JP2008052954A - Fuel bottle for fuel cell and fuel cartridge using this - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel bottle for a fuel cell capable of being efficiently housed in a hard case and securing necessary capacity and moldability and to provide a fuel cartridge using the fuel bottle. <P>SOLUTION: The fuel bottle 10 for the fuel cell is filled with fuel for the fuel cell, attached with a coupler capable of connecting to a fuel cell body in a nozzle part 11 at the tip, and equipped with a bottle body 12 having almost an elliptical body transection and formed by blow molding, and the body part of the bottle body 12 is formed so that distances L1, L2 in front and in the rear in the minor axis direction from the center On of the nozzle part are different on almost the elliptical transection. The moving space of a push button when the fuel bottle is housed in the hard case is secured while the necessary capacity of the fuel bottle 10 is secured. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel bottle for a fuel cell and a fuel cartridge using the same, can be filled with methanol fuel of a methanol fuel cell, can be stored in a hard case, and can be secured with a shape and capacity suitable for being pushed out by a push button, It can be molded by blow molding.

  Various liquid fuel cells that can generate electricity directly from liquid fuel are being developed. In direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) that use methanol as fuel, portable electronic devices can be miniaturized without the need for a reformer. Use as a power source is attracting attention.

  In particular, in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) called a passive method, a fuel cartridge containing methanol, which is a liquid fuel, is connected to a fuel tank provided on the fuel cell body side to supply methanol directly. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the size without requiring a fuel supply pump (see Patent Document 1).

In such a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), a fuel cartridge in which methanol, which is a fuel, is placed in a shrinkable bottle-shaped inner container and the outside is covered with an outer container formed of a hard case and protected. Is used.
JP 2005-71713 A

  However, in a fuel cartridge in which a bottle filled with methanol fuel for a fuel cell is covered with a hard case, a push button is provided on the outer hard case as one of the methods for shrinking and discharging the bottle. The bottle is shrunk, but in this case, the hard case needs a space for moving the push button, and the inner container has problems such as securing the shape and capacity, and formability.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and is intended to provide a fuel bottle for a fuel cell that can be efficiently stored in a hard case and can secure necessary capacity, moldability, and the like, and a fuel cartridge using the same. It is what.

  In order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, the fuel bottle for fuel cell according to claim 1 of the present invention is filled with fuel for fuel cell, and a coupler that can be connected to the fuel cell main body side is attached to the nozzle portion at the tip. In addition, a fuel bottle for a fuel cell including a bottle body that is blow-molded with a body cross-section having a substantially elliptical shape, wherein the body of the bottle body is on the substantially elliptical cross-section. It is characterized in that it is formed into a shape in which the distance in the short axis direction from the center of the nozzle portion is different.

  According to the fuel bottle for a fuel cell, a fuel cell fuel is filled, and a coupler that can be connected to the fuel cell main body side is attached to the nozzle portion at the tip, and the body cross section is made into an approximately oval shape and blow molded In the fuel bottle for a fuel cell provided with the bottle main body, the body portion of the bottle main body is formed into a shape having a different distance in the short axis direction from the center of the nozzle portion on the substantially elliptical cross section. By changing the distance between the center of the nozzle of the approximately elliptical bottle and the front and rear of the barrel in the short axis direction and shifting it from the center of the barrel, it is housed in a hard case while securing the necessary capacity, and the movable space of the push button is increased. We are trying to secure it.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to the first aspect, in addition to the parting line at both ends of the substantially elliptical long axis side of the bottle main body and the bottom of the bottle main body. The pinch part is formed by being arranged at a substantially central part on the short axis side shifted from the center of the nozzle part.

  According to the fuel bottle for a fuel cell, the parting line at both ends of the substantially elliptical long-axis side of the bottle main body and the pinch portion of the bottom of the bottle main body are shifted from the center of the nozzle portion on the short-axis side. It is formed by being arranged in a substantially central portion, the blow ratio before and after the minor axis direction of the bottle body other than the nozzle portion can be made substantially uniform, and the strength as a bottle can be easily secured.

  Furthermore, a fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration according to the first or second aspect, projects outwardly on the short axis side where the distance from the center of the nozzle portion of the bottle body is short. The overhanging portion to be formed is formed.

