Patents by Inventor Nobuo Eda
Nobuo Eda 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: 6905796Abstract: A lithium secondary battery has high capacity and excellent current characteristics. The lithium battery comprises of a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte; the negative electrode comprising Al2O3 particles not relating to the charge-and discharge reactions of the battery. The presence of the ceramics particles in the electrode leads to a decrease in the internal resistance of the battery because of the enhancement of ion conductivity in the electrode, resulting in higher capacity at high rate discharge of the lithium secondary battery.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1998Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akiko Ishida, Ken Nishimura, Masahiko Ogawa, Nobuo Eda, Masaki Kitagawa, Tetsuhisa Sakai
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Publication number: 20040101743Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane is put between two gas diffusion electrodes and the whole is pressed at a pressure until the bonding temperature is reached and then pressed at the bonding pressure not lower than the pressure applied in the preceding step, whereby MEAs are obtained. The state of bonding of the polymer electrolyte membrane and the gas diffusion electrodes to each other is improved. The internal resistance is reduced and the three-phase interface is made to assume a three-dimensional structure to enlarge the reaction area, and polymer electrolyte fuel cells with higher output can be materialized by using the MEA.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Inventors: Yasushi Sugawara, Makoto Uchida, Hideo Ohara, Yuko Fukuoka, Nobuo Eda
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Publication number: 20040086760Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane is put between two gas diffusion electrodes and the whole is pressed at a pressure until the bonding temperature is reached and then pressed at the bonding pressure not lower than the pressure applied in the preceding step, whereby MEAs are obtained. The state of bonding of the polymer electrolyte membrane and the gas diffusion electrodes to each other is improved. The internal resistance is reduced and the three-phase interface is made to assume a three-dimensional structure to enlarge the reaction area, and polymer electrolyte fuel cells with higher output can be materialized by using the MEA.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2003Publication date: May 6, 2004Inventors: Yasushi Sugawara, Makoto Uchida, Hideo Ohara, Yuko Fukuoka, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 6579649Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer electrolyte battery affording a high capacity density in which a layer of electrode active material mixture containing a polymer has an adequately regulated porosity and/or polymer content. The battery includes a unitary, laminated battery sheet composed of a negative electrode combined with positive electrodes, with a porous polymer separator being placed on both surfaces of the negative electrode. Each of the electrodes comprises a current collector and a layer of active material mixture disposed on both surfaces of the current collector, and the polymer is capable of absorbing and retaining nonaqueous electrolyte. The separator and the layer of electrode active material mixture have a porosity of 30 to 60%. Preferable polymer contents in the layer of active material mixture are in a range of 5 to 10 wt % for the positive electrode and in a range of 7 to 16 wt % for the negative electrode.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 1999Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Tsutsue, Kazushige Kinoshita, Akiko Ishida, Ken Nishimura, Masahiko Ogawa, Nobuo Eda
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Publication number: 20020006548Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer electrolyte battery affording a high capacity density in which a layer of electrode active material mixture containing a polymer has an adequately regulated porosity and/or polymer content. The battery includes a unitary laminated battery sheet composed of a negative electrode combined with positive electrodes, with a porous polymer separator being placed on both surfaces of the negative electrode. Each of the electrodes comprises a current collector and a layer of active material mixture disposed on both surfaces of the current collector, and the polymer is capable of absorbing and retaining nonaqueous electrolyte. The separator and the layer of electrode active material mixture have a porosity of 30 to 60%. Preferable polymer contents in the layer of active material mixture are in a range of 5 to 10 wt % for the positive electrode and in a range of 7 to 16 wt % for the negative electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 1999Publication date: January 17, 2002Inventors: MAKOTO TSUTSUE, KAZUSHIGE KINOSHITA, AKIKO ISHIDA, KEN NISHIMURA, MASAHIKO OGAWA, NOBUO EDA
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Publication number: 20020006552Abstract: A lithium secondary battery has high capacity and excellent current characteristics. The lithium battery comprises of a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte; a least one of the electrodes contains ceramics particles such as Al2O3 irresponsible for the charge ad discharge reactions of the battery. The presence of the ceramics particles in the electrode leads to a decrease in the internal resistance of the battery because of the enhancement of ion conductivity in the electrode, resulting in higher capacity at high rate discharge of the lithium secondary battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 1998Publication date: January 17, 2002Inventors: AKIKO ISHIDA, KEN NISHIMURA, MASAHIKO OGAWA, NOBUO EDA, MASAKI KITAGAWA, TETSUHISA SAKAI
