FUEL FILLING KIT AND FUEL FILLING METHOD

Abstract

A fuel filling kit 10 includes a filling nozzle capable of being inserted into an opening of a fuel cartridge, a filling vessel capable of filling liquid fuel reserved in the inside thereof into the fuel cartridge through the filling nozzle, and an opening sealing sheet for sealing the opening. The opening sealing sheet has a methanol blocking portion having a resisting property to liquid fuel and a sticking portion capable of being attached to the fuel cartridge.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/JP2009/059950 filed on Jun. 1, 2009 and which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-157227 filed on Jun. 16, 2008, the entire contents of which are being incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a fuel filling kit and a fuel filling method for filling liquid fuel into a fuel cartridge for reserving liquid fuel to be supplied to a fuel cell main body. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a technique which makes re-utilization of a fuel cartridge possible, reduces the running cost and makes it possible to implement resource saving.

In recent years, together with enhancement of functions or multi-functioning of portable electronic apparatus such as portable telephone sets, notebook type personal computers, digital cameras and camcorders, the power consumption of them has an increasing tendency. Therefore, attention is paid to a fuel cell with regard to which improvement in energy density and output power density can be expected as a power supply for such portable electronic apparatus.

In a fuel cell, fuel supplied to the anode side is oxidized while the air or oxygen is supplied to the cathode side to reduce the oxygen. And, chemical energy which the fuel has is converted efficiently into electric energy, and the electric energy is extracted and utilized. Therefore, if fuel continues to be supplied to the fuel cell, then the fuel cell can continue to be used as a power supply even if it is not charged.

Among such fuel cells as described above, solid polymer type fuel cells (PEFC) which use a proton conductive polymer membrane as an electrolyte have the highest possibility that it may become a power supply for portable electronic apparatus. Among such polymer type fuel cells, a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) which uses methanol without modification as fuel supplies methanol of the fuel as aqueous solution of methanol of a high concentration or a low concentration to the anode side. And, the supplied methanol is oxidized into carbon dioxide by a catalyst layer on the anode side. Further, hydrogen ions generated thereupon move to the cathode side past a proton conductive polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between the anode and the cathode and reacts with oxygen in a catalyst layer on the cathode side to produce water.

In this manner, in the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), methanol which is liquid fuel is supplied to the anode side to generate electric power. Further, the methanol is reserved in a fuel cartridge which is, for example, removably mounted on a fuel cell main body. Usually, remaining amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount of methanol is provided. And, if it is detected by the remaining detection means that the methanol is used up, then the fuel cartridge is removed from the fuel main body and is replaced with a new fuel cartridge (in which methanol is reserved).

However, if the used up fuel cartridge after replaced by the new fuel cartridge is thrown away, then this is a situation undesirable from the aspect of the running cost, resource saving and so forth. Further, the used up fuel cartridge is different only in that liquid fuel such as methanol is not reserved therein, but does not lose the function of supplying liquid fuel to the fuel cell main body.

Therefore, a technique is known which can fill liquid fuel into a fuel cartridge. In particular, the technique includes a filling nozzle for being connected to a fuel cartridge, and a valve which operates if the filling nozzle is connected to a fuel cartridge (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1).

Further, in the field of ink jet printers, a technique wherein ink can be filled into an ink cartridge which is removably mounted on a printer main body is known. In particular, the technique includes a jig for forming an opening in an ink cartridge, and a re-filling vessel for re-filling ink from the opening formed in the jig (refer to, for example, Patent Document 2).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-87777

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-180004

SUMMARY

However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is complicated in structure and does not allow a user of a portable electronic apparatus or the like, which is driven by a fuel cell, to fill liquid fuel easily. Meanwhile, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 is not suitable for filling of liquid fuel such as methanol because it is a technique for filling ink of an ink jet printer. Particularly if the technique of Patent Document 2 is used to fill liquid fuel for a fuel cell, then even if the opening is sealed later, the liquid fuel leaks.

Accordingly, it is to enable a user to fill liquid fuel easily into a fuel cartridge for reserving liquid fuel to be supplied to a fuel cell main body and prevent leakage of the liquid fuel after being filled.

According to an embodiment, there is provided a fuel filling kit including a filling nozzle capable of being inserted into an opening of a fuel cartridge for reserving liquid fuel to be supplied to a fuel cell main body, a filling vessel capable of filling liquid fuel reserved in the inside thereof into the fuel cartridge through the filling nozzle, and an opening sealing member for sealing the opening, the opening sealing member having a fuel resisting portion having a resisting property to liquid fuel, and an attaching portion capable of being attached to the fuel cartridge.

According to another embodiment, there is provided a fuel filling method including a filling nozzle insertion step of inserting a fuel nozzle into an opening of a fuel cartridge for reserving liquid fuel to be supplied to a fuel cell main body, a fuel filling step of filling, after the filling nozzle insertion step, liquid fuel reserved in the inside of a filling vessel into the fuel cartridge through the filling nozzle inserted in the opening, and an opening sealing step of sealing, after the fuel filling step, the opening of the fuel cartridge in which the liquid fuel is filled with an opening sealing member having a fuel resisting portion having a resisting property to liquid fuel.

