Patents by Inventor Shinichiro Imura
Shinichiro Imura 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: 11923550Abstract: The preset disclosure provides a catalyst layer that has a small contact resistance with a gas diffusion layer and excellent gas diffusion properties. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell has a uniform thickness and includes fibrous conductive members and catalyst particles. The fibrous conductive members are inclined relative to a surface direction of the catalyst layer, and a lengthwise direction of the fibrous conductive members, on average, matches a first direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2018Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Minamiura, Hitoshi Ishimoto, Shinichiro Imura, Kazuya Yamasaki, Yukihiro Shimasaki
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Patent number: 11799092Abstract: A cathode catalyst layer of fuel cells, the cathode catalyst layer including a first fibrous electrically-conductive member, a first particulate electrically-conductive member, first catalyst particles, and a first proton conductive resin. A ratio I1/C1 of a mass of the first proton conductive resin to a mass of the first electrically particulate conductive member is in a range of 1.0 to 1.6. A ratio of the first fibrous electrically-conductive member to 100 parts by mass of the first particulate conductive member is 30 to 50 parts by mass. The first proton conductive resin has an EW value of 600 to 850.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2019Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Shinichiro Imura, Takeshi Minamiura, Hitoshi Ishimoto
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Patent number: 11682770Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst layer for a fuel cell that has good gas diffusion properties in the entire catalyst layer and in which coarsening of catalyst particles can be suppressed. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell includes fibrous conductive members and catalyst particles. The fibrous conductive members are inclined relative to the surface direction of the catalyst layer, and the length L of the fibrous conductive members and the thickness T of the catalyst layer satisfy the relational expression: L/T?3. Each of the catalyst particles includes a core portion and a shell portion that covers the core portion, and contains a component different from that of the core portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2018Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Hitoshi Ishimoto, Kazuya Yamasaki, Shinichiro Imura, Takeshi Minamiura, Yukihiro Shimasaki, Kenichi Ezaki
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Patent number: 11515542Abstract: A fuel battery includes a membrane-electrode assembly including a first catalyst layer and a first gas diffusion layer stacked on a first surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane, and a second catalyst layer and a second gas diffusion layer stacked on a second surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane. The membrane-electrode assembly is interposed between a first separator and a second separator. The first separator includes a rib and a groove on a surface that is in contact with the first gas diffusion layer, the rib and the groove defining a gas flow path through which a reaction gas is to flow. A thickness of the first gas diffusion layer is defined as h, and a width of a portion of the rib that is in contact with the first gas diffusion layer is defined as Rw such that 0.29 Rw?h?0.55 Rw is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Tsutomu Kawashima, Shinichiro Imura
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Publication number: 20220359899Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell includes a catalyst layer having a first main surface and a second main surface, a gas diffusion layer disposed on a side of the first main surface, and an electrolyte membrane disposed on a side of the second main surface, wherein the gas diffusion layer includes a conductive material and a polymer resin, the conductive material comprises a fibrous carbon material, an average fiber diameter D of the fibrous carbon material is equal to or less than 25% of a thickness T of the catalyst layer, and in a cross section in a thickness direction of the catalyst layer, an arithmetic mean roughness Ra1 of the first main surface and an arithmetic mean roughness Ra2 of the second main surface satisfies the relation, Ra1>Ra2.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Inventors: Shinichiro IMURA, Takeshi MINAMIURA, Kenichi EZAKI, Tsutomu KAWASHIMA, Miyuki YOSHIMOTO
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Publication number: 20220336834Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, the membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane, and a first electrode and a second electrode sandwiching the electrolyte membrane, wherein the first electrode includes a first catalyst layer and a first gas diffusion layer in order from the electrolyte membrane side, the first gas diffusion layer includes a first fibrous conductive member and a first resin material, the first catalyst layer includes a second fibrous conductive member, catalyst particles, and a second resin material, when viewed from a stacking direction of the membrane electrode assembly, a first angle formed by the first fibrous conductive member and a main flow path of a gas supplied to the membrane electrode assembly is arbitrary, and a second angle formed by the second fibrous conductive member and the main flow path is 45° or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2022Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: Takeshi MINAMIURA, Kenichi EZAKI, Shinichiro IMURA, Tsutomu KAWASHIMA, Miyuki YOSHIMOTO
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Publication number: 20220149409Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, a pair of catalyst layers stacked on surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, and a pair of gas diffusion layers stacked on a side opposite to the electrolyte membrane of one of the pair of catalyst layers and on a side opposite to the electrolyte membrane of the other one of the catalyst layers. One of the pair of catalyst layers contains catalyst particles and a first conductive material. One of the pair of gas diffusion layers in contact with the one of the catalyst layers contains a second conductive material. The first conductive material includes a first particulate conductive member and a first fibrous conductive member, and the second conductive material includes a second fibrous conductive member. The content K2 by mass of the second fibrous conductive member is larger than the content K1 by mass of the first fibrous conductive member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2020Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Takeshi MINAMIURA, Shinichiro IMURA, Yoshifumi TAGUCHI, Tsutomu KAWASHIMA
