Abstract: A mixing pump device (1) used for fuel cells etc. has two inflow paths (51, 52), inflow side active valves (21, 22) arranged at the two inflow paths (51, 52), respectively, a pump chamber (11) into which liquids flow via each of two inflow paths (511, 522), four outflow paths (61, 62, 63, 64) for allowing a liquid mixed in the pump chamber (11) to flow out, and outflow side active valves (31, 32, 33, 34) arranged at the four outflow paths (61, 62, 63, 64), respectively. The inflow paths (511, 522) are opened in the directions where turbulent flow and/or swirl flow is formed in the pump chamber (11). The construction prevents a variation in the concentration of the liquid allowed to flow out of the outflow paths (61, 62, 63, 64) after the mixing in the pump chamber (11).

Abstract: A fuel cell system operating method in which a temperature of a fuel cell power generator is measured when the fuel cell power generator stops generating power, and it is determined whether the temperature is within a predetermined temperature range, and a reverse current is supplied to the fuel cell power generator upon restart if the temperature was determined to be outside of the predetermined range so as to increase the efficiency of the system after restarting the fuel cell power generator after being exposed to extreme conditions. Subsequently, the reverse current supply to the fuel cell power generator stops and electric energy is generated through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell power generator.

Abstract: A pump device may include a main body which may have an inflow passage in communication with an inflow port, an inflow side active valve disposed in the inflow passage, a pump chamber connected to the inflow passage, a pump mechanism disposed in the pump chamber, a plurality of outflow passages extended from the pump chamber and respectively in communication with a plurality of outflow ports, and outflow side active valves respectively disposed in a plurality of the outflow passages, wherein the outflow side active valves are disposed in a plane manner around the pump chamber. The pump may be capable of accurately discharging an appropriate amount of fluid.

Abstract: In a mixing pump device (1), during an suctioning step a stepping motor (12) rotates in a first direction, so that during this time, a plurality of fluids can be drawn in prescribed proportions into a pump chamber (2), by sequentially opening and closing active valves (5a, 5b) situated in inflow passages (3a, 3b) while active valves (6a, 6b) situated in outflow passages (4a, 4b) are in a closed state. During the discharging step the stepping motor (12) rotates in a second direction, so that during this time, a mixed fluid can be discharged from the pump chamber (2) simply by sequentially opening the active valves (6a, 6b) situated in the outflow passages (4a, 4b), while the active valves (5a, 5b) situated in the inflow passages (3a, 3b) are in a closed state. It is possible thereby to achieve a mixing pump device capable of mixing a plurality of fluids in prescribed proportions, without detecting the operating stage of the pump.

Abstract: A battery pack is provided, in which a plurality of rechargeable batteries are held by a center frame, a bottom-side frame, and a terminal-side frame in a parallel spaced relationship, the plurality of rechargeable batteries being connected in series and integrated with a circuit substrate by mounting the circuit substrate on the terminal-side frame, the circuit substrate being provided with a resin mold, whereby the battery pack is free of damage to electrical circuit parts even in the event of entrance of water or dust through vents that are provided for suppressing temperature rise of the rechargeable batteries.

Abstract: A power supply is provided, which is capable of stabilizing a generated output of the fuel cell using neither a voltage nor a current outputted from the fuel cell as a negative feedback signal. The power supply includes a fuel cell 110, a DC-DC converter 120 that adjusts a voltage outputted from the fuel cell 110 according to a PWM signal and then outputs the voltage to a load device 200, a switching controller 130 that generates the PWM signal and outputs this signal to the DC-DC converter 120, a voltmeter 140 that measures a voltage Vout outputted from the DC-DC converter 120, and a rechargeable battery 150 connected to the load device 200 in parallel. The DC-DC converter 120 calculates a duty ratio of the PWM signal by performing a specific computation using the voltage Vout and a target fuel cell voltage Vt.

