Dummy cell and fuel cell stack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10644343-B2
Application number	US-201415023483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2014
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

A dummy cell laminated on a fuel cell stack and configured not to perform power generation includes: a common appearance portion having an appearance common with an appearance of a power generation cell used in the fuel cell stack and configured to perform power generation; and a non-common appearance portion having an appearance different from the appearance of the power generation cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell stack comprising:
a laminated body in which a plurality of power generation cells laminated on top of one another; and
terminal plates provided on both ends of the laminated body, wherein:
a dummy cell is provided in at least one end of the laminated power generation cells, in a laminating direction of the power generation cells;
wherein the dummy cell is laminated in the fuel cell stack and configured not to perform power generation, the dummy cell further comprising:
a first appearance portion having an appearance identical to an appearance of a power generation cell used in the fuel cell stack and configured to perform power generation; and
a second appearance portion having an appearance different from the appearance of the power generation cell, wherein
the second appearance portion is provided in a position where the second appearance portion is observable from outside of the fuel cell stack when a power generation cell and the dummy cell are laminated to form the fuel cell stack;
the second appearance portion has a different shape from the power generation cell when viewed from a laminating direction of the power generation cells;
the dummy cell includes a conductive member, a non-power generation portion having a second frame surrounding an outer edge of the conductive member, and second separator plates having the same shape as first separator plates of the power generation cell and sandwiching the non-power generation portion therebetween;
the second appearance portion is part of the second frame and is a projecting portion of the second frame, the projecting portion protrudes from a notch portion formed in at least one corner of the second separator plate of the dummy cell; and
the projecting portion of the second frame has a different shape than a corresponding projecting portion of the power generating cell.

2. The dummy cell according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second appearance portion has at least a different color from the power generation cell.

3. The dummy cell according to claim 1 , wherein:
the dummy cell includes a conductive member instead of a membrane electrode assembly, the second frame surrounding an outer edge of the conductive member comprises rubber or resin, and
the second appearance portion is part of the second frame.

4. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 , wherein:
a color of the second appearance portion is different from a color of the power generation cell.

5. The dummy cell according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second appearance portion is a projecting portion of a frame of the dummy cell surrounding an outer edge of a conductive member of the dummy cell, the projecting portion protruding from a notch portion formed in each of four corners of a second separator plate of the dummy cell.

6. The dummy cell according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of projecting portions of the second frame protrude from notch portions in each of four corners of the second separator plate of the dummy cell.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Okabe Hiroki
• Sugita Kazumi
• Kato Chisato

Classifications

• H01M8/0276

  Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/241

  with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/2465 Primary

  Details of groupings of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/247

  Arrangements for tightening a stack, for accommodation of a stack in a tank or for assembling different tanks · CPC title

• H01M8/242

  comprising framed electrodes or intermediary frame-like gaskets (H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence) · CPC title