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Publication number: 20210408554Abstract: a fuel battery includes a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) in which a catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer are stacked on each of opposite surfaces of a polymer electrolyte membrane; and separators between which the membrane-electrode assembly is interposed, wherein each of the separators includes a rib and a groove on a surface that is in contact with the gas diffusion layer, the rib and the groove forming a gas flow path through which a reaction gas to be used for power generation flows, when a thickness of the gas diffusion layer is defined as h, and a width of a portion of the rib that is in contact with the gas diffusion layer is defined as Rw, 0.29 Rw?h?0.55 Rw is satisfied, the gas diffusion layer includes conductive particles, conductive fibers, and a polymer resin, and average fiber length Fl and average fiber diameter Fd of the conductive fibers satisfy Fl<Rw/2 and Fd<h/100.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: TSUTOMU KAWASHIMA, SHINICHIRO IMURA
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Publication number: 20210313652Abstract: A gas diffusion layer includes conductive particles, conductive fibers, and polymer resins, in which an amount of surface functional groups in the conductive particle is 0.25 mmol/g or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2021Publication date: October 7, 2021Inventors: TSUTOMU KAWASHIMA, MIYUKI YOSHIMOTO, TAKESHI MINAMIURA, SHINICHIRO IMURA
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Patent number: 11108055Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode positioned on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode positioned on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode-side sealant positioned on a surface of the cathode different from the electrolyte membrane side of the cathode; an anode-side sealant positioned on a surface of the anode different from the electrolyte membrane side of the anode; a cathode-side separator positioned on a surface of the cathode-side sealant different from the cathode side of the cathode-side sealant; and an anode-side separator positioned on a surface of the anode-side sealant different from the anode side of the anode-side sealant. The anode-side separator has a projection on a surface stacked on the anode-side sealant, or the cathode-side separator has a projection on a surface stacked on the cathode-side sealant.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoko Kasai, Yoshifumi Taguchi, Tsutomu Kawashima, Tsutomu Fujii, Shinichiro Imura, Toshihiro Otsuka, Miyuki Yoshimoto, Kozue Kuniyoshi
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Patent number: 11011769Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell catalyst layer including: a fibrous carbon material; catalyst particles; a particulate carbon material; and a proton-conductive resin, wherein a region A including at least the fibrous carbon material in a state of an agglomerated body and a region B including at least the catalyst particles, the particulate carbon material, and the proton-conductive resin are formed, the region A being disposed in an island form in the region B.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2017Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Motohiro Sakata, Takeshi Minamiura, Shinichiro Imura, Hitoshi Ishimoto, Kazuya Yamasaki, Chiho Nobumori, Yukihiro Shimasaki, Tsutomu Fujii
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Publication number: 20210098797Abstract: A cathode catalyst layer of fuel cells, the cathode catalyst layer including a first fibrous electrically-conductive member, a first particulate electrically-conductive member, first catalyst particles, and a first proton conductive resin, A ratio I1/C1 of a mass of the first proton conductive resin to a mass of the first electrically particulate conductive member is in a range of 1.0 to 1.6. A ratio of the first fibrous electrically-conductive member to 100 parts by mass of the first particulate conductive member is 30 to 50 parts by mass. The first proton conductive resin has an EW value of 600 to 850.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Shinichiro IMURA, Takeshi MINAMIURA, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO
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Publication number: 20210075024Abstract: The preset disclosure provides a catalyst layer that has a small contact resistance with a gas diffusion layer and excellent gas diffusion properties. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell has a uniform thickness and includes fibrous conductive members and catalyst particles. The fibrous conductive members are inclined relative to a surface direction of the catalyst layer, and a lengthwise direction of the fibrous conductive members, on average, matches a first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2018Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Takeshi MINAMIURA, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Shinichiro IMURA, Kazuya YAMASAKI, Yukihiro SHIMASAKI
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Patent number: 10923742Abstract: A fuel cell includes a pair of separators for clamping a laminate including a membrane electrode assembly, an anode gas diffusion layer, and a cathode gas diffusion layer, and a frame formed from thermosetting resin and disposed between the separators to surround a periphery of the laminate. At least one of the anode and the cathode gas diffusion layers is formed from a composite of thermoplastic resin and conductive particles, and includes a protrusion protruding beyond a level of a surface of the frame which faces one of the separators in a state that the laminate is not clamped between the separators under a predetermined pressure. The one of the separators presses the protrusion and gets the one of the gas diffusion layers to be deformed and put into contact with the frame in a state that the laminate is clamped between the separators under the predetermined pressure.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2017Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Minamiura, Takashi Yasuo, Tsutomu Kawashima, Hiroaki Suzuki, Miyuki Yoshimoto, Shinichiro Imura
