Patents by Inventor Yoshitsugu Sone
Yoshitsugu Sone 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: 11923579Abstract: A method of controlling a fuel cell device includes: a step of determining whether impedance between a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode is greater than a predetermined threshold during a steady operation of the fuel cell device; a step of decreasing a flow rate of a gas circulating via a circulation passage connecting a gas introduction passage of the gas supply unit to a gas discharge passage when the impedance is greater than the predetermined threshold; a step of measuring the voltage between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode when the impedance is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, and determining whether the voltage is equal to or less than a first predetermined threshold; and a step of increasing the flow rate of the gas circulating via the circulation passage when the voltage is equal to or less than the first predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2020Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCYInventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Motohiko Sato
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Publication number: 20240066504Abstract: Provided is a technique for molding a functional material without deteriorating the function of the functional material. A method for producing a functional material molded article of the present disclosure includes: dispersing a functional material in a water-alcohol mixed solution to obtain a liquid dispersion; impregnating a porous molding base material with the liquid dispersion to obtain an impregnated product; and drying the impregnated product.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2022Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCYInventors: Asuka SHIMA, Yoshitsugu SONE, Motohiko SATO, Takayuki ABE, Mitsuhiro INOUE
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Publication number: 20240063391Abstract: Provided are: an electrode and a method for producing the same, with which it is possible to produce a primary battery or a secondary battery having excellent characteristics such as environment resistance; and a battery provided with the electrode. This electrode is for a primary battery or a secondary battery, and comprises a current collector and an active material layer provided on the surface of the current collector. The active material layer is composed of: a plurality of active material particles; and a layered metal sulfide for filling portions between the plurality of active material particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2021Publication date: February 22, 2024Applicant: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCYInventors: Eiji Hosono, Daisuke Asakura, Hirokazu Kitaura, Yoshitsugu Sone, Ayaka Takahashi
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Patent number: 11699801Abstract: A cell for water electrolysis/fuel cell power generation which includes a flow path configured to supply or discharge water in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a stacking direction of the cell; an oxygen-containing gas flow path configured to discharge or supply an oxygen-containing gas in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell; and a hydrogen-containing gas flow path configured to discharge or supply the hydrogen-containing gas in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell. Each of the oxygen-side electrode layer and the hydrogen-side electrode layer is an electrode layer having water repellency.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2017Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Inventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Hiroshige Matsumoto, Yuki Terayama, Takamasa Haji, Riichi Sasamori, Motohiko Sato
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Patent number: 11661383Abstract: An object is to provide a methane synthesis device having as a whole a reduced size and a simplified configuration. A methane synthesis device 100 is composed of respective components from an end plate 2 at the leftmost side to an end plate 23 at the rightmost side and is compactly assembled by fastening plural bolts and nuts to bring these individual components into tightly contact with each other. The components may be divided into a Sabatier reaction unit of signs 3 to 9, a water electrolysis unit of signs 13 to 19, and other components. Hydrogen gas generated in the water electrolysis unit is mixed with carbon dioxide gas and supplied to the Sabatier reaction unit, and methane is synthesized in the Sabatier reaction unit. The size of the device is reduced as a whole and configuration is simplified by integrally stacking the water electrolysis unit, the Sabatier reaction unit, a carbon dioxide supplying unit, and a hydrogen gas supplying unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCYInventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Omar Mendoza, Asuka Shima, Takayuki Abe, Mitsuhiro Inoue, Hiroshige Matsumoto, Yuki Terayama, Motohiko Sato
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Publication number: 20230124256Abstract: A method of controlling a fuel cell device includes: a step of purging a hydrogen supply unit of a fuel electrode and purging a gas supply unit of an oxidant electrode when an operation of the fuel cell device ends; a step of measuring a voltage between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode and determining whether the voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold; a step of continuing power generation in the fuel cell device when the voltage is greater than the predetermined threshold; and a step of depressurizing the hydrogen supply unit and the gas supply unit when the voltage is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2020Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventors: Yoshitsugu SONE, Motohiko SATO