  According to this fuel cell fuel bottle, the overhanging portion protruding outward is formed on the short shaft side of the bottle body, which is short from the center of the nozzle portion, and it is easy to secure a further capacity. It becomes like this.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure of any one of the first to third aspects, the fuel bottle includes at least one cyclic olefin (COC) resin layer. It is characterized by being molded.

  According to the fuel bottle for a fuel cell, the fuel bottle is formed with at least one cyclic olefin (COC) resin layer and can be made into a bottle with suppressed methanol permeability.

  Furthermore, in the fuel cartridge for a fuel cell according to claim 5 of the present invention, the fuel bottle according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is housed in a hard case having a push button, and the center of the nozzle portion The fuel cell fuel is configured to flow out by pressing the surface on the short axis side with a short distance from the surface with the push button.

  According to the fuel cartridge for the fuel cell, the fuel bottle according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is housed in a hard case having a push button, and a short shaft having a short distance from the center of the nozzle portion. By pressing the surface on the side with the push button, the fuel cell fuel can flow out, and by pressing the surface on the short axis side with a short distance from the nozzle center with the push button, it becomes a hard case This is a fuel cartridge for a fuel cell that can be efficiently stored and can secure the required capacity and moldability.

  According to the fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to claim 1 of the present invention, a fuel cell fuel is filled, and a coupler that can be connected to the fuel cell main body side is attached to the tip nozzle portion, and the trunk cross section is substantially the same. A fuel bottle for a fuel cell having a bottle body that is elliptically shaped and blow-molded, wherein the body portion of the bottle body is a distance from the center of the nozzle portion to the front and rear in the short axis direction on the substantially elliptical cross section. Are shaped into different shapes, so the distance between the nozzle center of the approximately elliptical bottle and the front and rear of the barrel in the short axis direction is shifted and shifted from the barrel center to store it in the hard case while ensuring the required capacity. Thus, the movable space of the push button can be secured.

  According to a fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to claim 2 of the present invention, the nozzle part includes a parting line at both ends of the substantially elliptical long axis side of the bottle body and a pinch part at the bottom of the bottle body. Since it is placed and molded at the approximate center on the short axis side shifted from the center of the bottle, the blow ratio before and after the short axis direction of the bottle body other than the nozzle can be made substantially uniform before and after the bottle, and it is necessary as a bottle by uniform stretching A sufficient strength can be secured easily.

  Furthermore, according to the fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to claim 3 of the present invention, the overhanging portion that protrudes outward is formed on the short shaft side of the bottle body that is short from the center of the nozzle portion. While securing the movable space of the push button in the case, it becomes easier to secure the capacity.

  According to the fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to claim 4 of the present invention, since the fuel bottle is provided with at least one cyclic olefin (COC) resin layer, the methanol of the bottle is formed by the cyclic olefin resin layer. The suppression of permeability can be further ensured.

  Further, according to a fuel cartridge for a fuel cell according to claim 5 of the present invention, the fuel bottle according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is housed in a hard case having a push button, and the nozzle Because the fuel cell fuel can flow out by pressing the short-axis surface with a short distance from the center of the part with the push button, the short-axis surface with a short distance from the nozzle center is pushed with the push button. By doing so, the fuel cartridge for the fuel cell can be efficiently stored in the hard case, and the required capacity and moldability can be secured.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view, a plan view, and a side view according to one embodiment of a fuel bottle for a fuel cell of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view and a sectional view according to one embodiment of a fuel cartridge using the fuel bottle for a fuel cell of the present invention. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a blow mold used for molding a fuel bottle for a fuel cell of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a front view, a plan view, and a side view according to another embodiment of the fuel bottle of the present invention. FIG.

  This fuel cell fuel bottle 10 is a fuel bottle that contains methanol for a passive fuel cell in which fuel is directly supplied to a fuel tank of a fuel cell body of a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) using methanol as fuel. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel bottle 10 is used by being blow-molded with a plastic having a contractibility and filled with methanol. The fuel bottle 10 has a nozzle portion 11 at its tip and a substantially elliptical cross section. The bottle body 12 is shaped into a flat bottle shape.