Abstract: A power supply device, comprising first and second lead terminals for connection with a load, a fuel cell, an energy storage element connected between the first and second lead terminals, a synchronous-rectification switching power-source portion for converting the output voltage of the fuel cell to the output voltage of the energy storage element and outputting it to the first and second lead terminals, and a current-detecting portion for detecting the output current of the fuel cell, the switching power-source portion further comprising a first switching element connected to the energy storage element in series, a second switching element connected to the energy storage element in parallel, and a simultaneous-turn-off controller for turning off the first and second switching elements simultaneously when the output current detected by the current-detecting portion is not larger than a preset current threshold.

Abstract: An electrical device comprises a positive electrode terminal for connection to the positive electrode of a battery, a negative electrode terminal for connection to the negative electrode of the battery, a load circuit receiving power from the positive and negative electrode terminals connected to the battery, a voltage detector detecting the voltage between the positive and negative electrode terminals, and a short circuiting portion for short-circuiting between the positive and negative electrode terminals when the voltage detected by the voltage detector becomes not larger than a particular preset voltage.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus is provided which includes: a fuel cell; a power storage device which stores electric power; a connection terminal for connecting a load; a charge-used voltage converter which converts the output voltage of the fuel cell into a charging voltage for charging the power storage device and charges the power storage device; and an output-used voltage converter which converts the output voltage of the power storage device into a predetermined set output voltage and outputs it to the connection terminal.

Abstract: A method for operating a fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack composed of a plurality of cells connected in series. The method includes the steps of: (a) supplying a fuel and an oxidant to anodes and cathodes of the cells, respectively, depending on a load to generate power at a constant voltage under constant voltage control; (b) temporarily suspending the supply of the oxidant with the fuel being supplied; and (c) lowering the constant voltage to a predetermined voltage simultaneously with or immediately before the suspension of the supply of the oxidant. According to this operation method, when the supply of the oxidant is suspended, a platinum catalyst in the cathodes can be reduced and reactivated in all the cells.

Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell system which reduces voltage variations of a plurality of fuel cells and stabilizes a generated power of a fuel cell stack. A fuel cell system according to the invention includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells connected in series, a fuel supply device, an air supply device and a controller. The controller sets at least one of a fuel supply amount and an air supply amount for each fuel cell based on each voltage of the plurality of fuel cells so that each voltage variation of the plurality of fuel cells may be minimized, and the fuel supply device supplies fuel to each of the fuel cells based on the fuel supply amount of each fuel cell, and/or the air supply device supplies air to each of the fuel cells based on the air supply amount of each fuel cell.

Abstract: A power supply system for portable apparatus comprising a power supply, i.e. a lithium ion secondary battery, a section for detecting the temperature of the power supply, a section for detecting the voltage of the power supply, a storage section, and a forced discharge section. The storage section stores the control operating temperature, the control operating voltage, and the control termination voltage. The forced discharge section recognizes a state that the temperature of the power supply is not lower than the control operation temperature and the voltage of the power supply is not lower than the control operation voltage as a fault of the power supply. An indicating section is electrified from the power supply and a message to the effect that the system is avoiding abnormality is indicated by the indicating section. Furthermore, the power supply is discharged forcedly until the voltage of the power supply reaches the control termination voltage.

Abstract: Electronic equipment is provided in which a bi-directional voltage converter is connected between a fuel cell and a secondary battery, and a load apparatus is connected in parallel to the fuel cell. Further, if a plurality of voltage converters are provided, when each output voltage is closer to an output voltage of the secondary battery than an output voltage of the fuel cell, they are classified into a first voltage-converter group, while being closer to the output voltage of the fuel cell than the output voltage of the secondary battery, they are sorted out as a second voltage-converter group. Then, the secondary battery is connected in parallel to the first voltage-converter group and the fuel cell is connected in parallel to the second voltage-converter group.

