Method and apparatus for connecting component parts of a fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9387656-B2
Application number	US-201314415826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2013
Priority date	Jul 26, 2012
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

A method for connecting component parts ( 1, 2, 3 ) of a fuel cell. A photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is applied in liquid form at least regionally to at least one component part ( 1, 2, 3 ) of the fuel cell, is photochemically pre-cured, is brought into contact with at least one further component part ( 1, 2, 3 ) of the fuel cell and is cured. The photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is photochemically pre-cured to differing degrees in at least two component part regions (B 1 , B 2 ) of the component part ( 1, 2, 3 ). Furthermore, an apparatus for connecting component parts ( 1, 2, 3 ) of a fuel cell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for connecting components ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) of a fuel cell, comprising:
(a) applying a photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) in liquid form, at least in areas, to at least one component ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) of the fuel cell,
(b) photochemically pre-curing the adhesive,
(c) bringing the at least one component ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) into contact with at least one further component ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) of the fuel cell, and
(d) curing,
wherein in step (b) the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is photochemically pre-cured to differing degrees in at least two component areas (B 1 , B 2 ) of the component ( 1 , 2 , 3 ).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is applied, at least in areas, to a first component ( 1 ) of the fuel cell which is a first frame element of a membrane-electrode assembly ( 4 ), and to a third component ( 3 ) of the fuel cell which is a second frame element of the membrane-electrode assembly ( 4 ), and after the photochemical pre-curing of the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ), a second component ( 2 ) of the fuel cell which is a catalyst-coated membrane of the membrane-electrode assembly ( 4 ) is positioned between the first component ( 1 ) and the third component ( 3 ), the three components ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) are joined together, and the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is cured.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is photochemically pre-cured by ultraviolet radiation and/or by infrared radiation.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is photochemically cured.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the component ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) which is coated with the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is masked prior to the photochemical pre-curing of the adhesive ( 5 ) in such a way that for the photochemical pre-curing of the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ), the at least two component areas (B 1 , B 2 ) are irradiated at different irradiation intensities.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is applied to the at least one component ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) by screen printing.

7. A device for connecting components ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) of a fuel cell for carrying out a method according to claim 1 , including
an applicator unit for applying, at least in areas, a photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) in liquid form to at least one component ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) of the fuel cell,
an irradiation system ( 6 ) for photochemical pre-curing the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ), and
masking ( 7 ) for masking, at least in areas, the component ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) of the fuel cell which is coated with the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) in such a way that for the photochemical pre-curing of the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ), at least two component areas (B 1 , B 2 ) may be irradiated at different irradiation intensities.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the irradiation system ( 6 ) has at least one radiation source which is a light-emitting diode and/or has at least one tubular radiation source.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one radiation source is a radiation source which emits ultraviolet radiation and/or as a radiation source which emits infrared radiation.

10. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the applicator unit is a screen printer.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the photochemically curable adhesive ( 5 ) is photochemically cured by ultraviolet radiation and/or by infrared radiation.

Assignees

• Daimler Ag

Inventors

• Wulff Christian

Classifications

• B29C66/727

  being porous, e.g. foam · CPC title

• B29C65/1496

  making use of masks (B29C65/1696 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09J2203/33

  for batteries or fuel cells · CPC title

• B32B2310/0825

  using IR radiation · CPC title

• B29C66/1122

  Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence) · CPC title