Liquid tank and fuel cell

• US 8,850,884 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimura, Jusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, David A
• Application Number:
  US13/382,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20120111107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 732/90.B, 732/90.R, 732/90.V, 732/91, 733/04.R, 733/04.C
• US Class Current: 73/304.C
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/263 by measuring variations in capacitance of capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/268 mounting arrangements of probes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04216 characterised by the choice for a specific material, e.g. carbon, hydride, absorbent
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04313 characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0438 Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Provided are a liquid tank capable of reducing an influence of disturbance on measurement results and measuring accurate volume, and a fuel cell using the same. One face of a liquid container section is structured by a detector in which a first board to a fourth board each configured of a printed board are stacked in order. A pair of detection electrodes 12A and 12B are provided on a front face of the first board, and this pair of detection electrodes 12A and 12B are allowed to contact directly or indirectly to a liquid fuel inside the liquid container section to detect a stray capacitance. A back face side of the first board is disposed with the second board having a shielding electrode 22. Even when a hand or the like is brought close to the detector, the detection electrodes 12A and 12B are prevented from sensing the stray capacitance generated as a result.

Claims

1. A liquid tank comprising:

a liquid container section storing liquid; and

a detector detecting volume of the liquid stored in the liquid container section, the detector including;

a first board having, on a front face thereof, a pair of detection electrodes for detecting a stray capacitance, the pair of detection electrodes directly or indirectly contacting with the liquid inside the liquid container section;

a second board having a shielding electrode and arranged on a back face side of the first board; and

a liquid pump drawing up the liquid stored inside the liquid container section,

wherein the detector includes, on a back side of the first and second boards, a printed board with a volume measurement circuit mounted thereon, the printed board being configured to measure the stray capacitance between the pair of detection electrodes, and

wherein the volume measurement circuit includes

a memory section storing an operation history of the liquid pump, and

a calculation section calculating, based on the operation history stored in the memory section, an amount of the liquid that has been drawn up, and calculate the volume of the liquid based on both the amount that has been drawn up and the stray capacitance.

2. The liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein

the liquid container section has a plurality of faces, and

the pair of detection electrodes occupies substantially the entire face of at least one of the plurality of faces of the liquid container section.

3. The liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein

the pair of detection electrodes has a shape of comb-tooth which are engaged with each other with a spacing therebetween.

4. The liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein the shielding electrode has a solid shape, a meshed shape, or a shape with slits.

5. The liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein:

an acceleration sensor configured to measure an attitude of the liquid container section relative to a vertical direction is attached to a face, of the liquid container section, on which the detector is provided; and

the volume measurement circuit calculates the volume of the liquid based on information on the attitude of the liquid container section, the information having been acquired from the acceleration sensor.

6. The liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein the liquid container section stores liquid fuel used for a fuel cell.

7. The liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein a protective layer is provided on the front face of the first board.

8. The liquid tank according to claim 7, wherein cosine of the contact angle of the liquid relative to the protective layer is negative.

9. The liquid tank according to claim 8, wherein the protective layer is configured of a thin resin film, or a coating layer.

10. A fuel cell with a fuel cell main body and a fuel cartridge which includes a liquid tank, the liquid tank comprising:

a liquid container section storing liquid; and

a detector detecting volume of the liquid stored in the liquid container section, the detector including;

a first board having, on a front face thereof, a pair of detection electrodes for detecting a stray capacitance, the pair of detection electrodes directly or indirectly contacting with the liquid inside the liquid container section;

a second board having a shielding electrode and arranged on a back face side of the first board; and

a liquid pump drawing up the liquid stored inside the liquid container section,

wherein the detector includes, on a back side of the first and second boards, a printed board with a volume measurement circuit mounted thereon, the printed board being configured to measure the stray capacitance between the pair of detection electrodes, and

wherein the volume measurement circuit includes

a memory section storing an operation history of the liquid pump, and

a calculation section calculating, based on the operation history stored in the memory section, an amount of the liquid that has been drawn up, and calculate the volume of the liquid based on both the amount that has been drawn up and the stray capacitance.