Abstract:
Disclosed is a fuel cell device comprising: a fuel cartridge to accumulate a fuel therein; and a fuel cell device main body to generate electric power by using the fuel accumulated in the fuel cartridge, wherein the fuel cell device main body is provided with a cartridge conveying body, the fuel cartridge being attached to and detached from the cartridge conveying body, and the cartridge conveying body is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the fuel cell device main body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a fuel cell device and an electronic equipment. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A fuel cell extracts electric power by an electrochemical reaction of a fuel, and the research and development of the fuel cell have widely been performed. As a fuel to be used for an electrochemical reaction of the fuel cell, a hydrogen gas which is generated by reforming a raw fuel such as methanol with a reformer can be cited. Moreover, a fuel cell using the methanol as it is also exists. 
     It is considered that these fuels are normally accumulated in a detachably attachable container to a fuel cell device. Moreover, an electronic equipment capable of attaching and detaching the whole fuel cell device including a fuel container has also been considered. See, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publications Nos. 9-213359, 2004-213959, and 2004-265835. 
     Now, in order to realize a detachably attachable fuel cartridge to a fuel cell device in an electronic equipment such as a notebook-sized personal computer, it is required that an operator using the electronic equipment can freely attach and detach the fuel cartridge by a simple operation without reversing the equipment. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel cell device capable of freely attaching and detaching a fuel cartridge by a simple operation and an electronic equipment equipped with the fuel cell device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a fuel cell device comprising: 
     a fuel cartridge to accumulate a fuel therein; and 
     a fuel cell device main body to generate electric power by using the fuel accumulated in the fuel cartridge, wherein 
     the fuel cell device main body is provided with a cartridge conveying body, the fuel cartridge being attached to and detached from the cartridge conveying body, and 
     the cartridge conveying body is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the fuel cell device main body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the appended drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an electronic equipment  1000  according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the back surface, the top surface, and the right side surface of the electronic equipment  1000 ; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view showing the back surface, the top surface, and the right side surface of the electronic equipment  1000 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of a fuel cell device  1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the front surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device  1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the front surface, and the left side surface of a fuel cartridge  2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device  1  in a state in which an upper housing  102  and a lower housing  103  are taken away; 
         FIG. 8  is another perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device  1  in the state in which the upper housing  102  and the lower housing  103  are taken away; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101  in the state in which the fuel cartridge  2  has been removed from the fuel cell device  1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the under surface, the back surface, and the right side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the front surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101 ; 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101  in the state in which a cartridge conveying body  400  and an urging device  500  are removed; 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the right side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101  in the state in which the cartridge conveying body  400  and the urging device  500  are removed; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view showing an inside part at the front part of a cartridge holding section  403 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic view showing the procedure of fixing the fuel cartridge  2  on a cartridge fixing section  420 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a schematic view showing the procedure of fixing the fuel cartridge  2  on the cartridge fixing section  420 ; 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view showing the urging device  500 ; 
         FIG. 18  is a partially cut-away perspective sectional view taken along a cutting plane line XVIII-XVIII in  FIG. 17 ; and 
         FIG. 19  is a plan view showing a positional relationship between a fixing member  600  and the cartridge conveying body  400  in the state in which the fuel cartridge  2  is attached to the fuel cell device main body  101 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the following, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Incidentally, although various technically preferable limitations for implementing the present invention are given to the embodiment described in the following, the scope of the invention is not limited to the following embodiment and shown examples. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an electronic equipment  1000  according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the back surface, the top surface, and the right side surface of the electronic equipment  1000 . The electronic equipment  1000  is a notebook-sized personal computer. 
     The electronic equipment  1000  is equipped with a fuel cell device  1  and the electronic equipment main body  1001  driven by the electric energy supplied from the fuel cell device  1 . The fuel cell device  1  generates the electric energy to output the generated electric energy to the electronic equipment main body  1001  as described below. 
     Next, the fuel cell device  1  is described in detail. The fuel cell device  1  generates the electric energy to be output to a DC/DC converter  6 , and the fuel cell device  1  comprises fuel cartridges  2 , a flow path substrate  3 , a reaction device  4 , a fuel cell  5 , the DC/DC converter  6 , a secondary battery  7 , and the like. 
