Patents by Inventor Yuji Matsumoto

Yuji Matsumoto 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).

  • Publication number: 20120301804
    Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided that can establish, for a long time period, a stack to an idling stop state. The fuel cell system includes: an idling stop control means for setting the stack to an idling stop state by, decreasing both a supplied amount of air to the stack and generated electric current produced from the stack to less than during the idling power generation; and a discharge valve control means for determining whether there is a necessity to discharge nitrogen or generated water inside of the anode system, and for opening the purge valve or drain valve in a case of there being a necessity. The discharge valve control means shortens valve open times (PO2, DO2) of the purge valve and drain valve during idling stop to less than the valve open times (PO1, DO1) thereof during idling power generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chihiro WAKE, Yuji MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120301803
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an ECU that sets the fuel cell stack to a state of idling stop by lowering both a revolution speed of an air pump and a discharge current value of the fuel cell stack to less than during idling power generation within a range larger than 0, in response to a predetermined idling stop initiation condition having been satisfied during idling power generation. The ECU decreases the discharge current value further as the lowest cell voltage value CV_low of the fuel cell stack decreases so that the lowest cell voltage value CV_low does not fall below a cancellation threshold B, with an event of the lowest cell voltage CV_low of the fuel cell stack having fallen below the cancellation threshold B as a cancellation condition of idling stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chihiro WAKE, Yuji MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120292990
    Abstract: In a case where a load amount of a load is a predetermined value or less, a control device of an FC vehicle implements extremely low current control for performing power generation at an extremely low current below a lower limit current of an FC for normal operation. At the time of implementing the extremely low current control, upper and lower limit values of a target output voltage of the converter are set in correspondence with the extremely low current, and the output voltage of the FC is controlled to be within a range between the upper and lower limit values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kazunori Watanabe, Takuya Shirasaka, Yuji Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20120270729
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst for purification of nitrogen oxides, the catalyst comprising a solid in which Au and Fe atoms exist in a state of being close. In accordance with the present invention, a catalyst that can demonstrate NOx purification performance at low temperatures and/or in an oxidative atmosphere is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mayuko Osaki, Hirohito Hirata, Naoto Nagata, Yuji Matsumoto, Kei Kuramoto
  • Publication number: 20120270126
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that can quickly transition to idling stop and can suppress degradation of the electrolyte membrane and decline in cell voltage during idling stop, without requiring a discharge resistor to be provided, and a control method thereof are provided. A fuel cell system (1) includes a fuel cell (10) configured by layering a plurality of fuel cell cells that generate power by reactant gas being supplied thereto, and a supply device 20 that supplies reactant gas to the fuel cell (10), in which idling stop control is initiated to supply air of a lower flow rate than during idling power generation to the fuel cell (10), while producing lower current than during idling power generation from the fuel cell (10), in a case of a predetermined condition being established during idling power generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji MATSUMOTO, Kenichiro UEDA, Chihiro WAKE, Go KIKUCHI, Koichiro MIYATA
  • Patent number: 8286963
    Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus comprises a switchback path including a switchback section, and a straight path that bypasses the switchback section. The controller of the sheet handling apparatus detects the conveyance-directional length of a sheet assigned to the switchback section, using a length sensor, and also detects the sheet conveyance rate of each path, thereby controlling a switchback roller based on the detection results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yuji Matsumoto, Yukio Asari
  • Patent number: 8288047
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an idle stop unit, a discharger, a power-generation-state memory, and an initial-current-value setter. The idle stop unit is configured to stop a supply of the reactant gas to a fuel cell. The discharger is configured to allow the fuel cell to generate the electric power with the reactant gas remaining in the fuel cell after the idle stop unit stops the supply of the reactant gas and is configured to discharge electric current to a current receiver. The power-generation-state memory is configured to store a power-generation state of the fuel cell immediately before the idle stop unit stops the supply of the reactant gas. The initial-current-value setter is configured to set an initial current value of the fuel cell discharged by the discharger on a basis of the power-generation state of the fuel cell stored in the power-generation-state memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ueda, Junji Uehara, Yuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8288044
