JP2009231244A - Portable fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable fuel cell having high power generation performance without spoiling flexibility for a design of an available electronic device. <P>SOLUTION: The portable fuel cell having a case 100 with a semicylinder-shape includes a power generation section 10 in the case, a fuel tank 20, and a circuit board 30. A plurality of air vents 101 are provided on the round surface and side surface of the semicylinder-shaped case 100. A cathode face necessary to touch with open air is faced at an upper case side of the power generation section 10, and an anode face is faced at a fuel tank 20 side of the power generation section. Thus, the cathode face takes in air (oxygen and carbon dioxide) through the air vent 101, and discharges water vapor and an exhaust gas to the outside. Since a face having the air vent 101 is round in the semicylinder-shape, a gap exists between desks even if being provided on the bottom face of the electronic device, and the cathode face surely touches open air. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable fuel cell used for, for example, a portable electronic device.

  As is well known, fuel cells such as DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) are being developed as power sources for portable electronic devices. In particular, improvement of power generation efficiency is one problem (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

By the way, DMFC is a mechanism for obtaining electric power through a chemical reaction between ambient air and methanol stored in the interior, so the cathode surface of the unit needs to be surely exposed to the outside air. However, in a portable electronic device such as a notebook personal computer, the battery is often provided at the bottom of the casing because of the design of the casing and the like, so that it is difficult to touch outside air. There was a problem that.
JP 2002-313402 A

In the conventional portable fuel cell, when it is provided at the bottom of an electronic device, there is a problem in that power generation efficiency is reduced due to a decrease in air permeability.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable fuel cell having high power generation performance without impairing the degree of freedom of design of an applied electronic device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a portable fuel cell that reacts fuel and air to generate an electromotive force to output the electric power, and has a curved surface portion, and a vent hole is formed in the curved surface portion. It is configured to include a housing provided, and a power generation means for generating an electromotive force mounted in the housing with a cathode surface facing a curved surface portion provided with a vent hole.

As described above, according to the present invention, a vent hole is provided in the curved surface portion of the housing, and the power generating device is mounted in the housing with the cathode surface of the power generating device facing this surface.
Therefore, according to the present invention, even if the curved surface portion is the lower part of the electronic device, the cathode surface can be in contact with the outside air through the vent hole, so that high power generation performance can be exhibited and the lower surface of the electronic device is used. Therefore, it is possible to provide a portable fuel cell that does not impair the degree of freedom in the design of the applied electronic device.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a portable fuel cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This portable fuel cell has a kamaboko-shaped casing 100, and includes a power generation unit 10, a fuel tank 20, and a circuit board 30 inside. As shown in FIG. 2, the casing 100 is paired with an upper case 102 provided with a large number of ventilation holes 101 on the surface and side surfaces rounded into a semi-cylindrical shape. 20 and a lower case 103 that accommodates the circuit board 30.

  The power generation unit 10 takes in methanol stored in the fuel tank 20 and reacts the methanol and the taken-in air with a cell provided therein to obtain an electromotive force. This electromotive force is output to the circuit board 30. The circuit board 30 rectifies the electromotive force and outputs power of a predetermined voltage to the outside through the connector 31. The lower case 103 is provided with a connector port 104 for exposing the connector 31 to the outside.

  In the lower case 103, the fuel tank 20 and the circuit board 30 are arranged side by side on the bottom surface. And the electric power generation part 10 is mounted on these. Spacers 32 are provided at least at the four corners of the circuit board 30 so that the outer shape of the circuit board 30 and the spacers 32 is the same as the thickness of the fuel tank 20, so that the lower case is placed on a horizontal plane. In this case, the power generation unit 10 in which the power generation unit 10 is placed on the circuit board 30 via the fuel tank 20 and the spacer 32 becomes horizontal.

  Further, the power generation unit 10 directs the cathode surface 11 that needs to be touched by outside air to the upper case 102 side, and directs the anode surface 12 to the fuel tank 20 side. Thus, the cathode surface 11 takes in air (oxygen and carbon dioxide) through the vent hole 101 and discharges water vapor and exhaust gas to the outside.

  FIG. 3 shows an example in which the portable fuel cell is mounted on an electronic device. The electronic device shown in this figure is an image of a notebook personal computer, and is housed in the end of the bottom surface of the main body. In the portable fuel cell, since the surface having the vent hole 101 is rounded in a semi-cylindrical shape, even if it is provided on the bottom surface of the electronic device, there is always a gap between the top plate of the desk and the cathode surface 11. Can always touch the open air. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, since the vent hole 101 is provided also in the side surface, it can touch outside air from here. In addition, since the electronic device can be mounted on the bottom of the electronic device, the degree of freedom of design of the electronic device is not impaired.

  Next explained is a portable fuel cell according to the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 shows the configuration. The portable fuel cell according to the second embodiment includes a casing 120 as shown in FIG. The casing 120 has a planar shape, whereas the casing 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes the upper case 102 having a semi-cylindrical shape, and a large number of air holes 101 are provided on the surface. A leg 105 is provided on the surface provided with the vent hole 101. The legs 105 may be separately attached to the upper case 102, or may be integrally formed with the upper case 102.