     Each of the fuel cartridges  2  is equipped with a fuel container  21 , an intake air flow path  23 , and an exhaust air flow path  25 . 
     The fuel container  21  accumulates a liquid raw fuel (for example, methanol, ethanol, or dimethyl ether) or a mixed liquid of the raw fuel and water. Incidentally, the liquid raw fuel and the water may be accumulated in respective containers. The fuel container  21  is provided with a supply section  22  to eject the mixed liquid, and the supply section  22  is connected to a liquid intake section  31   a  of a pump  31  on the flow path substrate  3 . The supply section  22  is, for example, a duckbill valve formed in a duckbill using a material having flexibility and elasticity (for example, elastomer), and is fitted to the fuel cartridge  2  with the tip of the duckbill facing the inside of the fuel cartridge  2 . Because the supply section  22  is a check valve, the leakage of the mixed liquid from a fuel ejecting port to the outside of the fuel cartridge  2  can be prevented. By the insertion of the liquid intake section  31   a  into the supply section  22 , the mixed liquid is supplied from the fuel container  21  in the fuel cartridge  2  to the pump  31 . 
     An air filter  24  to remove the dust in the air is provided in the intake air flow path  23 . The intake air flow path  23  is connected to an air pump  32  on the flow path substrate  3 . 
     A gas-liquid separating film  26  to remove liquid water included in an exhaust gas is provided in the exhaust air flow path  25 . The exhaust air flow path  25  is connected to water recovery equipment  35  through an ejection valve  33   c  on the flow path substrate  3 . 
     In the electronic equipment  1000 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , the fuel cartridges  2  are provided on the back surface side of the electronic equipment  1000 , and the fuel cartridges  2  can be removed by being rotated as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     On the flow path substrate  3 , the pumps  31 , the air pump  32 , various valves  33 , flow meters  34 , the water recovery equipment  35 , and the like, are provided. 
     The pumps  31  are connected to the supply sections  22 , respectively. The pumps  31  suck the raw fuel or the mixed liquid accumulated in the fuel containers  21 , and sends the sucked raw fuel or the mixed liquid to a vaporizer  41  in the reaction device  4  through the fuel supplying valve  33   a.    
     The air pump  32  sucks the air that has transmitted the air filters  24 , and supplies the sucked air to a carbon monoxide remover  43 , a catalyst combustor  45 , and the oxygen electrode of the fuel cell  5 , all described later, through the air supplying valves  33   b.    
     The water recovery equipment  35  condenses the water in an exhaust gas ejected from the catalyst combustor  45  and the oxygen electrode of the fuel cell  5  to recover the condensed water. Then, the water recovery equipment  35  ejects the remaining gas to the outside through the ejection valves  33   c , the exhaust air flow paths  25 , and the gas-liquid separating films  26 . Moreover, the water recovery equipment  35  also recovers the water used for humidifying the air in a humidifier  51 . 
     Incidentally, the water recovery equipment  35  also functions as a pump, and supplies the recovered water to the vaporizer  41  and the humidifier  51 . 
     The reaction device  4  is equipped with the vaporizer  41 , a reformer  42 , the carbon monoxide remover  43 , a heater-cum-temperature sensor  44 , the catalyst combustor  45 , and a heat insulating container  46 . 
     The vaporizer  41  heats the raw fuels sent from the fuel cartridges  2  and the water sent from the water recovery equipment  35  to a temperature within a range from about 110° C. to about 160° C. by the heat transferred from the reformer  42 , the heater-cum-temperature sensor  44 , and the like, to vaporize the raw fuels and the water. The gas mixture vaporized in the vaporizer  41  is sent to the reformer  42 . 
