JP2005038805A - Fuel replenishing system, automobile, mobile body, and robot - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel replenishing system to enable to carry out sufficient fuel replenishment to portable communication equipment inside an automobile within a short period of riding time, and an automobile, a vehicle and a mobile body provided with the fuel replenishing system. <P>SOLUTION: A fuel replenishing system 20 for the portable communication equipment of which a power supply is a fuel cell, is provided with an equipment connecting part 24 installed in the interior of an automobile 1 that runs by fuel for the fuel cell, arranged and installed on an interior wall face 2 of the automobile 1, and connected to a fuel storage part 110 to store the fuel to be supplied to the fuel cell of the portable communication equipment, and a fuel supply means 22 to supply fuel from a fuel tank 5 of the automobile 1 to the fuel storage part 110 connected to the equipment connecting part 24. Moreover, an automobile, a vehicle, and a mobile body provided with the fuel replenishing system are also presented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel replenishment system, an automobile, a moving body, and a robot, and particularly includes a fuel replenishment system capable of replenishing a portable device powered by a fuel cell in a short time in a car, and the fuel replenishment system. The present invention relates to automobiles, vehicles, mobile objects, and robots.

  Portable devices such as digital cameras, laptop computers, notebook computers, mobile phones, and MP3 players are now widely used.

  Conventionally, as the power source of the form device, a primary battery such as an alkaline manganese battery and a secondary battery such as a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium battery have been generally used.

However, since the secondary battery requires 2 to 3 hours or more for charging, if the power is taken from the cigarette lighter provided on the instrument panel of the car, charging is sufficient when the boarding time is short. There was a problem that I could not.
JP 2000-149974 A JP 2001-118593 A

  In recent years, a power system using a fuel cell has attracted attention as a power source that is lighter and smaller than the primary battery and the secondary battery and can supply power to the portable device for a long time.

  Furthermore, the fuel cell is attracting attention as a power source for automobiles (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  Here, in automobiles, it is considered that liquid fuel such as methanol is decomposed into carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen by a reformer and only hydrogen is supplied to the fuel cell, or methanol is directly reacted in the fuel cell. ing.

  In addition, the use of methanol as a fuel for automobiles using a normal internal combustion engine as a power source has been studied.

  Here, methanol is also the fuel of the fuel cell for portable devices. Therefore, in a vehicle using methanol as fuel, it is considered easy to share fuel with the fuel cell for portable devices.

  According to the present invention, in a vehicle or the like that uses a liquid fuel that can be used as fuel for a fuel cell, such as methanol, as the fuel cell of the portable device, a line for replenishing the fuel is provided, so that the portable device can be used even for a short time. By providing a fuel replenishment system that enables sufficient fuel replenishment, an automobile equipped with the fuel replenishment system, and the fuel replenishment system, it is easy to use existing components without using complicated mechanisms. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle, a moving body, and a robot that can refuel a portable device.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a fuel replenishment system for a portable device using a fuel cell as a power source, provided in an automobile that runs on the fuel for the fuel cell, provided on an inner wall surface of the automobile, A device connecting portion to which a fuel containing portion for containing fuel supplied to the fuel cell of the portable device is connected, and a fuel supply for supplying fuel from the fuel tank of the automobile to the fuel containing portion connected to the device connecting portion And a fuel replenishing system.

  In the fuel replenishment system, when a fuel storage unit is connected to the device connection unit, the fuel supply unit replenishes the fuel storage unit with fuel through the connection unit.

  Therefore, in an automobile equipped with the fuel replenishment system, fuel can be replenished in the portable device while traveling. Therefore, even if the fuel is exhausted in the portable device, the fuel is replenished in a short boarding time. Is possible.

  The portable device targeted by the fuel replenishment system may be any device that uses a fuel cell as a power source. Specific examples include a digital camera, a mobile phone, a mobile phone with a camera, a laptop computer, and a notebook computer.

  The fuel storage unit connected to the device connection unit stores the fuel supplied to the fuel cell of the portable device as described above.

  Therefore, when the portable device is formed so as to attach and detach a fuel cell cartridge in which a reaction portion (including a reformer) of a fuel cell and a fuel tank are integrally formed, the fuel storage portion Since this is the fuel tank, the fuel tank in the fuel cell cassette may be connected to the device connecting portion. In addition, when the portable device has a built-in fuel cell and a fuel cartridge that supplies fuel to the fuel cell is attached and detached, the fuel storage portion is the fuel cartridge. The fuel cartridge can be connected to the section. Furthermore, in the case where the portable device incorporates both the reaction portion and the fuel storage portion of the fuel cell, the device connecting portion may be connected to the fuel replenishing port of the portable device.

  The fuel is a liquid fuel usually used in fuel cells, specifically, lower alcohols such as methanol and ethanol, hydrogen gas, and methane, propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, and iso-pentane. , Tert-pentane, n-hexane, iso-hexane, tert-hexane, n-heptane, etc., C4-C7 lower hydrocarbons, and liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas which are mixtures of the lower hydrocarbons It is done.

  Examples of the automobile include a fuel cell automobile using a fuel cell that uses the lower alcohol, the lower hydrocarbon, liquefied petroleum gas, or liquefied natural gas as fuel. The fuel cell vehicle may have a reformer that reforms the fuel to decompose into hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas and supplies only hydrogen to the fuel cell, and also has the reformer. It does not have to be.

  In addition, the automobile may be an alcohol fuel automobile, an LPG automobile, an LNG automobile, or the like that uses an internal combustion engine powered by the lower alcohol, the lower hydrocarbon, liquefied petroleum gas, or liquefied natural gas. .

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the device connecting portion has a fuel replenishing flow path that opens when the fuel accommodating portion is connected and closes when the fuel accommodating portion is detached, and the fuel supply means includes the fuel accommodating portion. The present invention relates to a fuel replenishment system having a pumping means for feeding a predetermined amount of fuel into the fuel storage portion when connected to a device connection portion.

