Portable power source

• US 5,314,762 A
• Filed: 06/30/1992
• Issued: 05/24/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Akira, Mukai, Hiroshi, Furukawa, Isao, Hamada, Akira, Oda, Takashi, Matsubayashi, Takaaki, Nishizawa, Nobuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): GORGOS, KATHRYN L
• Application Number:
  US07/906,362
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 489/19, 489/36, 489/37, 489/58, 489/59
• US Class Current: 429/408
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0008 Phosphoric acid-based
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/00 Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0271 Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04014 Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04022 Heating by combustion
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04119 with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04223 during start-up or shut-down; Depolarisation or activation, e.g. purging; Means for short-circuiting defective fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04225 during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04731 of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04776 at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/247 Arrangements for tightening a stack, for accommodation of a stack in a tank or for assembling different tanks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention provides a portable power source comprising a fuel cell generating electricity using hydrogen as fuel, a hydrogen storage unit filled with hydrogen absorbing alloy for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell, a case enclosing the fuel cell and hydrogen storage unit, and a lid for sealing a part of the case when the portable power source is not in use, wherein the lid seals a surface of the case on which at least one air inlet for taking in the air necessary for the fuel cell to generate electricity and a reactant gas outlet for exhausting reactant gas produced by the generation of electricity are formed.

Claims

1. A portable power source comprising:

a fuel cell generating electricity using hydrogen as fuel;

a hydrogen storage unit filled with hydrogen absorbing alloy for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell;

a case having an internal surface enclosing the fuel cell and hydrogen storage unit; and

a lid for sealing a part of the case when the portable power source is not in use,

wherein the lid seals a surface of the case on which at least one air inlet for taking in the air necessary for the fuel cell to generate electricity and a reactant gas outlet for exhausting reactant gas produced by the generation of electricity are formed.

2. A portable power source of claim 1 wherein part of the internal surface of the case forms part of an inlet duct between the fuel cell and an air inlet, and part of the internal surface forms part of an exhaust duct between the fuel cell and a reactant gas outlet.

3. A portable power source of claim 2, wherein the hydrogen storage unit is placed in the exhaust duct.

4. A portable power source of claim 3, wherein the lid seals a surface of the case on which a control panel for controlling the operation of the power source is placed.

5. A portable power source of claim 4, wherein the hydrogen storage unit includes cylinders filled with hydrogen absorbing alloy as well as a pan for collecting condensate running down from the surfaces thereof.

6. A portable power source of claim 5, wherein an absorber is placed on the pan for absorbing the condensate running down from the surfaces thereof.

7. A portable power source of claim 4, wherein the hydrogen storage unit includes cylinders filled with hydrogen absorbing alloy as well as the absorber for absorbing the condensate running down from the surfaces thereof.

8. A portable power source of claim 1, wherein the case includes clamps for sealing the case with the lid.

9. A portable power source of claim 8, wherein a sealing member is placed on the edge of the case where the lid fits therewith so as to encircle the edge.

10. A portable power source of claim 1 further comprising a catalytic burner for consuming unreacted hydrogen by combustion.

11. A portable power source comprising:

a case having an internal surface and an upper part including an upper surface enclosing a fuel cell and a hydrogen storage unit, at least one air inlet and a reactant gas outlet formed on the upper surface, part of an air inlet duct between the air inlet and the fuel cell and part of an exhaust duct between the fuel cell and the reactant gas outlet are formed on the upper surface, and part of the air inlet duct and the exhaust duct are formed on the internal surface of the case; and

a lid for sealing the upper part of the case including the upper surface on which the air inlet and reactant gas outlet are formed when the portable power source is not in use.

12. A portable power source of claim 11, wherein the hydrogen storage unit is placed in the exhaust duct.

13. A portable power source of claim 12, wherein the lid seals a surface of the case on which a control panel for controlling the operation of the power source is placed.

14. A portable power source of claim 13, wherein the hydrogen storage unit includes cylinders filled with hydrogen absorbing alloy as well as a pan for collecting condensate running down from the surfaces thereof.

15. A portable power source of claim 14, wherein an absorber is placed on the pan for absorbing the condensate running down from the surfaces thereof.

16. A portable power source of claim 15, wherein the hydrogen storage unit includes cylinders filled with hydrogen absorbing alloy as well as the absorber for absorbing the condensate running down from the surfaces thereof.

17. A portable power source of claim 11, wherein the case includes clamps for sealing the case with the lid.

18. A portable power source of claim 17, wherein a sealing member is placed on the edge of the case where the lid fits therewith so as to encircle the edge.

19. A portable power source of claim 11, wherein a handle is formed on the lid for a carrying purpose.