Abstract: The power supply apparatus of the present invention comprises a fuel cell, a secondary battery for supplying power to a load, a power measurement section for measuring the output power of the fuel cell, a power converter which inputs output of the fuel cell, controls the output power so that the input voltage or the input current approaches the operation target value, supplies the output power to the load and/or the secondary battery and conducts a power conversion, and a control section which controls quantity of fuel to be supplied to the fuel cell, and also indicates to the power converter of an operation target value that comes within predetermined range which includes the smallest quantity of fuel the fuel cell discharges, wherein the control section sequentially indicates a plurality of the target values for power measurement to the power converter, the power measurement section measures the output power of the fuel cell for each target value for power measurement, and the control section seeks the targ

Abstract: A power supply apparatus comprises a power generating device in which the output power supplied to a load varies depending on a power generating condition; a current detection part for detecting the current output from the power generating device; a target output voltage setting part for setting a target output voltage of the power generating device; an error amplifier for amplifying the error between the voltage output from the power generating device and the target output voltage and outputting an error signal; a current control part for receiving input of the error signal, controlling the output current of the generating device so as to make the absolute value of the error signal small and outputting it to external output terminals; and an operation part for calculating the target output voltage as a desired operating condition of the power generating device by a predetermined function having at least the current detected by the current detecting part as an input parameter, and issuing it to the target out

Abstract: A power supply apparatus comprises a power generating device in which the output power supplied to a load varies depending on a power generating condition; a current detection part for detecting the current output from the power generating device; a target output voltage setting part for setting a target output voltage of the power generating device; an error amplifier for amplifying the error between the voltage output from the power generating device and the target output voltage and outputting an error signal; a current control part for receiving input of the error signal, controlling the output current of the generating device so as to make the absolute value of the error signal small and outputting it to external output terminals; and an operation part for calculating the target output voltage as a desired operating condition of the power generating device by a predetermined function having at least the current detected by the current detecting part as an input parameter, and issuing it to the target out

Abstract: The power supply apparatus of the present invention comprises a fuel cell, a secondary battery for supplying power to a load, a power measurement section for measuring the output power of the fuel cell, a power converter which inputs output of the fuel cell, controls the output power so that the input voltage or the input current approaches the operation target value, supplies the output power to the load and/or the secondary battery and conducts a power conversion, and a control section which controls quantity of fuel to be supplied to the fuel cell, and also indicates to the power converter of an operation target value that comes within predetermined range which includes the smallest quantity of fuel the fuel cell discharges, wherein the control section sequentially indicates a plurality of the target values for power measurement to the power converter, the power measurement section measures the output power of the fuel cell for each target value for power measurement, and the control section seeks the targ

Abstract: A clean power supply unit with a high fuel utilization rate using a fuel cell is provided. The power supply unit of the present invention comprises a fuel cell using methanol as fuel; a secondary battery for supplying power to a load; a fuel cell control part for controlling the amount of fuel and/or air supplied to the above-mentioned fuel cell; and a power converter for converting the power output from the above-mentioned fuel cell to a predetermined voltage or current, supplying power to the load and/or the above-mentioned secondary battery and controlling the supplied power so as to fall within a predetermined range including the value at which the amount of methanol discharged from the above-mentioned fuel cell becomes minimized.

Abstract: A method for operating a direct methanol fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell includes a fuel cell main body having a fuel electrode and an air electrode disposed in opposing positions on either side of an electrolyte film. In this method, an aqueous methanol solution is supplied directly to the fuel electrode. A quantity of the aqueous methanol solution supplied is controlled in accordance with an electric current value drawn from the fuel cell main body so as to minimize a quantity of unused methanol within a discharge fluid discharged from the fuel electrode.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor is disclosed having a sensing element and a pair of driven mass drive elements. The driven mass drive elements have a support structure which defines at least one vibrational node. the driven mass drive element drive elements are coupled to the sensing element at the node so as to allow the driven mass drive elements to oscillate about an axis to generate Coriolis forces, which are measured by the sensing element.