Patents by Inventor Shigetaka Hamada

Shigetaka Hamada 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: 7597977
    Abstract: In a diagnostic method for a fuel cell, the amount of cross leak is determined by supplying the anode of the fuel cell with a hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gas, and supplying the cathode with an inert gas or vacuuming the cathode, and measuring the voltage of each cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Hamada, Masaaki Kondo
  • Publication number: 20090169934
    Abstract: A fuel cell system according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a fuel cell, measurement means for measuring impedances of the fuel cell in two kinds or more of frequency regions, and first judgment means for judging two or more parameters concerned with an internal state of the fuel cell based on measurement results of the impedances in the respective frequency regions. According to such a constitution, the impedances in the two or more types of frequency regions (a high frequency region, a low frequency region and the like) are measured to judge two or more parameters such as a wet state of an electrolytic film of the fuel cell and a supply state of a fuel gas, which are concerned with the internal state of the fuel cell based on this measurement result. Since such judgment is performed, as compared with the conventional technology, the internal state of the fuel cell can accurately be grasped, and highly efficient and highly robust control of the fuel cell system can be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Kota Manabe, Mikio Kizaki, Nobuyuki Orihashi, Shigetaka Hamada, Masahiro Shige
  • Publication number: 20090110985
    Abstract: A fuel cell system according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a measurement unit which measures an impedance of a fuel cell in a predetermined frequency region, and a regulation unit which regulates an amount of a gas to be supplied to the fuel cell based on a measured value of the impedance in the predetermined frequency region. According to such a constitution, the impedance of the fuel cell in the predetermined frequency region (e.g., a low frequency region) is measured, and the amount of the gas (e.g., an amount of an oxidizing gas) to be supplied to the fuel cell is regulated based on this measured value of the impedance. Here, since the impedance of the fuel cell in the predetermined frequency region largely differs with a fuel supply state (see FIG. 2), the amount of the gas to be supplied to the fuel cell can be regulated based on the measured value of the impedance to realize a highly efficient and stable operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Kota Manabe, Nobuyuki Orihashi, Shigetaka Hamada, Masahiro Shige
  • Publication number: 20040124843
    Abstract: In a diagnostic method for a fuel cell battery, the amount of cross leak is determined by supplying the anode of the fuel cell battery with a hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gas, and supplying the cathode with an inert gas or vacuuming the cathode, and measuring the voltage of each cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Shigetaka Hamada, Masaaki Kondo