(Operation)

In the embodiments described above, the filling nozzle is inserted into the opening of a fuel cartridge, and the liquid fuel reserved in the inside of the filling vessel is filled into the fuel cartridge through the filling nozzle. Therefore, a user of a portable electronic apparatus which operates with the fuel cell can fill liquid fuel easily into the fuel cartridge.

Further, in the embodiments described above, the opening of the fuel cartridge is sealed with the opening sealing member having the fuel resisting portion having a resisting property to the liquid fuel. Therefore, after the liquid fuel is filled, even if the liquid fuel is brought into contact with the opening sealing member, since the opening sealing member is protected by the fuel resisting portion, leakage of the liquid fuel after the filling can be prevented.

With the embodiments described above, a user can fill liquid fuel easily into a fuel cartridge for reserving liquid fuel to be supplied to a fuel cell body, and also leakage after the filling can be prevented. Therefore, re-utilization of the fuel cartridge by the user is possible, and not only the running cost is reduced, but resource saving can be implemented.

Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view and a sectional view showing a fuel cartridge for reserving liquid fuel.

FIG. 2 is a concept diagram showing a fuel cell system which uses liquid fuel to generate electric power.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view and so forth showing a fuel filling kit of a first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is explanatory views illustrating a fuel filling method (an opening formation step) for filling methanol using the fuel filling kit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is views illustrating the fuel filling method (a filling nozzle insertion step and a fuel filling step) for filling methanol using the fuel filling kit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is explanatory views illustrating the fuel filling method (an opening sealing step) for filling methanol using the fuel filling kit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view and so forth showing a fuel filling kit of a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is explanatory views illustrating a fuel filling method for filling methanol using the fuel filling kit of the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a filling vessel of a fuel filling kit of a third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a filling vessel of a fuel filling kit of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a filling vessel of a fuel filling kit of a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing a filling vessel of a fuel filling kit of a sixth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments are described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view and a sectional view showing a fuel cartridge 110 for reserving liquid fuel.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 1, the fuel cartridge 110 has a fuel vessel section 111 and a fuel supply port 112.

The fuel vessel section 111 is a space having a high sealing property for reserving methanol which is liquid fuel. And, the outer profile of the fuel vessel section 111 is formed as a parallelepiped removably mounted on a fuel cell main body 120 (not shown) hereinafter described. Further, a remaining amount sensor (not shown) for detecting the remaining amount of methanol is attached to the inside of the fuel vessel section 111. Therefore, when it is detected by the remaining amount sensor that the methanol in the fuel vessel section 111 is used up, it is possible to remove the fuel cartridge 110 from the fuel cell main body 120 and replace it with a new fuel cartridge 110 (in which methanol is reserved). It is to be noted that, in (b) of FIG. 1, the fuel cartridge 110 in a state in which the methanol in the fuel vessel section 111 is used up is shown.

The fuel supply port 112 is an exit for supplying methanol reserved in the fuel vessel section 111 therethrough, and is formed in one side face of the fuel vessel section 111. And, an on-off valve 112a (refer to (b) of FIG. 1) is provided so that the methanol may not flow out inadvertently through the fuel supply port 112. Therefore, upon transportation, storage, sales and so forth of the fuel cartridge 110, the methanol in the fuel vessel section 111 does not at all leak to the outside.

FIG. 2 is a concept diagram showing a fuel cell system 100 for generating electric power from liquid fuel.

The fuel cell system 100 shown in FIG. 2 is a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) which uses methanol as fuel. The fuel cell system 100 includes the fuel cartridge 110 and the fuel cell main body 120 such that methanol is supplied from the fuel cartridge 110 to the fuel cell main body 120.

Meanwhile, the fuel cell main body 120 has a power generating apparatus 121, a control device 122, a fuel supply pump 123, and an auxiliary cell 124. Furthermore, the fuel cell main body 120 has a fuel inlet port 125 for accepting methanol from the fuel cartridge 110.

The power generating apparatus 121 generates electric power from chemical energy which methanol has. In particular, the power generating apparatus 121 includes a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) wherein a fuel electrode of the anode side and an oxygen electrode of the cathode side are joined to the opposite faces of a proton conductive polymer electrolyte membrane. And, the fuel electrode has an oxidation catalyst layer formed on the surface of a conductive porous substrate while the oxygen electrode has a reduction catalyst layer formed on the surface of a conductive porous substrate. It is to be noted that the conductive porous substrate is formed using, for example, a carbon sheet or carbon cloth. Further, the oxidation catalyst layer and the reduction catalyst layer are formed, for example, from mixture of platinum or the like, which is a catalyst, and proton conductor.

To the fuel electrode of such a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA), methanol is supplied, and to the oxygen electrode, oxygen or the air is supplied. And, the methanol supplied to the fuel electrode on the anode side is oxidized into carbon dioxide by the oxidation catalyst layer. Meanwhile, hydrogen ions (protons: H+) from which electrons (e−) are separated are generated, and the generated hydrogen ions move to the cathode side past the proton conductive polymer electrolyte membrane and the electrons (e−) are extracted from the fuel cell and supplied to a load. Furthermore, the electrons (e−) passing through the load and the hydrogen ions (protons: H+) passing through the proton conductive polymer electrolyte membrane react with oxygen in the reduction catalyst layer of the oxygen electrode to produce water.

In this manner, the power generating device 121 generates electric power by an electro-chemical reaction, and as a by-product other than the electric power, basically only water is produced. And, the electromotive force to be supplied to the load relies upon the amount of the methanol to be supplied to the fuel electrode of the power generating device 121. Therefore, electric power can be generated arbitrarily by controlling the fuel supplying pump 123 by means of the control device 122 to adjust the supplying amount of the methanol.

Here, the methanol is supplied from the fuel cartridge 110. In particular, the entire fuel cartridge 110 including the fuel vessel section 111 is formed so as to be removably mounted on the fuel cell main body 120. And, methanol is reserved in the fuel vessel section 111, and if the fuel cartridge 110 is mounted on the fuel cell main body 120, then the fuel supplying port 112 and the fuel accepting port 125 are registered with each other and the on-off valve 112a (refer to (b) of FIG. 1) at the fuel supplying port 112 is opened.

In this state, the fuel supply pump 123 is driven by electric power of the auxiliary cell 124. Consequently, the methanol of the fuel cartridge 110 is supplied to the power generating apparatus 121 of the fuel cell main body 120 through the fuel supply port 112 and the fuel inlet port 125. It is to be noted that the auxiliary cell 124 is, for example, a secondary battery such as, for example, a lithium polymer battery, and part of electric power generated by the power generating device 121 is supplied to and accumulated into the auxiliary cell 124.

Further, if the methanol of the fuel cartridge 110 mounted on the fuel cell main body 120 is used up, then the fuel cartridge 110 should be removed and a new fuel cartridge 110 (in which methanol is reserved) may be mounted. Consequently, since methanol is supplied from the new fuel cartridge 110 to the fuel cell main body 120, the electric power generation by the power generating apparatus 121 can be continued also after then.

However, to throw away the old fuel cartridge 110 (in which the methanol is used up) is not preferable from the aspect of the running cost, resource saving and so forth. Further, the old fuel cartridge 110 is different only in that methanol is not reserved therein but does not lose the function of supplying methanol to the fuel cell main body 120. Therefore, if a user of the fuel cell system 100 can personally re-fill methanol into the old fuel cartridge 110, then re-utilization of the old fuel cartridge 110 is permitted, and not only the running cost is reduced but also resource saving can be implemented.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view and so forth showing a fuel filling kit 10 of a first embodiment for filling methanol into the fuel cartridge 110 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 3, the fuel filling kit 10 of the first embodiment is configured from a filling vessel 12 which includes a filling nozzle 11, a opening forming pin 13 (which corresponds to an opening forming member in the present invention), and an opening sealing sheet 14 (which corresponds to an opening sealing member in the present embodiment).

The filling nozzle 11 is provided for filling methanol reserved in the inside of the filling vessel 12 into the fuel cartridge 110 (refer to FIG. 1). To this end, the filling nozzle 11 has a form of an elongated cylindrical pipe and is provided on an end face of the filling vessel 12 such that it is communicated with the inside of the filling vessel 12. It is to be noted that the filling nozzle 11 and the filling vessel 12 are formed integrally with each other from a silicon-based or fluorocarbon-based resin material having a resisting property to liquid fuel (ethanol, formic acid and so forth can be used in addition to methanol), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cycloolefin polymer (COC), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polypropylene (PP)+aluminum coating, polyethylene (PE)+aluminum coating or the like.

The filling vessel 12 has a form of bellows having methanol reserved in the inside thereof and has such flexibility that it can be pushed by a finger from the opposite side to the filling nozzle 11. Further, the filling vessel 12 is generally transparent or translucent so that the remaining amount of the methanol reserved in the inside thereof can be visually recognized readily.

The opening forming pin 13 is provided for forming a through-hole in a side face of the fuel vessel section 111 (refer to FIG. 1) so that the filling nozzle 11 can be inserted into the fuel cartridge 110 (refer to FIG. 1). To this end, the opening forming pin 13 is formed from a metal member having a form of a needle which is pointed at a free end side thereof and having a disk made of a resin and attached to the rear end side thereof such that it can be pushed at the disk thereof.

The opening sealing sheet 14 is provided for closing up the through-hole formed by the opening forming pin 13. To this end, the opening sealing sheet 14 has a sticking portion 14a (which corresponds to an attaching portion in the present embodiment) as shown in (b) of FIG. 3. In particular, the opening sealing sheet 14 can be stuck to a portion of the fuel vessel section 111 (refer to FIG. 1) at which the through-hole is formed by the sticking portion 14a. It is to be noted that the sticking portion 14a is provided on the outer side of the opening sealing sheet 14 and is made of an epoxy-based, acrylic-based, styrene rubber-based or vinyl chloride-based material or the like which have a high adhesive property to the fuel vessel section 111.

