The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 05, 2011
Filed:
Aug. 27, 2004
Yasuhiro Nonobe, Aichi-ken, JP;
Kenji Kurita, Susono, JP;
Yasuhiro Nonobe, Aichi-ken, JP;
Kenji Kurita, Susono, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota-shi, JP;
Abstract
An on-board fuel cell system adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle includes a main passage connecting a hydrogen-gas storage device with an inlet of a fuel cell, a circulation passage that connects an outlet of the fuel cell with a first point in the main passage, a pump disposed in the circulation passage, and a bypass passage that connects a second point between the outlet of the storage device and the first point, with a third point located in the circulation passage between the outlet of the fuel cell and the pump. During a normal operation condition of the system, the hydrogen gas flows from the storage device to the fuel cell through the main passage, and hydrogen gas discharged from the fuel cell returns to the main passage through the circulation passage. When the pressure of the hydrogen gas is lower than a reference pressure, the pump operates to draw the hydrogen gas out of the storage device and feed the hydrogen gas from the main passage to the circulation passage through the bypass passage, and to the fuel cell through the main passage.