JP2003022819A - Electrode membrane assembly trimming device for fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly quickly conduct a series of operation of pressing and cutting of a PEM and enhance the productivity of a fuel cell and suction of a carbon electrode by integrally installing a trimming blade in a trimming cope and a first sucking part for a cope in a sucking holding device to press the PEM with the sucking holding device, and to cut the carbon electrode with the trimming blade, in a state with the carbon electrode being sucked with the first sucking part for the cope. SOLUTION: This trimming device 10 is composed of a trimming drag 14, on which the PEM 13a formed by sticking the carbon electrodes 12, 13, is placed; the trimming cope 16 having the trimming blade 15; and the sucking holding device 17 hung movably vertically to the trimming cope 16, and the first sucking part 44 for the cope sucking and holding the carbon electrode 12 is installed in the suction holding device 17.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel cell membrane / electrode assembly trim device for smoothly performing a trim treatment step and a subsequent conveying step to improve the productivity of a fuel cell.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A fuel cell is a cell that utilizes the reverse principle of electrolysis of water to obtain electricity in the process of reacting hydrogen and oxygen to obtain water. In general, hydrogen is used to replace fuel gas, and oxygen is used to replace air and oxidant gas, so the terms fuel gas, air, and oxidant gas are often used.

As such a fuel cell, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-123848 "Fuel Cell" is known. A cell of a fuel cell will be described with reference to the following drawings prepared based on FIGS. 1 and 2 of the publication. The reference numerals were reassigned.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a cell of a fuel cell. In a cell 100, an anode side electrode 102 and a cathode side electrode 103 are attached to both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane 101, and these anode side electrode 102 and cathode side are attached. Two electrodes 103
The separator 104 is sandwiched between the separators 104 and 105, and the separator 104 is provided with a plurality of flow channel grooves 106 for supplying hydrogen gas as fuel to the anode 102, and the separator 105 is provided with oxygen as an oxidant to the cathode 103. It has a structure in which a plurality of flow path grooves 107 for supplying gas are formed, and a desired voltage is obtained by stacking a large number of the cells 100. Here, 111 and 112 are electrolyte membranes 10.
It is a sealing material (gasket) for sealing between 1 and each separator 104, 105.

The electrolyte membrane 101 is a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) made of a polymer compound.
It is a loyalty membrane). This electrolyte membrane 101 is hereinafter referred to as PEM101. In addition, PEM10
1. Anode side electrode 102 and cathode side electrode 103
Is a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA: Membrane El)
This is what constitutes an electorm assembly 108. This membrane-electrode assembly 108 will be referred to as MEA1 below.
It is written as 08.

[0006] Although the above publication does not describe the manufacturing method and the transportation method of the MEA 108, in general,
The anode-side electrode 102 and the cathode-side electrode 103 each having a smaller area than the PEM are pressure-bonded to the front and back surfaces of the PEM, which are cut into a shape larger than the final shape of the PE.
The edge of M is cut with a trim blade (trim) and finally molded,
A method is known in which the cut MEA 108 is conveyed to the next step by an adsorption device.

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present inventors
Attempts were made to carry out the above manufacturing and carrying of No. 108, but during the carrying process of the trimming process and the carrying process of 108, a problem as shown in FIG. 9 occurred. 9A to 9C are explanatory diagrams for explaining the trimming process and the transporting process of the MEA, and in FIG. 9A, the PEM 1 in which the electrodes 102 and 103 are bonded to the mounting table 121 in FIG. 9A.
01a is placed and positioned by a positioning means (not shown), the press device 123 to which the trim blade 122 is attached is lowered as shown by the white arrow to cut the PEM 101a. (In order to distinguish from the PEM 101 after cutting, the PEM code before cutting is referred to as 101a for convenience.)

In (b), after the cutting of the PEM 101 is completed, the adsorption device 124 which is a separate body from the press device 123.
Is lowered as indicated by the white arrow to adsorb the MEA 108. In (c), the MEA adsorbed by the adsorption device 124.
108 as shown by the white arrow d, and the white arrow e
As shown in FIG.

In the above (b), above the mounting table 121,
Since the pressing device 123 shown in (a) and the suction device 124 shown in (b) are replaced with each other to perform the suction work, the flow temporarily stops when shifting from the trim processing to the suction work. Therefore, when trimming and carrying the MEA 108 continuously in a mass production line, it is expected that the productivity will be significantly reduced.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a membrane for a fuel cell.
It is to improve the productivity of fuel cells by improving the trimming device for electrode assembly so that the trimming process and the next carrying process can be smoothly continued.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention is directed to a membrane-electrode assembly obtained by bonding carbon electrodes having a smaller area than both sides of a polymer electrolyte membrane to a trim object, In a fuel cell membrane / electrode assembly trim device that cuts the edges of a polymer electrolyte membrane with a trim blade, this trim device includes a lower press die for mounting the membrane / electrode assembly, and an upper press die with a trim blade. The pressing member is provided with a holding member hung up and down on the upper die of the press so as to hold one carbon electrode by suction.

