Patents by Inventor Yoshio Kiyokawa

Yoshio Kiyokawa 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).

  • Separator seal structure for a fuel cell
    Patent number: 7569298
    Abstract: A seal structure of a fuel cell includes a first seal surface formed in a first separator disposed on one side of an electrolyte membrane and a second seal surface formed in a second separator disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and a sealant collecting structure formed in or outside at least one of the first and second seal surfaces. The sealant collecting structure is constructed of a stepped receding surface formed in at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a concave or groove formed in an inner portion and/or an outer portion of at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a space formed outside at least one of the separators, or a stepped recess formed in at least one of the separators. The sealant collecting structure receives an extra sealant therein to ensure uniform seal pressure acting on the sealant and to prevent the extra sealant from being bulged out to gas passages and to a gas manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chisato Kato, Yoshio Kiyokawa, Shiro Akiyama
  • Seal structure of a fuel cell
    Publication number: 20020187384
    Abstract: A seal structure of a fuel cell includes a first seal surface formed in a first separator disposed on one side of an electrolyte membrane and a second seal surface formed in a second separator disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and a sealant collecting structure formed in or outside at least one of the first and second seal surfaces. The sealant collecting structure is constructed of a stepped receding surface formed in at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a concave or groove formed in an inner portion and/or an outer portion of at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a space formed outside at least one of the separators, or a stepped recess formed in at least one of the separators. The sealant collecting structure receives an extra sealant therein to ensure uniform seal pressure acting on the sealant and to prevent the extra sealant from being bulged out to gas passages and to a gas manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventors: Chisato Kato, Yoshio Kiyokawa, Shiro Akiyama