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Publication number: 20010041290Abstract: To obtain highly reliable lithium polymer secondary batteries with charge/discharge cycle characteristics equivalent to those of lithium ion secondary batteries, 70 to 90% of the total void volume of an electrode group formed by laminating the positive electrode, negative electrode and separator is filled with a nonaqueous electrolyte.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2001Publication date: November 15, 2001Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Morigaki, Toshihide Murata, Yasuyuki Shibano, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 6316139Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell having a large economical advantage uses a gasket which includes an elastomer layer that is inexpensive, highly resistant to chemicals, particularly to acids, and exhibits a high sealability. The elastomer layer is provided with an adhesive layer, and the gasket is both easy to position and easy to assemble. The fuel cell includes unit cells each including a positive electrode, an electrolyte plate, and a negative electrode, and gaskets each arranged at the circumferential part of the unit cell alternately stacked via a separator placed therebetween. The gasket includes an elastomer layer and an adhesive layer, with the elastomer layer being adhered to at least one side of the separator via the adhesive layer.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 1999Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Uchida, Yuko Fukuoka, Yasushi Sugawara, Hideo Ohara, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 6294291Abstract: A secondary battery with non-aqueous electrolyte having a high voltage and energy density and a superior cycle property, characterized in that a cathode comprises composite oxides containing lithium and an anode comprises composite carbon materials containing graphite spherical particles and carbon fibers. The carbon fiber improves the stiffness of the anode depolarizing mix to prevent the body made thereof from swelling and decomposing.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 1992Date of Patent: September 25, 2001Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Ozaki, Nobuo Eda, Akiyoshi Morita
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Patent number: 6242260Abstract: A measuring method for determining the specific surface area available for reaction of a noble metal catalyst of an electrode for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The method includes measuring the total specific surface area of the noble metal catalyst and the specific surface area of the noble metal catalyst mixed with a polymer electrolyte by detecting the adsorption amounts of carbon monoxide upon exposure to carbon monoxide after reduction in hydrogen, and subtracting the latter from the former. Also provided is an electrode material for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell having excellent polarization characteristics by controlling the utilization of a noble metal catalyst determined from the total specific surface area and specific surface area available for reaction of the noble metal catalyst.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1998Date of Patent: June 5, 2001Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasushi Sugawara, Makoto Uchida, Yuko Fukuoka, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 6215272Abstract: A fuel cell device, wherein, after an output voltage from a main body of a fuel cell is converted using a converter, the relation between the resultant predetermined output voltage V 1 and an output voltage V 2 from a secondary battery is so set as to satisfy V 1>V 2. When, at the time of a sudden change of an external load, the output voltage V from the main body of the fuel cell becomes lower than a predetermined voltage V 3, an output to a charge controlling unit is stopped. When the output voltage V from the main body of the fuel cell is lowered even further and becomes lower than a predetermined voltage V 4, an output to an auxiliary device, which is necessary for driving the fuel cell device, is switched from the output from the converter to the output from the secondary battery.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 1999Date of Patent: April 10, 2001Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Ohara, Makoto Uchida, Yuko Fukuoka, Yasushi Sugawara, Nobuo Eda, Keiichi Iiyama
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Patent number: 6194094Abstract: A gas diffusion layer including an electroconductive porous material and 16-55% by weight of fluororesin added to the electroconductive porous material is used for at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode of a membrane/electrodes assembly of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. As a result, the water-retaining property of the inside of the membrane/electrodes assembly is improved without hindering gas diffusion, thus enabling polymer electrolyte to be moistened with water formed at the positive electrode, and thereby providing a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which operates by using unhumidified gas.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1998Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Matshushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasushi Sugawara, Makoto Uchida, Hideo Ohara, Yuko Fukuoka, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 6165645Abstract: A gelled polymer electrolyte having a high mechanical strength and a high ion conductivity and a lithium polymer battery using the same electrolyte are disclosed. The gelled polymer electrolyte comprises a polymer alloy and an organic electrolyte solution, wherein the polymer alloy includes a polymer which is hardly soluble in the organic electrolyte solution and another polymer which is soluble in the organic electrolyte solution. The lithium polymer battery comprises a negative electrode including metallic lithium, a lithium alloy, carbon or an inorganic compound, and a positive electrode including an active material of a metal oxide capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium in a reversible manner, such as LiCoO.sub.2, LiNiO.sub.2 or the like, and the gelled polymer electrolyte placed between both electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1996Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ken Nishimura, Masahiko Ogawa, Akiko Ishida, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 6106976Abstract: A secondary battery with non-aqueous electrolyte having a high voltage and capacity and an improved cycle property, characterized in that the battery has an anode which is comprised of graphite spherical particles provided with a lamellar structure and an optically anisotropic and single phase such as meso-carbon microbeads; and a cathode which is comprised of composite oxides containing lithium.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 1992Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Ozaki, Nobuo Eda, Akiyoshi Morita