  In the fuel bottle 10, a short passage through the center On of the nozzle portion 11 in the substantially elliptical cross section of the bottle body 12 serving as the body portion with respect to the center On of the nozzle portion 11 serving as the center of the parison at the time of blow molding. The distances L1 and L2 from the center On to the front and rear ends in the axial direction are different lengths, the center On of the nozzle portion 11 and the center Ob of the bottle body 12 are shifted, and the distance L1 to the front surface 12a is short. The distance L2 to the rear surface 12b is longer.

  As a result, the fuel bottle 10 is housed in the hard case 21 in which the distance from the center of the nozzle portion 11 of the fuel cartridge 20 shown in FIG. 2 to the front and rear surface side is 2 · L = 2 · L 2. The space S for L2-L1 can be secured on the front surface 12a side of the 12, and this space S can be used as the movable space of the push button 22.

  When such a fuel bottle 10 is blow-molded, the parison center and the nozzle center On are generally aligned, and the parting line PL1 of the molding die and the pinch portion 13 at the bottom of the bottle body 12 are centered on the parison. Together, blow molding is performed.

  When the fuel bottle 10 is molded by such normal blow molding, the blow ratio of the front and rear surfaces 12a and 12b of the nozzle center On differs depending on the distances L1 and L2 from the center, and the strength of the bottle body 12 is uniform. It will not become.

  Therefore, in the fuel bottle 10, as shown in FIG. 3, the parting line PL of the pair of molding dies 30 of the bottle main body 12 is, for example, at a substantially central portion in the minor axis direction of a substantially elliptical cross section. In addition to being disposed on both sides of the center Ob in the long axis direction, the pinch portion 13 at the bottom of the bottle body 12 is similarly disposed at the lower center of the bottle center Ob and molded.

  Due to the parting line PL and the pinch portion 13 at the bottom of the bottle body 12, the blow ratio of the front and rear surfaces 12a and 12b is substantially reduced even in the fuel bottle 10 in which the nozzle center On and the center Ob of the bottle body 12 are eccentric. It can be made uniform and uniformly stretched, and the strength can be made uniform.

  In addition, the fuel bottle 10 needs to have methanol shrinkage and squeeze properties that can be pushed out, and must suppress methanol permeability. A cyclic olefin resin layer is used as a synthetic resin material to be used. Those having at least one layer are preferred. For example, the fuel bottle 10 is formed as a single layer of a cyclic olefin resin or formed as a multilayer structure used for the innermost layer or the intermediate layer of the cyclic olefin resin. For other resin layers in the multilayer structure, polyolefin (PO) resin, polyester resin, polylactic acid (PLA) resin, polybutylene succinate (PBS) resin, etc. are preferably used. For the conductive resin layer, linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), acid-modified polyolefin resin, or the like is preferably used.

  The fuel bottle 10 is provided with a coupler (not shown) that is detachably connected to the fuel cell main body side in a nozzle portion 11 that protrudes from the upper end portion thereof.

  The coupler includes a plug and a socket that are a pair of fitting concavo-convex portions that can be attached to and detached from each other with one touch. For example, on the fuel bottle 10 side, a plug that becomes a fitting convex portion is attached to the nozzle portion 11 and fitted. A socket serving as a recess is provided on the fuel cell body side, and a valve body biased by a spring or the like is provided as a valve mechanism on the plug and the socket, respectively, and communicates with each other attached and connected to allow fuel to flow out. A structure that can be sealed in a separated / separated state is used.

  Such a plastic fuel bottle 10 has rigidity, accommodates the fuel bottle 10 inside, and is housed in a hard case serving as an outer container that can be pressed and contracted from outside to extrude methanol fuel. A fuel cartridge 20 for the battery is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the hard case 21 of the fuel cartridge 20 has a two-part structure that is divided at the front and rear surfaces so that the fuel bottle 10 can be accommodated inside, and a push button 22 is provided on the front member 21a. The push button 22 can be swung inwardly with the lower end of the push button 22 as a fulcrum. In addition, the hard case 21 is formed with an outer nozzle portion 21b covering the nozzle portion 11 of the fuel bottle 10 so as to protrude in half into the front member 21a and the rear member 21c. The outer nozzle 21d is screwed into the outer peripheral threaded portion and connected to each other to cover and protect the outer periphery of the nozzle portion 11 of the fuel bottle 10, and further, a cap 23 can be put on and sealed.