     A flow path is formed in the reformer  42  and a catalyst is carried on the wall surface of the flow path. The reformer  42  heats the gas mixture sent from the vaporizer  41  to a temperature within a range from about 300° C. to about 400° C. by the heat transferred from the catalyst combustor  45  and the heater-cum-temperature sensor  44  to cause a reforming reaction by the catalyst in the flow path. That is, a gas mixture (reformed gas) including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, each as a fuel, and infinitesimal carbon monoxide, as a by-product, and the like, is produced by a catalytic reaction of the raw fuel and water. 
     When the raw fuel is methanol, a steam reforming reaction, which is the primary reaction and is expressed by the following formula (1), is mainly caused in the reformer  42 .
 
CH 3 OH+H 2 O→3H 2 +CO 2   (1)
 
     Incidentally, infinitesimal carbon monoxide as a by-product is produced (about 1%) by a side reaction expressed by the following formula (2) which is caused successively after the chemical reaction formula (1).
 
H 2 +CO 2 →H 2 O+CO  (2)
 
     The products (reformed gas) by the reactions of the formulae (1) and (2) are sent out to the carbon monoxide remover  43 . 
     A flow path is formed in the inside of carbon monoxide remover  43 , and a catalyst is carried on the wall surface of the flow path. The reformed gas produced in the reformer  42  and the air in the outside are sent to the carbon monoxide remover  43 . The carbon monoxide remover  43  is kept at a temperature within a range from about 110° C. to about 160° C., and the carbon monoxide in the reformed gas is preferentially oxidized by the catalyst as the primary reaction (selective oxidation reaction) expressed by the following formula (3). Thereby carbon dioxide is produced as the main product, and the density of the carbon monoxide in the reformed gas can be lowered to about 10 ppm at which density of the carbon monoxide in the reformed gas can be supplied to the fuel cell  5 .
 
2CO+O 2 →2CO 2   (3)
 
     Incidentally, the carbon monoxide remover  43  is heated by the heat from the heater-cum-temperature sensor  44  at the time of the starting, and is heated by the reaction expressed by the formula (3) and the heat conducted from the reformer  42  at the time of a steady state operation. 
     The reformed gas which has passed through the carbon monoxide remover  43  passes through the reformed gas supplying valve  33   d  on the flow path substrate  3  to be sent out to the fuel cell  5 . Incidentally, as the need arises, the reformed gas supplying valve  33   e  is opened to supply the reformed gas to the catalyst combustor  45 . 
     The heater-cum-temperature sensor  44  is a thin film resistor, and fulfills the role of a heater which consumes electric power to generate heat. Moreover, because the electric resistance of the heater-cum-temperature sensor  44  changes dependently on a temperature, the heater-cum-temperature sensor  44  is used for temperature measurement by measuring the resistance value thereof to fulfill the role of a temperature sensor. 
     A flow path is formed at the inside of the catalyst combustor  45 , and a catalyst is carried on the wall surface of the flow path. A gas mixture including the unreacted reformed gas (offgas) having passed through the fuel cell  5  and the outside air is sent to the catalyst combustor  45 , which will be described later, and the hydrogen remaining in the offgas is burnt by the air. The reaction heat to be used for the vaporization of the mixed liquid in the vaporizer  41  and the reforming reaction in the reformer  42  and the like is hereby supplied. Incidentally, the amount of the reaction heat to be supplied is adjusted by adjusting the amount of the air to be supplied to the catalyst combustor  45 . 
     The heat insulating container  46  is made by forming a heat reflecting film on the internal wall surface of a housing made of a metal plate, such as a stainless (SUS 304) plate and a Kovar alloy plate, a glass substrate, or the like, and houses therein the vaporizer  41 , the reformer  42 , the carbon monoxide remover  43 , the heater-cum-temperature sensor  44 , and the catalyst combustor  45 . The inside space of the heat insulating container  46  is kept to be at a lower pressure (0.1 Pa or less) in order to prevent the heat conduction and convection of gas molecules. 
     The fuel cell  5  is a solid polymer type fuel cell, in which solid polymer electrolyte films and separators are laminated. The solid polymer electrolyte films include a fuel electrode (anode) and an oxygen electrode (cathode) that are respectively formed on both sides thereof. The separators supply the reformed gas to the fuel electrode and supplies oxygen to the oxygen electrode. 
