Patent Application
20100206395
The present invention relates to a user-friendly fuel supply apparatus that facilitates connecting a device including a power generation section having a fuel cell with a fuel cartridge.
Recently, with the rapid widespread of portable and cordless electronic devices, as driving power sources for such electronic devices, secondary batteries having a small size, light weight and large energy density have been increasingly demanded. Furthermore, much attention has been paid to fuel cells that can be continuously used for a long time with fuel supplied, rather than secondary batteries that need charging.
As small fuel cells to be mounted in small portable electronic devices, fuel cells using a liquid fuel such as methanol, a methanol aqueous solution, and a formic acid aqueous solution have received much attention. In general, such fuels are harmful to human bodies. Therefore, it is considered that such fuels are supplied in a state in which they are filled in a fuel cartridge and injected into electronic device so that the fuels do not leak out by directly connecting a connector of the fuel cartridge with a connector at the electronic device side on which a fuel cell is mounted. Since the electronic device is generally required to be connected to a fuel cartridge whose types and concentrations of fuels conform to those of the electronic device, a structure in which the connector of the fuel cartridge and the connector of the electronic device are prevented from being wrongly inserted by providing a pair of special mechanical keys is employed.
Furthermore, connectors have been developed, which have a shape that is devised so that a fuel does not leak out even if an unexpected force is applied when the connectors are connected or when fuel is supplied (for example, Patent Document 1).
However, when the connectors are small, it is not easy for users having poor eyesight, for example, elderly persons to reliably connect these connectors. Furthermore, it is difficult for children and elderly persons to supply fuel to the electronic device side by pressing the fuel cartridge by hand while connecting the electronic device to the fuel cartridge. Additionally, in a state in which the fuel cartridge is connected to the electronic device, if an excessive force is applied to them, the fuel cartridge or the electronic device may be broken in the vicinity of the connectors thereof.
In order to solve a problem occurring when a fuel cartridge and an electronic device are directly connected with each other, a mechanism such as a charger holder of a portable telephone is considered. However, since a charger holder has a one-to-one relation with respect to a portable telephone and the charger holder itself is a special-purposed device, the versatility is low. Furthermore, even if a different portable telephone is wrongly inserted into a charger holder, leakage of liquid harmful to human bodies does not occur. Furthermore, a multiple protection by, for example, a safety circuit of a secondary battery mounted on the charger holder or the portable telephone is provided.
However, when the connector of the electronic device and the connector of the fuel cartridge are connected with each other indirectly, the mechanical strength is reduced due to miniaturization and a forcible connection may be made. Therefore, there are problems that a fuel liquid may be leaked due to breakage of a connector or wrong insertion may easily occur, which are not necessary to be considered in secondary batteries.
A fuel supply apparatus of the present invention is a fuel supply apparatus for connecting a device with a fuel cartridge having a fuel supply section so as to send fuel in the fuel cartridge to the power generation section side. The device includes at least a part of a power generation section that has a fuel cell and having a fuel injection section. The fuel supply apparatus includes a holder having a first connector to be connected to the fuel injection section of the device, a second connector to be connected to the fuel supply section of the fuel cartridge, a connecting pipe connecting the first connector with the second connector, and a guide member for guiding connection between the first connector of the holder and the fuel injection section of the device.
With this configuration, breakage or wrong insertion of a fuel injection section of a device can be prevented reliably. Furthermore, even when the shape of the fuel injection section of the device becomes smaller, since it is not necessary to confirm a connecting position and the like, a user-friendly and convenient fuel supply apparatus can be achieved.
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to drawings. Note here that the present invention is not limited to the contents mentioned below as long as it is based on the basic features described in the description.
As shown in
Guide member 16 has a shape for guiding along an outer shape of device 30 such as a portable telephone and opening 16a at least in a position of fuel injection section 36 of device 30. Guide member 16 guides connection between first connector 14 of holder 12 and fuel injection section 36 of device 30. Herein, convex parts are provided on the two side surfaces of guide member 16 so as to reduce the insertion resistance of the device. However, the convex parts are not necessarily provided.
