Air vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12294102-B2
Application number	US-202217659930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2022
Priority date	Apr 23, 2021
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

To provide an air vehicle configured to stabilize the power output of a fuel cell by securing the generated water discharge property of the fuel cell. An air vehicle, wherein the air vehicle comprises two or more fuel cells; wherein each fuel cell comprises an anode outlet manifold; and wherein each fuel cell is disposed in the air vehicle so that water discharge directions of the anode outlet manifolds are different from each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air vehicle,
wherein the air vehicle comprises two or more fuel cells;
wherein each fuel cell comprises an anode outlet manifold;
wherein each fuel cell is disposed in the air vehicle so that water discharge directions of the anode outlet manifolds are different from each other;
wherein the air vehicle further comprises a fuel cell system;
wherein the fuel cell system comprises:
the two or more fuel cells,
a fuel gas system for supplying fuel gas to each fuel cell,
an angle sensor for measuring an inclined angle of each fuel cell,
a gravity acceleration sensor for measuring a gravity acceleration applied to each fuel cell,
an output sensor for measuring an output of each fuel cell, and
a controller;

wherein the fuel gas system comprises a fuel gas supplier;
wherein the controller makes at least one determination selected from the group consisting of a determination as to whether or not the inclined angle of each fuel cell measured by the angle sensor, is equal to or more than a predetermined angle, a determination as to whether or not the gravity acceleration applied to each fuel cell measured by the gravity acceleration sensor, is equal to or more than a predetermined gravity acceleration, and a determination as to whether or not the output of each fuel cell measured by the output sensor, is less than a predetermined output; and
wherein, when the controller determines that any one of the following conditions is satisfied, the controller increases a fuel gas supply from the fuel gas supplier to each fuel cell satisfying the condition: a condition that the inclined angle of each fuel cell is equal to or more than the predetermined angle, a condition that the gravity acceleration applied to the or each fuel cell is equal to or more than the predetermined gravity acceleration, and a condition that the output of each fuel cell is less than the predetermined output.

2. The air vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the air vehicle is an airplane or a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

3. An air vehicle,
wherein the air vehicle comprises one or more fuel cells;
wherein the or each fuel cell comprises an anode outlet manifold;
wherein the or each fuel cell is disposed in the air vehicle so that a water discharge direction of the anode outlet manifold is the same direction as a travel direction of the air vehicle;
wherein the air vehicle further comprises a fuel cell system;
wherein the fuel cell system comprises:
the one or more fuel cells,
a fuel gas system for supplying fuel gas to the or each fuel cell,
an angle sensor for measuring an inclined angle of the or each fuel cell,
a gravity acceleration sensor for measuring a gravity acceleration applied to the or each fuel cell,
an output sensor for measuring an output of the or each fuel cell, and
a controller;

wherein the fuel gas system comprises a fuel gas supplier;
wherein the controller makes at least one determination selected from the group consisting of a determination as to whether or not the inclined angle of the or each fuel cell measured by the angle sensor, is equal to or more than a predetermined angle, a determination as to whether or not the gravity acceleration applied to the or each fuel cell measured by the gravity acceleration sensor, is equal to or more than a predetermined gravity acceleration, and a determination as to whether or not the output of the or each fuel cell measured by the output sensor, is less than a predetermined output; and
wherein, when the controller determines that any one of the following conditions is satisfied, the controller increases a fuel gas supply from the fuel gas supplier to the or each fuel cell satisfying the condition: a condition that the inclined angle of the or each fuel cell is equal to or more than the predetermined angle, a condition that the gravity acceleration applied to the or each fuel cell is equal to or more than the predetermined gravity acceleration, and a condition that the output of the or each fuel cell is less than the predetermined output.

4. The air vehicle according to claim 3 ,
wherein the or each fuel cell comprises a rotation axis which is freely rotatable with respect to the air vehicle, and
wherein the rotation axis is disposed on an opposite side to the water discharge direction, with respect to a gravity center of the or each fuel cell.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Okabe Hiroki
• Kaneko Tomohiko
• Shinagawa Tomohiro
• Shinozaki Yoshihiro

Classifications

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• G05D3/127

  with electrical contact · CPC title

• B60L2200/10

  Air crafts · CPC title

• B60L58/30

  for monitoring or controlling fuel cells · CPC title

• B60L50/70

  using power supplied by fuel cells (in combination with batteries B60L50/75) · CPC title