  In the fuel replenishment system, the fuel replenishment flow path is opened by connecting a fuel accommodating portion such as the fuel cell cartridge or fuel cartridge to the device connection portion, and is closed by being detached. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fuel from flowing out from the device connecting portion when the fuel containing portion is not replenished with fuel.

  In addition, since the fuel supply means has a pump means, it is not necessary to rely on gravity to replenish the fuel containing portion. Therefore, the fuel supply means has a high degree of freedom of piping.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the pump means is a syringe, and the syringe is configured such that when the fuel accommodating portion is connected to the device connecting portion, the piston is advanced by a predetermined distance from the initial position. The present invention relates to a fuel replenishment system for delivering a fixed amount of fuel.

  According to the fuel replenishment system, a predetermined amount of fuel can be replenished to the fuel storage portion. Further, by setting the amount of movement of the piston of the syringe, it is possible to replenish the amount of fuel corresponding to the volume of fuel in the fuel storage portion.

  Furthermore, since the fuel capacity in the fuel storage portion is usually about 50 cc at most, it is just an amount sufficient to replenish the fuel with a syringe.

  The invention according to claim 4 relates to a fuel replenishment system in which the connecting portion is provided in a cigarette writer portion of an instrument panel in the automobile.

  In the fuel replenishment system, since the connection portion is provided in the cigarette writer portion, it does not get in the way when not in use. Also, space can be saved.

  The invention according to claim 5 relates to a fuel replenishment system in which the fuel is a methanol fuel mainly composed of methanol.

  Since methanol fuel is generally used in fuel cells, it is convenient to share the fuel for the automobile and the fuel to be replenished in the fuel storage portion.

  Here, the methanol fuel includes a fuel mainly composed of methanol. Specifically, the fuel contains methanol as a main component in addition to methanol, and also has various secondary components and additives added thereto. Specifically, methanol aqueous solution etc. are mentioned.

  A sixth aspect of the present invention is an automobile that runs on fuel for fuel cells, and the fuel for the automobile is replenished in a fuel accommodating portion that accommodates fuel supplied to a fuel cell of a portable device. An automobile comprising the fuel replenishment system according to any one of Items 1 to 5.

  Since the automobile shares fuel with a fuel cell of a portable device that uses a fuel cell as a power source, the fuel of the automobile can be used for fuel replenishment of the portable device by the fuel replenishment system. Therefore, when the fuel in the fuel cell of the portable device is exhausted, the fuel can be replenished immediately from the fuel tank of the automobile.

  The invention according to claim 7 relates to the automobile according to claim 6, wherein the automobile uses a fuel cell as a power source.

  The automobile has clean waste gas as well as a normal electric vehicle, has a low running sound, and has a running performance and a cruising distance comparable to a normal internal combustion engine automobile.

  The invention according to an eighth aspect relates to the automobile according to the seventh aspect, wherein the fuel cell is mounted on a ceiling portion.

  Since the ceiling of an automobile is usually considered to be a place that is most unlikely to be damaged during a collision, the automobile has a feature that the fuel cell is less likely to be destroyed in the event of a collision.

  The invention according to claim 9 is a fuel replenishment system for a portable device using a fuel cell as a power source, provided in a vehicle that uses the fuel for the fuel cell, provided in the vehicle, A device connecting portion to which a fuel storage portion for storing fuel supplied to the fuel cell is connected; and a fuel supply means for supplying fuel from the fuel tank of the vehicle to the fuel storage portion connected to the device connecting portion. The present invention relates to a fuel replenishment system.

  In the vehicle equipped with the fuel replenishment system, the fuel of the portable device can be replenished while traveling or in flight, so even when the fuel is exhausted in the portable device, Refueling is possible.

  Vehicles that can be provided with the fuel replenishment system include, in addition to the automobile, electric motor bikes with built-in fuel cells, bicycles with electric motors, amusement vehicles with built-in fuel cells, motor boats, rail vehicles, ships, aircraft, and For example, a spaceship.

  The vehicle may be one that travels or flies with the fuel, and may include a power supply device such as a fuel cell or a micro gas turbine that uses the fuel as fuel. Of the vehicles, the vehicle that travels or flies with the fuel may be a fuel cell that operates with the fuel, and a power source that is an internal combustion engine that operates with the fuel. There may be. Further, the vehicle provided with the power supply device may travel or fly with a power source other than the fuel cell or the internal combustion engine.

  The portable device and the fuel are as described in claim 1.

  A tenth aspect of the present invention relates to a moving body that uses a fuel cell as a power source, and further includes a fuel take-out means for taking out fuel from a fuel tank that supplies fuel to the fuel cell. .

  The mobile body is intended to include unmanned vehicles, ships, aircraft, space aircraft, and the like in addition to the vehicles. Various robots are also included in the moving body. Examples of such robots include amusement parks, amusement parks, and so-called entertainment robots used in various shows and entertainment.

  By providing fuel removal means in the moving body, for example, using the entertainment robot, a predetermined amount of money can be inserted to refuel a digital camera, a mobile phone, or a camera-equipped mobile phone. It becomes possible.

  Examples of the fuel take-out means include a device connection portion for connecting a portable device and a fuel supply means for supplying fuel to the portable device from a fuel tank provided in a moving body through the device connection portion.

  The invention according to claim 11 is a fuel replenishment system for a configuration device using a fuel cell as a power source, provided in a mobile body using fuel for the fuel cell, provided in the mobile body, and the portable A device connecting portion to which a fuel containing portion for containing fuel supplied to a fuel cell of the device is connected, and a fuel supply means for supplying fuel from the fuel tank of the moving body to the fuel containing portion connected to the device connecting portion And a replenishment status display means for displaying a replenishment status in which fuel is replenished to the fuel container by the fuel supply means.

