Processing apparatus for gas-diffusion layer sheets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11094943-B2
Application number	US-201916570110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2019
Priority date	Oct 26, 2018
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

The processing apparatus includes: a first roller 10 around which a gas-diffusion layer sheet (carbon paper CP) is wound, the gas-diffusion layer sheet being an electrically conductive porous member; a second roller 20 configured to take up the carbon paper CP wound around the first roller 10 ; and a processing oven configured to heat process a portion of the carbon paper CP, the portion having been fed from the first roller 10 but not yet taken up by the second roller 20 . A heat-resistant lead LE is provided, the heat-resistant lead LE having a length at least extending from the first roller 10 to the second roller 20 through the processing oven, being configured to be taken up by the second roller 20 , and being bonded to the carbon paper CP impregnated with a thermosetting resin AD.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing apparatus for gas-diffusion layer sheets, the processing apparatus comprising:
a first roller around which a gas-diffusion layer sheet is wound, the gas-diffusion layer sheet being an electrically conductive porous member;
a second roller configured to take up the gas-diffusion layer sheet wound around the first roller; and
a processing oven configured to heat process a portion of the gas-diffusion layer sheet, the portion having been fed from the first roller but not yet taken up by the second roller, wherein
a heat-resistant lead is provided, the heat-resistant lead having a length at least extending to the second roller through the processing oven, being configured to be taken up by the second roller, and
being bonded to the gas-diffusion layer sheet impregnated with a thermosetting resin.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat-resistant lead has, in a portion thereof, an anti-wrinkle part for substantially eliminating wrinkles that have formed in the gas-diffusion layer sheet, the portion with the anti-wrinkle part being adjacent to another portion, of the heat-resistant lead, to which the gas-diffusion layer sheet is bonded.

3. The processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the anti-wrinkle part is comprised of a cut formed in the portion of the heat-resistant lead.

4. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the thermosetting resin is applied to a longitudinal end portion of the heat-resistant lead such that the applied thermosetting resin is in a shape of a single continuous line extending in a width direction of the heat-resistant lead, from a vicinity of one end to a vicinity of an other end in the width direction of the heat-resistant lead, thereby bonding the heat-resistant lead to the gas-diffusion layer sheet.

5. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a longitudinal end portion of the gas-diffusion layer sheet is impregnated with the thermosetting resin, and the thermosetting resin is heated and cured in a state where the gas-diffusion layer sheet is positioned on top of the heat-resistant lead, thereby bonding the gas-diffusion layer sheet and the heat-resistant lead to each other.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sugano Tetsuya
• Oyama Satoshi

Classifications

• B29C66/71

  characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125) · CPC title

• B29C66/43

  Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles (B29C66/45 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/7486

  Paper, e.g. cardboard · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/1004

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