Device and method for stacking cell components and a device and method for manufacturing a fuel cell layer structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12294129-B2
Application number	US-202117525702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2021
Priority date	Nov 16, 2020
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A cell component de-stacking device for vertically de-stacking separated cell components, including at least one vertical de-stacker with a vertical magazine for accommodating a plurality of the cell components in a vertical arrangement and with a lifting and lowering device for lifting and lowering the cell components in the vertical magazine and for de-stacking separated cell components in the vertical direction, and a delivery device for delivering separated cell components at a filling station to the vertical de-stacker. The vertical de-stacker is configured for filling the vertical magazine at the filling station by individually accommodating the cell components and moving them by means of the lifting and lowering device, and for being moved between the filling station and the stacking station, and for individually dispensing the cell components in the vertical direction at the stacking station by means of a downward movement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A manufacturing device configured to manufacture a fuel cell layer structure with alternately arranged first cell components and second cell components, each first cell component being plate component and each second cell component being a membrane component, comprising:
at least one stacking station with at least one stacking device configured to stack the first and the second cell component on top of one another in an alternating manner;
at least one vertical de-stacker, which is configured to be moved between at least one filling station and the at least one stacking station, to accommodate a plurality of first cell components in a vertical arrangement with a lifting and lowering device for lifting and lowering the first cell components and for de-stacking separated first cell components in a vertical direction to the at least one stacking device; and
a lateral feed system configured to laterally feed separated second cell components to the at least one stacking device.

2. The manufacturing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cell component de-stacking device for vertically de-stacking separated first cell components at the at least one stacking station during manufacturing of a fuel cell layer structure and for providing the at least one vertical de-stacker filled with first cell components, comprising:
the at least one vertical de-stacker with a vertical magazine for accommodating a plurality of the first cell components in a vertical arrangement and with a lifting and lowering device for lifting and lowering the first cell components in the vertical magazine and for de-stacking separated first cell components in the vertical direction; and
a delivery device configured to deliver the separated first cell components at the at least one filling station to the at least one vertical de-stacker,
wherein the at least one vertical de-stacker is configured to fill the vertical magazine at the at least one filling station by individually accommodating the cell components and moving them by means of the lifting and lowering device, and
wherein the at least one vertical de-stacker is further configured to be moved between the at least one filling station and the at least one stacking station and to individually dispense the first cell components in a vertical direction at the at least one stacking station by means of a downward movement.

3. The manufacturing device according to claim 2 , wherein the vertical de-stacker comprises at least one or several of the following elements:
3.1 a self-supporting housing or frame structure;
3.2 at least one first conveying means movable in the vertical direction at a first side of the vertical magazine and at least one second conveying means synchronously movable in the vertical direction at a second side opposite the first side, wherein the conveying means each have a row of gripping members for gripping and supporting the cell components;
3.3 at least one first toothed belt movable in the vertical direction at a first side of the vertical magazine and at least one second toothed belt synchronously movable in the vertical direction at a second side opposite the first side;
3.4 an actuator configured to drive the lifting and lowering movement or a coupling part for coupling an actuator for driving the lifting and lowering movement to the vertical de-stacker,
3.5 a positioning device configured to position the vertical magazine at least one of at the filling station or at the stacking station;
3.6 a blocking or braking system configured to block or brake at least the downward movement of the cell components in the vertical magazine;
3.7 at least one abutting device or guiding device configured to abut or guide the cell components during at least one of filling or lifting and lowering;
3.8 a vertical guiding device, which is funnel-shaped in at least some areas, configured to position the cell components during delivery or filling;
3.9 a closure system configured to disengageably fixing the at least one abutting device or guiding device; and
3.10 the vertical magazine being configured to be substantially cuboid, the lifting and lowering device being disposed at a first and an opposite second vertically extending side of the vertical magazine, the at least one abutting device or guiding device, against which the cell components accommodated in the vertical magazine abut, being removably disposed at at least one of a third or fourth vertically extending side extending transversely to the first and second side.

4. The manufacturing device according to claim 2 , wherein the delivery device comprises at least one or several of the following elements:
4.1 at least one accommodating unit configured to accommodate, in a positioned manner, the vertical de-stacker;
4.2 one or more further accommodating units configured to accommodate, in a positioned manner, one further vertical de-stacker each;
4.3 a feed conveyor configured to laterally deliver the cell components to the at least one vertical de-stacker;
4.4 a guiding system, which is funnel-shaped in at least some areas, configured to position the cell components in a direction transverse to a delivery direction during delivery;
4.5 a row of positive gripping members that are configured to positively grip the cell components and are movable for delivering the cell components towards the vertical de-stacker;
4.6 a drive system for a delivery movement;
4.7 at least one actuator configured to drive the lifting and lowering movement of the cell components in the vertical magazine and at least one preferably switchable coupling device configured to couple the actuator with the lifting and lowering device of the at least one vertical de-stacker;
4.8 the delivery device being configured to accommodate a first vertical de-stacker at a first accommodating unit and a second vertical de-stacker at a second accommodating unit and to fill them consecutively;
4.9 the delivery device being configured to fill in parallel several vertical de-stackers at accommodating units disposed consecutively in the delivery direction; and
4.10 the delivery device being configured to fill the at least one vertical de-stacker from above.

5. The manufacturing device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of
5.1 a plurality of stacking devices is provided and configured to be moved in a loop between the at least one stacking station and at least one further processing station for further processing the fuel cell layer structure stacked in each of the plurality of stacking devices, or
5.2 a plurality of vertical de-stackers is provided and configured to be moved in a loop between an accommodating unit at the at least one stacking station and at least one accommodating unit at the at least one filling station.

6. The manufacturing device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following stations:
6.1 a depositing station configured to deposit end components of the fuel cell layer structure at the at least one stacking device,
6.2 a removal station configured to remove the fuel cell layer structure from the at least one stacking device,
6.3 at least one pressing station with a pressing machine configured to press the fuel cell layer structure.

7. A manufacturing method for manufacturing a fuel cell layer structure with alternately arranged first cell components and second cell components, each first cell component being a plate component and each second cell component being a membrane component, comprising:
providing at least one stacking device at a stacking station;
vertically de-stacking a first cell component in alternation with a lateral feeding of a second cell component on the stacking device;
transporting the stacking device

Assignees

• Grob Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Janusch Tim
• Michl Karl Rudolf

Classifications

• H01M8/1004

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

• B65G57/14

  the articles being transferred from carriers moving in an endless path adjacent to the stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/2404 Primary

  Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

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

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title