Further, the opening sealing sheet 14 has a methanol blocking portion 14b (which corresponds to a fuel resisting portion in the present invention). This methanol blocking portion 14b is made of a resin material (polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or the like) on which a metal thin film of, for example, aluminum is laminated so that the liquid fuel such as methanol may not penetrate the same and a sufficient resisting property to methanol and so forth may be provided.

Furthermore, the opening sealing sheet 14 has a seal portion 14c. This seal portion 14c has a circular shape greater a little than the diameter of the through-hole formed by the opening forming pin 13. And, the seal portion 14c is formed from a silicon-based or fluorocarbon-based elastic member having a non-penetrating property and a resisting property to methanol and so forth and is adhered to a material, which configures the methanol blocking portion 14b, by a silicon-based or fluorocarbon-based bonding agent.

In this manner, the opening sealing sheet 14 is provided at a portion thereof, at which methanol or the like contacts, with a resisting property by the methanol blocking portion 14b and isolates the sticking portion 14a which has a low resisting property to methanol and so forth by means of the seal portion 14c. Therefore, if the through-hole formed by the opening forming pin 13 is closed up with the opening sealing sheet 14, then penetration and so forth of methanol can be prevented with certainty. It is to be noted that, while the opening sealing sheet 14 has the methanol blocking portion 14b made of a resin material laminated with a metal thin film as a base and includes the sticking portion 14a and the seal portion 14c provided on the methanol blocking portion 14b, the base material may be formed using a sheet of metal, resin, rubber or the like.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are explanatory views illustrating a fuel filling method for filling methanol by means of the fuel filling kit 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 illustrates an opening formation step of the fuel filling method, FIG. 5 illustrates a filling nozzle insertion step and a fuel filling step, and FIG. 6 illustrates an opening sealing step.

In order to fill methanol by means of the fuel filling kit 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, an opening 113 is formed first in the fuel vessel section 111 of the fuel cartridge 110 by the opening formation step illustrated in FIG. 4. In particular, as shown in (a) of FIG. 4, the needle-shaped end portion of the opening forming pin 13 is directed to an opening formation region of the fuel vessel section 111, and the disk portion on the rear end side is pushed to push down the opening forming pin 13 as indicated by an arrow mark. Consequently, the needle-shaped end portion of the opening forming pin 13 penetrates the fuel vessel section 111 to form an opening 113 as shown in (b) of FIG. 4.

The opening 113 formed by the penetration of the needle-shaped portion of the opening 113 down to the root portion thereof by such an opening formation step as described above is a through-hole of a size sufficient to allow the filling nozzle 11 (refer to (a) of FIG. 3) to be inserted therein. It is to be noted that, after the formation of the opening 113, the opening forming pin 13 is pulled off from the fuel vessel section 111.

Then, at the filling nozzle insertion step illustrated in (a) of FIG. 5, the filling nozzle 11 is inserted into the opening 113. Consequently, the free end side of the filling nozzle 11 enters the inside of the fuel vessel section 111, and the filling vessel 12 integrated with the filling nozzle 11 is placed on a side face of the fuel vessel section 111. Then, at the fuel filling step illustrated in (b) of FIG. 5, if the filling vessel 12 is pushed in as indicated by an arrow mark from the opposite side of the filling nozzle 11 by a finger, then the filling vessel 12 in the form of bellows having flexibility is compressed. As a result, the volume of the filling vessel 12 decreases, and the methanol reserved in the inside of the filling vessel 12 is pushed out by a corresponding amount from the filling nozzle 11 so that the methanol is filled into the fuel cartridge 110.

In this manner, a user can fill methanol readily into the fuel cartridge 110 only by compressing the filling vessel 12. Further, since the remaining amount of the methanol in the filling vessel 12 which is transparent (translucent) can be visually confirmed readily from the outside, all of the methanol in the filling vessel 12 can be used up. It is to be noted that, after the filling of methanol, the filling vessel 12 (filling nozzle 11) is pulled off from the fuel vessel section 111 (opening 113).

Finally, the opening 113 formed on the fuel vessel section 111 is sealed by the opening sealing step illustrated in FIG. 6. In particular, the opening sealing sheet 14 is pasted to the fuel vessel section 111 as indicated by an arrow mark in such a manner as to close up the opening 113 as shown in (a) of FIG. 6. Consequently, the opening 113 of the fuel cartridge 110 in which methanol is filled is sealed with the opening sealing sheet 14 as shown in (b) of FIG. 6. Therefore, the methanol filled in the fuel cartridge 110 does not leak to the outside.

Particularly, the opening sealing sheet 14 has the methanol blocking portion 14b at a portion thereof opposing to the opening 113, and the portion of the opening sealing sheet 14 has a resisting property to methanol. Further, the seal portion (refer to (b) of FIG. 3) which surrounds the opening 113 prevents the methanol from contacting with the sticking portion 14a (refer to (b) of FIG. 3) pasted to the fuel vessel section 111. Accordingly, since the opening sealing sheet 14 is not deteriorated by the methanol and does not peel off from the fuel vessel section 111, leakage of the methanol can be prevented with certainty.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view and so forth showing a fuel filling kit 20 of a second embodiment.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 7, the fuel filling kit 20 of the second embodiment is configured from a filling vessel 22 including a filling nozzle 21, an opening forming pin 23 (which corresponds to an opening forming member in the present invention), an opening sealing sheet 24 (which corresponds to an opening sealing member in the present invention), and a proximal seal 25.