  With this configuration, when the portable fuel cell according to the second embodiment is placed on a desk as shown in FIG. 5, the surface provided with the vent hole 101 by the leg 105 and the desk There is a gap between the cathode surface 11 and the cathode surface 11 through the air vent 101. The portable fuel cell of this shape can also be mounted on the bottom of the electronic device as shown in FIG. 3, and does not impair the freedom of design of the electronic device.

  Next explained is a portable fuel cell according to the third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 shows the configuration. The portable fuel cell according to the third embodiment includes a casing 130 as shown in FIG. This housing 130 has an upper case 102 that protrudes in a semi-cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 1, but has a shape in which the central portion is recessed and four corners are raised. A large number of pores 101 are provided.

  By adopting such a configuration, the portable fuel cell according to the third embodiment is provided with vent holes 101 with the raised four corners as legs when placed on a desk as shown in FIG. There is a gap between the surface and the desk, and the cathode surface 11 can always be exposed to the outside air through the vent hole 101. The portable fuel cell of this shape can also be mounted on the bottom of the electronic device as shown in FIG. 3, and does not impair the freedom of design of the electronic device.

  Next explained is a portable fuel cell according to the fourth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 shows the configuration. The portable fuel cell according to the fourth embodiment includes a housing 140 as shown in FIG. The casing 140 has a shape that rises like a semi-cylindrical shape in two rows in contrast to the case 100 shown in FIG. Many vent holes 101 are provided.

  By adopting such a configuration, the portable fuel cell according to the fourth embodiment is provided with a vent hole 101 when placed on a desk as shown in FIG. 9 due to its kamaboko shape. There is a gap between the surface and the desk, and the cathode surface 11 can always be exposed to the outside air through the vent hole 101. The portable fuel cell of this shape can also be mounted on the bottom of the electronic device as shown in FIG. 3, and does not impair the freedom of design of the electronic device.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. Further, for example, a configuration in which some components are deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment is also conceivable. Furthermore, you may combine suitably the component described in different embodiment.

  As an example, in the above embodiment, the vent hole 101 is provided in the casing facing the cathode surface 11 of the power generation unit 10. That is, although the slit surface provided with the vent hole 101 is one, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 10, the two slit surfaces may be arranged with an appropriate gap. In this case, the vent holes 101 provided in the two slit surfaces are not aligned in the direction of the power generation unit 10. This makes it difficult for foreign matter to enter the inside through the vent 101 and prevents foreign matter from reaching the power generation unit 10 directly.

Further, in the above embodiment, the curved surface portion provided with the ventilation holes of the housing is formed in one or two rows of kamaboko shape, but is not limited to this, and is a wavy curved surface or an irregular curved surface. May be.
In addition, it goes without saying that the present invention can be similarly implemented even if various modifications are made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

The figure which shows the structure of 1st Embodiment of the portable fuel cell concerning this invention. The figure which shows the structure inside the portable fuel cell shown in FIG. The figure which shows the state which mounted the portable fuel cell shown in FIG. 1 in the electronic device. The figure which shows the structure of 2nd Embodiment of the portable fuel cell concerning this invention. The figure which shows the cross section of the portable fuel cell shown in FIG. The figure which shows the structure of 3rd Embodiment of the portable fuel cell concerning this invention. The figure which shows the cross section of the portable fuel cell shown in FIG. The figure which shows the structure of 4th Embodiment of the portable fuel cell concerning this invention. The figure which shows the cross section of the portable fuel cell shown in FIG. The figure which shows the cross-sectional structure at the time of making a slit surface into two layers.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Power generation part, 11 ... Cathode surface, 12 ... Anode surface, 20 ... Fuel tank, 30 ... Circuit board, 31 ... Connector, 32 ... Spacer, 100 ... Housing, 101 ... Vent, 102 ... Upper case, 103 ... Lower case, 104 ... connector port, 105 ... leg, 120 ... housing, 130 ... housing, 140 ... housing.

Claims (8)

In a portable fuel cell that reacts fuel and air to generate electromotive force and output the power,
A housing having a curved surface portion and a vent hole in the curved surface portion;
A portable fuel cell, comprising: a power generation means mounted in the casing with a cathode surface facing a curved surface portion provided with the vent hole and generating the electromotive force.   The portable fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the casing is formed with the curved surface portion as a convex surface.   The portable fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the casing has the curved surface portion formed as a semi-cylindrical convex surface.   The portable fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the casing is formed with a plurality of kamaboko-shaped convex surfaces in the curved surface portion.   The portable fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the casing is formed with a concave surface in the curved surface portion. In a portable fuel cell that reacts fuel and air to generate electromotive force and output the power,
A housing having a flat portion, a vent hole in the flat portion, and a partially raised leg;
A portable fuel cell, comprising: a power generation means that is mounted in the casing with a cathode surface facing a flat portion provided with the vent hole and generates the electromotive force.   7. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising: a surface member provided with a vent hole provided between the surface provided with the vent hole and the cathode surface. Type fuel cell.   8. The portable fuel cell according to claim 7, wherein a surface of the surface member that is not provided with a vent hole is disposed between the vent hole of the housing and the cathode surface.

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