Patents by Inventor Tomohisa Yoshie
Tomohisa Yoshie 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: 20140134509Abstract: A direct alcohol fuel cell system including a fuel cell unit having a direct alcohol fuel cell including an anode electrode, an electrolyte membrane, and a cathode electrode in this order, a fuel supply unit for supplying alcohol fuel to the anode electrode, a detecting unit for detecting a current value I of a current flowing between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode of the direct alcohol fuel cell or an output voltage value V of the direct alcohol fuel cell, and a temperature T of the direct alcohol fuel cell, and a control unit for determining a supply quantity Q of alcohol fuel to the anode electrode based on detection results of the current value I or the output voltage value V, and the temperature T and controlling the fuel supply unit so that the supply quantity of the alcohol fuel is adjusted to the supply quantity Q.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2012Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: c/o Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hirotaka Mizuhata, Tomohisa Yoshie, Mutsuko Yamamoto, Shinobu Takenaka, Takenori Onishi, Masashi Muraoka
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Publication number: 20140106243Abstract: A fuel cell including a unit cell having an anode, an electrolyte membrane, and a cathode in this order, a liquid fuel accommodation portion composed of a space opening on an anode side and arranged on the anode side, for accommodating or allowing flow of liquid fuel, and a first moisture retention layer arranged between the unit cell and the liquid fuel accommodation portion is provided. This fuel cell may further include a second moisture retention layer arranged on the cathode. This fuel cell can be a direct alcohol fuel cell. For example, pure methanol or a methanol aqueous solution is adopted as the liquid fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2012Publication date: April 17, 2014Applicant: C/O SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinobu Takenaka, Mutsuko Komoda, Tomohisa Yoshie, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Takenori Onishi, Masashi Muraoka
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Publication number: 20130280623Abstract: The present invention has been achieved to provide a metal-air battery that allows removal of a metallic compound without suspending power supply. The metal-air battery of the present invention includes: first and second electrolytic tanks for storing an electrolytic solution; a metallic electrode to serve as an anode provided in the first electrolytic tank; and an air electrode to serve as a cathode, wherein the metallic electrode is formed of a metal which becomes a metallic ion or composes a metallic compound in the electrolytic solution with progress of a battery reaction, the first and second electrolytic tanks are communicated with each other for allowing the electrolytic solution in the first electrolytic tank to move into the second electrolytic tank, and the metallic ion or the metallic compound in the electrolytic solution is precipitated as a metallic compound precipitate in the second electrolytic tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2013Publication date: October 24, 2013Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akihito YOSHIDA, Hirotaka MIZUHATA, Tomohisa YOSHIE, Masaki KAGA, Shinobu TAKENAKA, Tomoharu ARAI
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Publication number: 20130122382Abstract: Provided are a carbon dioxide separator and method of use therefor for separating carbon dioxide gas from a mixed gas containing oxygen and carbon dioxide gases, said carbon dioxide separator comprising: a carbon dioxide separating stack having in sequence an anode electrode, an anion-exchange polymer electrolyte membrane and a cathode electrode; a reducing agent supply chamber for supplying a reducing agent to the anode electrode, said reducing agent supply chamber disposed on the outer surface of the anode electrode and comprising a space in which at least a part of the anode electrode side is exposed; and a mixed gas supply chamber for supplying the mixed gas to the cathode electrode, said mixed gas supply chamber disposed on an outer surface of the cathode electrode and comprising a space in which at least a part of the cathode electrode side is exposed. The anode and cathode electrodes are electrically connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2011Publication date: May 16, 2013Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hirotaka Mizuhata, Shunsuke Sata, Akihito Yoshida, Tomohisa Yoshie
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Publication number: 20130034793Abstract: Provided is a fuel battery including: a fuel battery cell assembly having at least two fuel battery cells coplanarly disposed, the fuel battery cell including a membrane electrode assembly having an anode, an electrolytic membrane, and a cathode stacked on one another in this order, and a flow channel plate provided on an anode side and having on an anode-side surface thereof an in-cell fuel flow channel through which liquid fuel flows; and a fuel distributor having an out-cell fuel flow channel connected to each of the in-cell fuel flow channels to distribute the liquid fuel to the fuel battery cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2012Publication date: February 7, 2013Inventors: Takenori ONISHI, Tomohisa YOSHIE, Hirotaka MIZUHATA, Mutsuko KOMODA, Shinobu TAKENAKA, Masashi MURAOKA
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Publication number: 20130029242Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly having a temperature responsive layer whose material permeability is reduced with temperature rise, on a laminate including an anode catalyst layer, an electrolyte membrane and a cathode catalyst layer in this order, and a fuel cell using the same are provided. The temperature responsive layer may be composed of a porous layer containing a temperature responsive material whose moisture content changes at a phase transition temperature. It is possible to repress increase in fuel supply amount to the anode catalyst layer in association with temperature rise, and moisture evaporation from the electrolyte membrane in association with temperature rise, and to prevent excessive temperature rise and thermal runaway of the fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2011Publication date: January 31, 2013Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hirotaka Mizuhata, Tomohisa Yoshie, Shinobu Takenaka, Takenori Onishi, Masashi Muraoka
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Publication number: 20120135278Abstract: A redox flow battery comprising an electrode cell including a negative electrode cell, a positive electrode cell and a separator for separating them, in which at least one of the negative electrode cell and the positive electrode cell includes a slurry type electrode solution, a porous current collector and a casing; a tank for storing the slurry type electrode solution; and a pipe for circulating the slurry type electrode solution between the tank and the electrode cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2010Publication date: May 31, 2012Inventors: Tomohisa Yoshie, Naoto Nishimura, Yoshihiro Tsukuda, Hisayuki Utsumi, Yuki Watanabe, Akihito Yoshida, Shunsuke Sata, Shinobu Takenaka, Masaki Kaga
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Publication number: 20120034541Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell stack having reduced thickness and weight and an improved output density. The fuel cell stack according to the present invention includes two or more stacked fuel cell layers, and is characterized in that at least one of the fuel cell layers is formed by arranging two or more composite unit cells in an identical plane with a gap provided therebetween, that the composite unit cell includes a plurality of unit cells and a fuel supply portion for supplying fuel to anode electrodes of the unit cells, and that the anode electrodes of the plurality of unit cells are arranged to face the fuel supply portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2010Publication date: February 9, 2012Inventors: Masashi Muraoka, Toshiyuki Fujita, Tomohisa Yoshie, Hironori Kambara
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Publication number: 20110217619Abstract: There is provided a membrane electrode assembly comprising an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode stacked on one surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode electrode stacked on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane, and a channel plate arranged on a side of the anode electrode, said side being the reverse side of the electrolyte membrane side. The membrane electrode assembly also comprises an insulating sealing layer which covers at least the lateral surfaces of the anode electrode, the electrolyte membrane and the channel plate, and contains a water-swellable particle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2009Publication date: September 8, 2011Inventors: Tomohisa Yoshie, Akihito Yoshida, Shunsuke Sata, Masaki Kaga
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Publication number: 20110091778Abstract: The present invention relates to a small fuel cell and a small fuel cell stack each allowing for improved output. Conventionally, in a direct methanol fuel cell, carbon dioxide gas produced at an anode electrode side is exhausted together with a methanol aqueous solution. From the methanol aqueous solution, the carbon dioxide gas is separated, and then the methanol aqueous solution is reused as fuel. In this case, a liquid-gas separation device needs to be provided additionally, which results in a large fuel cell with an increased weight, disadvantageously. The present invention is made to solve such a problem by providing a fuel cell including a first unit cell having a cathode electrode, an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode, and an anode collector layer in this order; and one or more spacers arranged on the anode collector layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2009Publication date: April 21, 2011Inventors: Hironori Kambara, Toshiyuki Fujita, Tomohisa Yoshie, Yoshihiro Tsukuda, Chikaaki Kogure, Shunsuke Sata
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Publication number: 20110065016Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell including a membrane electrode assembly having a cathode electrode, an electrolyte membrane, and an anode electrode in this order, and an anode collector layer. The anode collector layer includes a pair of first walls provided along two opposite sides. The membrane electrode assembly is fitted between the first walls such that the anode electrode faces the anode collector layer. A fuel cell layer employing the fuel cells is also provided. Preferably, the fuel cell further includes a pair of second walls formed on the pair of first walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2009Publication date: March 17, 2011Inventors: Shunsuke Sata, Toshiyuki Fujita, Tomohisa Yoshie, Yoshihiro Tsukuda, Hironori Kambara, Chikaaki Kogure
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Publication number: 20100221633Abstract: A fuel cell stack formed by stacking two or more fuel cell layers each constituted of one or more unit cell and a fuel cell system including the same are provided. Any two fuel cell layers adjacent to each other each have one or more gap region. At least a part of the gap region in one fuel cell layer of any two fuel cell layers adjacent to each other is in contact with a unit cell constituting the other fuel cell layer. The gap region in one fuel cell layer and the gap region in the other fuel cell layer communicate with each other. The fuel cell stack is excellent in fuel or oxidizing agent supply performance and it realizes high power density.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2008Publication date: September 2, 2010Inventors: Toshiyuki Fujita, Hironori Kambara, Masashi Muraoka, Tomohisa Yoshie
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Publication number: 20080107949Abstract: There are provided a fuel cell having stable and good power generation characteristics and good safety, a fuel cell system including the fuel cell and an electronic device equipped with the fuel cell. The fuel cell includes at least an electrolyte membrane, an anode formed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode formed on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane, a liquid fuel chamber for supplying a liquid fuel to the anode, and a separating layer formed between the anode and the liquid fuel chamber. The separating layer and/or the anode has an exhaust passage that is continuously formed in an in-plane direction to discharge exhaust gas generated at the anode. The separating layer allows the liquid fuel to pass from the liquid fuel chamber to the anode and blocks the movement of gas from the anode to the liquid fuel chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2007Publication date: May 8, 2008Inventors: Tomohisa Yoshie, Norihiro Ochi, Kohtaroh Saitoh, Hironori Kanbara, Yasuyoshi Gotoh
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Publication number: 20080014495Abstract: There are provided a membrane electrode assembly (1) formed by stacking an extraction electrode (6a, 6b), a catalyst layer (5a, 5b), and an electrolyte membrane (2) in this order and integrating the same, and a method of manufacturing the membrane electrode assembly (1) including the steps of forming an electrode base material by fixing the extraction electrode (6a, 6b) at one surface of a base, forming the catalyst layer (5a, 5b) on the extraction electrode (6a, 6b), and integrating the electrode base material having the catalyst layer (5a, 5b) formed thereon with the electrolyte membrane (2). By such a method, the membrane electrode assembly can be manufactured with high yield, with favorable electrical contact maintained between the catalyst layer and the extraction electrode, without their being pressed and fixed by clamping from outside. Accordingly, it is possible to implement a fuel battery that can produce high output and can be downsized.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2005Publication date: January 17, 2008Inventors: Kotaro Saito, Katsumi Teraoka, Hironori Kambara, Tomohisa Yoshie, Toshiyuki Fujita, Norihiro Ochi