     The solid polymer electrolyte film has a character of transmitting hydrogen ions and not transmitting oxygen molecules, hydrogen molecules, and electrons. On the side of the fuel electrode of the solid polymer electrolyte film, a reaction described in the following formula (4) by the hydrogen in the reformed gas sent from the carbon monoxide remover  43  is caused.
 
H 2 →2H + +2 e   −   (4)
 
     The produced hydrogen ions transmit the solid polymer electrolyte film to reach the oxygen electrode side. The produced electrons pass through an external circuit to reach the oxygen electrode side. The external circuit means the DC/DC converter  6  here. 
     On the oxygen electrode side of the solid polymer electrolyte film, water is produced by the hydrogen ions having transmitted the solid polymer electrolyte film, the oxygen in the air, and electrons having passed through the external circuit to reach the oxygen electrode, as shown in the following formula (5).
 
2H + +½O 2 +2 e   − →H 2 O  (5)
 
     Incidentally, the air to be supplied to the oxygen electrode side through the air supplying valve  33   b  is sufficiently humidified by the humidifier  51  beforehand. 
     The DC/DC converter  6  includes not only the function of converting the electric energy output from the fuel cell  5  into a pertinent voltage, and, after that, supplying the voltage to the electronic equipment main body  1001 , but also the function of charging the secondary battery  7  with the voltage. Thereby, even when the fuel cell device  1  is not operating, it is possible to supply the electric energy charged in the secondary battery  7  to the electronic equipment main body  1001 . 
     [Concrete Structure of Fuel Cell Device] 
     Next, the concrete structure of the fuel cell device  1  is described.  FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device  1 , and  FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the front surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device  1 . 
     The fuel cell device  1  is rectangular parallelepiped in shape as a whole, and the size and the shape of the fuel cell device  1  are similar to those of a lithium ion secondary battery, which is generally used for a notebook-sized personal computer. Moreover, an electric power supplying terminal  110  is provided on the front surface of the fuel cell device  1 . The electric power supplying terminal  110  is connected to a not-shown power connector provided in the electronic equipment main body  1001 . 
     The fuel cell device  1  is covered by the upper housing  102  and the lower housing  103  except for the parts of the fuel cartridges  2 . Through-holes  104  and  105 , with which axial projections  401  of the cartridge conveying bodies  400 , which will be described later, are engaged, are provided in the upper housing  102  and the lower housing  103 , respectively. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the front surface, and the left side surface of each of the fuel cartridges  2 . The two fuel cartridges  2  are respectively tabular in shape, and are vertically superposed as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     The supply sections  22  which are to be connected to the pumps  31  are formed on the right end parts of the front surfaces of the fuel cartridges  2 . 
     The left end parts of the fuel cartridges  2  are formed to be thinner than the other parts in the vertical direction so as to be formed as detachably attaching sections  201 , with which the fuel cartridges  2  are attached and detached to the cartridge holding sections  403  of the cartridge conveying bodies  400 . A circular arcuate concave portion  202  is formed in each of the detachably attaching sections  201 . The concave portion  202  is disposed so as to come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical air pump  32 , which will be described later, and slides along the outer peripheral surface of the air pump  32  in association with the rotations of the cartridge conveying body  400 . 
     A connection hole  203  connected to an exhaust port  302  of the flow path substrate  3  is formed in front of the concave portion  202  of the detachably attaching section  201 . The connection hole  203  is connected to an exhaust port  204  formed on the back surface of the fuel cartridge  2 , and a portion from the connection hole  203  to the exhaust port  204  is the exhaust air flow path  25 . Incidentally, the exhaust port  204  is blocked by the gas-liquid separating film  26 . 
     Moreover, engaging concave portions  205 A and  205 B for engaging with seizing projections  422  of the cartridge conveying body  400 , which will be described later, are formed on the top surface and under surface, respectively, of the part where the connection hole  203  of the detachably attaching section  201  is formed. Incidentally, because the engaging concave portions  205 A and  205 B are formed on both the surfaces, the fuel cartridge  2  can be attached to either of the upper and lower cartridge conveying bodies  400 . 