The filling nozzle 21 has an elongated cylindrical shape formed integrally on an end face of the filling vessel 22 such that it is communicated with the inside of the filling vessel 22. And, a proximal seal 25 in the form of a disk is attached to the root portion of the filling nozzle 21. It is to be noted that the filling nozzle 21, filling vessel 22 and proximal seal 25 are made of a silicon-based or fluorocarbon-based resin material having a resisting property to methanol and so forth.

The filling vessel 22 has a cylindrical shape having methanol reserved in the inside thereof and has flexibility which allows the belly of the filling vessel 22 to be pushed by fingers as indicated by arrow marks from the opposite outer sides toward the center of the cylinder. Further, the filling vessel 22 has a filling vessel 22a so that the remaining amount of the methanol reserved in the inside thereof can be visually confirmed readily from the outside.

The opening forming pin 23 is provided for forming a through-hole in one side face of the fuel vessel section 111 so that the filling nozzle 21 can be inserted into the fuel cartridge 110. And, the opening forming pin 23 has a drilling portion 23a made of metal so that formation of a through-hole may be facilitated. Therefore, if the opening forming pin 23 is pushed into the fuel vessel section 111 while being rotated, then a through-hole can be formed safely and rapidly.

The opening sealing sheet 24 is similar to the opening sealing sheet 14 of the fuel filling kit 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3. In particular, as shown in (a) of FIG. 7, the opening sealing sheet 24 has a sticking portion 24a (which corresponds to an attaching portion in the present embodiment), a methanol blocking portion 24b (which corresponds to a fuel resisting portion in the present invention), and a seal portion 24c.

However, the methanol blocking portion 24b and the seal portion 24c are disposed in a displaced relationship from the center of the opening sealing sheet 24, and the sticking portion 24a is horizontally elongated. This is intended to make it possible to paste the opening sealing sheet 24 so as to extend over two side faces of the fuel vessel section 111. Therefore, the pasting area increases and the sealing by the opening sealing sheet 24 becomes stronger.

Further, the opening 113 (refer to FIG. 6) may be formed already or the opening 113 may be formed from the beginning as in a case wherein methanol is filled again into the same fuel cartridge 110, and the opening 113 may be closed up with the opening sealing sheet 24. In this instance, although the time and labor for forming the opening 113 newly can be omitted, it becomes necessary to remove the opening sealing sheet 24 with which the opening 113 is closed up. In such an instance as just described, if a bent portion (refer to (b) of FIG. 7) of the opening sealing sheet 24 is utilized to be pulled up, then the opening sealing sheet 24 can be exfoliated simply.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view illustrating a fuel filling method for filling methanol by means of the fuel filling kit 20 (filling vessel 22) of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

In order to fill methanol, the filling nozzle 21 is inserted into the opening 113 formed in the fuel vessel section 111 as shown in FIG. 8. Then, the belly of the filling vessel 22 is compressed from the opposite sides thereof as indicated by arrow marks. Consequently, the methanol reserved in the inside of the filling vessel 22 is filled into the fuel vessel section 111 through the filling nozzle 21.

Here, if the filling nozzle 21 is inserted to the interior through the opening 113, then the proximal seal 25 is closely contacted with the fuel vessel section 111. In particular, if, upon filling, the filling vessel 22 is pressed against the fuel vessel section 111, then the opening 113 is closed up fully with the proximal seal 25 except the portion thereof at the filling nozzle 21. Therefore, an accident that the methanol leaks from the opening 113 can be prevented with certainty.

Further, in the fuel cartridge 110a shown in (a) of FIG. 8, a vent hole 114 is provided in the fuel vessel section 111. In particular, not only the opening 113 but a second opening (the vent hole 114) is formed on the fuel vessel section 111 by the opening forming pin 23 (refer to (a) of FIG. 7). Consequently, since the air in the fuel vessel section 111 is exhausted from the vent hole 114 together with filling of methanol, even if the opening 113 is closed up with the proximal seal 25, the filling is carried out smoothly. It is to be noted that, after the methanol is filled, not only the opening 113 but also the vent hole 114 are sealed with the opening sealing sheet 24 (refer to FIG. 7).

Furthermore, a fuel cartridge 110b in which a porous member 115 (for example, silicon-based or fluorocarbon-based resin foam) is inserted in the inside of the fuel vessel section 111 as shown in (b) of FIG. 8 is available. In such a fuel cartridge 110b as just described, the opening 113 is formed keeping away from the portion at the porous member 115 into which methanol cannot be filled readily. Consequently, not only methanol can be filled efficiently, but also damage to the porous member 115 by the opening forming pin 23 (refer to (a) of FIG. 7) can be prevented.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a filling vessel 32 of a fuel filling kit 30 of a third embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 9, the fuel filling kit 30 of the third embodiment uses a piston 33 to fill methanol. In particular, the filling vessel 32 is a transparent or translucent vessel of the injector type and not only has a filling nozzle 31 at a free end side thereof but also has the piston 33 in the inside thereof. And, methanol is reserved in the filling vessel 32 between the filling nozzle 31 and the piston 33. Therefore, if a handle 34 projecting to the outside of the filling vessel 32 is pushed in as indicated by an arrow mark, then pressure acts upon the methanol in the filling vessel 32 by movement of the piston 33 and the methanol can be filled into the fuel cartridge 110.

