Patents by Inventor Tomohide Shibutani

Tomohide Shibutani 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: 10050281
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly wherein a fuel cell electrode layer is formed on a material and is transferred to a fuel cell electrolyte membrane. The method includes the steps of: forming a fuel cell electrode layer on a first substrate layer; cutting from the fuel cell electrode layer side using cutting means so as to reach a second substrate layer, and forming a cut of a predetermined shape in the fuel cell electrode layer and the first substrate layer; and a removal step for peeling off an outer side portion of the predetermined shape from the second substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohide Shibutani, Yoshinori Kawamura, Hiroshi Kurata
  • Patent number: 9929422
    Abstract: In a membrane electrode assembly, electrode catalyst layers are provided respectively on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane. Each of the electrode catalyst layers includes polymer electrolyte and catalyst. In each of the electrode catalyst layers, the weight of a component of the polymer electrolyte contained in one surface facing the electrolyte membrane is twice as large as, or more than twice as large as the weight of the component of the polymer electrolyte contained in another surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kawamura, Satoshi Yonezawa, Tomohide Shibutani, Shunsuke Konishi, Takahiro Hirano, Hiroshi Kurata
  • Publication number: 20160268617
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly wherein a fuel cell electrode layer is formed on a material and is transferred to a fuel cell electrolyte membrane. The method includes the steps of: forming a fuel cell electrode layer on a first substrate layer; cutting from the fuel cell electrode layer side using cutting means so as to reach a second substrate layer, and forming a cut of a predetermined shape in the fuel cell electrode layer and the first substrate layer; and a removal step for peeling off an outer side portion of the predetermined shape from the second substrate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Tomohide Shibutani, Yoshinori Kawamura, Hiroshi Kurata
  • Publication number: 20160233533
    Abstract: In a membrane electrode assembly, electrode catalyst layers are provided respectively on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane. Each of the electrode catalyst layers includes polymer electrolyte and catalyst. In each of the electrode catalyst layers, the weight of a component of the polymer electrolyte contained in one surface facing the electrolyte membrane is twice as large as, or more than twice as large as the weight of the component of the polymer electrolyte contained in another surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kawamura, Satoshi Yonezawa, Tomohide Shibutani, Shunsuke Konishi, Takahiro Hirano, Hiroshi Kurata
  • Patent number: 7482089
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided having a positive electrode layer (13) and a negative electrode layer (14) disposed on the front and rear sides of an electrolyte membrane (12), for generating electricity by bringing hydrogen into contact with a catalyst in the negative electrode layer and bringing oxygen into contact with a catalyst in the positive electrode layer. The positive electrode layer includes the components electrolyte, carbon (36, 37), a catalyst (38) carried on the carbon, a pore-forming material and a water-repellent resin. In the electrolyte membrane vicinity (34) of the positive electrode layer, which is a part where the reaction between the oxygen and the hydrogen ions proceeds readily, the electrolyte/carbon weight ratio and the carried catalyst amount are made large. In parts where product water tends to stagnate, the amounts of the pore-forming material and the water-repellent resin are increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohide Shibutani, Osamu Kakutani
  • Publication number: 20070078051
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrode layer for a fuel cell includes applying a paste-form electrode material, having a solvent that includes an ion-exchange resin, to a sheet-form base, and evaporating the solvent on a front surface of a layer of the electrode material so that the concentration of the ion-exchange resin in the electrode material layer formed on the base increases from a front surface toward a reverse surface, opposed to the base, of the electrode material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventors: Tomoko Tamai, Tomohide Shibutani, Youhei Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20060141337
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided having a positive electrode layer (13) and a negative electrode layer (14) disposed on the front and rear sides of an electrolyte membrane (12), for generating electricity by bringing hydrogen into contact with a catalyst in the negative electrode layer and bringing oxygen into contact with a catalyst in the positive electrode layer. The positive electrode layer includes the components electrolyte, carbon (36, 37), a catalyst (38) carried on the carbon, a pore-forming material and a water-repellent resin. In the electrolyte membrane vicinity (34) of the positive electrode layer, which is a part where the reaction between the oxygen and the hydrogen ions proceeds readily, the electrolyte/carbon weight ratio and the carried catalyst amount are made large. In parts where product water tends to stagnate, the amounts of the pore-forming material and the water-repellent resin are increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohide Shibutani, Osamu Kakutani