Electrochemical stack assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023178785-A1
Application number	US-202217837777-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2022
Priority date	Dec 2, 2021
Publication date	Jun 8, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electrochemical stack assembly including an enclosure in which a plurality of cells arranged in a reference direction are disposed, the enclosure including an opening, an enclosure cover seated on the enclosure to cover the opening and a fastening member passing through a first hole of the enclosure and a second hole of the enclosure cover to fasten the enclosure and the enclosure cover to each other, wherein a size of the second hole is different from a size of the first hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrochemical stack assembly comprising:
an enclosure in which a plurality of cells arranged in a reference direction are disposed, the enclosure including an opening; an enclosure cover seated on the enclosure to cover the opening; and a fastening member passing through a first hole of the enclosure and a second hole of the enclosure cover to fasten the enclosure and the enclosure cover to each other, wherein a size of the second hole is different from a size of the first hole.

2 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 1 , wherein an area of the enclosure cover is greater than a size of an area occupied by the opening.

3 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second hole is located in an outer region of the enclosure cover not overlapping the opening.

4 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second hole has a slot shape extending in the reference direction.

5 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 3 , wherein the enclosure cover is disposed to cover an entire area of the opening when a first end of the second hole in the reference direction overlaps the first hole.

6 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 5 , wherein the enclosure cover is disposed to cover an entire area of the opening while being transited from a state in which the first end of the second hole in the reference direction and the first hole overlap each other to a state in which a second end of the second hole in a direction opposite to the reference direction and the first hole overlap each other.

7 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a terminal block coupled to the enclosure cover, wherein the enclosure cover includes: a cover body; and an insertion hole communicating with the opening, and wherein the terminal block is inserted into the insertion hole.

8 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a current collection plate including a current collection terminal electrically connected to the plurality of cells to transmit power of the plurality of cells to a contact target; and a bus bar electrically connecting the terminal block and the current collection terminal to each other and disposed inside the enclosure.

9 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a pair of end plates connected to the current collection plate and the plurality of cells are arranged between the pair of end plates, wherein the current collection terminal includes: a positive terminal disposed in any one of the pair of end plates; and a negative terminal disposed in a remaining one of the pair of end plates, and wherein the bus bar includes: a first bus bar connected to the positive terminal; and a second bus bar connected to the negative terminal.

10 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 9 , wherein the terminal block includes:
a first terminal block connected to the first bus bar; and a second terminal block connected to the second bus bar, wherein the enclosure cover includes: a first enclosure cover coupled to the first terminal block; and a second enclosure cover coupled to the second terminal block, and wherein the opening includes: a first opening covered by the first enclosure cover; and a second opening covered by the second enclosure cover.

11 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second opening is spaced apart from the first opening in the reference direction.

12 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 11 , wherein the fastening member includes a first fastening member that passes through a (1-1) th hole of the enclosure and a (2-1) th hole of the first enclosure cover to fasten the enclosure and the first enclosure cover to each other,
wherein the (2-1) th hole includes a portion overlapping the (1-1) th hole and is larger than the (1-1) th hole, and wherein the (1-1) th hole overlaps an end of the (2-1) th hole in a direction opposite to the reference direction when the first enclosure cover and the second enclosure cover are closest to each other in the reference direction.

13 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 8 , wherein the terminal block includes a terminal opening opens upward, and
wherein the bus bar has an exposure part exposed to an outside of the terminal block through the terminal opening.

14 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 13 , wherein the exposure part includes a region protruding outward from the terminal block.

15 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the opening opens upward; and wherein the enclosure cover is seated on an upper surface of the enclosure.

16 . The electrochemical stack assembly of claim 1 , wherein a size of the second hole is greater than a size of the first hole.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Jeong Kwi Seong
• Kim Ji Soo

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M50/543

  Terminals · CPC title

• H01M50/505

  comprising a single busbar · CPC title

• H01M8/2475 Primary

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

• H01M8/2465 Primary

  Details of groupings of fuel cells · CPC title