     In the rear of the concave portion  202 , a through-hole  206  to pierce the detachably attaching section  201  in the front-back direction is formed at the position corresponding to an inlet port  32   a  of the air pump  32 , which will be described later. The through-hole  206  is the intake air flow path  23 . 
     Incidentally, a rubber sheet  207  is provided along the outer peripheral surface of the through-hole  206  on the side of the concave portion  202 . The rubber sheet  207  blocks the gap between the inlet port  32   a  and the intake air flow path  23 . 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are perspective views respectively showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device  1  in the state in which the upper housing  102  and the lower housing  103  are taken away. Moreover,  FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101  in the state in which the fuel cartridges  2  are removed from the fuel cell device  1 ;  FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the under surface, the back surface, and the right side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101 ; and  FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the top surface, the front surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101 . Moreover,  FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the left side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101  in the state in which the cartridge conveying bodies  400  and the urging devices  500  are removed therefrom, and  FIG. 13  is an exploded perspective view showing the top surface, the back surface, and the right side surface of the fuel cell device main body  101  in the state in which the cartridge conveying bodies  400  and the urging devices  500  are removed therefrom. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the flow path substrate  3  is arranged in the right-left direction of the fuel cell device  1 , and various valves  33 , the flow meters  34 , the reaction device  4 , the fuel cell  5 , the DC/DC converter  6 , the secondary battery  7 , and the like, are provided on the front surface of the flow path substrate  3 . The DC/DC converter  6  is connected to the electric power supplying terminal  110 . 
     The pumps  31 , the frame  301 , the exhaust ports  302 , and the like, are provided on the back surface of the flow path substrate  3 . The water recovery equipment  35 , the air pump  32 , the urging devices  500 , the fixing members  600 , and the like, are fixed to the frame  301 . Moreover, the cartridge conveying bodies  400  are arranged along the outer peripheral part of the air pump  32 . 
     The pumps  31  are provided on the right end part of the flow path substrate  3 , and are connected to the supply sections  22  of the fuel cartridges  2 . The water recovery equipment  35  is provided in the left end part of the flow path substrate  3 . Incidentally, the water recovery equipment  35  is connected to the exhaust ports  302  with the flow path substrate  3  put between them. 
     On the right side of the water recovery equipment  35 , two urging devices  500  are respectively arranged on the upper and lower sides, and the air pump  32  is arranged on the rear part of the urging devices  500 . 
     Each of the exhaust ports  302  is made of a rubber-like elastic body, and projects to the back direction from the right side of an urging device  500  of the flow path substrate  3 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . The tip of the exhaust port  302  is bent to the right direction. The exhaust port  302  is connected to the connection hole  203  of a fuel cartridge  2 . 
     The frame  301  fixes the water recovery equipment  35 , the air pump  32 , the urging devices  500 , the fixing members  600 , and the like, to the flow path substrate  3 , and fixes the installation positions of the fuel cartridges  2 . Moreover, circular arcuate projecting parts  310 , which engages with groove portions  405  of the cartridge conveying bodies  400 , are formed around the air pump  32  on the frame  301 . 
     The air pump  32  is cylindrical, and is provided to pierce the frame  301  at the central part with the vertical direction being as the axial direction thereof as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . The inlet ports  32   a  covered by the air filters  24  are formed on the outer peripheral part of the air pump  32 . 
     The cartridge conveying bodies  400  are arranged above and below the frame  301  along the outer peripheral part of the air pump  32 . 
     The fuel cartridges  2  are attached to the cartridge conveying bodies  400 , which rotate the fuel cartridges  2  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8 . 
     The cartridge conveying bodies  400  each include the axial projection  401 , a connecting section  402 , cartridge holding sections  403 , and a gear section  404 . 
     The axial projections  401  engaging with the through-holes  104  and  105  of the upper housing  102  and the lower housing  103 , respectively, are formed in the upper end part of the upper side cartridge conveying body  400  and in the lower end side of the lower side cartridge conveying body  400 , respectively, and the cartridge conveying bodies  400  can rotate around the axial projections  401 . Incidentally, the axial projections  401  are arranged on the central axis of the air pump  32 , and the excursions of the cartridge conveying bodies  400  are the concentric circles of the outer peripheral surface of the air pump  32 . 
