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:
Jul. 01, 2014
Filed:
Apr. 27, 2010
Yoshiaki Naganuma, Toyota, JP;
Hiromi Tanaka, Toyota, JP;
Osamu Yumita, Seto, JP;
Nobukazu Mizuno, Miyoshi, JP;
Yuichi Sakajo, Toyohashi, JP;
Yoshiaki Naganuma, Toyota, JP;
Hiromi Tanaka, Toyota, JP;
Osamu Yumita, Seto, JP;
Nobukazu Mizuno, Miyoshi, JP;
Yuichi Sakajo, Toyohashi, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota-Shi, JP;
Abstract
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, an operation controller and an air-conditioning mechanism. In response to a heating request for the air-conditioning mechanism during ordinary operation where the fuel cell is operated at an operating point on a current-voltage characteristic curve of the fuel cell, the operation controller compares a heat value-based required current value with an output-based required current value. When the output-based required current value is equal to or greater than the heat value-based required current value, the operation controller causes the fuel cell to be operated at an operating point on the current-voltage characteristic curve. When the output-based required current value is smaller than the heat value-based required current value, the operation controller controls the operating point of the fuel cell to an operating point of lower power generation efficiency than that of the operating point on the current-voltage characteristic curve.