  Since the fuel replenishment system is provided with a replenishment status display means, it is particularly convenient in that the replenishment status of the fuel in the fuel storage section can be seen at a glance. The replenishment status display means may be a bar graph type or pie chart type liquid crystal display, or may be an indicator lamp for notifying that fuel replenishment has been accommodated.

  The moving body is as described in claim 10.

  The robot according to claim 12 is a robot that uses a fuel cell as a power source, and is supplied to a fuel tank that stores fuel consumed by the fuel cell and a fuel cell for portable devices that is a power source of the portable device. A fuel supply port connected to a start end of a flow path of the fuel in the portable device, a fuel supply path extending from the fuel tank to the fuel supply port, and the fuel supply path. Fuel supply means for supplying fuel from the tank to the fuel supply port.

  In the robot according to the twelfth aspect, the fuel consumed by the fuel cell as the power source is stored in the fuel tank. A fuel supply path extends from the fuel tank to the fuel supply port. The fuel supply port is connected to a start end portion of a flow path in the portable device of fuel supplied to the fuel cell for portable device. Then, fuel supply means provided in the fuel supply path supplies fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel supply port, and replenishes the fuel cell for portable devices.

  As described above, since the fuel is replenished to the mobile device fuel cell by the robot, the mobile device fuel cell can be generated in an amusement park or the like. Moreover, since entertainment property is high, there is a possibility of increasing the ability to attract customers such as an amusement park.

  A robot according to a thirteenth aspect is the robot according to the twelfth aspect, wherein a money input unit that inputs money, a counting unit that counts the amount of money input into the money input unit, and the counting unit And a control means for operating the fuel supply means when the amount of money counted by the above becomes a predetermined amount.

  In the robot according to the thirteenth aspect, when money is inserted into the money insertion unit, the money is counted by the counting means. When the amount of money counted by the counting means reaches a predetermined amount, the fuel supply means is operated by the control means, fuel is supplied from the fuel tank to the fuel supply port, and the fuel cell for portable devices is replenished with fuel. .

  The robot according to claim 14 is the robot according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the storage unit stores a fuel storage unit that is provided at the start end and stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell for portable devices. The fuel supply means supplies fuel to the fuel storage unit stored in the storage unit.

  In the robot according to claim 14, the fuel storage unit that stores the fuel supplied to the fuel cell for portable devices is stored in the storage unit, and when the amount of money counted by the counting unit reaches a predetermined amount, the control is performed. The fuel supply means is operated by the means, and fuel is supplied from the fuel storage section to the fuel storage section.

  As described above, when the fuel storage unit is sold, the fuel storage unit is filled with fuel at the site where the robot sells, so that the man-hour for filling the fuel storage unit with fuel is not necessary.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a fuel replenishment system that makes it possible to sufficiently replenish the portable device in the vehicle even in a short boarding time, and a vehicle equipped with the fuel replenishment system, A moving body and a robot are provided.

1. Embodiment 1
A passenger car which is an example of an automobile according to the present invention will be described below.

  The passenger car 1 according to the first embodiment is a so-called sedan type, and a fuel cell 4 and a reformer 8 are mounted on the ceiling 3 of the passenger compartment 2.

  The fuel tank 5 is disposed behind the passenger compartment 2 in the same manner as a normal passenger car. The fuel tank 5 contains methanol, which is a liquid fuel normally used for fuel cells. For this reason, since the fuel of the fuel cell 4 of the passenger car 1 and the fuel of the fuel cell of the portable device can be shared, the fuel of the fuel cell 4 of the passenger car 1 is supplied to the fuel cell of the portable device such as a digital camera by the fuel replenishment system 20 described later. Can be used for refueling. Therefore, when the fuel in the fuel cell of the portable device is exhausted, the fuel can be replenished immediately from the fuel tank 5 of the passenger car 1 even while the passenger is riding.

  Although methanol is used here, a methanol fuel containing methanol as a main component, for example, a methanol fuel containing methanol as a main component and adding various secondary components and additives (methanol aqueous solution, etc.) may be used. .

  As fuel, lower alcohol such as methanol and ethanol, hydrogen gas, methane, propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, iso-pentane, tert-pentane, n-hexane, iso-hexane, tert-hexane And C4-C7 lower hydrocarbons such as n-heptane, and liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas which are mixtures of the lower hydrocarbons.

  The passenger car 1 includes a fuel cell vehicle using a fuel cell that uses a lower alcohol, lower hydrocarbon, liquefied petroleum gas, or liquefied natural gas as a fuel as a power source. In the present embodiment, methanol, which is a lower alcohol, is used. It is a fuel cell vehicle that uses a fuel cell that uses fuel as a power source.

  The fuel tank 5 and the reformer 8 are communicated with each other by a pipe 7 disposed inside the rear pillar 6. Methanol in the fuel tank 5 is supplied to the reformer 8 through the pipe 7 and decomposed into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Hydrogen generated in the reformer 8 is supplied to the fuel cell 4.

  In the present embodiment, the reformer 8 is provided in the passenger car 1, but a direct methanol fuel cell that does not include the reformer 8 and supplies methanol directly to the fuel cell is also applicable.

  The dashboard 15 of the passenger compartment 2 is provided with a fuel replenishment system 20 that replenishes the fuel cartridge 110 such as a portable camera with methanol in the fuel tank 5. The fuel replenishment system 20 and the fuel tank 5 are communicated with each other by a pipe 16.

