# US 10,479,215 B2 · Fuel cell vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,215 B2 - Document ID: US10479215B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/880,894 - Filed: 2018-01-26 - Published: 2018-09-13 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-08 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Tetsuji Aishima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479215B2 ## CPC - B60L 50/72: Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles - B60K 1/00: Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) - B60K 15/03006: {Gas tanks (B60K15/07 takes precedence)} - B60K 15/07: of gas tanks - B60L 3/0007: {Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions} - B60L 3/0053: {relating to fuel cells} - B60L 50/71: Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles - B60L 58/33: by cooling - H01M 8/04014: Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants - H01M 8/04074: {Heat exchange unit structures specially adapted for fuel cell} - H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants - H01M 8/04201: {Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes} - H01M 8/2465: Details of groupings of fuel cells - B60K 2001/003: {with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units} - B60K 2015/03315: {for hydrogen} - B60K 2015/03414: {associated with the fuel tank for cooling heated fuel} - B60K 2015/0634: {the fuel tank is arranged below the vehicle floor} - B60K 2015/0635: {the fuel tank is arranged between the seats} - B60Y 2306/01: Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection - B60Y 2306/05: Cooling - B60Y 2400/202: Fuel cells - H01M 2250/30: Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop - Y02B 90/10: Applications of fuel cells in buildings - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A fuel cell vehicle comprising: a hydrogen tank which is mounted on the vehicle so as to have a center axis generally parallel to a front/rear direction of the vehicle; a high-voltage electric component which is positioned either forward or rearward of the hydrogen tank and which operates on high voltage; an aftercooler placed between the hydrogen tank and the high-voltage electric component to cool compressed air; and a fuel cell stack which is supplied with the cooled compressed air. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel cell vehicle comprising: a hydrogen tank which is mounted on the vehicle so as to have a center axis generally substantially parallel to a front/rear direction of the vehicle; a high-voltage electric component which is positioned either forward or rearward of the hydrogen tank and which operates on high voltage; an aftercooler placed between the hydrogen tank and the high-voltage electric component on a common plane, wherein the aftercooler, the hydrogen tank and the high-voltage electric component are in the common plane, and the common plane is substantially parallel to the front/rear direction of the vehicle, wherein the high-voltage electric component is adapted to cool compressed air; and a fuel cell stack which is supplied with the cooled compressed air. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel cell vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a front room formed forward of a cabin, wherein the high-voltage electric component is housed in the front room, and the hydrogen tank is positioned rearward of the high-voltage electric component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fuel cell vehicle in accordance with claim 2, wherein the high-voltage electric component is an air compressor for feeding compressed air into the aftercooler, and the fuel cell stack is housed in the front room, the fuel cell vehicle further comprising an oxidizing gas supply path which is connected to a rear face of the fuel cell stack and which allows the cooled compressed air to flow therethrough. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fuel cell vehicle in accordance with claim 3, wherein the air compressor is placed downward of the fuel cell stack. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fuel cell vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the high-voltage electric component is an air compressor for feeding compressed air into the aftercooler. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fuel cell vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aftercooler is mounted in such an inclined posture that its bottom face intersects the front/rear direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fuel cell vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a center tunnel which is an under-floor space formed by swelling of a floor of a cabin of the fuel cell vehicle, wherein the hydrogen tank is placed within the center tunnel.