Second connector 18 is connected to fuel cartridge 40 composed of fuel cartridge main body 42 and fuel supply section 44 having a shape that conforms to a shape of second connector 18. At this time, second connector 18 has a pair of mechanical keys 36a having special shapes capable of being coupled for recognizing whether or not the types and concentrations of the fuel conform to the operation of device 30, and whether fuel cartridge 40 is a pressurized cartridge or a non-pressurized cartridge.
Herein, device 30 includes device main body 32 including a power generation section 34 having a fuel cell, and fuel injection section 36 to be connected to first connector 14 of fuel supply apparatus 10. Power generation section 34 includes at least a fuel cell and a tank for storing fuel of the fuel cell. Note here that detailed description of the structures inside device 30 and fuel cartridge 40 is omitted.
Furthermore, in the above-mentioned first exemplary embodiment, first connector 14 does not necessarily have a special mechanical key corresponding to mechanical key 36a provided at fuel injection section 36 of device 30. In this case, fuel injection section 36 of device 30 is positioned with respect to first connector 14 by opening 16a of guide member 16.
Hereinafter, a method of connecting each component in the fuel supply apparatus in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is specifically described with reference to
Firstly, as shown in
Next, as shown in
Next, as shown in
That is to say, guide member 16 can be placed to first connector 14 of holder 12. Device 30 is placed in a state in which guide member 16 is placed in first connector 14, and thereby first connector 14 is connected to fuel injection section 36 of device 30.
Through the procedures mentioned above, as shown in
Then, in the case of, for example, a non-pressurized cartridge (not shown), a fuel is supplied to power generation section 34 of device 30 by being pressed at the side surface thereof.
Herein, the fuel is intended to mean a liquid fuel such as methanol or an aqueous solution thereof, and formic acid.
Furthermore, first connector 14, second connector 18, holder 12, connecting pipe 20 and guide member 16 are made of any one of super engineering plastic such as methanol-resistant polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethyletherketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and liquid crystal polymer, and resin material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyacetal (POM) or a composite material thereof. In particular, it is preferable that first connector 14, second connector 18 and connecting pipe 20 are made of materials in which residues and metal cation and the like do not elute from a mother material when the mother material is brought into contact with a fuel.
According to this exemplary embodiment, with the guide member, breakage of a fuel injection section of a device or a first connector of a holder or wrong insertion therebetween can be securely prevented. That is to say, even in the case where the size of the shape of the fuel injection section of the device or the first connector is reduced and connection becomes difficult, it is not necessary to confirm the connection position and the like, thus facilitating the connection. Therefore, a fuel supply apparatus which is friendly to users, in particular, children or elderly persons who have difficulty in handling and which is excellent in convenience can be provided.
Note here that in this exemplary embodiment, guide member 16 corresponding to one device 30 and having substantially the same shape as the outer shape of device 30 is described as an example. However, guide member 16 is not limited to this example. That is to say, a guide member having a substantially equal shape to the outer shape of a different device is prepared for the different device whose fuel injection part has a shape that is equal to the shape of the first connector, and then a fuel injection section of the device and the first connector may be connected to each other via the prepared guide member. For example, as shown in
Thus, any devices having a fuel injection section whose shape is equal to that of first connector 14 of holder 12 can use the holder in common by exchanging guide members even when the outer shapes and the positions of the fuel injection sections are different. Therefore, for example, when family members have devices whose outer shapes and the positions of the fuel injection section are different from each other, when the shapes of the fuel injection sections of the devices are equal to each other, a holder can be used in common. Thus, a fuel supply apparatus, which saves energy and does not put a load on the environment, can be provided.
Hereinafter, another example of the fuel supply apparatus in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
As shown in
Thus, wrong insertion or breakage of a fuel injection section of a device and a first connector can be prevented more securely by a double protecting function by guide member 46 and mechanical keys 14a.