  Therefore, in the fuel cartridge 20, the front surface 12a of the bottle body 12 of the fuel bottle 10 with less swelling is housed in the hard case 21 as the push button 22 side, and the front surface member 21a and the rear surface member 21c are closed to fit together. Then, by screwing the outer nozzle 21d and screwing the cap 23, the fuel bottle 10 can be accommodated and sealed, and the movable space S of the push button 22 can be secured.

  By removing the cap 23 from the sealed state of the fuel cartridge 20, it is possible to expose only the plug of the coupler so that it can be connected to the fuel cell body side. In this state, the plug is connected to the socket of the fuel cell body. After that, when the push button 22 of the hard case 21 is pushed, the front surface 12a of the body portion of the bottle body 12 of the inner fuel bottle 10 is pushed, and methanol fuel flows out from the fuel bottle 10 and is supplied to the fuel cell body side. can do.

  On the other hand, in such a hard case 21 of the fuel cartridge 20, the push button 22 is arranged at the center of the front member 21 a, and there are spaces on both sides of the push button 22.

  Therefore, it is possible to use the fuel bottle 40 that increases the capacity by utilizing the space on both sides of the push button 22 of the hard case 21.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the fuel bottle 40 with the increased capacity forms a protruding portion 41 projecting outward on both sides of the front surface 12 a of the bottle body 12 of the fuel bottle 10.

  With this fuel bottle 40, the movable space S of the push button 22 can be secured in the fuel cartridge 20, and the methanol filling capacity can be increased by the amount of the protruding portions 41 on both sides as compared with the fuel bottle 10.

  The size of the protruding portion 41 is, for example, a state in which the distances L1 and L2 from the nozzle center On where the nozzle center On and the center Ob of the bottle body 12 substantially coincide with each other are substantially equal (L1≈L2). The That is, it is a flat bottle with a generally elliptical cross section, and has a shape similar to the shape in which only the portion where the push button 22 is located is depressed.

  According to the fuel bottle 40 for such a fuel cell, in the state of the fuel cartridge 20 put in the hard case 21, the movable space S of the push button 22 can be secured between the overhanging portions 41. By effectively using the internal space of the case 21, the capacity of the fuel bottle 40 can be maximized by the protruding portions 41 on both sides.

It is the front view, top view, and side view concerning one embodiment of the fuel bottle for fuel cells of this invention. It is the front view and sectional view concerning one embodiment of the fuel cartridge using the fuel bottle for fuel cells of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the blow die used for shaping | molding of the fuel bottle for fuel cells of this invention. It is the front view concerning the other embodiment of the fuel bottle of this invention, a top view, and a side view.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Fuel bottle 11 Nozzle part 12 Bottle main body 12a Front surface 12b Rear surface 13 Pinch part 20 Fuel cartridge 21 Hard case 21a Front member 21b Outer nozzle part 21c Rear surface member 21d Outer nozzle 22 Push button 23 Cap 30 Mold L, L1, L2, Distance from nozzle center On Nozzle center Ob Bottle center Op Parison center PL, PL1 Parting line

Claims (5)

A fuel cell comprising a bottle body that is filled with fuel for fuel cell and has a coupler that can be connected to the fuel cell body side at the tip of the nozzle, and that is blow-molded with a substantially elliptical cross section A fuel bottle,
The fuel bottle for a fuel cell, wherein the body portion of the bottle body is formed in a shape having different distances in the short axis direction from the center of the nozzle portion on the substantially elliptical cross section. The bottle body has a parting line at both ends of the substantially elliptical long axis side and a pinch part at the bottom of the bottle body arranged at a substantially central part on the short axis side shifted from the center of the nozzle part. The fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein 3. The fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein an overhanging portion that protrudes outward is formed on a short shaft side of the bottle body that is short from the center of the nozzle portion. 4. The fuel bottle for a fuel cell according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fuel bottle is formed by including at least one cyclic olefin resin layer. The fuel bottle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fuel bottle is housed in a hard case having a push button, and a surface on the short axis side having a short distance from the center of the nozzle portion is pressed with the push button. A fuel cartridge for a fuel cell, characterized in that the fuel for the fuel cell can flow out.

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