Fuel cell fuel supply system and mobile body

Abstract

An electric vehicle with fuel cells mounted thereon has a fuel tank that stores a fuel therein, and a connector receptor that is connected to the fuel tank and is open to the surface of the vehicle body. A connector of a predetermined hydrogen supply device is fitted in and attached to the connector receptor, so that a supply of fuel is fed from the hydrogen supply device to the electric vehicle. The connector receptor is provided with a fuel lid for covering over the connector receptor. When it is determined that the fuel cells are in a working state, the fuel lid is not opened in response to input of an opening instruction of the fuel lid in the course of fuel supply. When it is determined that the fuel lid is open, on the other hand, operation of the fuel cells is not started in response to input of a starting instruction of the fuel cells in the electric vehicle. Such an arrangement enhances the safety of fuel supply to any system with fuel cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuel supply system for fuel cells, which functions to supply either one of a fuel for said fuel cells and a source material used to generate the fuel for said fuel cells, said fuel supply system comprising:
 said fuel cells; 
 a storage module that is connected to said fuel cells and stores either one of the fuel and the source material therein; 
 a supply module that connects with said storage module to supply either one of the fuel and the source material to said storage module; 
 a fuel cells working status specification module that determines whether or not said fuel cells are in a power generation state; and 
 a supply prohibition module that, when said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are in the power generation state, prohibits a start of the supply of either one of the fuel and the source material from said supply module to said storage module; and 
 an input module that receives an instruction of starting operation of said fuel cells and an instruction of stopping the operation of said fuel cells, 
 wherein said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are in the power generation state when the instruction of starting the operation of said fuel cells is given to said input module but no instruction of stopping the operation of said fuel cells is subsequently given to said input module. 
 
     
     
       2. A fuel supply system for fuel cells in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said storage module comprises a fuel lid which opens when either one of the fuel and the source material is supplied, and
 wherein said supply prohibition module prohibits said fuel lid from opening when said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are in the power generation state. 
 
     
     
       3. A fuel supply system for fuel cells in accordance with  claim 1 , said fuel supply system further comprising:
 a voltage detection module that measures an output voltage of said fuel cells, 
 wherein said supply prohibition module prohibits the start of the supply of either one of the fuel and the source material when the output voltage measured by said voltage detection module is not less than a predetermined level, while said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are not in the power generation state. 
 
     
     
       4. A fuel supply system for fuel cells in accordance with any one of  claim 1  or  3 , wherein said storage module stores hydrogen as the fuel for said fuel cells and includes a hydrogen absorbing alloy for the storage of hydrogen. 
     
     
       5. A fuel supply system for fuel cells in accordance with any one of  claim 1  or  3 , wherein said fuel cells and said storage module are mounted on a movable body, which utilizes electrical energy produced by said fuel cells as driving energy for movement. 
     
     
       6. A movable body with fuel cells mounted thereon, said movable body utilizing electrical energy produced by said fuel cells as a driving energy source for movement, said movable body comprising:
 a storage module that is connected to said fuel cells and stores therein either one of a fuel for said fuel cells and a source material used to generate the fuel for said fuel cells; 
 a fuel cells working status specification module that determines whether or not said fuel cells are in a power generation state; 
 a supply prohibition module that, when said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are in the power generation state, prohibits a start of supply of either one of the fuel and the source material from a predetermined supply device, which is disposed outside said movable body for supplying either one of the fuel and the source material, to said storage; and 
 an input module that receives an instruction of starting operation of said fuel cells and an instruction of stopping the operation of said fuel cells, 
 wherein said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are in the power generation state when the instruction of starting the operation of said fuel cells is given to said input module but no instruction of stopping the operation of said fuel cells is subsequently given to said input module. 
 
     
     
       7. A movable body in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said storage module comprises a fuel lid which opens when either one of the fuel and the source material is supplied, and
 wherein said supply prohibition module prohibits said fuel lid from opening when said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are in the power generation state. 
 
