Fuel cell module and method manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9184462-B2
Application number	US-201213645321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2012
Priority date	Nov 7, 2011
Publication date	Nov 10, 2015
Grant date	Nov 10, 2015

Abstract

A fuel cell module and a method manufacturing the same that improves a contact structure of the inter-connectors to prevent gas leaks, thereby to improving the performance and the durability of the unit cell. The fuel cell module includes a plurality of inter-connectors, wherein at least one of the inter-connectors has a first face contacting a first electrode layer, a second face opposing the first face, and third and fourth faces connecting the first face to the second face, respectively, wherein at least a portion of the at least one of the inter-connectors also contacts an electrolytic layer, wherein a length of the first face of the at least one of the inter-connectors is 20% to 80% of a length of the second face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell module, comprising:
a first electrode layer;
an electrolytic layer arranged on the first electrode layer;
a second electrode layer arranged on the electrolytic layer; and
a plurality of inter-connectors,
wherein at least one of the inter-connectors has a first face contacting the first electrode layer, a second face opposing the first face, and third and fourth faces connecting the first face to the second face, respectively,
each of the third and fourth faces includes a first portion directly contacting at least one of the first electrode layer and the electrolytic layer and a second portion extending from the first portion, and
the second portion extends in a substantially vertical direction to the first face, and
wherein a length of the first face of the at least one of the inter-connectors is 20% to 80% of a length of the second face, each of said plurality of inter-connectors has a single continuous structure.

2. The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the first face of the at least one of the inter-connectors contacts a surface of the first electrode layer.

3. The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the inter-connectors extends into the first electrode layer and an entirety of the first face contacts an inside of the first electrode layer.

4. The fuel cell module of claim 2 , wherein the third and fourth faces have a stepped structure.

5. The fuel cell module of claim 3 , wherein the third and fourth faces have a stepped structure.

6. The fuel cell module of claim 2 , wherein the third and fourth faces have curved surfaces.

7. The fuel cell module of claim 3 , wherein the third and fourth faces have curved surfaces.

8. The fuel cell module of claim 2 , wherein the third and fourth faces have inclined flat surfaces.

9. The fuel cell module of claim 3 , wherein the third and fourth faces have inclined flat surfaces.

Assignees

• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Seung-Tae
• Kim Jan-Dee
• Suh Jun-Won

Classifications

• Y02P70/50

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

• Y02E60/521

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H01M8/0202

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

• H01M8/1213 Primary

  characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material · CPC title

• Y02E60/525

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic