Patent Application
20070254199
The purpose and the effects of the present invention may be best understood by those skilled in the art by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The structure of plate-type membrane electrode assembly layer 1 according to the present invention is made by tightly bonding the membrane electrode assemblies 12 on the frame 10. The present invention is focused on the assembly structure of the membrane electrode assemblies 12 and the frame 10. As for the other portions composing the fuel cell, such as fuel cell channel, fuel storage tank, etc., they are not the focal points of the present invention, so they will not be described in details.
At least one membrane electrode assembly 12, which is corresponding to the first hole 100 respectively, and configured on the frame 10; wherein, the area of the membrane electrode assembly 12 is slightly larger than the opening area of the first hole 100, and the membrane electrode assembly 12 could be the membrane electrode assembly used in direct methanol fuel cell.
A bonding sheet 14 is covered on these membrane electrode assemblies 12, and the bonding layer 14a is pressed on the frame 10 at the outer periphery surrounding anode and cathode (shown as shaded area in
Next, Step 28 is to press these pressing areas 142 on the bonding sheet 14 surrounding these second holes 140, so the bonding sheet 14, these membrane electrode assemblies 12, and the frame 10 stacked sequentially could be joined as a plate-type membrane electrode assembly layer 1, in which these pressing areas 142 are corresponding to the outer periphery surrounding these membrane electrode assemblies 12. Furthermore, the step of pressing could employ the thermal press machine 16 to apply hot pressing on these pressing areas 142 on the bonding sheet 14. The width W of these pressing areas 142 is between 1 mm to 5 mm, or larger than 0 mm and smaller than 1 mm.
The pressing areas 142 defined on the second holes 140 have the positions near the opening edge of the second hole 140, but not overlapped with anodes and cathodes of the membrane electrode assemblies 12 on the lower level, that is, the pressing force applied on the pressing areas 142 would not be transferred to the anodes and cathodes of the membrane electrode assemblies 12.
At least one membrane electrode assembly 32, which is corresponding to the first hole 300 and configured on the frame 30, in which the area of the membrane electrode assembly 32 is slightly larger than the opening area of the first hole 300, and the edge area of anode and cathode (shown as shaded area in
A bonding layer 38, which is pressed on the edge area of these membrane electrode areas 32, and the bonding layer 38 is passing through these through-holes 320 at the edge area and pressed on the frame 30; wherein, the bonding layer 38 is pressed at the pressing area 352 on the second bonding sheet 35 surrounding these third holes 350 in
Next, Step 48 is to sequentially stack the second bonding sheet 35, these membrane electrode assemblies 32 and the first bonding sheet 34 on the frame 30, in which each membrane electrode assembly 32 is corresponding to each first hole 300 on the frame 30 respectively. Then, Step 49 is to press these pressing areas 352 on the second bonding sheet 35 surrounding these third holes 350, so the frame 30, the first bonding sheet 34, these membrane electrode assemblies 32, and the second bonding sheet 35 stacked sequentially could be joined as a plate-type membrane electrode assembly layer, in which these pressing areas 352 are corresponding to these edge areas of the anodes and cathodes of these membrane electrode assemblies 32.
These above-mentioned steps applying the pressing could employ the thermal press machine 36 to apply the hot press on these pressing areas 352 on the second bonding sheet 35. Because the first and second bonding sheets 34, 35 employ a solid bonding agent, when the temperature is reached a melting temperature, the upper and lower layers of solid bonding agent would be melted, and permeate into the through holes 320. After the cooling of solid bonding agent, the membrane electrode assembly 32 would be tightly attached on the frame 30, and finally forming the structure of plate-type membrane electrode assembly layer 3 according to the present invention.
The assembly method provided for assembling plate-type membrane electrode assembly layer and the structure thereof according to the present invention could achieve the following effects:
1. The assembly method and assembly structure according to the present invention could employ the thermal press machine for one-time press forming, without the manual assembly method, so as to achieve the automation and mass production purpose, and also substantially improve the assembly quality for fuel cell. Moreover, the present invention could also overcome the conventional problems for the membrane electrode assembly of easy drying and curling in the prior art; and
2. The assembly structure according to the present invention could employ the Prepreg resin sheet. Because this type of sheet has the properties of light and thin, the fuel cell with the assembly structure according to the present invention could also have the properties of light and thin, which is beneficial to be applied in portable electric products.
The present invention has been described as above. Thus, the disclosed embodiments are not limiting the scope of the present invention. And, for the skilled in the art, it is well appreciated that the change and modification without departing from the claims of the present invention should be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and the protection scope of the present invention should be defined with the attached claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 095115499 | May 2006 | TW | national |