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Patent number: 6060187Abstract: An electrode of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells is produced by a step of preparing a mixed liquid containing an organic solvent, a noble metal catalyst-supporting carbon powder and a colloid of a solid polymer electrolyte having a particle size of from 1 nm to less than 400 nm, the colloid being adsorbed to the carbon powder and a step of forming an electrode by coating the mixed liquid on one side of a gas-diffusible layer. The solid polymer electrolyte is effectively adsorbed to the surface of the catalyst and thus a wide reaction area can be secured. Furthermore, thickness of the solid polymer electrolyte layer can be controlled to one in which hydrogen and oxygen can be easily diffused.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1998Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Uchida, Yuko Fukuoka, Yasushi Sugawara, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 6057051Abstract: A miniaturized fuel cell assembly to power portable electronic equipment includes a hydride hydrogen storage unit, a control unit for controlling the flow of hydrogen, a hydrogen supply device interconnecting the hydrogen storage unit and the fuel cell body, and an air feed device to supply oxygen necessary for the generation of electricity. The fuel cell assembly may also have an air feed device to cool the interior of the equipment, including a water retention device for recovering and retaining water formed in the fuel cell body, and a humidifying device using the recovered water to humidify the hydrogen to be supplied to the fuel cell body. The miniaturized fuel cell assembly facilitates the effective transfer of waste heat from the fuel cell to the hydrogen storage unit, and as a result of its ability to be used repeatedly, can be utilized for a greater length of time than a conventional primary or secondary power cell.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1997Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Uchida, Yuko Fukuoka, Yasushi Sugawara, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 5866423Abstract: A measuring method for determining the specific surface area available for reaction of a noble metal catalyst of an electrode for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The method includes measuring the total specific surface area of the noble metal catalyst and the specific surface area of the noble metal catalyst mixed with a polymer electrolyte by detecting the adsorption amounts of carbon monoxide upon exposure to carbon monoxide after reduction in hydrogen, and subtracting the latter from the former. Also provided is an electrode material for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell having excellent polarization characteristics by controlling the utilization of a noble metal catalyst determined from the total specific surface area and specific surface area available for reaction of the noble metal catalyst.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 1997Date of Patent: February 2, 1999Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasushi Sugawara, Makoto Uchida, Yuko Fukuoka, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 5723173Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a solid polymer electrolyte electrolyte fuel cell which exhibits higher performances by sufficiently and uniformly contacting the solid polymer electrolyte with a catalyst to increase the reaction area inside the electrode. The method comprises the steps of dispersing a carbon powder supporting a noble metal catalyst in an organic solvent to obtain a dispersion, mixing the resulting dispersion with an alcoholic solution of a solid polymer electrolyte to produce a colloid of the solid polymer electrolyte and simultaneously to obtain a mixed solution in which said colloid is adsorbed to the carbon powder, applying the mixed solution on one side of a gas-diffusion layer to produce an electrode, and pressing the resulting electrode on at least one side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane to integrate them.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuko Fukuoka, Makoto Uchida, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 5518834Abstract: The sealing of the top and/or bottom of the cylindrical positive electrode of an air-cell is improved and leakage of the electrolyte from the jellied zinc negative electrode disposed within the positive electrode which is constituted of a collector layer, catalyst layer, and a porous layer is prevented. By utilizing a positive electrode constituted of a metallic collector layer made of a metal mesh or such, a catalyst layer disposed around said collector, and a fluororesin porous layer as an air diffusion layer, an outer cup and an inner cup are pressed on the top of the positive electrode in order to prevent the leakage of the electrolyte.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1994Date of Patent: May 21, 1996Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshizawa, Isao Kubo, Shigeto Noya, Takafumi Fujiwara, Akira Miura, Nobuo Eda
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Patent number: 5474857Abstract: The invention provides a solid polymer electrolyte having high performances in which the reaction area of electrode is increased by uniformly dispersing and bonding a solid polymer electrolyte and a catalyst and the ability of gas feeding to the reaction site is improved by adding a fluoropolymer so that the catalyst is not excessively coated. A method for making the fuel cell is also provided. The electrode provided on at least one side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is formed by coating on one side of a gas-diffusible layer a mixed dispersion of a noble metal catalyst, a carbon fine powder and a colloidal dispersion of a solid polymer electrolyte, the colloidal dispersion being prepared using an organic solvent having a polar group other than hydroxyl group in the molecule and having a carbon chain of 1-8 carbon atoms which bonds to the polar group or having a dielectric constant of 3-10.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 1994Date of Patent: December 12, 1995Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Uchida, Yuko Aoyama, Nobuo Eda, Masahiko Ogawa