    Abstract: A start-up method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that carries out power generation by the electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and the oxygen gas in the air; a fuel gas discharge path and a fuel gas supply path that are connected to the fuel cell; a fuel gas circulation path in which the fuel gas discharge path merges with the fuel gas supply path; and a purge valve provided on the fuel gas circulation path in order to discharge the circulating fuel gas from the fuel gas circulation path. The method includes the steps of opening the purge valve at the same time that the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell and replacing the nitrogen gas that originates in the air and is present in the fuel gas circulation path by fuel gas; and closing the purge valve after the nitrogen gas in the fuel gas circulation path has been replaced by the fuel gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Hayashi, Kenichiro Ueda, Yoshio Hosono, Minoru Uoshima, Junji Uehara, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yuji Matsumoto, Chihiro Wake
  • Publication number: 20120251910
    Abstract: A method includes an in-stop-mode power generating process and a first startup process. In the a first startup process, if an operation start instruction to start a fuel cell system is detected after the in-stop-mode power generating process, supply of a fuel gas from a fuel-gas supply apparatus is started, and supply of an oxide gas from an oxide-gas supply apparatus is started after a predetermined time has elapsed from the starting of supply of the fuel gas, when a pressure of an anode side is equal to or lower than a first threshold pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji MATSUMOTO, Chihiro Wake
  • Publication number: 20120225364
    Abstract: A method includes an in-stop-mode power generating process of, if an instruction to stop an operation of a fuel cell is detected, stopping supply of a fuel gas, and supplying an oxide gas to the fuel cell to generate power from an oxide-gas supply apparatus, and then stopping power generation of the fuel cell, and a gas replacing process of, after the power generation of the fuel cell is stopped, activating the gas replacement apparatus at a predetermined timing to supply a replacement gas to the anode side of the fuel cell to replace the fuel gas on the anode side with the replacement gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji MATSUMOTO, Koichiro Miyata
  • Publication number: 20120225365
    Abstract: A method includes determining, if an instruction to stop a operation of a fuel cell is detected, whether an in-stop-mode power generating process has been executed, a fuel gas being to be stopped and an oxide gas being to be supplied to the fuel cell to generate power from the oxide-gas supply apparatus in the in-stop-mode power generating process, and shortening a time for a diluting process to be executed by a scavenging apparatus when it is determined that the in-stop-mode power generating process has been executed, as compared with a case where it is determined that the in-stop-mode power generating process has not been executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji MATSUMOTO, Koichiro Miyata
  • Patent number: 8241804
    Abstract: A method includes determining, if an instruction to stop a operation of a fuel cell is detected, whether an in-stop-mode power generating process has been executed, a fuel gas being to be stopped and an oxide gas being to be supplied to the fuel cell to generate power from the oxide-gas supply apparatus in the in-stop-mode power generating process, and shortening a time for a diluting process to be executed by a scavenging apparatus when it is determined that the in-stop-mode power generating process has been executed, as compared with a case where it is determined that the in-stop-mode power generating process has not been executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Matsumoto, Koichiro Miyata
  • Patent number: 8213646
    Abstract: A stereophonic apparatus uses three speakers respectively installed toward a front of a vehicle on both shoulders of a seat back of a driver's seat and toward a back of the vehicle on an exact center in front of a driver. This configuration provides more effectively exerted positioning effects for a virtual sound source realized by using the three speakers, especially for the effects in a frontward field of sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Matsumoto, Sei Iguchi, Wataru Kobayashi, Kazuhiko Furuya, Keita Yonai
  • Publication number: 20120141897
    Abstract: A start-up method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that carries out power generation by the electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and the oxygen gas in the air; a fuel gas discharge path and a fuel gas supply path that are connected to the fuel cell; a fuel gas circulation path in which the fuel gas discharge path merges with the fuel gas supply path; and a purge valve provided on the fuel gas circulation path in order to discharge the circulating fuel gas from the fuel gas circulation path. The method includes the steps of opening the purge valve at the same time that the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell and replacing the nitrogen gas that originates in the air and is present in the fuel gas circulation path by fuel gas; and closing the purge valve after the nitrogen gas in the fuel gas circulation path has been replaced by the fuel gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori HAYASHI, Kenichiro UEDA, Yoshio HOSONO, Minoru UOSHIMA, Junji UEHARA, Tomoki KOBAYASHI, Yuji MATSUMOTO, Chihiro WAKE
  • Patent number: 8148033