Since the trim blade and the suction means provided on the pressing member are integrally provided on the upper die of the press, the trimming is performed while the polymer electrolyte membrane is pressed by the pressing member and the carbon electrode is sucked by the suction means. Since it can be cut with a blade, pressing and cutting of the polymer electrolyte membrane and adsorption of the carbon electrode can be performed smoothly and quickly by a series of operations. Therefore, the productivity of the fuel cell can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the holding member is provided with a holding portion for holding the edge of the polymer electrolyte membrane and a concave portion for accommodating one of the carbon electrodes, and an electrode suction hole for sucking the carbon electrode is formed in the bottom surface of the concave portion. A membrane suction hole for sucking the polymer electrolyte membrane is formed in the holding portion. The holding portion and the electrode suction holes and the membrane suction holes can surely hold the membrane / electrode assembly so as not to laterally shift during trimming.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the mechanism for suspending the pressing member on the press upper die is composed of a guide rod hung on both members and an elastic member for urging the pressing member to the press lower die. . Since the guide rod is provided in the mechanism for suspending the pressing member on the upper press die, the pressing member can be accurately moved up and down by the guide rod with respect to the upper press die.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings should be viewed in the direction of the reference numerals. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a membrane / electrode assembly trim device for a fuel cell according to the present invention, which is a membrane / electrode assembly trim device 10 (hereinafter referred to as “MEA trim device 10”).
Are carbon electrodes 11 and 12 made of carbon paper
Polymer electrolyte membrane 13a (hereinafter referred to as "PEM
13a ”. The PEM before cutting is referred to as the PEM 13a in this manner in order to distinguish it from the PEM 13 after cutting, which will be described later. ), A lower trim trim mold 14 as a lower press mold,
Trim upper die 1 as a press upper die provided with a trim blade 15 for trimming, that is, trimming the edge of the PEM 13a.
6, a suction holding device 17 as a holding member connected to the upper trim trim 16 for sucking and holding the carbon electrode 12 and the PEM 13a, and a cylinder device 18 for lowering the upper trim trim 16. Two carbon electrodes 11,1
Although 2 is the same, the reference numeral is different for convenience.

The trim lower die 14 includes a placing portion 21 which also serves as a positioning portion of the PEM 13a, a lower die supporting portion 22 which supports the placing portion 21, and a lower die suction portion 23 which adsorbs a peripheral portion of the PEM 13a. Consists of.

The mounting portion 21 includes a bottom portion 22 of the lower support portion 22.
a lower receiving member 25 provided in a and the lower receiving member 25
And an upper receiving member 26 on which the PEM 13a is placed by placing the PEM 13a above the lower receiving member 25. In addition, the resin plate 28 is arranged below the positioning storage section 27.

The lower receiving member 25 is made of foam-like elastic material such as polyurethane, and the upper receiving member 26 is made of soft material such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material. The resin plate 28 is a member for preventing the carbon electrode 11 from coming into contact with the lower receiving member 25 and for preventing metal ions from adhering to the carbon electrode 11 when metal ions are attached to the lower receiving member 25. Is.

If a metal ion adheres to the carbon electrode 11, the metal ion and an electron bond with each other, and a metal is deposited on the carbon electrode 11. As a result, the deposited metal may interfere with the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen and may deteriorate the performance of the fuel cell.

The lower die suction portion 23 has suction holes 31 ... (... indicates a plurality, the same applies hereinafter) formed in the mounting portion 21.
Connection pipes 33 ... Connected to the suction holes 31 ... Through joints 32 ..., respectively. By connecting these connection pipes 33 ... With a suction device (not shown), Air is sucked from the suction holes 31 ... And the PEM 13a is sucked.

The trim blade 15 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view and is located outside the carbon electrodes 11 and 12 in the PEM 13a.
It is a member that cuts off the peripheral edge of the. The trim upper mold 16 is
It comprises a trim blade 15 and a trim blade fixing portion 35 for fixing the trim blade 15.