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Patent number: 11618958Abstract: A hydrogen-oxygen generation system includes an electrolytic cell configured to generate hydrogen and oxygen by electrolyzing water, and discharge the hydrogen and the oxygen as separate generated gasses. An accumulator includes a water storage chamber configured to store the water, and a gas chamber configured to receive a pressurized gas, and the water storage chamber and the gas chamber are separated from each other by an elastic body membrane. The accumulator is configured to transfer the water stored in the water storage chamber toward the electrolytic cell at a transfer pressure in accordance with a pressure of the pressurized gas in the gas chamber. A water supply unit is configured to supply the water to the water storage chamber, and a gas supply unit is configured to supply the pressurized gas to the gas chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2019Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignees: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD., JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY, KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Atsuko Homma, Kenichi Nagamoto, Naoki Ogawa, Yuta Nakatsuchi, Hidehiko Tajima, Yusaku Nasu, Yoshitsugu Sone, Hiroshige Matsumoto
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Publication number: 20230092461Abstract: A method of controlling a fuel cell device includes: a step of supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen supply unit; a step of measuring a voltage between a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode and determining whether the voltage is equal to or greater than a reference voltage; and a step of discharging a gas containing oxygen from the gas supply unit to the outside while supplying the gas to the gas supply unit when the voltage is equal to or greater than the reference voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2020Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Yoshitsugu SONE, Motohiko SATO
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Publication number: 20230084323Abstract: A method of controlling a fuel cell device includes: a step of determining whether impedance between a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode is greater than a predetermined threshold during a steady operation of the fuel cell device; a step of decreasing a flow rate of a gas circulating via a circulation passage connecting a gas introduction passage of the gas supply unit to a gas discharge passage when the impedance is greater than the predetermined threshold; a step of measuring the voltage between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode when the impedance is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, and determining whether the voltage is equal to or less than a first predetermined threshold; and a step of increasing the flow rate of the gas circulating via the circulation passage when the voltage is equal to or less than the first predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2020Publication date: March 16, 2023Inventors: Yoshitsugu SONE, Motohiko SATO
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Publication number: 20230060926Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell in which an electrolyte membrane is inserted between a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode, hydrogen is supplied to a hydrogen supply unit of the fuel electrode, and a gas containing oxygen is supplied to a gas supply unit of the oxidant electrode so that power is generated; a hydrogen coating unit disposed to cover the fuel cell and configured to be filled internally with hydrogen; and a hydrogen introduction unit configured to introduce hydrogen into the hydrogen coating unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2020Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Yoshitsugu SONE, Motohiko SATO
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Patent number: 11492301Abstract: An object is to provide a methane synthesis device having as a whole a reduced size and a simplified configuration. A methane synthesis device 100 is composed of respective components from an end plate 2 at the leftmost side to an end plate 23 at the rightmost side and is compactly assembled by fastening plural bolts and nuts to bring these individual components into tightly contact with each other. The components may be divided into a Sabatier reaction unit of signs 3 to 9, a water electrolysis unit of signs 13 to 19, and other components. Hydrogen gas generated in the water electrolysis unit is mixed with carbon dioxide gas and supplied to the Sabatier reaction unit, and methane is synthesized in the Sabatier reaction unit. The size of the device is reduced as a whole and configuration is simplified by integrally stacking the water electrolysis unit, the Sabatier reaction unit, a carbon dioxide supplying unit, and a hydrogen gas supplying unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2018Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration AgencyInventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Omar Mendoza, Asuka Shima, Takayuki Abe, Mitsuhiro Inoue, Hiroshige Matsumoto, Yuki Terayama, Motohiko Sato
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Publication number: 20220267232Abstract: An object is to provide a methane synthesis device having as a whole a reduced size and a simplified configuration. A methane synthesis device 100 is composed of respective components from an end plate 2 at the leftmost side to an end plate 23 at the rightmost side and is compactly assembled by fastening plural bolts and nuts to bring these individual components into tightly contact with each other. The components may be divided into a Sabatier reaction unit of signs 3 to 9, a water electrolysis unit of signs 13 to 19, and other components. Hydrogen gas generated in the water electrolysis unit is mixed with carbon dioxide gas and supplied to the Sabatier reaction unit, and methane is synthesized in the Sabatier reaction unit. The size of the device is reduced as a whole and configuration is simplified by integrally stacking the water electrolysis unit, the Sabatier reaction unit, a carbon dioxide supplying unit, and a hydrogen gas supplying unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Omar Mendoza, Asuka Shima, Takayuki Abe, Mitsuhiro Inoue, Hiroshige Matsumoto, Yuki Terayama, Motohiko Sato
