Fuel fluid coupling

• US 7,082,354 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US10/432,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20040067398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 700/275, 700/282, 702/45
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/005 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fluid fuel mediator connectable to a fluid fuel server and/or a power generator includes a fluid fuel inlet and/or a fluid fuel outlet, a storage vessel having a storage material which storages a fluid fuel, and at least one of an information memory, an information indicator, and an information transmitter. Pieces of information to be stored, displayed, or transmitted include information on a necessary filled amount, information on the number of times of filling, information on a flow rate of the fluid fuel, information on a residual amount of the fluid fuel, and information on the kind of the storage material. The fuel gas mediator has a temperature control mechanism.

Claims

1. A fluid fuel mediator configured to mediate transfer of fluid fuel between a fluid fuel server and a power generator, comprising:

a fluid fuel inlet in fluidic communication with the fluid fuel server;

a fluid fuel outlet in fluidic communication with the power generator;

a storage vessel configured to store fluid fuel received from the fluid fuel server; and

means for storing information related to control of the fluid fuel server to replenish the storage vessel,

means for displaying information related to the control of the fluid fuel server, and

means for transmitting information related to the control of the fluid fuel server.

2. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 1, wherein said information related to the control of the fluid fuel server includes at least one or more of information on a necessary filled amount, information on the number of times of filling, information on a flow rate of the fluid fuel, information on a residual amount of the fluid fuel, and information on a kind of storage material.

3. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a flow meter on a fluid fuel flow-in side and a flow meter on a fluid fuel flow-out side.

4. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 3, wherein said means for storing information related to the control of the fluid fuel server comprises a flow-in amount memory for storing a flow-in amount measured by said flow meter on the fluid fuel flow-in side, and a flow-out amount memory for storing a flow-out amount measured by said flow meter on the fluid fuel flow-out side;

and

said means for displaying information related to the control of the fluid fuel server includes a display for calculating a residual amount on the basis of information from said flow-in amount memory and said flow-out amount memory and displaying the calculated residual amount.

5. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 1, wherein a necessary flow rate is adjusted on the basis of information from said power generator.

6. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 5, further comprising:

a gas flow rate information pin provided on said power generator;

wherein the necessary flow rate is adjusted by said gas flow rate information pin.

7. A fluid flow mediator according to claim 6, wherein a restriction amount of a flow-in port is adjusted by a length of said gas flow rate information pin.

8. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 2, wherein said means for storing information related to the control of the fluid fuel server comprises a memory for storing a number of times of connection;

and

said means for displaying information related to the control of the fluid fuel server comprises a display for displaying a number of times of filling of fluid fuel.

9. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 8, wherein the number of times of connection stored in said memory for storing the number of times of connection is reset by mounting or dismounting of said storage vessel.

10. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 8, wherein said means for transmitting information related to the control of the fluid fuel server comprises an information transmitter for transmitting information on the number of times of connection to said fluid fuel server, said information on the number of times of connection operative to adjust a delivery pressure on the fluid fuel server side.

11. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature control mechanism.

12. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 11, wherein said temperature control mechanism is configured to control temperature by adjusting each gap between adjacent two components of a heat sink or a tilt angle of each of the adjacent two said heat sink.

13. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 12, wherein the adjustment of the gaps and tilt angles of the adjacent two components of said heat sink is performed by using a bimetal or a shape memory alloy.

14. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 13, wherein said temperature control mechanism includes said heat sink mounted to a coil spring made from the shape memory alloy.

15. The fluid fuel mediator according to claim 11, wherein said temperature control mechanism includes a temperature sensor and a Peltier device.

16. A fluid fuel mediator according to claim 1, wherein said storage vessel has a storage material which stores a fluid fuel.