Apparatus using fuel gas

• US 9,917,313 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kato, Koichi, Takaku, Koichi, Miura, Taneaki, Ozaki, Hiroyasu, Asano, Saneto
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): STCLAIR, ANDREW D
• Application Number:
  US15/135,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20160240873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 141 94, 141 95, 141 83, 141192, 141340, 702 63, 702 64, 702 65, 713340
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03315 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0053 relating to fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/72 Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/31 for starting of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04225 during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04302 applied during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04373 of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04425 at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04664 Failure or abnormal function
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8158 : With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means

Abstract

An apparatus using fuel gas is provided, ensuring charge amount of a battery. The apparatus includes battery, fuel gas reservoir unit, fuel lid, open/close detection unit for detecting open/close state of fuel lid, fuel gas condition detection unit for detecting pressure and/or temperature being condition of fuel gas reserved in the fuel gas reservoir unit, communication unit for communication with fuel gas supply device, and control unit for, upon reception of signal notifying that fuel lid is in open state from open/close detection unit, performing dispensing communication to notify the fuel gas supply device, via communication unit, of condition of fuel gas having been input from fuel gas condition detection unit. The control unit stops dispensing communication when control unit has determined, according to signal received from open/close detection unit that predetermined time has elapsed with the fuel lid remaining in open state after starting dispensing communication.

Claims

1. An apparatus using fuel gas supplied from an external fuel gas supply device, comprising:

a battery for supplying power to one or more devices of the apparatus;

a fuel gas reservoir unit for reserving fuel gas supplied from the fuel gas supply device;

a fuel lid for covering a supply inlet to which fuel gas is supplied from the fuel gas supply device;

means for detecting an open state and a close state of the fuel lid;

means for detecting fuel gas condition that is a pressure and/or a temperature of fuel gas reserved in the fuel gas reservoir unit;

means for performing communication with the fuel gas supply device; and

means for, upon reception of a signal notifying that the fuel lid is in an open state from the means for detecting an open state and a closed state, controlling dispensing communication, using power supplied from the battery, in order to notify the condition of the fuel gas having been input from the means for detecting fuel gas condition to the fuel gas supply device via the means for performing communication,

wherein the means for controlling continues or stops the dispensing communication depending on a determination of whether or not the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel gas reservoir unit based on the signal input from the means for detecting fuel gas condition after the means for controlling has determined, according to a signal received from the means for detecting an open state and a closed state, that a predetermined time period has elapsed with the fuel lid remaining in the open state after starting the dispensing communication,

the means for controlling computes a dispensing communication extension time period when the means for controlling has determined that fuel gas is supplied to the fuel gas reservoir after the predetermined time period has elapsed with the fuel lid remaining in the open state,

the means for controlling stops the dispensing communication when the means for controlling has determined, according to the signal received from the means for detecting an open state and a closed state, that the predetermined time period and the dispensing communication extension time period have elapsed with the fuel lid remaining in the open state after starting the dispensing communication, and

the means for controlling starts the dispensing communication when an ignition switch is turned off after the ignition switch is turned on.

2. The apparatus using fuel gas according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time is set based on statistical data of a dispensing time, and

the dispensing communication is stopped after the predetermined time has lapsed regardless of a remaining amount of the battery.

3. The apparatus using fuel gas according to claim 1,

wherein, the means for controlling continues the dispensing communication for a predetermined extension time period, when, according to a signal having been input from the means for detecting fuel gas condition, the means for controlling has determined that fuel gas is currently being supplied to the fuel gas reservoir unit after a reference time point or that fuel gas was supplied to the fuel gas reservoir unit within a predetermined past time after the reference time point, the reference time point being a time point at which the predetermined time period has elapsed with the fuel lid remaining in the open state after starting the dispensing communication.

4. The apparatus using fuel gas according to claim 1, further comprising a fuel lid opener and a fuel lid opener switch, and the fuel lid opener is driven by an electric signal.

5. The apparatus using fuel gas according to claim 1, wherein a fuel lid opener switch is turned on when the ignition switch is turned on.