Further, the filling nozzle 31 is configured from a coaxial double cylinder. The inside of the inner side cylinder which configures the filling nozzle 31 forms a fuel supplying portion 31a for supplying methanol in the filling vessel 32, and a portion between the inner side cylinder and the outer side cylinder serves as a gas exhausting portion 31b for exhausting gas in the fuel cartridge 110. It is to be noted that the gas exhausting portion 31b is connected to a space in the filling vessel 32, which is formed on the opposite face side to the face by which the piston 33 exerts pressure to act upon the methanol, by a transparent or translucent vent pipe 35.

Furthermore, the filling nozzle 31 has a seal rubber member 36 (which corresponds to a seal member in the present invention) on the outer side thereof. This seal rubber member 36 is made of a silicon-based or fluorocarbon-based rubber material having a resisting property to liquid fuel such as methanol. And, when the filling nozzle 31 is inserted into an opening 113a, the seal rubber member 36 closes up to seal to the opening 113a. It is to be noted that, while the filling nozzle 31 has the fuel supplying portion 31a and the gas exhausting portion 31b, since it has a form of a double cylinder, there is an advantage that only one opening 113a may be used if it has a size conforming to the outer diameter of the filling nozzle 31 and only one seal rubber member 36 may be used similarly.

With the fuel filling kit 30 of the third embodiment having such a configuration as described above, a positive pressure generated by movement of the piston 33 toward the filling nozzle 31 fills the methanol in the filling vessel 32 into the fuel cartridge 110 through the fuel supplying portion 31a of the filling nozzle 31. Simultaneously, the space in the filling vessel 32 formed on the opposite face side to the face on which the piston 33 causes the methanol to exert the positive pressure to act is expanded to produce a negative pressure. Therefore, as the filling of methanol proceeds, the internal gas of the fuel cartridge 110 is sucked into the gas exhausting portion 31b. Consequently, not only the filling amount of methanol can be adjusted arbitrarily by the amount of movement of the piston 33, but the movement of the piston 33 (filling of methanol) is smoothened.

Further, because the opening 113a is closed up with the seal rubber member 36, not only leakage of methanol upon fitting is prevented, but all of the internal gas of the fuel cartridge 110 is exhausted through the gas exhausting portion 31b. Then, the internal gas is accumulated into the internal space of the filling vessel 32 through a vent pipe 35. Therefore, even if the internal gas contains evaporated methanol, the methanol can be recovered safely without leaking to the outside.

Furthermore, because the remaining amount of the methanol in the transparent (translucent) filling vessel 32 can be visually confirmed readily from the outside, the methanol in the filling vessel 32 can be filled into the fuel cartridge 110 so that all of it can be used up. Besides, if methanol which remains in the form of liquid flows in from the gas exhausting portion 31b of the filling nozzle 31 by excessive filling of methanol or the like, then the flowing in can be confirmed through the transparent (translucent) vent pipe 35. Therefore, methanol can be filled within an appropriate range (excessive filling and so forth can be prevented). It is to be noted that, if the piston 33 in a state in which it is pushed in the filling vessel 32 is pulled up, then since new methanol can be sucked into the filling vessel 32, filling into the fuel cartridge 110 can be carried out by any number of times by the filling vessel 32.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a filling vessel 42 of a fuel filling kit 40 of a fourth embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 10, in the fuel filling kit 40 of the fourth embodiment, methanol is filled by a piston 43 similarly as in the fuel filling kit 30 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9. In particular, if a handle 44 is pushed in as indicated by an arrow mark, then methanol in the filling vessel 42 is filled into the fuel cartridge 110 through a fuel supplying portion 41a of a filling nozzle 41 by movement of the piston 43. It is to be noted that the opening 113a in which the filling nozzle 41 is inserted is closed up and sealed with a seal rubber member 47, leakage of the methanol upon filling is prevented.

Further, as the filling of methanol proceeds, internal gas of the fuel cartridge 110 enters a gas exhausting portion 41b of the filling nozzle 41. And, in the fuel filling kit 40 of the fourth embodiment, such a vent pipe 35 as in the fuel filling kit 30 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is not provided, but the gas exhausting portion 41b has an exhaust port 45 above the seal rubber member 47 as shown in FIG. 10. Therefore, the internal gas entering the gas exhausting portion 41b is exhausted to the outside of the fuel cartridge 110 through the exhaust port 45.

