Fuel cell system

#The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in priority Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-45507 filed on Feb. 22, 2006, the contents of which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to fuel cell systems and more particularly to a leakage-proof valve structure that prevents leakage of liquid fuel during replenishment of the fuel cell unit in the fuel cell system with liquid fuel from a fuel cartridge.

#FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are cross-sectional views of the valve mechanism in one embodiment of the fuel cell system of the present invention, FIG. 1A illustrating the disconnected state and FIG. 1B illustrating the connected state;

#FIG. 2A to FIG. 2F are diagrams given in description of how the valves of the valve mechanism are connected and disconnected;

#FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are diagrams given in description of what effects are achieved when the valves are disconnected;

#One preferred embodiment of the fuel cell system of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to FIG. 1A to FIG. 4.

#The fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment includes a fuel cell unit 3 that supplies power to an electronic device 2 of various types, and a valve mechanism 5 for connecting the fuel cell unit 3 and a fuel cartridge 4, as shown in FIG. 4. The illustrated example of the fuel cell unit 3 includes a fuel cell module 6, which produces electrical energy from supplies of fuel such as methanol (on the anode side) and oxygen (on the cathode side) with a solid polymer electrolyte interposed between the anode and the cathode, a fuel supply part 8 that supplies fuel from an internal fuel tank 7 to the fuel cell module 6, an output controller 9 for controlling output of electrical energy produced by the fuel cell module 6, and a connector 10 for connecting the fuel cell unit 3 with the electronic device 2.

#The valve mechanism 5 includes a female valve 11 provided to the fuel inlet of the fuel cell unit 3, and a male valve 21 provided to the fuel cartridge 4. Part of the male valve 21 is inserted into the female valve 11 to establish fluid communication and to replenish the internal fuel tank 7 in the fuel cell unit 3 with methanol fuel from the fuel cartridge 4.