     The connecting sections  402  connect the axial projections  401  with the cartridge holding sections  403 , and rotate the cartridge holding sections  403  around the axial projections  401 . 
     The cartridge holding sections  403  are each formed to be almost circular arcuate along the outer peripheral part of the air pump  32 . Each of the cartridge holding sections  403  is provided with a guide plate  410  and the cartridge fixing section  420  at the front end thereof, and a seizing section  430  at the rear end thereof. The guide plates  410  come into contact with the front surfaces of the fuel cartridges  2  to guide the fuel cartridges  2  toward the cartridge holding sections  403 . 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view showing the inside parts of the front parts of the cartridge holding sections  403 . The cartridge fixing sections  420  are formed in the front parts of the cartridge holding sections  403  in the rears of the guide plates  410 . Each of the cartridge fixing sections  420  includes a spiral plate spring  421  integrally formed with the cartridge conveying body  400 , and the seizing projection  422  formed on the internal surface at the end of the plate spring  421 . Because the seizing projection  422  is formed on the end of the plate spring  421 , the seizing projection  422  can shake in the thickness direction of the cartridge holding section  403 . The seizing projection  422  engages with either of the engaging concave portions  205 A and  205 B of a fuel cartridge  2  to fix the fuel cartridge  2 . 
     Now, the procedure of fixing a fuel cartridge  2  to a cartridge fixing section  420  is described. 
     First, the fuel cartridge  2  is slid along the guide plate  410  toward the cartridge holding section  403 . When the left end part of the fuel cartridge is inserted into the cartridge holding section  403 , the detachably attaching section  201  of the fuel cartridge  2  comes into contact with the seizing projection  422 , and the plate spring  421  is elastically deformed, so that the seizing projection  422  is pushed up as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
     When the detachably attaching section  201  of the fuel cartridge  2  is further inserted to the inner part of the cartridge holding section  403 , the engaging concave portion  205 A is located at the position of the seizing projection  422  as shown in  FIG. 16 . Consequently, the seizing projection  422  is inserted into the engaging concave portion  205 A by the restoring force of the plate spring  421 . The detachably attaching section  201  of the fuel cartridge  2  is thereby fixed in the cartridge holding section  403 . 
     In this manner, the fuel cartridge  2  is fixed to the cartridge fixing section  420 . 
     Incidentally, a through-hole  431  is formed in the seizing section  430  at the position corresponding to the through-hole  206  lest the intake air flow path  23  should be covered in the state in which the fuel cartridge  2  is fixed to the cartridge fixing section  420 . 
     The almost circular arcuate groove portion  405  is formed in a cartridge holding section  403  along the outer peripheral part of the air pump  32 . The projecting part  310  of the frame  301  is inserted into the groove portion  405 . The cartridge holding section  403  rotates along the outer peripheral part of the air pump  32  in the state in which the projecting part  310  is inserted into the groove portion  405 . 
     The almost circular arcuate gear section  404  extends from the front side part of the cartridge holding section  403  to the left direction. The gear section  404  engages with a gear  505  of an urging device  500 . 
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view showing each of the urging devices  500 , and  FIG. 18  is a partially cut-away perspective sectional view taken along a cutting plane line XVIII-XVIII in  FIG. 17 . As shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , the urging device  500  is composed of a housing  501 , a fixing member  502 , a rotation shaft  503 , a coil spring  504 , and the gear  505 . 
     The housing  501  is shaped in a pipe with the opened lower end and the upper end formed as a bearing on the upper side of the rotation shaft  503 . The coil spring  504 , the rotation shaft  503 , and the fixing member  502  are inserted into the housing  501 . The housing  501  is fixed to the frame  301 . 
     A notch  531  is formed on the upper end of the rotation shaft  503 , and the rotation shaft  503  engages with the gear  505  with the upper end thereof inserted into the engaging hole  551  of the gear  505 . Moreover, the rotation shaft  503  is inserted into the center of the toric fixing member  502 , and also inserted into the center of the coil spring  504 . 