With the fuel filling kit 40 of the fourth embodiment having such a configuration as described above, the filling vessel 42 is formed in a reduced size and can be simplified in structure. It is to be noted that the filling vessel 42 has a vent port 46 for introducing, upon filling of methanol, the air into a space on the opposite side to a face on which the piston 43 causes the methanol to exert the positive pressure to act so that the movement of the piston 43 may be smoothened.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a filling vessel 52 of a fuel filling kit 50 of a fifth embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 11, in the fuel filling kit 50 of the fifth embodiment, a filling nozzle 51 is formed from two cylindrical pipes. And, the inside of one (longer one) of the cylindrical pipes which configure a filling nozzle 51 serves as a fuel supplying portion 51a for supplying the methanol in the filling vessel 52, and the inside of the other (shorter one) cylindrical pipe serves as a gas exhausting portion 51b for exhausting the internal gas of the fuel cartridge 110. It is to be noted that, in the fuel cartridge 110, two openings 113a and 113b are formed so as to correspond to the fuel supplying portion 51a and the gas exhausting portion 51b of the filling nozzle 51, for example, by means of the opening forming pin 13 (refer to FIG. 3).

Further, the fuel supplying portion 51a of the filling nozzle 51 has a seal rubber member 56a made of a silicon-based or fluorocarbon-based rubber material having a resisting property to liquid fuel such as methanol, and the gas exhausting portion 51b has a similar seal rubber member 56b. Therefore, if the filling nozzle 51 is inserted, then the openings 113a and 113b are closed up and sealed with the seal rubber members 56a and 56b.

Furthermore, the filling vessel 52 is transparent or translucent and has a fuel reserving portion 52a, a gas accommodating portion 52b and a space portion 52c. And, the fuel reserving portion 52a is connected to the fuel supplying portion 51a of the filling nozzle 51 and has methanol reserved in the inside thereof. Furthermore, the gas accommodating portion 52b is connected to the gas exhausting portion 51b of the filling nozzle 51 and accommodates the internal gas of the fuel cartridge 110.

Also in the fuel filling kit 50 of the fifth embodiment having such a configuration as described above, methanol is filled by a piston 53 similarly as in the fuel filling kit 30 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9. In particular, if a handle 54 is pushed in as indicated by an arrow mark, then pressure acts upon the methanol by movement of the piston 53, and the methanol reserved in the fuel reserving portion 52a of the filling vessel 52 is filled into the fuel cartridge 110 through the fuel supplying portion 51a of the filling nozzle 51.

Here, methanol absorber 55 is disposed in the gas accommodating portion 52b of the filling vessel 52. As this methanol absorber 55, for example, activated carbon, silica gel, zeolites such as molecular sieves and so forth are suitably applied. And, the methanol absorber 55 absorbs methanol (liquid methanol or evaporated methanol) entering the gas accommodating portion 52b through the gas exhausting portion 51b of the filling nozzle 51. It is to be noted that a catalyst for oxidizing alcohols such as methanol (noble metal catalysts such as platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd)) may be used in place of the methanol absorber 55.

Further, the gas accommodating portion 52b of the filling vessel 52 is connected to the space portion 52c which is formed on the opposite face side to the face on which the piston 53 causes the methanol to exert the positive pressure to act on the downstream side with respect to the methanol absorber 55. Therefore, if the piston 53 is moved toward the filling nozzle 51 to cause the methanol in the fuel reserving portion 52a to generate positive pressure to fill the methanol into the fuel cartridge 110, then the space portion 52c is expanded by the movement of the piston 53 to generate a negative pressure. Consequently, since also the gas accommodating portion 52b is placed into a negative pressure state, the internal gas of the fuel cartridge 110 is absorbed into the gas exhausting portion 51b of the filling nozzle 51.

Besides, because the openings 113a and 113b are closed up with the seal rubber members 56a and 56b, respectively, not only leakage of methanol upon filling can be prevented, but all of the internal gas of the fuel cartridge 110 is exhausted effectively through the gas exhausting portion 51b. And, the internal gas is accommodated into the gas accommodating portion 52b of the filling vessel 52 through the methanol absorber 55.

As a result, the fuel filling kit 50 of the fifth embodiment not only can smoothen filling of methanol but also can recover, even if the internal gas contains evaporated methanol, the methanol by absorbing the methanol into the methanol absorber 55. Therefore, safety is further improved. It is to be noted that, where methanol which remains in the form of liquid is sucked in from the gas exhausting portion 51b of the filling nozzle 51, also the methanol is recovered fully by the methanol absorber 55.

FIG. 12 shows a sectional view showing a filling vessel 62 of a fuel filling kit 60 of a sixth embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 12, also in the fuel filling kit 60 of the sixth embodiment, a filling nozzle 61 is configured from two cylindrical pipes of a fuel supplying portion 61a and a gas exhausting portion 61b similarly as in the fuel filling kit 50 of the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 11. Further, openings 113a and 113b are closed up and sealed with seal rubber members 66a and 66b. Furthermore, a transparent or translucent filling vessel 62 has a fuel reserving portion 62a, a gas accommodating portion 62b and a space portion 62c. And, methanol is filled by a piston 63.

However, the fuel reserving portion 62a of the filling vessel 62 has a bag-like shape having flexibility, and methanol is reserved in the bag. Further, the piston 63 is inserted in the gas accommodating portion 62b. And, the gas accommodating portion 62b has a vent port 65a on the opposite side thereof to the filling nozzle 61 side and is communicated with the outside. Furthermore, the space portion 62c has a vent port 65b on the opposite side thereof to the filling nozzle 61 side and is communicated with the outside.