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Patent number: 11421327Abstract: Provided are a water electrolysis method and a water electrolysis device in which mixing of the generated hydrogen and oxygen is greatly reduced and which have a high electrolysis efficiency, while being simplified in structure. In the water electrolysis method and water electrolysis device, water is electrolyzed by supplying water to the cathode side of an electrolytic membrane including a solid polymer membrane provided with a catalyst layer on a surface thereof and creating a potential difference between both surfaces of the electrolytic membrane. The temperature-controlled water is supplied only to the cathode side of the electrolytic membrane, while controlling the difference in pressure between both surfaces of the electrolytic membrane to 50 kPa or less.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2015Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignees: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY, HITACHI ZOSEN CORPORATION, W.L. GORE & ASSOCIATES G.K.Inventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Masato Sakurai, Naoki Sato, Hirohisa Umemoto, Tetsuya Yoshida, Wataru Ishida, Hiroyoshi Fujimoto
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Publication number: 20210355590Abstract: A hydrogen-oxygen generation system includes an electrolytic cell configured to generate hydrogen and oxygen by electrolyzing supplied water, and to discharge the generated hydrogen and oxygen as separate generated gasses. An accumulator includes a water storage chamber in which water is stored, and a gas chamber to which pressurized gas is supplied, and the water storage chamber and the gas chamber are separated from each other by an elastic body membrane. The accumulator is configured to transfer water stored in the water storage chamber toward the electrolytic cell at a transfer pressure in accordance with the pressure of the pressurized gas in the gas chamber. A water supply unit is configured to supply water to the water storage chamber, and a gas supply unit is configured to supply the pressurized gas to the gas chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2019Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventors: Atsuko HOMMA, Kenichi NAGAMOTO, Naoki OGAWA, Yuta NAKATSUCHI, Hidehiko TAJIMA, Yusaku NASU, Yoshitsugu SONE, Hiroshige MATSUMOTO
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Patent number: 11117118Abstract: In a hydrogen reduction catalyst for carbon dioxide of the present invention, catalytic metal nanoparticles and a metal oxide for suppressing grain growth of the catalytic metal nanoparticles are dispersed and supported on a carrier.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2018Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Inventors: Asuka Shima, Yoshitsugu Sone, Omar Mendoza, Takayuki Abe, Mitsuhiro Inoue
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Publication number: 20210257122Abstract: A generator (100) of the present invention has a heat source (101) containing a radioisotope substance precursor that becomes a radioisotope substance by irradiation with a neutron and a controller (108) that controls the irradiation with the neutron.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2019Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Yoshitsugu SONE, Hitoshi KUNINAKA, Takeshi TAKASHIMA, Takashi WATANABE
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Publication number: 20210179510Abstract: An object is to provide a methane synthesis device having as a whole a reduced size and a simplified configuration. A methane synthesis device 100 is composed of respective components from an end plate 2 at the leftmost side to an end plate 23 at the rightmost side and is compactly assembled by fastening plural bolts and nuts to bring these individual components into tightly contact with each other. The components may be divided into a Sabatier reaction unit of signs 3 to 9, a water electrolysis unit of signs 13 to 19, and other components. Hydrogen gas generated in the water electrolysis unit is mixed with carbon dioxide gas and supplied to the Sabatier reaction unit, and methane is synthesized in the Sabatier reaction unit. The size of the device is reduced as a whole and configuration is simplified by integrally stacking the water electrolysis unit, the Sabatier reaction unit, a carbon dioxide supplying unit, and a hydrogen gas supplying unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2018Publication date: June 17, 2021Inventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Omar Mendoza, Asuka Shima, Takayuki Abe, Mitsuhiro Inoue, Hiroshige Matsumoto, Yuki Terayama, Motohiko Sato
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Publication number: 20200147589Abstract: In a hydrogen reduction catalyst for carbon dioxide of the present invention, catalytic metal nanoparticles and a metal oxide for suppressing grain growth of the catalytic metal nanoparticles are dispersed and supported on a carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2018Publication date: May 14, 2020Inventors: Asuka SHIMA, Yoshitsugu SONE, Omar MENDOZA, Takayuki ABE, Mitsuhiro INOUE
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Patent number: 10534038Abstract: It is intended to recognize the state of charge or depth of discharge of the battery more accurately than conventional technologies and to recognize health of a battery appropriately. Complex impedance between positive and negative electrodes of the battery is determined at a plurality of frequencies, and the state of charge or depth of discharge of the battery is estimated by comparing frequency dependency of Warburg impedance of the determined complex impedances with frequency dependency of Warburg impedance corresponding to a known state of charge or depth of discharge of the battery.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2016Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration AgencyInventors: Kohei Tanaka, Yoshitsugu Sone, Seisuke Fukuda, Masayuki Itagaki
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Publication number: 20190252708Abstract: A cell for water electrolysis/fuel cell power generation which includes a flow path configured to supply or discharge water in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a stacking direction of the cell; an oxygen-containing gas flow path configured to discharge or supply an oxygen-containing gas in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell; and a hydrogen-containing gas flow path configured to discharge or supply the hydrogen-containing gas in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell. Each of the oxygen-side electrode layer and the hydrogen-side electrode layer is an electrode layer having water repellency.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2017Publication date: August 15, 2019Inventors: Yoshitsugu SONE, Hiroshige MATSUMOTO, Yuki TERAYAMA, Takamasa HAJI, Riichi SASAMORI, Motohiko SATO