     A through-hole  532  is formed perpendicularly with respect to the axial direction at the upper part of the rotation shaft  503 , and one end of the coil spring  504  is inserted into the through-hole  532 . The other end of the coil spring  504  is fixed to the fixing member  502 . The diameter of the lower end of the rotation shaft  503  is enlarged to prevent the falling off of the fixing member  502  from the rotation shaft  503  by seizing the fixing member  502 . The fixing member  502  is a bearing on the lower side of the rotation shaft  503 . The fixing member  502  is fixed to the housing  501 . 
     The gear  505  has the engaging hole  551  at the center thereof to engage with the upper end of the rotation shaft  503  which is projecting from the housing  501 . When energy is accumulated in the coil spring  504 , the rotation shaft  503  and the gear  505  are urged into either one of rotation directions by the restoring force of the coil spring  504 . 
     Incidentally, an elastic body such as a main spring may be used in place of the coil spring  504 . 
     When the guide plate  410  rotates a fuel cartridge and the cartridge conveying body  400  toward the direction approaching to the flow path substrate  3 , the energy is accumulated in the coil spring  504 . In this state, the cartridge conveying body  400  is urged by the coil spring  504  to the direction in which the guide plate  410  goes away from the flow path substrate  3 . 
     A rotation shaft  303  having an axis in the vertical direction and a torsion spring  304  are provided in the left rear end part of the frame  301 . The fixing members  600  are rotatably attached to the rotation shaft  303 . Moreover, the torsion spring  304  urges the fixing members  600  to the front direction so that the fixing members  600  come into contact with the cartridge conveying bodies  400 . 
       FIG. 19  is a plan view showing the positional relationship between a fixing member  600  and a cartridge conveying body  400  in the state in which a fuel cartridge  2  is attached to the fuel cell device main body  101 . As shown in  FIG. 19 , a seizing pawl  601  to seize the seizing section  430  of the cartridge conveying body  400  is provided on the front surface of the fixing member  600 . In this state, the seizing section  430  of the cartridge conveying body  400  urged by an urging device  500  comes into contact with the seizing pawl  601 , and the seizing pawl  601  seizes the cartridge conveying body  400  against the urging force of the urging device  500 . 
     When the fixing member  600  is pulled to the rear against the urging force of the torsion spring  304 , the seizing of the cartridge conveying body  400  by the seizing pawl  601  is released, and the cartridge conveying body  400  rotates in the left rotation direction in  FIG. 19 . On the other hand, when the cartridge conveying body  400  is rotated in the reverse direction, the cartridge conveying body  400  is seized by the seizing pawl  601  at the position where the guide plate  410  is arranged in parallel to the flow path substrate  3  because the fixing member  600  is urged to the front direction by the urging force of the torsion spring  304 . 
     Incidentally, the distance between the rotation shaft  303  and the axial projection  401  is shorter than the length of the sum of the distance from the axial projection  401  to the seizing section  430  and the length of the fixing member  600 , and the contacting part of the seizing pawl  601  and the seizing section  430  is situated in front of the rotation shaft  303 . Consequently, the fixing member  600  is urged to the direction of rotating in the front direction (rightward rotation direction in  FIG. 19 ) by the cartridge conveying body  400 . Thus, the fixing member  600  is urged so as to come into contact with the seizing section  430 , and does not inadvertently come off. 
     Moreover, because a gap is formed between the fixing member  600  and the through-hole  431 , the fixing member  600  does not block the intake air flow path  23 . 
     Next, the method of attaching and detaching a fuel cartridge  2  is described. First, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the seizing of the cartridge conveying body  400  by the fixing member  600  is made to be in the state of being released. Next, the fuel cartridge  2  is slid toward the cartridge holding section  403  along the guide plate  410 , and the fuel cartridge  2  is fixed to the cartridge conveying body  400  as shown in  FIG. 8 . Next, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the fuel cartridge  2  is pushed into the front direction against the urging force of the urging device  500 . Then, the fixing member  600  is rotated to the front direction by the urging force of the torsion spring  304  to seize the cartridge conveying body  400 . 