With the fuel filling kit 60 of the sixth embodiment having such a configuration as described above, if a handle 64 is pulled as indicated by an arrow mark, then the piston 63 moves toward the vent port 65a, and the gas accommodating portion 62b of the filling vessel 62 is placed into a negative pressure. Therefore, the internal gas of the fuel cartridge 110 is sucked in from the gas exhausting portion 61b of the filling nozzle 61 and accommodated into the gas accommodating portion 62b. Consequently, even if the internal gas contains evaporated methanol, the methanol can be recovered safely. It is to be noted that, since the air of the gas accommodating portion 62b escapes from the vent port 65a, the movement of the piston 63 is carried out smoothly.

Further, because the openings 113a and 113b are closed up with the seal rubber members 66a and 66b, respectively, when the internal gas is exhausted from the gas exhausting portion 61b of the filling nozzle 61, the inside of the fuel cartridge 110 is placed into a negative pressure state. Then, since the space portion 62c of the filling vessel 62 is maintained in an atmospheric pressure state through the vent port 65b, the fuel reserving portion 62a in the form of a bag having flexibility is contracted as indicated by an arrow mark and the methanol is sucked out through the fuel supplying portion 61a of the filling nozzle 61. As a result, the methanol is filled into the fuel cartridge 110.

In this manner, in the fuel filling kit 60 of the sixth embodiment, the inside of the fuel cartridge 110 is placed into a negative pressure state to suck out methanol from the fuel reserving portion 62a of the filling vessel 62. Therefore, even if the handle 64 is pulled as indicated by an arrow mark to move the piston 63 to the vent port 65a side, if the inside of the fuel cartridge 110 is not placed into a negative pressure state by pressure of the evaporated methanol or the like (if the inside of the fuel cartridge 110 has a positive pressure), then methanol is not filled. Accordingly, the safety upon filling is further improved.

While, in the embodiments described above, methanol is used as the fuel for electric power generation to be used in the fuel cell system 100, the fuel for electric power generation is not limited to the methanol only if it is liquid fuel which contains hydrogen in composition thereof. In particular, also it is possible to use alcohol type liquid fuel such as ethanol or butanol, dimethyl ether or isobutane which assume a form of gas under a room-temperature normal-pressure condition, and liquid obtained by liquefying hydrocarbons such as natural gas.

While, in the embodiments described above (for example, in the first embodiment), the filling nozzle 11 of the fuel filling kit 10 is formed integrally with the filling vessel 12, a filling nozzle as a separate member may be attached to a filling vessel upon filling. Further, the piston 13 may be configured such that it can be drawn out from the filling vessel 12 and methanol is supplied into the filling vessel 12 from the opposite side to the filling nozzle 11.

While, in the embodiments described above (for example, in the first embodiment), the fuel filling kit 10 has the opening forming pin 13, since the opening 113 may be provided in advance in the fuel cartridge 110 or a removable opening sealing member may be attached to the opening 113, an opening formation member may not belong to the fuel filling kit. Further, the opening sealing member may be a plug or the like which does not close up the opening by pasting a sheet like the opening sealing sheet 14 but is fitted into the opening or the like to seal the opening.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1-5. (canceled)

6. A fuel filling kit comprising:

a filling nozzle capable of being inserted into an opening of a fuel cartridge for reserving liquid fuel to be supplied to a fuel cell main body;

a filling vessel capable of filling liquid fuel reserved in an inside thereof into the fuel cartridge through said filling nozzle; and

an opening sealing member for sealing the opening;

said opening sealing member having a fuel resisting portion having a resisting property to liquid fuel, and an attaching portion capable of being attached to said fuel cartridge.

7. The fuel filling kit according to claim 6, wherein said filling nozzle includes:

a fuel supplying portion configured to supply the liquid fuel in said filling vessel;

a gas exhausting portion configured to exhaust gas in said fuel cartridge; and

a seal member provided on the outer side of said filling nozzle for sealing, when said filling nozzle is inserted into the opening, a space between said filling nozzle and the opening.

8. The fuel filling kit according to claim 6, further comprising:

an opening forming member for forming an opening into which said filling nozzle can be inserted on said fuel cartridge.

9. A fuel filling method comprising:

a filling nozzle insertion step of inserting a fuel nozzle into an opening of a fuel cartridge for reserving liquid fuel to be supplied to a fuel cell main body;

a fuel filling step of filling, after the filling nozzle insertion step, liquid fuel reserved in the inside of a filling vessel into the fuel cartridge through the filling nozzle inserted in the opening; and

an opening sealing step of sealing, after the fuel filling step, the opening of the fuel cartridge in which the liquid fuel is filled with an opening sealing member having a fuel resisting portion having a resisting property to liquid fuel.

10. The fuel filling method according to claim 9, further comprising:

an opening formation step of forming, before the filling nozzle insertion step, an opening into which the filling nozzle can be inserted on the fuel cartridge.