     
     
       8. A movable body in accordance with  claim 6 , said movable body further comprising:
 a voltage detection module that measures an output voltage of said fuel cells, 
 wherein said supply prohibition module prohibits the start of the supply of either one of the fuel and the source material when the output voltage measured by said voltage detection module is not less than a predetermined level, while said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are not in the power generation state. 
 
     
     
       9. A movable body in accordance with any one of  claim 6  or  8 , said movable body further comprising:
 another energy source that is different from said fuel cells and generates driving energy for movement of said movable body; and 
 an actuation prohibition decision module that determines whether or not actuation of said another energy source is prohibited, 
 wherein said supply prohibition module prohibits the start of the supply of either one of the fuel and the source material to said storage module when said actuation prohibition decision module determines that actuation of said another energy source is not prohibited, in addition to when said fuel cells working status specification module determines that said fuel cells are in the power generation state. 
 
     
     
       10. A fuel supply control method that controls a process of supplying either one of a fuel for fuel cells and a source material used to generate the fuel for said fuel cells, said fuel supply control method comprising the steps of:
 (a) determining whether or not said fuel cells are in a power generation state; and 
 (b) when it is determined at said step (a) that said fuel cells are in the power generation state, prohibiting a start of the supply of either one of the fuel and the source material to a storage module, which is arranged with said fuel cells and stores either one of the fuel and the source material, 
 wherein it is determined that said fuel cells are in the power generation state when an instruction of starting the operation of said fuel cells is given but no instruction of stopping the operation of said fuel cells is subsequently given. 
 
     
     
       11. A fuel supply system for fuel cells mounted on a movable body, which functions to supply either one of a fuel for the fuel cells and a source material used to generate the fuel for the fuel cells, the fuel supply system comprising:
 a storage module that stores either one of the fuel and the source material therein;   a supply module that connects with the storage module to supply either one of the fuel and the source material to the storage module;   a fuel filling status specification module that determines whether or not either one of the fuel and the source material is being supplied from the supply module to the storage module; and   a power generation prohibition module that prohibits power generation by the fuel cells and informs a user of the prohibition of power generation of the fuel cells when the fuel filling status specification module determines that either one of the fuel and the source material is being supplied.   
     
     
       12. The fuel supply system of claim 11, wherein the fuel filling status specification module determines whether or not either one of the fuel and the source material is being supplied from the supply module based on a communication between the supply module and the fuel filling status specification module. 
     
     
       13. A fuel supply system for fuel cells mounted on a movable body, which functions to supply either one of a fuel for the fuel cells and a source material used to generate the fuel for the fuel cells, the fuel supply system comprising:
 a storage module that stores either one of the fuel and the source material therein;   a supply module that connects with the storage module to supply either one of the fuel and the source material to the storage module;   a fuel filling status specification module that determines whether or not either one of the fuel and the source material is being supplied from the supply module to the storage module; and   a movement prohibition module that prohibits movement of the movable body when the fuel filling status specification module determines that either one of the fuel and the source material is being supplied.   
     
     
       14. The fuel supply system of claim 13, further comprising:
 a movement status specification module that determines whether or not the movable body is movable; and   a fuel filling prohibition module that prohibits supply of either one of the fuel and the source material from the supply module to the storage module when the movement status specification module determines that the movable body is movable.   
     
     
       15. A method of controlling operation of a vehicle comprising fuel cells, a storage module for storing a fuel for the fuel cells or a source material used to generate the fuel for the fuel cells, and a supply module for supplying the fuel or the source material from a supply device to the storage module, the method comprising:
 determining that the supply module is in a state that would permit the fuel or the source material to be supplied to the storage module;   prohibiting operation of the fuel cells in response to the determination that the supply module is in a state that would permit the fuel or the source material to be supplied to the storage module; and   informing a user of the vehicle that the supply module is in a state that would permit the fuel or the source material to be supplied to the storage module and that operation of the fuel cells has been prohibited in response to the determination that the supply module is in a state that would permit the fuel or the source material to be supplied to the storage module.