Fuel cell unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11682786-B2
Application number	US-202117530610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2021
Priority date	Dec 1, 2020
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

A fuel cell unit including: a stack case; stacked fuel cells; current collector plates; and tabs, wherein the power converter has a power converter case, and a power conversion component, wherein the bus bar is disposed in a slit provided on the stack case, wherein the bus bars each have a current collector plate connecting portion for connecting to the tabs at a first surface, a power conversion component connection portion connected to the power conversion component at a second surface, and a plurality of connecting portions for connecting the current collector plate connecting portion and the power conversion component connecting portion, and wherein the connecting portions each have a plate surface intersecting the plane belonging to the first surface and the plane belonging to the second surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell unit having a fuel cell stack, a power converter, and bus bars for electrically connecting the fuel cell stack and the power converter, the fuel cell stack comprising:
a stack case;
stacked fuel cells comprising a plurality of stacked fuel cells that are plate-shaped as a whole, the stacked fuel cells being arranged inside the stack case;
current collector plates disposed at both ends of the stacked fuel cells in a stacking direction of the fuel cells; and
tabs which extends toward the power converter from the current collector plates,
wherein the power converter has a power converter case coupled to the stack case, and a power conversion component disposed inside the power converter case,
wherein part of the bus bar is disposed in a slit provided on a wall of the stack case,
wherein the bus bars each have a current collector plate connecting portion for connecting to the tabs at a first surface, a power conversion component connection portion connected to the power conversion component at a second surface belonging to a plane that intersects a plane to which the first surface belongs, and a plurality of plate-shaped connecting portions for connecting the current collector plate connecting portion and the power conversion component connecting portion, and
wherein the connecting portions each have a plate surface, at least part of the plate surface intersecting the plane belonging to the first surface and the plane belonging to the second surface.

2. The fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein the bus bars each further comprise a connecting portion having a plate surface, at least part of the plate surface being parallel to the plane belonging to the first surface.

3. The fuel cell unit according to claim 1 , wherein a bend portion is included in the connecting portion.

4. The fuel cell unit according to claim 2 , wherein a bend portion is provided in the connecting portion.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ito Masayuki

Classifications

• H01M8/0247

  characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) · CPC title

• H01M8/2465 Primary

  Details of groupings of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/2475 Primary

  Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/0202 Primary

  Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title