  The electric power output from the fuel cell 4 is transmitted to the drive unit 11 via the wiring 10 </ b> A in the front pillar 10. The drive unit 11 includes an inverter unit (not shown) that converts direct current output from the fuel cell 4 into alternating current, an AC motor (not shown) that is driven by alternating current from the inverter unit, and the alternating current. A secondary battery (not shown) that stores electric power regenerated by the motor, a power transmission mechanism (not shown) that transmits the driving force from the AC motor to the rear wheels, and a control that controls the inverter unit. Part (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ceiling 3 further includes a radiator 12 that dissipates heat generated in the fuel cell 4, an intake fan 13 that sucks outside air and applies it to the radiator 12, and the fuel cell 4. An air inlet 14 for taking in outside air to be consumed and a humidifier 9 for humidifying and cooling the outside air taken in from the air supply inlet 14 are provided.

  In the present embodiment, since the passenger car 1 is driven only by the electric energy generated by the fuel cell 4, the exhaust gas is clean and the running sound is low. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the vehicle may be driven by electric energy generated by the fuel cell 4 and thermal energy generated by fuel combustion. In this case, as shown in FIG. 12, the fuel tank 5 and the engine included in the drive unit 11 are connected by a fuel hose 18, and the same fuel as the fuel cell 4 is supplied from the fuel tank 5 to the engine to generate thermal energy. You may let them.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fuel cell 4 has a configuration in which six stacks 4a in which unit cells are stacked are combined.

  Cooling water is circulated through each stack 4 a of the fuel cell 4, and this cooling water is cooled by the radiator 12.

  The outside air sucked by the suction fan 13 passes through the radiator 12 and rises in temperature, and then is taken in from the air suction port 14. The outside air taken in from the air inlet 14 is humidified by the humidifier 9 and cooled, and then supplied to the fuel cell 4.

  The fuel replenishment system 20 includes a syringe 22 that injects methanol into a fuel cartridge 110 such as a digital camera. For this reason, it is not necessary to rely on gravity to supply methanol to the fuel cartridge 110. Therefore, the degree of freedom of the shape of the pipe 16 is high.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, a connection cap 24 is provided at the tip of the syringe 22, and the fuel injection port 110 </ b> A of the fuel cartridge 110 is connected to the connection cap 24. The fuel cartridge 110 corresponds to a fuel storage portion that is replenished with fuel by the fuel replenishment system of the present invention, and the connection cap 24 corresponds to a device connection portion in the fuel replenishment system. The connection cap 24 opens when the fuel injection port 110A is connected, and closes when the fuel injection port 110A is detached. Thus, it is possible to prevent the fuel from flowing out from the connection cap 24 when the fuel cartridge 110 is not replenished with fuel. The fuel cartridge 110 is preferably provided with an air vent for discharging the internal air during replenishment with methanol.

  The connection base 24 is provided with a pressure sensor (not shown) for detecting the internal pressure. Detection data detected by the pressure sensor is input to a microcontroller 28H described later.

  The tip of the syringe 22 is fixed inside a cigarette writer 17 provided on the dashboard 15. The connection cap 24 is provided so as to be exposed at the bottom of the cigarette writer 17. For this reason, when the fuel is not supplied to the fuel cartridge 110, the syringe 22 and the connection cap 24 do not get in the way. Moreover, indoor space can be saved.

  The dashboard 15 is further provided with a display 27 that displays the fuel replenishment status of the fuel cartridge 110. The display 27 corresponds to the replenishment status display means in the fuel replenishment system according to the present invention. The display 27 is a bar graph type liquid crystal display, and displays how much methanol is displayed on the fuel cartridge 110 according to the length of the colored portion 27A of the bar graph displayed on the display screen 27B. For this reason, it is convenient in that the replenishment status of the fuel to the fuel cartridge 110 can be seen at a glance. The display display 27 may be a pie chart type liquid crystal display, and instead of providing the display display 27 on the dashboard 15, a blue or green indicator light (LED or incandescent lamp) is provided to replenish methanol. You may make it light up at the time of completion.

  In the vicinity of the entrance of the cigarette writer 17, an optical sensor 23 that detects that the fuel cartridge 110 is mounted is provided. Detection data of the optical sensor 23 is also input to the microcontroller 28H.

  In the vicinity of the connection cap 24 inside the syringe 22, a check valve 22 </ b> A that allows methanol to flow only in the direction of discharging toward the connection cap 24 is provided.

  A piston 26 is slidably fitted inside the syringe 22. The end of the pipe 16 is connected to the piston 26. A check valve 26 </ b> A that opens when the piston 26 moves backward and closes when the piston 26 moves forward is provided at the end on the front end side of the piston 26. In the vicinity of the syringe 22, a piston drive unit 28 that moves the piston 26 forward or backward is provided. The syringe 22 and the piston drive unit 28 correspond to fuel supply means provided in the fuel replenishment system according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the piston driving unit 28 includes a nut portion 28B fixed to the end of the piston 26, and a ball screw 28A that is screwed into the nut portion 28B to advance and retract the nut portion 28B. The motor 28C rotates the ball screw 28A, and the gear 28D transmits the rotation of the motor 28C to the ball screw 28A.

  A code wheel 28E having a code printed on the side surface for reading the rotation of the motor 28C is concentrically attached to the shaft of the motor 28C. The piston drive unit 28 further receives an optical sensor 28F for reading the code of the code wheel 28E, optical logic means 28G for converting a signal read by the optical sensor 28F into a digital signal, and a digital signal from the optical logic means 28G. A microcontroller 28H for outputting a motor drive signal for controlling the rotation of the motor 28C based on the digital signal, and a motor drive device 28I for driving the motor 28C based on the motor drive signal are provided. The motor 28C, the optical logic means 28G, the microcontroller 28H, and the motor driving device 28I are powered by the battery 30 that is floatingly charged from the fuel cell 4.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the fuel replenishment system 20 will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the fuel inlet 110A of the fuel cartridge 110 is connected to the connection base 24, the optical sensor 23 detects the fuel cartridge 110. The detection signal of the optical sensor 23 is sent to the microcontroller 28H.

