Liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell and fuel cell system

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell capable of storing liquid fuel to be supplied to a liquid-fuel direct-supply type fuel cell and stably supplying liquid fuel for a long time, and also provide a fuel-cell system. The present invention employs a fuel-supplying pipe ( 120 ) extending within a tank member ( 110 ) for supplying liquid fuel ( 185 ) and having flexibility, and provides a weight member ( 122 ) at a portion near a suction port ( 121 ) for liquid fuel on the fuel-supplying pipe. Accordingly, the suction port can move to a portion where the liquid fuel exists, anytime, and can be kept immersed in the liquid fuel. This enables stably supplying fuel even when the fuel cell is mounted on a portable electronic apparatus.

1 . A liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell comprising: 
 a tank member configured to store liquid fuel and be mounted so that mounting attitude of the tank member is not steady, the liquid fuel being directly supplied to a main body of a fuel-cell generating electric power and being able to move freely in a direction of gravity in the tank member; and    a fuel-supplying pipe disposed within the tank member and configured to supply the liquid fuel to the fuel-cell main body and have flexibility, a suction port for sucking the liquid fuel and a weight member, at a portion near the suction port, for keeping the suction port immersed in the liquid fuel.    
     
     
         2 . The liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell according to  claim 1 , further comprising a supporting member provided within the tank member and configured to support the fuel-supplying pipe and prevent the fuel-supplying pipe from entangling, 
 wherein the fuel-supplying pipe has such a length that the suction port is positioned at one of the opposite end portions of the tank member at a state where the fuel supplying pipe is supported by the supporting member.    
     
     
         3 . The liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight member is a cylindrical member having substantially the same shape as the cross-sectional area of a body portion of the tank member and is a member slidable within the tank member in an axial direction of the tank member.  
     
     
         4 . The liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell according to  claim 3 , wherein in a case that the tank member has a cylindrical shape, the weight member has an annular shape and includes, near the suction port, a weighting portion configured to make the weight member rotate in a circumferential direction along an inner peripheral surface of the tank member.  
     
     
         5 . The liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight member is formed from a porous member and the suction port is opened to the inside of the porous member.  
     
     
         6 . The liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuel-supplying pipe has an extendable coil-spring configuration configured to avoid entanglement of the fuel-supplying pipe.  
     
     
         7 . The liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuel-supplying pipe has a nest configuration.  
     
     
         8 . A fuel-cell system comprising: 
 a liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell; and    a fuel-cell main body configured to generate electric power by being supplied with liquid fuel from the liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell, the liquid fuel storage container for fuel cell including;    a tankmember configured to store liquid fuel and be mounted so that mounting attitude of the tank member is not steady, the liquid fuel being directly supplied to a main body of a fuel-cell generating electric power and being able to move freely in a direction of gravity in the tank member; and    a fuel-supplying pipe disposed within the tank member and configured to supply the liquid fuel to the fuel-cell main body and have flexibility, a suction port for sucking the liquid fuel and a weight member, at a portion near the suction port, for keeping the suction port immersed in the liquid fuel.