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Patent number: 10847826Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a fuel-side catalyst layer placed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane; an oxidant-side catalyst layer placed on another surface of the electrolyte membrane; a fuel-side gas-diffusion layer placed on a main surface of the fuel-side catalyst layer; an oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer placed on a main surface of the oxidant-side catalyst layer; a pair of separators that hold the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer therebetween; a frame that surrounds outer peripheries of the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side gas diffusion layer; a fuel-side seal member placed on a main surface of the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer; and an oxidant-side seal member placed on a main surface of the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer. In the fuel cell, no spaces are provided between the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the fuel-side catalyst layer and between the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side catalyst layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Panasonic Intelletual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoko Kasai, Tsutomu Kawashima, Miyuki Yoshimoto, Yoshifumi Taguchi, Hiroaki Suzuki, Shinichiro Imura
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Publication number: 20200335797Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst layer for a fuel cell that has good gas diffusion properties in the entire catalyst layer and in which coarsening of catalyst particles can be suppressed. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell includes fibrous conductive members and catalyst particles. The fibrous conductive members are inclined relative to the surface direction of the catalyst layer, and the length L of the fibrous conductive members and the thickness T of the catalyst layer satisfy the relational expression: L/T?3. Each of the catalyst particles includes a core portion and a shell portion that covers the core portion, and contains a component different from that of the core portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2018Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Kazuya YAMASAKI, Shinichiro IMURA, Takeshi MINAMIURA, Yukihiro SHIMASAKI, Kenichi EZAKI
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Publication number: 20190198906Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell catalyst layer including: a fibrous carbon material; catalyst particles; a particulate carbon material; and a proton-conductive resin, wherein a region A including at least the fibrous carbon material in a state of an agglomerated body and a region B including at least the catalyst particles, the particulate carbon material, and the proton-conductive resin are formed, the region A being disposed in an island form in the region B.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2017Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Motohiro SAKATA, Takeshi MINAMIURA, Shinichiro IMURA, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Kazuya YAMASAKI, Chiho NOBUMORI, Yukihiro SHIMASAKI, Tsutomu FUJII
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Publication number: 20190181480Abstract: Provided is a membrane electrode assembly capable of keeping contact resistance between a catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer (GDL) low. The membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrode layers disposed to sandwich the electrolyte membrane. The pair of electrode layers includes a pair of catalyst layers disposed to sandwich the electrolyte membrane, and a pair of GDLs disposed on opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane on the respective pair of catalyst layers. Each of the pair of GDLs includes a plurality of GDL protrusions that protrude on a catalyst layer side from the GDL and enter in the catalyst layer, and a gas flow path formed on an opposite side of the catalyst layer. Each of the pair of catalyst layers has a plurality of catalyst layer recesses in contact with the respective plurality of GDL protrusions.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: MASASHI SHOJI, HITOSHI ISHIMOTO, SHINICHIRO IMURA, HIROAKI SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20190115602Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode positioned on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode positioned on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode-side sealant positioned on a surface of the cathode different from the electrolyte membrane side of the cathode; an anode-side sealant positioned on a surface of the anode different from the electrolyte membrane side of the anode; a cathode-side separator positioned on a surface of the cathode-side sealant different from the cathode side of the cathode-side sealant; and an anode-side separator positioned on a surface of the anode-side sealant different from the anode side of the anode-side sealant. The anode-side separator has a projection on a surface stacked on the anode-side sealant, or the cathode-side separator has a projection on a surface stacked on the cathode-side sealant.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2018Publication date: April 18, 2019Inventors: YOKO KASAI, YOSHIFUMI TAGUCHI, TSUTOMU KAWASHIMA, TSUTOMU FUJII, SHINICHIRO IMURA, TOSHIHIRO OTSUKA, MIYUKI YOSHIMOTO, KOZUE KUNIYOSHI
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Publication number: 20180233760Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a fuel-side catalyst layer placed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane; an oxidant-side catalyst layer placed on another surface of the electrolyte membrane; a fuel-side gas-diffusion layer placed on a main surface of the fuel-side catalyst layer; an oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer placed on a main surface of the oxidant-side catalyst layer; a pair of separators that hold the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer therebetween; a frame that surrounds outer peripheries of the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side gas diffusion layer; a fuel-side seal member placed on a main surface of the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer; and an oxidant-side seal member placed on a main surface of the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer. In the fuel cell, no spaces are provided between the fuel-side gas-diffusion layer and the fuel-side catalyst layer and between the oxidant-side gas-diffusion layer and the oxidant-side catalyst layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2018Publication date: August 16, 2018Inventors: YOKO KASAI, TSUTOMU KAWASHIMA, MIYUKI YOSHIMOTO, YOSHIFUMI TAGUCHI, HIROAKI SUZUKI, SHINICHIRO IMURA