# US 7,743,883 B2 · Noise eliminator for fuel cell

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- Number: US 7,743,883 B2
- Document ID: US7743883B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/885,885
- Filed: 2006-03-09
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2005-03-24
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Toshiyuki Kondo; Kazunori Yanagihara; Hideaki Taniguchi; Takashi Kato; Kiyohiko Nagae
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743883B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/04156: {with product water removal}
- F01N 1/084: {the exhaust gases flowing through the silencer two or more times longitudinally in opposite directions, e.g. using parallel or concentric tubes}
- F01N 1/10: in combination with sound-absorbing materials (F01N1/125 takes precedence)
- H01M 8/0273: with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame
- F01N 2470/02: Tubes being perforated
- H01M 2250/00: Fuel cells for particular applications; Specific features of fuel cell system
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A noise eliminator for a fuel cell, where an outer shell has a reception section in which a sound absorption material is placed between the outer shell and an inner pipe and has a water discharge section that is positioned so as to face a lower portion in the vertical direction of the inner pipe and in which the sound absorption material is not placed between the outer shell and the inner pipe. The water discharge section receives water flowing into the outer shell and allows the water to flow to the outside of the outer shell. Although the water discharge section receives water flowing into the outer shell, the sound absorption material inside the noise eliminator does not absorb the water from the water discharge section and does not contain it because there is no sound absorption material in the water discharge section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A noise eliminator for a fuel cell provided in an exhaust system to discharge exhaust from a fuel cell, comprising:
an inner pipe made of metal, which has a peripheral wall formed with a plurality of sound transmitting holes and through which the exhaust flows in an axial direction; and
an outer shell made of resin, which is formed to surround the inner pipe with a specified interval from the peripheral wall, wherein
the outer shell includes
a reception section in which a sound absorption material is placed between the outer shell and the inner pipe,
a water discharge section which is positioned to face a lower portion in the vertical direction of the inner pipe and in which the sound absorption material is not placed between the outer shell and the inner pipe,
a first pipe receiving section positioned on an exhaust system downstream side of the outer shell, and
a second pipe receiving section positioned on an exhaust system upstream side of the outer shell, those are integrally molded,
one end of the inner pipe is press-inserted into the first pipe receiving section of the outer shell and is fixed, and one end of a connection pipe made of metal is press-inserted into the second pipe receiving section of the outer shell and is fixed, and
the other end of the connection pipe is slidably fitted in the other end of the inner pipe, wherein a first distance, taken between the inner pipe peripheral wall and the reception section, is larger than a second distance, taken between the inner pipe peripheral wall and the water discharge section, and wherein the outer shell includes a step portion to make the diameter of the outer shell smaller on the water discharge section side.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the inner pipe is disposed relative to the outer shell so that a distance in the vertical direction between the peripheral wall of the inner pipe and the reception section of the outer shell is larger than a distance between the peripheral wall and the water discharge section of the outer shell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the water discharge section of the outer shell is formed to have a substantially U-shaped section protruding toward the outside of the outer shell.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the sound transmitting holes are formed in an upper portion of the peripheral wall of the inner pipe and are not formed in a lower portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the sound transmitting hole is formed in a portion of the inner pipe peripheral wall facing a sound absorption chamber formed between the outer shell reception section and the inner pipe.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The noise eliminator of for the fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the noise eliminator is mounted at an inclination angle with respect to a horizontal plane of the vehicle, such that an end of the noise eliminator becomes lower in an exhaust system downstream direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 6, wherein the inclination angle is 5° to 10°.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 6, wherein a water discharge hole to connect a space between the outer shell water discharge section and the inner pipe and an inside of the inner pipe is formed in the lower portion of the inner pipe at an exhaust system downstream side.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein a buffer member is provided between the inner pipe and the outer shell to prevent contact therebetween.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 9, wherein the buffer member protrudes from the lower side in the vertical direction of the inner pipe peripheral wall, and is extended along the axial direction of the inner pipe.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The noise eliminator for the fuel cell according to claim 1 further comprising a connection pipe which includes a large diameter section press-inserted into and fixed to the second pipe receiving section of the outer shell, and a small diameter section slidably fitted in the other end of the inner pipe, and the outer shell and the other end of the inner pipe are connected.