     At this time, the supply section  22  and the pump  31  are connected with each other, and the exhaust port  302  and the connection hole  203  are connected with each other. 
     On the other hand, in order to remove the fuel cartridge  2  in the state of  FIG. 7 , the fixing member  600  is first pulled to the rear direction against the urging force of the torsion spring  304 . Then, the seizing of the cartridge conveying body  400  by the seizing pawl  601  is released, and the fuel cartridge  2  and the cartridge conveying body  400  are pushed out to the rear direction as shown in  FIG. 8 . After that, by pulling out the fuel cartridge  2  along the guide plate  410 , the fuel cartridge can be removed from the cartridge conveying body  400  as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     Incidentally, when the installation of the fuel cartridge  2  to the cartridge conveying body  400  is imperfect, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the seizing projection  422  does not engage with the engaging concave portion  205 A, and the plate spring  421  becomes the state in which the plate spring  421  projects to the outside. When the cartridge conveying body  400  is tried to be rotated to the front direction, the plate spring  421  collides with the rotation preventing section  106  of the upper housing  102 . Consequently, the rotation of the cartridge conveying body  400  is prevented, and the rotation of the cartridge conveying body  400  is stopped at the position shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Consequently, it can be prevented that the fuel cartridge  2  rotates in the state of being imperfectly installed in the cartridge conveying body  400 , and that the supply section  22  and the pump  31  collide with each other. Moreover, by the impossibility of the connection of the fuel cartridge  2  with the fuel cell device main body  101 , an operator can become aware of bad connection and can easily confirm the bad connection by visual observation or a tactile sensation. 
     As described above, according to the present embodiment, by installing the fuel cartridge  2  to the cartridge conveying body  400  to push in the fuel cartridge  2 , the fuel cartridge  2  can be easily installed in the electronic equipment  1000 . Moreover, because the fuel cartridge  2  is pushed out to the rear direction only by pulling the fixing member  600  to the rear direction, the fuel cartridge  2  can easily be removed. 
     Moreover, the circular arcuate concave portion  202  is formed in the left end part of the fuel cartridge  2 , and the concave portion  202  is arranged to come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical air pump  32 . Then, the fuel cartridge  2  can easily be rotated by sliding the fuel cartridge  2  along the outer peripheral surface of the air pump  32  in association with the rotation of the cartridge conveying body  400 . 
     Moreover, because the fuel cartridge  2  is provided with the supply section  22  at the end on the opposite side to the detachably attaching section  201  to be attached and detached to the cartridge conveying body  400 , the curvature radius of the excursion of the supply section  22  becomes large, and consequently the liquid intake section  31   a  can more easily be inserted into the supply section  22 . 
     Moreover, because the fuel cartridges  2  are arranged above and below, the fixing members  600  can also be arranged above and below closely, and have an advantage of easily performing the operation of attaching and detaching. 
     On the other hand, because the fuel cartridges  2  are removed by pulling the fixing members  600  to the rear directions, the fuel cartridges  2  do not come off even when the fuel cartridges  2  inadvertently collide. 
     Moreover, the supply sections  22  through which mixed liquids are ejected from the fuel cartridges  2  are on their front surfaces, and the through-holes  206  which is to be the intake air flow paths  23  and the connection holes  203  which is to be the exhaust air flow paths  25  are formed on the left side surfaces of the fuel cartridges  2 . Consequently, connection errors do not occur. 
     Incidentally, although the notebook-sized personal computer has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention is not to this one, but may be applied to the portable electronic equipment such as a PDA, an electronic personal organizer, a digital camera, a cellar phone, a wrist watch, game equipment, and the like. 
     Moreover, the cartridge conveying bodies  400  may be rotated by using a stepping motor or the like in place of the urging devices  500 . 
     The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-170534 filed on Jun. 28, 2007 including description, claims, drawings, and abstract are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     Although various exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown. Therefore, the scope of the invention is intended to be limited solely by the scope of the claims that follow.