Fuel cell

• US 20050095467A1
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shibuya, Nobuo, Sakaue, Eiichi, Tajima, Nobuyasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,252,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/447
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04059 Evaporative processes for the cooling of a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04097 with recycling of the reactants H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04164 by condensers, gas-liquid separators or filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04186 of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04194 Concentration measuring cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A generator section of a fuel cell comprises an electromotive unit, a fuel tank, a passage through which fluids, including fuel, water, and air, are circulated, and a valve mechanism in the passage. A control section has a connector connectable to an electronic device and controls operation of the generator section. A locking mechanism has a locking member, movable between a locking position in which the electronic device connected to the connector is locked in a connected position and a release position in which the electronic device is unlocked, and an eject member which moves the locking member to the release position. The control section has a detector which detects movement of the eject member and a valve drive unit which closes the valve mechanism of the generator section when the movement of the eject member is detected by the detector.

Claims

1. A fuel cell comprising:

a generator section having an electromotive unit which generates power based on a chemical reaction, a fuel tank which contains fuel, a passage which is connected to the electromotive unit and through which fluids, including the fuel, water, and air, are circulated, and a valve mechanism which is located in the passage and regulates the circulation of the fluids;

a control section which has a connector connectable to an electronic device and controls operation of the generator section; and

a locking mechanism having a locking member, movable between a locking position in which the locking member locks the electronic device connected to the connector in a connected position and a release position in which the electronic device is unlocked, and an eject member which moves the locking member from the locking position to the release position,

the control section having a detector which detects movement of the eject member, and a valve drive unit which closes the valve mechanism of the generator section when the movement of the eject member is detected by the detector.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the eject member is movable between an initial position and a pushed-in position in which the eject member moves the locking member to the release position, and the detector detects the movement of the eject member as the eject member moves from the initial position to the pushed-in position.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the generator section comprises an air pump which supplies air to the electromotive unit, an exhaust passage through which air and products produced by power generation are discharged from the electromotive unit, and a fuel circulation passage through which the fuel is circulated between the electromotive unit and the fuel tank, and the valve mechanism comprises an air valve located in a passage which connects the air pump and the electromotive unit, an exhaust valve in the exhaust passage, and a tank valve in the fuel circulation passage.

4. The fuel cell according to claim 1, which further comprises a housing including a body which houses the generator section and a bearer section which extends from the body so as to be able to carry the electronic device thereon and houses the locking mechanism.

5. The fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the connector is provided at the bearer section, and the locking member of the locking mechanism has a hook which projects from the bearer section and can engage the electronic device.

6. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism has a magnet on the eject member, and the detector includes a magnetic sensor located corresponding to the magnet.

7. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the generator section comprises a mixing tank in which the fuel supplied from the fuel tank is mixed with water, a liquid pump which circulates the fuel between the electromotive unit and the mixing tank, an air pump which supplies air to the electromotive unit, and a cooling fan, and the control section comprises an auxiliary drive unit which stops the liquid pump, air pump, and cooling fan when the movement of the eject member is detected by the detector.