Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Seiji Sano

Hiromichi Sato

Yuichi Yagami

Takashi Kajiwara

Yoshifumi Ota

Fumihiko Inui

Norihiko Nakamura

Shinichi Matsumoto

Shigeki Hasegawa

Yasushi Araki

Masahiro Imanishi

Shigeaki Murata

Makoto Ueno

Sho Usami

Yoshihiro Shinozaki

Shigemi Shioya

Sadato Kita

Syo Usami

Takashi Shimada

A method of manufacturing a fuel cell includes: growing carbon nanotubes substantially perpendicular to a substrate formed by loading a growth catalyst on a base material; arranging the substrate and a polymer electrolyte membrane so as to oppose to each other and combining the carbon nanotubes with the polymer electrolyte membrane; and dissolving and removing part of the substrate by immersing the substrate in a solution which dissolves the substrate, after the carbon nanotubes and the polymer electrolyte membrane are combined.

Method of manufacturing fuel cell

The separator of which the region facing the MEA is a flat includes the first electrode facing plate and the second electrode facing plate. The separator includes the reaction gas supply manifold to which the reaction gas is supplied. The first electrode facing plate includes a plurality of reaction gas supply holes formed at the end of the cell-reaction region. The intermediate plate includes a plurality of reaction gas supply path slits that forms the reaction gas supply paths, wherein each of the reaction gas supply paths has one end connected to the reaction gas supply manifold and other end connected to at least one of the plurality of reaction gas supply holes.

Fuel cell separator

A separator of a fuel cell stack, which has flat surfaces that face MEAs, includes a cathode-side plate, an anode-side plate and an intermediate plate. The intermediate plate has a plurality of oxidant gas supply channel openings that communicate with an oxidant gas supply manifold and oxidant gas supply holes of the cathode-side plate, and a plurality of oxidant gas exhaust channel openings that communicate with an oxidant gas exhaust manifold and oxidant gas exhaust holes of the anode-side plate. The width and spacing of the oxidant gas exhaust channel openings are set to be larger than those of the oxidant gas supply channel openings.

In a fuel cell, a porous portion is formed in a separator. At a surface of the porous portion opposite to a surface where a reactant gas passage is formed, a cooling gas passage is formed. The cooling gas passage may be fluidly connected to a reactant gas supply passage for supplying reactant gas to the fuel cell. The cooling gas passage is controllable in flow amount. The porous portion is formed only in a separator portion where a downstream portion of the reactant gas passage is located. At a separator portion where an upstream portion of the reactant gas passage is located, a coolant passage is formed. A rib and a rib-bottom portion have a great porosity. A groove may be filled with porous material. The porous portion may be replaced by a water exchange portion. A portion of the separator other than the region of the porous portion may be made by porous material. Due to these, a fuel cell can be obtained where removal of product water is improved, product water can be utilized for humidifying gas, and product water can be uniformly removed.

Fuel cell

A fuel cell wherein reactive gas or coolant flow directions within single-cell internal passages may be changed by switching the positions of flow control means such as electromagnetic valves in order to alter flow directions and flow velocities in accordance with fuel cell operating states. Altering flow to different directions within the internal passages, such as to a second flow direction perpendicular to a first flow direction, permits control of gas flow to combat fuel cell flooding, wherein the altered reactant gas flow causes accumulated water to be discharged from the cell. Such flow control further permits control of gas and coolant temperatures to optimize cell moisture distribution and control.

Fuel cell and method of controlling the same

Energy absorbing steering devices may include an outer cylindrical member (OU) that is press-fited around an inner shaft member (IN). The outer shape of the inner shaft member and the inner shape of the outer cylindrical member have a circular cross-section and the diameter of the inner shape of the outer cylinder member is larger than the diameter of the outer shape of the inner shaft member. A plurality of fine members (W) is disposed along the axial direction between the circular cross-sectional outer shape and the circular cross-sectional inner shape in order to provide a clearance (G) between the inner shaft member and the outer cylindrical member. The arrangement of the fine members may be modified in order to adjust the rigidity of relative movement along the axial direction of the outer cylindrical member and the inner shaft member.

Energy absorbing type steering device, and method and device for assembling the steering device

Growing community of inventors

Gotemba, Japan

Seiji Sano