Hereinafter, an example of a mechanical key is described in detail with reference to
As shown in
Furthermore, this exemplary embodiment describes an example in which the power generation section of the device is incorporated in the device. However, the example is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the power generation section is formed as a separated body from the device, and may be used in combination with the main body of the device. Furthermore, either the tank or the fuel cell mentioned above may be provided as a separated body from the device. That is to say, the device may include at least a part of the power generation section having a fuel cell.
Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, as the guide member, as shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
That is to say, this exemplary embodiment is different from the first exemplary embodiment in that concave part 106c as a mechanical key is provided at the periphery of opening 106a of guide member 106 as shown in
Note here that the mechanical key shown in this exemplary embodiment is different from the mechanical key provided for defining the types and concentrations of the specific fuel adapted to the device, and defining whether the fuel cartridge is a pressurized cartridge or a non-pressurized cartridge. The mechanical key of this exemplary embodiment is provided so as to specify guide member 106 adapted to holder 112.
According to this exemplary embodiment, a guide member adapted to a holder can be securely allowed to conform to and fitted in a state in which the mechanical strength is improved. As a result, as compared with the case where a guide member is fitted via a first connector, it is possible to prevent the first connector from being damaged or broken by the guide member.
Note here that this exemplary embodiment describes an example of a configuration in which concave part 106c provided in the guide member and convex part 114c provided on the holder form a pair of mechanical keys capable of being coupled to each other. However, the configuration is not limited to this example. For example, as shown in
In the configuration, the shapes of opening 126a and convex part 134c may be a polygonal shape or a star shape other than a pentagonal shape. Shapes are not particularly limited as long as positions of specific guide member 126 and holder 132 can be fixed when opening 126a and convex part 134c are fitted into each other.
That is to say, as shown in
According to this exemplary embodiment, a device can be securely allowed to conform to and fitted into a guide member adapted to the device. As a result, as compared with the case where a device is fitted into a guide member in a state in which it is brought into contact with the side surface or the convex part of the guide member, positioning can be carried out with high accuracy.
As shown in
Fuel supply apparatus 200 includes first connector 214 and second connector 218 integrated and incorporated into holder 210, and connecting pipe 220 connecting the first connector with the second connector. Furthermore, cartridge holder part 240 has a groove (not shown) corresponding to the shape of the fuel cartridge to be mounted. For example, by allowing the fuel cartridge to slide along the groove, the fuel cartridge can be connected to second connector 218 easily. Furthermore, similar to each of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments, device holder part 230 has a configuration in which first connector 214 provided on device holder part 230 and fuel injection section 36 of device 30 can be easily connected via guide member 216 having a shape conforming to the outer shape of device 30. Note here that since the configurations of the fuel cartridge and the device are the same as those in the first exemplary embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.
Then, in above-mentioned fuel supply apparatus 200, fuel injection section 36 of device 30 held by device holder part 230 via guide member 216 is connected to first connector 214, fuel supply section 44 of fuel cartridge 40 held by cartridge holder part 240 is connected to second connector 218, and a fuel in the fuel cartridge is supplied to power generation section 34 of device 30 via connecting pipe 220.
According to this exemplary embodiment, fuel cartridge 40 and device 30 are held stably, and mounted easily. Furthermore, fuel in fuel cartridge 40 can be supplied to device 30 securely and efficiently via fuel supply apparatus 200.
Furthermore, the fuel supply apparatus can be used in common by exchanging guide members according to the shapes of devices. Thus, a user-friendly and highly convenient fuel supply apparatus can be achieved. Furthermore, the above-mentioned configuration can be applied to each of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments.
Note here that each of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments describes an example in which a liquid fuel is used. However, the fuel is not necessarily limited to these examples, and for example, a gas fuel such as butane and hydrogen can be used.
According to a fuel supply apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of devices can be used by using one holder in common. Therefore, the fuel supply apparatus is excellent in energy saving and resistance to environment and useful for users who use a plurality of devices by the same fuel.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-274987 | Oct 2007 | JP | national |
This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2008/002604, filed on Sep. 22, 2008, which in turn claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2007-274987, filed on Oct. 23, 2007, the disclosures of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2008/002604 | 9/22/2008 | WO | 00 | 3/15/2010 |
