that is placed between the outer cover and the side face covered by the outer cover, wherein the outer cover and the intermediate layer are configured to satisfy X0>Fg/(K1+K2), where K1 represents a spring constant of the intermediate layer, K2 represents a spring constant of the outer cover, Fg represents an inertial force applied to the fuel cell and X0 represents an allowable amount of misalignment of the fuel cell unit in the fuel cell. This configuration of the fuel cell apparatus suppresses positional misalignment of the fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Nobuaki NONOYAMA
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Publication number: 20150295266Abstract: With regard to at least one unit cell out of a plurality of unit cells, when the at least one unit cell is viewed along a stacking direction of the plurality of unit cells, at least one bonding area out of first to third bonding areas is formed at a position that does not overlap with another bonding area.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2013Publication date: October 15, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Nobuaki Nonoyama
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Publication number: 20140154608Abstract: A cathode catalyst layer used for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that includes an electrolyte membrane is provided. The cathode catalyst layer comprises a catalyst having weight of not greater than 0.3 mg/cm2 of a reaction surface of the cathode catalyst layer that is adjoining the electrolyte membrane; and an electrolyte resin having oxygen permeability of not less than 2.2*10?14 mol/m/s/Pa in an environment of temperature of 80 degrees Celsius and relative humidity of 50%.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2011Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicants: E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuaki Nonoyama, Masanori Aimu, Randal Lewis Perry, Mark Gerrit Roelofs, Robert Clayton Wheland, Ralph Munson Aten
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Patent number: 7700611Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing crystalline trans-N-[1-(2-fluorophenyl)-S-pyrazoly]-3-ox-ospiro[6-azaisobenzofuran-1(3H),1?-cyclohexane]-4?-carboxamide and novel salts, hydrates and polymorphs thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2006Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.Inventors: Russell R. Ferlita, Yuji Haga, Makoto Ishikawa, Keisuke Kamei, Shinji Kato, Hisaki Kojima, Aaron Moment, Nobuaki Nonoyama, Nobuya Satake, Kazuki Shigemori, Toshihiro Wada, Yaling Wang, Steven A. Weissman, Robert M. Wenslow