Manufacturing device and manufacturing method of fuel cell component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11038188-B2
Application number	US-201916408788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	Mar 4, 2016
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A manufacturing device of a fuel cell component includes an MEA unwinder on which a fabric panel is rolled. An MEA including an electrolyte membrane and an electrode is disposed on a protective film. The manufacturing device further includes a first hot roller disposed to press an upper sub-gasket supplied to a surface of an edge of the MEA from an upper sub-gasket unwinder, a protective film winder disposed behind the first hot roller and disposed to separate the protective film from the fabric panel, a second hot roller disposed to press the lower sub-gasket supplied to another surface of the edge of the MEA from the lower sub-gasket unwinder, and an MEA winder winding the MEA to which the upper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasket are attached, in a roll shape.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacturing method of a fuel cell component, comprising:
supplying a fabric panel in which a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is formed on a protective film;
roll-cutting a preset area of an edge of an electrolyte membrane of the MEA and removing a cut scrap;
attaching an upper sub-gasket to the electrolyte membrane, on an opposite side to the protective film, and pressing the upper sub-gasket at a preset temperature;
removing the protective film after the upper sub-gasket is pressed; and
attaching a lower sub-gasket to correspond to the upper sub-gasket after the protective film is removed, and pressing the lower sub-gasket at a preset temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein supplying the fabric panel comprises unwinding and supplying the fabric panel wound on an MEA unwinder in a roll shape.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasket are pressed using a hot roller.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the upper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasket to the electrolyte membrane comprises:
unwinding and supplying the upper sub-gasket wound on an upper sub-gasket unwinder in a roll shape; and
unwinding and supplying the lower sub-gasket wound on a lower sub-gasket unwinder in a roll shape.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the upper sub-gasket supplied from the upper sub-gasket unwinder and the lower sub-gasket supplied from the lower sub-gasket unwinder are cut in preset shapes using roll cutters, respectively.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
in the roll-cutting, the preset area of the edge of the electrolyte membrane is roll-cut using a roll cutter; and
in the removing of the cut scrap, the cut scrap is wound and stored in a roll shape using a scrap winder.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the MEA includes:
a polymer electrolyte membrane; and
electrode membranes formed at center portions of a surface and another surface of the electrolyte membrane; and

the protective film is disposed on an exterior surface of one of the electrode membranes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the upper sub-gasket is pressed to an outer surface of an edge of one of the electrode membranes and a surface of the electrolyte membrane; and
the lower sub-gasket is pressed to an outer surface of an edge of another one of the electrode membranes, another surface of the electrolyte membrane, and the upper sub-gasket.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Lee Sun Ho

Classifications

• B32B2457/18

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/1018

  Polymeric electrolyte materials · CPC title

• H01M8/0273

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

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

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