  When the detection signal of the optical sensor 23 is sent to the microcontroller 28H, as shown in FIG. 4, in the microcontroller 28H, the position where the piston 26 is most retracted based on the cumulative number of drive pulses output to the motor drive device 28I. It is judged whether it is in.

  When the piston 26 is not at the most retracted position, the microcontroller 28H outputs a motor drive signal to the motor drive device 28I so as to rotate the motor 28C in the direction in which the piston 26 is retracted as shown in FIG. Therefore, since the piston 26 moves backward, the inside of the syringe 22 is decompressed, the check valve 26A is opened, and the check valve 22A is closed. As a result, methanol is sucked from the fuel tank 5 into the syringe 22 through the pipe 16 and the check valve 26A.

  When the piston 26 moves back to the last retracted position, the microcontroller 28H outputs a motor driving signal to the motor driving device 28I so as to rotate the motor 28C in the direction in which the piston 26 moves forward. Even when the piston 26 is in the last retracted position from the beginning, the microcontroller 28H similarly outputs a motor drive signal to the motor drive device 28I so as to rotate the motor 28C in the direction in which the piston 26 moves forward. The motor drive device 28I rotates the motor 28C based on the input motor drive signal. Accordingly, the ball screw 28A rotates via the gear 28D and advances the nut portion 28B, so that the piston 26 also advances.

  When the piston 26 moves forward, the inside of the syringe 22 is pressurized, so the check valve 26A is closed and the check valve 22A is opened, and the methanol in the syringe 22 passes through the connection port 24 and the fuel injection port 110A to produce fuel. It is injected into the cartridge 110.

  Since the code wheel 28E also rotates while the motor 28C is rotating, the optical sensor 28F reads the code attached to the side surface of the code wheel 28E, and the code wheel 28E rotates at such a rotation speed for that amount of time. This signal is input to the microcontroller 28H through the optical logic means 28G.

  The microcontroller 28H determines how far the piston 26 has advanced based on the input signal, and how much methanol has been injected into the fuel cartridge 110 from the syringe 22 based on the distance. Infer. At the same time, the replenishment status of methanol is displayed on the display 27. When it is determined that a predetermined amount of methanol has been injected from the syringe 22 into the fuel cartridge 110, a stop command is input to the motor drive device 28I. When the stop command is input, the motor drive device 28I stops the motor 28C. As a result, a predetermined amount of methanol is injected into the fuel cartridge 110. At the same time, the display 27 shows that the fuel cartridge 110 is full.

  Further, a signal from a pressure sensor incorporated in the connection base 24 is also input to the microcontroller 28H. The microcontroller 28H determines whether or not the internal pressure of the syringe 22 is equal to or lower than a predetermined value based on the signal. When it is determined that the internal pressure has exceeded a predetermined value, a stop command is input to the motor drive device 28I. When the stop command is input, the motor drive device 28I stops the motor 28C.

  When the motor 28C stops, the connection cap 24 is closed by detaching the fuel cartridge 110 from the connection cap 24.

  As described above, according to the fuel replenishment system 20, a predetermined amount of methanol is injected only by connecting the fuel cartridge 110 to the connection cap 24. Normally, the fuel capacity of the fuel cartridge 110 is about 50 cc at most, so that it is just a good amount for refilling the fuel with the syringe 22.

  When the fuel cartridge 110 becomes full or the check valve 22A is fixed for some reason and the internal pressure of the syringe 22 becomes higher than a predetermined value, the piston 26 stops and the methanol injection is automatically stopped. Is done. Then, by removing the fuel cartridge 110 from the connection base 24, the connection base 24 is closed.

  Thereby, after a predetermined amount of methanol is injected into the fuel cartridge 110, the replenishment of methanol is continued, and the connection between the connection cap 24 and the fuel injection port 110A is disconnected and the methanol is prevented from overflowing into the vehicle.

  Furthermore, in the passenger car 1, since both the fuel cell 4 and the reformer 8 are provided on the ceiling 3, even if the rear pillar 6 is damaged due to a collision, the fuel cell 4 and the reformer 8 are damaged. This prevents accidents in which hydrogen leaks from the fuel cell 4 or the reformer 8 into the passenger compartment 2 and explodes.

  Hereinafter, an example of a fuel cartridge that can be replenished by the fuel replenishment system 20 and a portable device to which the fuel cartridge is mounted will be described.

  The external appearance of the digital camera 100 which is an example of the portable device is shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, and the outline of the internal configuration is shown in FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 to 10, the digital camera 100 includes a photographing lens 102, a shutter 104, a CCD image sensor 106, and a strobe 108.

  On the back of the digital camera 100, as shown in FIG. 6, a viewfinder 120, a viewfinder LED 122, a shooting / playback mode selection switch 124, a shooting mode selection dial 126, a multi-function cross key 128, an operation mode of the digital camera 100 and a cross A liquid crystal display unit 130 that displays the function of the key 128 with characters and icons, a back switch 132, a menu / OK switch 134, a liquid crystal display monitor 136 that displays an image, a speaker 138, and the like are provided.

  On the other hand, on the upper surface of the digital camera 100, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, there is a fuel cartridge housing chamber cover 145 that covers the power switch 140, the shutter button 142, and the fuel cartridge housing chamber 117 that houses the fuel cartridge 110. Is provided.

  Further, an audio / video output terminal 146, a UBS terminal 148, and a DC input terminal 150 are provided on the right side as viewed from the front of the digital camera 100, as shown in FIGS.

  In the digital camera 100, either the shooting mode or the playback mode is selected by the shooting / playback mode selection switch 124. In the shooting mode, the shooting mode selection dial 126 selects each mode such as manual shooting, auto shooting, moving image, and voice recorder.

