IP Library Granted Patent US 8,841,036
Granted Patent B2
US 8,841,036 · App. 13/087,470 · Granted Sep 23, 2014

Flexible fuel cell

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,841,036
App. No.
13/087,470
Granted
Sep 23, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein is a flexible fuel cell including, one or a plurality of cell sections, and a sealing sheet covering the cell section or sections, wherein the cell section has, at least, a pair of electrode sheets which form an anode and a cathode and at least one of which is accompanied by an oxidoreductase present at a surface thereof, a separator which is disposed between the electrode sheets and which has a proton-permeable membrane, a pair of current collectors which are electrically conductively connected respectively to the electrode sheets with a conductive adhesive, and a fuel reservoir section which is provided at such a position as to make contact with the anode at least and in which a fuel solution containing a fuel component is reserved.

Claims (23)

1. A fuel cell comprising:

one or more cell sections;

one or more sealing sheets covering the one or more cell sections,

wherein each of the one or more cell sections comprises a pair of electrode sheets forming an anode and a cathode, and wherein one of the anode and the cathode has an oxidoreductase present at a surface thereof;

a separator disposed between the pair of electrode sheets and comprising a proton-permeable membrane;

a pair of current collectors electrically conductively connected respectively to the pair of electrode sheets with a conductive adhesive; and

a fuel reservoir section disposed such that the fuel reservoir section makes contact with at least the anode, and wherein the fuel reservoir section contains a fuel solution containing a fuel component,

wherein the fuel cell has a bellows structure comprising a mountain fold and a valley fold that are repeatedly formed.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of electrode sheets is formed from carbon fibers.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein one of the one or more sealing sheets covering the cathode comprises:

a plurality of holes; and

a gas-permeable membrane impermeable to liquid and permeable only to gas, the gas-permeable membrane disposed between one of the one or more sealing sheets and the electrode sheet constituting the cathode.

4. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , further comprising, in the one or more cell sections, a reference electrode for checking cell performance.

5. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more sealing sheets are provided with connection terminals, and a plurality of fuel cells are connected in series or in parallel with each other through stacking using the connection terminals.

6. A fuel cell comprising:

one or more cell sections;

a sealing sheet covering the one or more cell sections,

wherein each of the one or more cell section comprises a pair of electrode sheets forming an anode and a cathode, and wherein one of the anode and the cathode has an oxidoreductase present at a surface thereof;

a separator disposed between the pair of electrode sheets and comprising a proton-permeable membrane;

a pair of current collectors electrically conductively connected respectively to the pair of electrode sheets with a conductive adhesive; and

a fuel reservoir section disposed such that the fuel reservoir section makes contact with at least the anode, and wherein the fuel reservoir section contains a fuel solution containing a fuel component,

wherein the fuel cell has a bellows structure comprising a mountain fold and a valley fold that are repeatedly formed,

wherein the sealing sheet is provided with terminals, and the plurality of fuel cells are connected in series or in parallel with each other through stacking.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2018
From: TOHOKU MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
To: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 045103/0835 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2018
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: TOHOKU MURATA MANUFACTURING CO.,LTD
Reel/Frame 045104/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2011
From: FUJITA, SHUJI; NAKAGAWA, TAKAAKI; MATSUMOTO, RYUHEI; KUMITA, HIDEYUKI; YAMAGUCHI, DAISUKE
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026133/0587 →