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell system in which a noise and a vibration of a compressor can be suppressed. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fuel cell system including a fuel cell; a compressor for supplying an oxidant gas to the fuel cell, having a first rotational speed region within which as a rotational speed increases, a noise becomes greater than a predetermined value, and a second rotational speed region within which as the rotational speed increases, the noise becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value; and a compressor controller for controlling the compressor by calculating a command rotational speed for commanding the compressor based on a required amount of power generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Miyata, Satoshi Aoyagi, Kenichiro Ueda, Junji Uehara, Takuya Shirasaka, Yuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8142947
    Abstract: A start-up method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that carries out power generation by the electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and the oxygen gas in the air; a fuel gas discharge path and a fuel gas supply path that are connected to the fuel cell; a fuel gas circulation path in which the fuel gas discharge path merges with the fuel gas supply path; and a purge valve provided on the fuel gas circulation path in order to discharge the circulating fuel gas from the fuel gas circulation path. The method includes the steps of opening the purge valve at the same time that the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell and replacing the nitrogen gas that originates in the air and is present in the fuel gas circulation path by fuel gas; and closing the purge valve after the nitrogen gas in the fuel gas circulation path has been replaced by the fuel gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Hayashi, Kenichiro Ueda, Yoshio Hosono, Minoru Uoshima, Junji Uehara, Tomoki Kobayashi, Yuji Matsumoto, Chihiro Wake
  • Publication number: 20120062351
    Abstract: A ferromagnetic amorphous alloy ribbon includes an alloy having a composition represented by FeaSibBcCd where 80.5?a?83 at. %, 0.5?b?6 at. %, 12?c?16.5 at. %, 0.01?d?1 at. % with a+b+c+d=100 and incidental impurities, the ribbon being cast from a molten state of the alloy with a molten alloy surface tension of greater than or equal to 1.1 N/m on a chill body surface; the ribbon having a ribbon length, a ribbon thickness, and a ribbon surface facing the chill body surface; the ribbon having ribbon surface protrusions being formed on the ribbon surface facing the chill body surface; the ribbon surface protrusions being measured in terms of a protrusion height and a number of protrusions; the protrusion height exceeding 3 ?m and less than four times the ribbon thickness, and the number of protrusions being less than 10 within 1.5 m of the cast ribbon length; and the alloy ribbon in its annealed straight strip form having a saturation magnetic induction exceeding 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicants: HITACHI METALS, LTD., METGLAS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric A. Theisen, James Perrozi, Yuichi Ogawa, Yuji Matsumoto, Daichi Azuma, Ryusuke Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20120048428
    Abstract: A ferromagnetic amorphous alloy ribbon includes an alloy having a composition represented by FeaSibBcCd where 80.5?a?83 at. %, 0.5?b?6 at. %, 12?c?16.5 at. %, 0.01?d?1 at. % with a+b+c+d=100 and incidental impurities, the defect length along a direction of the ribbon's length being between 5 mm and 200 mm, the defect depth being less than 0.4×t ?m and the defect occurrence frequency being less than 0.05×w times within 1.5 m of ribbon length, where t and w are ribbon thickness and ribbon width, respectively, and the ribbon in its annealed state and straight strip form of the ribbon, has a saturation magnetic induction exceeding 1.60 T, and exhibits a magnetic core loss of less than 0.14 W/kg when measured at 60 Hz and at 1.3 T induction level. The ribbon is suitable for use in transformer cores, rotational machines, electrical chokes, magnetic sensors and pulse power devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicants: HITACHI METALS, LTD., METGLAS, INC.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ogawa, Eric A. Theisen, Yuji Matsumoto, James Perrozi, Ryusuke Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20120049992
    Abstract: A ferromagnetic amorphous alloy ribbon includes an alloy having a composition represented by FeaSibBcCd where 80.5?a?83 at. %, 0.5?b?6 at. %, 12?c?16.5 at. %, 0.01?d?1 at. % with a+b+c+d=100 and incidental impurities; the ribbon being cast from a molten state of the alloy, with a molten alloy surface tension of greater than or equal to 1.1 N/m; the defect length along a direction of the ribbon's length being between 5 mm and 200 mm, the defect depth being less than 0.4×t ?m and the defect occurrence frequency being less than 0.05×w times within 1.5 m of ribbon length, where t is the ribbon thickness and w is the ribbon width, and the ribbon having a saturation magnetic induction exceeding 1.60 T and exhibiting a magnetic core loss of less than 0.14 W/kg when measured at 60 Hz and at 1.3 T induction level in an annealed straight strip form, and a core magnetic loss of less than 0.3 W/kg and an exciting power of less than 0.4 VA/kg in an annealed wound transformer core form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicants: HITACHI METALS, LTD., METGLAS, INC.
    Inventors: Daichi Azuma, Ryusuke Hasegawa, Yuichi Ogawa, Eric A. Theisen, Yuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8097372
    Abstract: A controller of a fuel cell system includes an anode gas replacement apparatus, a stoppage time detection apparatus, and a cathode gas flow rate control apparatus. The anode gas replacement apparatus replaces hydrogen in an anode gas channel using an anode gas supply apparatus. The stoppage time detection apparatus detects a stoppage time during which operation of the fuel cell stack is stopped. When the anode gas replacement apparatus replaces the hydrogen, the cathode gas flow rate control apparatus changes the flow rate of the cathode gas supplied from the cathode gas supply apparatus depending on the stoppage time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ueda, Junji Uehara, Yuji Matsumoto