  The liquid crystal monitor 136 is used as an electronic viewfinder, and displays captured images, reproduced images read from media loaded in the camera, and the like. In addition, the LCD monitor 136 displays the number of frames that can be taken, the playback frame number display, the flash emission display, the macro mode display, the recording image quality display, and the pixel number display according to the operation of the menu / OK switch 134 and the cross key 128. Various displays are performed.

  In the digital camera 100, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the image data from the CCD image sensor 106 is processed and displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 136 or recorded in the internal memory (or recording medium) 180. For input from the processing unit 160, a shooting / playback mode selection switch 124, a shooting mode selection dial 126, a multi-function cross key 128, a back switch 132, a menu / OK switch 134, and a shutter button 142. And a control unit 170 for controlling the digital camera 100 based on the control unit 170.

  As illustrated in FIG. 10, the image processing unit 160 includes an analog signal processing unit 161, an A / D conversion unit 162, a digital signal processing unit 163, a temporary memory 164, and a compression / decompression unit 165.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the control unit 170 sets and drives the photographic lens 102, the shutter 104, the CCD image sensor 106, and the strobe 108 based on the operation of the operation switch group, and a drive circuit 172. A CPU 171 that controls the circuit 172 and the image processing unit 160 is provided.

  The analog image signal output from the CCD image sensor 106 is subjected to analog signal processing by the analog signal processing unit 161 in the image processing unit 160, A / D conversion by the A / D conversion unit 162, and then digital signal processing unit. At 163, digital signal processing is performed. The image data subjected to digital signal processing by the digital signal processing unit 163 is temporarily stored in the temporary memory 164, compressed by the compression / decompression unit 165, and recorded in the built-in memory (or recording medium) 180. Note that the image data temporarily stored in the temporary memory 164 can be displayed as an image on the image monitor 136. The image data stored in the built-in memory (or recording medium) 180 may also be read out by the compression / decompression unit 165, stored in the temporary memory 164 after being decompressed, and displayed as an image on the image monitor 136.

  In the digital camera 100, the power sources of the image processing unit 160, the control unit 170, the photographing lens 102, the shutter 104, the CCD image sensor 106, the strobe 108, the liquid crystal display unit 130, the image monitor 136, and the like are as shown in FIG. Supplied from the power supply unit 111. The power supply unit is connected to the control unit 170 that converts the direct current output from the fuel cell 112 and the direct current output from the fuel cell 112 into a direct current of a voltage suitable for the supply destination, and is floated by the output from the converter 114. And a secondary battery 116 to be charged.

  A fuel cartridge 110 is mounted on the fuel cell 112 as shown in FIGS. The fuel cell 112 is provided with a cathode connection hole 112A and an anode connection hole 112B. On the other hand, the interior of the fuel cartridge 110 is divided into two chambers: a fuel storage chamber 110a in which methanol is stored and a water storage chamber 110b in which water generated by the fuel cell 112 is stored.

  A fuel inlet 110A and a water outlet 110B are provided on the upper surface of the fuel cartridge 110 in FIG. The fuel inlet 110A is provided in the fuel storage chamber 110a, and the water discharge port 110B is provided in the water storage chamber 110b. The water discharge port 110B is normally closed by a safety valve, and when the water inside the water storage chamber 110b is discharged, the safety valve is opened and discharged.

  A connection portion 110E connected to the fuel cell 112 is provided on the lower surface of the fuel cartridge 110 in FIG. The connection portion 110E is provided with a cathode connection portion 110C connected to the cathode connection hole 112A of the fuel cell 112 and an anode connection portion 110D connected to the anode connection hole 112B of the fuel cell 112. The cathode connection portion 110C communicates with the fuel storage chamber 110a, and the anode connection portion 110D communicates with the water storage chamber 110b. The cathode connection part 110C and the anode connection part 110D are closed when the fuel cartridge 110 is not connected to the fuel cell 112, and are opened when connected to the cathode connection hole 112A and the anode connection hole 112B of the fuel cell 112, respectively. Is formed.

  When the fuel cartridge 110 is attached to the fuel cell 112, the methanol in the fuel storage chamber 110a is supplied to the cathode side of the fuel cell 112 through the cathode connection portion 110C and the cathode connection hole 112A. The water generated on the anode side of the fuel cell 112 is stored in the water storage chamber 110b of the fuel cartridge 110 through the anode connection hole 112B and the anode connection portion 110D.

  An appearance of a camera-equipped cellular phone 200, which is another example of the portable device, is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 11, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 5 to 10 indicate the configuration requirements that are the same as the configuration requirements shown in the drawings.

  The camera-equipped mobile phone 200 is formed so as to be foldable into two as shown in FIG. 11, an operation unit 202 provided with a keyboard, an image display unit 204 provided with a display screen 206, an operation unit 202 and an image. A hinge unit 208 that connects the display unit 204 is provided. The hinge unit 208 is provided with a lens unit 210 of a digital camera.

  A fuel cartridge storage chamber 211 for storing the fuel cartridge 110 is provided on the front side in FIG. 11 of the operation unit 202, that is, on the end opposite to the side where the hinge unit 208 is provided. A fuel cell 112 is embedded in a portion of the operation unit 202 where the fuel cartridge storage chamber 211 is provided, and the cathode connection hole 112A and the anode connection hole 112B are opened in the fuel cartridge storage chamber 211. The cathode connection portion 110C of the fuel cartridge 110 is connected to the cathode connection hole 112A, and the anode connection portion 110D of the fuel cartridge 110 is connected to the anode connection hole 110B. Thereby, the methanol in the fuel storage chamber 110a is supplied to the cathode side of the fuel cell 112 through the cathode connection hole 112A, and the water generated on the anode side of the fuel cell 112 is collected in the water storage chamber 110b through the anode connection hole 112B. .

