Fuel cell having excellent sealing performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12438176-B2
Application number	US-202217848650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2022
Priority date	Jul 16, 2021
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A fuel cell includes a cell stack in which multiple unit cells are stacked in a first direction, an enclosure enveloping the cell stack and including at least one opening to open at least one of the two end portions of the cell stack, first and second end plates respectively disposed at the two end portions of the cell stack, a clamping member clamping the unit cells, and a coupling screw coupling the clamping member to a target end plate among the first and second end plates. The target end plate includes a body, including a first internal surface facing the cell stack and an external surface, and a partition wall, spaced from the external surface in the first direction to form a gap. The coupling screw passes through the partition wall and couples the clamping member to the body via the gap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell, comprising:
a cell stack including a plurality of unit cells stacked in a first direction of the cell stack;
an enclosure surrounding side portions of the cell stack, wherein the enclosure includes at least one opening to open at least one of first and second end portions of the cell stack;
first and second end plates respectively disposed at the first and second end portions of the cell stack;
a clamping member configured to clamp the plurality of unit cells in the first direction together with the first and second end plates; and
a coupling screw configured to couple the clamping member to a target end plate disposed at the at least one opening in the enclosure, among the first and second end plates,
wherein the target end plate includes:
a body including a first internal surface, facing the cell stack, and an external surface formed opposite to the first internal surface; and
a partition wall spaced from at least a portion of the external surface in the first direction to form a gap between the partition wall and the external surface, the partition wall being coupled to the enclosure and being made of metal,

wherein the coupling screw passes through the partition wall and couples the clamping member and the body to each other via the gap,
wherein the partition wall includes a first recess portion having a first through-hole formed therein to allow the coupling screw to pass therethrough,
wherein the first recess portion includes:
a second internal surface; and
a bottom surface having therein the first through-hole, and

wherein the coupling screw includes:
a head disposed in the first recess portion;
a first protruding portion protruding from the head toward the second internal surface in a direction intersecting the first direction,
a sealing seat surface facing the bottom surface; and
a bearing surface formed to be in contact with the clamping member in the gap.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the coupling screw further includes:
a sealing portion disposed between the sealing seat surface and the bottom surface; and
a threaded portion threadedly engaged with the body.

3. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the partition wall further includes:
a first reinforcing rib located between the second internal surface and the bottom surface in the first recess portion.

4. The fuel cell of claim 3 , wherein the first reinforcing rib has a slanted cross-section.

5. The fuel cell of claim 3 , wherein the partition wall further includes:
a second reinforcing rib having a cross-section protruding from a portion surrounding the first through-hole in the partition wall toward the clamping member in the first direction.

6. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the partition wall further includes:
a second reinforcing rib having a cross-section protruding from a portion surrounding the first through-hole in the partition wall toward the clamping member in the first direction.

7. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein a cap is disposed to cover the coupling screw.

8. The fuel cell of claim 7 ,
wherein the cap includes a support portion and a cover portion,
wherein the cover portion covers the coupling screw, and the support portion extends from the cover portion in the first direction to be inserted into the first recess portion.

9. The fuel cell of claim 1 , further including:
a sealer located in the at least one opening at a position at which the enclosure and the partition wall are in contact with each other.

10. The fuel cell of claim 9 ,
wherein the partition wall includes a second recess portion formed to face the sealer and to be concavely depressed in a third direction intersecting the first direction, and
wherein the enclosure includes a second protruding portion protruding in the third direction to be fitted into the second recess portion at the at least one opening.

11. The fuel cell of claim 10 ,
wherein the enclosure includes an upper enclosure and a lower enclosure, each of which includes the second protruding portion, respectively to be fitted into corresponding second recess portions.

12. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the target end plate further includes:
a connection portion interconnecting the body and the partition wall.

13. The fuel cell of claim 12 , wherein the body, the partition wall, and the connection portion are integrated with each other.

14. The fuel cell of claim 12 , wherein the connection portion is integrated with the partition wall, and is formed separately from the body.

15. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the clamping member includes:
a first portion disposed on the cell stack and on the body of the target end plate; and
a second portion bent from the first portion and extending toward a space in which the gap is formed, and
wherein the second portion has a second through-hole formed therein to allow the coupling screw to pass therethrough, the second through-hole being located to face a portion of the first through-hole.

16. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein an insulating plate is disposed between the cell stack and the clamping member to electrically insulate the cell stack and the clamping member from each other.

17. The fuel cell of claim 1 ,
wherein each of the first and second end plates includes a core and a clad,
wherein the core has a first rigidity, and the clad has a second rigidity which is lower than the first rigidity, and
wherein the coupling screw is fastened to the core.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Heo Yong Suk
• Ahn Jae Min
• Lee Pil Young

Classifications

• H01M8/2485

  Arrangements for sealing external manifolds; Arrangements for mounting external manifolds around a stack · CPC title

• H01M8/248 Primary

  Means for compression of the fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M8/2475 Primary

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

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title