Manufacturing method for fuel cell including a heat adhesion step

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10964957-B2
Application number	US-201816207493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2018
Priority date	Dec 5, 2017
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

The disclosure provides a manufacturing method for a fuel cell. The method includes a heating adhesion step in which a separator and a resin frame are adhered to each other. The heating adhesion step includes a plurality of heating steps in which a laminate is heated, and a conveyance step in which the laminate is conveyed between the heating steps. In the conveyance step, a support portion having a projecting portion projecting towards the laminate is used, and the laminate is supported only by the projecting portion and conveyed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacturing method for a fuel cell, comprising:
a heating adhesion step in which a laminate is heated and a pair of separators and a resin frame are adhered to each other, the laminate having the separators, a membrane-electrode-gas diffusion layer assembly, and the resin frame surrounding the membrane-electrode-gas diffusion layer assembly, the membrane-electrode-gas diffusion layer assembly and the resin frame being disposed between the separators, wherein:
the heating adhesion step has a plurality of heating steps in which the laminate is heated, and a conveyance step in which the laminate is conveyed between the plurality of heating steps; and
in the conveyance step, a support portion having a projecting portion projecting towards the laminate is used, and the laminate is supported only by the projecting portion and conveyed; and

a lamination step in which a membrane-electrode-gas diffusion layer assembly and a resin frame surrounding the membrane-electrode-gas diffusion layer assembly are disposed between a pair of separators so as to configure a laminate,
wherein the heating adhesion step is executed after the lamination step.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the support portion is provided in a palette that conveys the laminate; and
the support portion has an extending portion extending in a surface direction of the laminate.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2 , wherein a sectional area of the extending portion is decreased gradually towards a distal end portion of the extending portion.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the support portion supports a corner portion of the separator.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heating steps include a first heating step and a second heating step, and the first heating step, the conveyance step, and the second heating step are performed in this order.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the laminate is sandwiched and conveyed by a projecting portion.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Adachi Makoto
• Shobu Kazuo
• Soda Tomoyuki

Classifications

• H01M8/0273 Primary

  with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame · CPC title

• H01M8/0286

  Processes for forming seals · CPC title

• H01M8/1004 Primary

  characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/0284

  Organic resins; Organic polymers · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title