  In the present embodiment, the fuel cartridge 110 that can be attached to and detached from the digital camera 100 and the camera-equipped mobile phone 200 is connected to the connection cap 24 of the passenger car 1 and fuel is supplied from the fuel tank 5 to the fuel cartridge 110. However, as shown in FIG. 13, the fuel cell 42 can be attached to and detached from the digital camera 40, and a fuel inlet 42A (starting portion of the flow path in the portable fuel device) is provided at the upper end of the fuel cell 42. As shown in FIG. 14, the fuel cell 42 may be connected to the fuel replenishment system 20.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the fuel cell 82 is prevented from being attached to and detached from the digital camera 80, and a fuel inlet 82 A (starting end portion of the flow path in the portable fuel device) is provided on the upper surface of the camera housing 84. As shown in FIG. 16, the connection cap 24 and the fuel injection port 82 </ b> A may be connected by a hose 86.

2. Embodiment 2
Next, Embodiment 2 will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the structure similar to Embodiment 1, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 17, an entertainment robot (hereinafter referred to as a robot) 50 that uses the fuel cell 4 as a power source moves by rotating wheels 52 provided on the soles of the feet with the electric power generated by the fuel cell 4. The direction of the wheels 52 can be changed by a wheel drive unit 53 (see FIG. 20). Also, the robot 50 is similar to the passenger car 1 of the first embodiment. The fuel cartridge 110 of the digital camera 100 or the camera-equipped mobile phone 200 that uses the fuel cell 112 as a power source from the fuel tank 5 and the fuel cell of the digital cameras 40 and 80 are used. Fuel is supplied to 42 and 82.

  In the robot 50, the fuel replenishment system 20 is provided on the head 54 and the chest 56. As shown in FIG. 18, the fuel cell 4, the fuel tank 5, the pipe 7, the reformer 8, the humidifier 9, the radiator 12, and the like are housed in a case 59 provided on the back portion 58 of the robot 50. .

  Two pipes 16 extend from the fuel tank 5. One of the pipes 16 extends to the head 54, and a fuel replenishment system 20 is provided at the tip. The other of the pipes 16 extends to the chest 56, and similarly, a fuel replenishment system 20 is provided at the tip.

  The connection cap 24 of the fuel replenishment system 20 in the head 54 is disposed in the port 54A, and the connection cap 24 of the fuel replenishment system 20 in the chest 56 is disposed in the fuel supply unit 56A provided in the chest 56. Yes. The fuel supply unit 56A is opened and closed by the supply door 70.

  The chest 56 stores a considerable number (for example, 100) of fuel cartridges 110 that are not filled with fuel. The fuel cartridge 110 is moved to the fuel supply unit 56A by the cartridge moving mechanism 60, and the fuel inlet 110A is connected to the connection base 24. Then, fuel is injected by the fuel replenishment system 20.

  In addition, the waist portion 57 is selected to purchase the coin insertion slot 62, the bill insertion slot 64, the change return lever 66, the change return opening 68, the fuel cartridge 110, or to supply fuel to the fuel cells 42 and 82. A button 72 and a display 27 are provided.

  Further, the eye 54B of the head 54 is provided with a sensor 74 for detecting a person or an obstacle, and the nose 54C is provided with a fuel supply start button 75 for driving the fuel replenishment system 20 of the head 54. ing.

  Hereinafter, the processing routine of the control unit 51 (see FIG. 20) of the robot 50 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, when the power of the robot 50 is turned on, the processing routine is started and the process proceeds to Step 300. In step 300, the wheel 52 is driven and the robot 50 moves. In step 302, the negative determination is repeated until the sensor 74 finds a person, and the process returns to step 300. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 304.

  In step 304, the robot 50 moves to the position of the person found by the sensor 74 by driving the wheel drive unit 53. And it progresses to step 306, it is determined whether it was charged from the coin slot 62 or the banknote slot 64, and if affirmed, it will progress to step 308, and if it is denied, it will progress to step 310. In step 310, the negative determination is repeated until 1 minute elapses, and the process returns to step 306. If the determination is affirmative, the process returns to step 302.

  In step 308, when the purchase amount of the fuel cartridge 110 (100 yen in this embodiment) is counted by the counting unit 76 (see FIG. 20), the process proceeds to step 312 and fuel is supplied to the fuel cells 42 and 82. When the amount of money (in this embodiment, 20 yen) is counted, the process proceeds to step 314.

  In step 312, the cartridge moving mechanism 60 is driven to move one fuel cartridge 110 housed in the chest 56 to the fuel supply unit 56 </ b> A and connect the fuel injection unit 110 </ b> A to the connection base 4. Then, the piston 26 of the fuel replenishment system 20 in the chest 56 is driven to inject fuel from the fuel tank 5 into the fuel cartridge 110.

  Then, the process proceeds to step 316, where the replenishment door 70 is opened and the arm 78 is driven as shown in FIG. 17A, and the fuel cartridge 110 is taken out from the fuel supply unit 56A as shown in FIG. 17B. Hand it over to the customer. Then, the supply door 70 is closed. Then, the process proceeds to step 318.

  In step 314, negative determination is repeated until the fuel supply start button 75 is pressed. In step 320, the piston 26 of the fuel replenishment system 20 in the head 54 is driven to inject fuel from the fuel tank 5 to the fuel cells 42 and 82. At this time, the fuel replenishment status is displayed on the display 27. Then, the process proceeds to step 318.

  In step 318, the processing routine of steps 300 to 320 is repeated until the power of the robot 50 is turned off. When the power of the robot 50 is turned off, the processing routine is terminated.

  As described above, since the fuel is replenished to the fuel cells 42 and 82 for the portable device and the fuel cartridge 110 by the robot 50, the fuel cell of the portable device can be generated at an amusement park or the like. Moreover, since entertainment property is high, there is a possibility of increasing the ability to attract customers such as an amusement park.

  Further, since the fuel cartridge 110 is filled with fuel at the site where the robot 50 sells, the man-hour for filling the fuel cartridge 110 with fuel becomes unnecessary.

  In the first and second embodiments, the passenger car 1 and the robot 50 have been described as examples. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to spacecraft and the like.

It is the schematic which shows the structure of the fuel replenishment system with which the passenger vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 1 and the said passenger vehicle are equipped. It is a schematic plan view which shows the structure which looked at the ceiling part of the passenger compartment in the passenger car shown in FIG. 1 from the downward direction. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the fuel cell, reformer, and these vicinity in the passenger car shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the fuel replenishment system in the passenger car shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the digital camera which is an example of the portable apparatus which can replenish methanol with the fuel replenishment system which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the digital camera shown in FIG. 5. It is a top view which shows the place which looked at the digital camera shown in FIG. 5 from upper direction. FIG. 6 is a left side view of the digital camera shown in FIG. 5. It is a block diagram which shows the outline of an internal structure of the digital camera shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the outline of an internal structure of the digital camera shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the mobile phone with a camera which is another example of the portable apparatus which can replenish methanol with the fuel replenishment system which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a modification of the structure of the fuel replenishment system with which the passenger car shown in FIG. 1 is provided. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the digital camera which is another example of the portable apparatus which can replenish methanol with the fuel replenishment system which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a fuel replenishing system for replenishing methanol to the fuel cell of the digital camera shown in FIG. 13. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the digital camera which is another example of the portable apparatus which can replenish methanol with the fuel replenishment system which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the fuel replenishment system which replenishes methanol to the fuel cell of the digital camera shown in FIG. (A) (B) is a front view which shows the robot which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a side view which shows the robot which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a fuel replenishment method by a robot according to a second embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the robot which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Passenger cars (cars, vehicles, moving objects)
2 Crew compartment (in the car)
3 Ceiling
4 Fuel cell
5 Fuel tank 20 Fuel replenishment system 22 Syringe (pump means, fuel supply means)
24 Connection base (equipment connection part)
26 Piston (equipment connection)
40 Digital camera (mobile device)
42 Fuel cell (fuel cell for portable equipment)
42A Fuel inlet (starting end)
50 Robot (moving body)
51 Control unit (control means)
56 Chest (container)
62 Coin slot (money slot)
64 banknote slot (money slot)
76 Counting unit 80 Digital camera (mobile device)
82 Fuel cell (Fuel cell for portable equipment)
82A Fuel injection part (starting part)
110 Fuel cartridge (fuel storage part)
110A Fuel inlet (starting end)

Claims (14)

A fuel replenishment system for a portable device using a fuel cell as a power source, provided in an automobile that runs on the fuel for the fuel cell,
A device connecting portion connected to a fuel storage portion that is disposed on the inner wall surface of the automobile and stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell of the portable device;
A fuel replenishment system comprising fuel supply means for supplying fuel from a fuel tank of the automobile to a fuel storage part connected to the device connection part. The device connection part has a fuel replenishment flow path that opens when the fuel storage part is connected, and closes when the fuel connection part is detached,
2. The fuel replenishing system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel supply unit includes a pump unit that feeds a predetermined amount of fuel into the fuel storage unit when the fuel storage unit is connected to the device connection unit. .   The said pump means is a syringe, and when the said fuel accommodating part is connected to the said apparatus connection part, the said piston means that a piston advances only a predetermined distance from the initial position, and sends in a predetermined amount of fuel. The fuel replenishment system according to 2.   The fuel replenishment system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connection portion is provided in a cigarette writer portion of an instrument panel in the automobile.   The fuel replenishing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fuel is methanol fuel containing methanol as a main component. An automobile that runs on fuel for fuel cells,
An automobile comprising the fuel replenishment system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel for the automobile is replenished in a fuel accommodating portion that accommodates fuel supplied to a fuel cell of a portable device.   The automobile according to claim 6, wherein the automobile uses a fuel cell as a power source.   The automobile according to claim 7, wherein the fuel cell is mounted on a ceiling portion. A fuel replenishment system for a portable device that uses a fuel cell as a power source, provided in a vehicle that uses the fuel for the fuel cell,
A device connection unit provided in the vehicle, to which a fuel storage unit for storing fuel supplied to the fuel cell of the portable device is connected;
Fuel supply means for supplying fuel from a fuel tank of the vehicle to a fuel storage unit connected to the device connection unit;
A fuel replenishment system comprising: A mobile unit powered by a fuel cell,
A moving body comprising fuel take-out means for taking out fuel from a fuel tank that supplies fuel to the fuel cell. A fuel replenishment system for a portable device using a fuel cell as a power source, provided in a moving body that uses the fuel for the fuel cell,
A device connection unit provided in the mobile body, to which a fuel storage unit that stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell of the portable device is connected;
Fuel supply means for supplying fuel from a fuel tank of the moving body to a fuel storage section connected to the device connection section;
A fuel replenishment system comprising: a replenishment status display means for displaying a replenishment status in which fuel is replenished to the fuel storage section by the fuel supply means. A robot powered by a fuel cell,
A fuel tank for storing fuel consumed in the fuel cell;
A fuel supply port connected to a starting end portion of a flow path in the portable device of fuel supplied to a fuel cell for portable device which is a power source of the portable device;
A fuel supply path extending from the fuel tank to the fuel supply port;
A fuel supply means provided in the fuel supply path for supplying fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel supply port;
A robot characterized by comprising: A money input unit for inputting money,
Counting means for counting the amount of money inserted into the money input unit;
Control means for operating the fuel supply means when the amount of money counted by the counting means reaches a predetermined amount;
The robot according to claim 12, comprising: A storage section for storing a fuel storage section that is provided at the start end and stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell for portable devices;
The robot according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the fuel supply means supplies fuel to the fuel storage unit stored in the storage unit.

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