The suction holding device 17 presses and positions the PEM 13a when trimming the PEM 13a, and the PEM 1
In order to prevent lateral displacement during transportation of 3a after trimming, the trim blade fixing portion 35 has a rod 36 as a guide rod ...
., And a spring 37 as an elastic member is interposed between the trim blade fixing portion 35 and the trim blade fixing portion 35 so that the spring 37 is pressed downward.
a pressing portion 41 for pressing a, a first concave portion 42 provided inside the pressing portion 41, a pad 43 made of a porous material arranged in the first concave portion 42, and the carbon electrode 12 via the pad 43. For upper mold as adsorption means for adsorbing
At the position of the suction portion 44 and the above-mentioned holding portion 41, the PEM 13
The upper die second adsorbing portion 45, which adsorbs a. In addition, 17a ... Is a guide hole provided in the trim blade fixing part 35 for guiding the rod 36, 17b ... Is a through hole for passing the connecting pipes 48, 52 ..., 43a is The second provided below the pad 43 for accommodating the carbon electrode 12
It is a recess.

The pad 43 is made of a porous resin material and has air permeability, and like the resin plate 28 of the lower press die 14 described above, prevents the metal ions from adhering to the carbon electrode 12. It is also a thing. First for upper mold
The suction portion 44 is a suction hole 47 as an electrode suction hole formed in the bottom of the first recess 42, and the suction hole 47 has a joint 32.
The connecting pipe 48 is connected to the first recess 4 by connecting the connecting pipe 48 to a suction device (not shown).
The air in 2 is sucked through the pad 43 and the suction hole 47 to suck the carbon electrode 12.

The second upper die suction portion 45 has suction holes 51 ... As film suction holes formed in the holding portion 41, and the suction holes 51. The connecting pipes 52 ... Connected, and these connecting pipes 52 ...
By connecting to a suction device (not shown)
The air is sucked from the air to adsorb the PEM 13a.

The cylinder device 18 includes a cylinder body 61.
And a piston (not shown) movably accommodated in the cylinder body 61, a piston rod 62 attached to the piston, and a pressing portion 63 attached to the lower end of the piston rod 62.

A procedure for manufacturing a fuel cell including the MEA trim processing by the MEA trim device 10 described above will be described below. FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the flow of manufacturing the fuel cell unit including the trim processing by the MEA trim device according to the present invention. Note that STXX indicates a step number. ST01: The PEM with the carbon electrode attached is placed on the trim lower mold. ST02 ... Position the PEM. ST03 ... Trim PEM to make MEA.

ST04 ... The MEA is transported to the laminating station. ST05 ... Applying a sealing material to the separator. ST06 ... A cell is produced by laminating a separator coated with a sealing material and MEA. Then, by stacking a plurality of these cells, a fuel cell having a desired voltage is completed. ST mentioned above
Each step of 01 to ST03 will be described in detail below.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are MEA according to the present invention.
It is a 1st operation figure explaining the operation of a trim device,
(A), (b) is a top view, (c) is a cc line sectional view of (b). First, in (a), the carbon electrodes 11 and 12 (carbon electrode 1
1 is the PEM 13a on which the back side of the PEM 13a) is attached.

In (b) and (c), the two sides of the carbon electrode 11 are applied to the two side walls 27a and 27b of the positioning housing portion 27 of the mounting portion 21 to position the carbon electrode 11 with respect to the mounting portion 21, That is, P for the mounting portion 21
The EM 13a is positioned. (In (b), the carbon electrode 12 is not shown for convenience of description.)

FIGS. 4A and 4B are MEA according to the present invention.
It is a 2nd action figure explaining an operation of a trim device. After positioning the PEM 13a with respect to the mounting portion 21, from the state of FIG. 1 to the lower die suction portion 23 in FIG. 4A.
Then, the suction of the peripheral portion of the PEM 13a is started, and in this suction state, the cylinder device 18 is operated, the pressing portion 63 of the cylinder device 18 is lowered, and the trim blade fixing portion 35 of the trim upper die 16 is moved downward. Push down.

As a result, the carbon electrode 12 is housed in the second concave portion 43a, and the PEM 13a is pressed by the elastic force of the spring 37 by the pressing portion 41 of the suction holding device 17, and then the peripheral edge of the PEM 13a is pressed by the trim blade 15. Cut the part.

During and after cutting the peripheral portion of the PEM 13a, the upper die first adsorbing portion 44 adsorbs the carbon electrode 12 and the upper die second adsorbing portion 45 adsorbs the PEM 13a. After that, in (b), the pressing portion 63 of the cylinder device 18 is raised and the trim upper die 16 is raised.
In the upper die first adsorption portion 44 and the upper die second adsorption portion 45,
Adsorption for transporting the carbon electrodes 11, 12 and the PEM 13 is continued.

The unnecessary frame-shaped member 13b after cutting the PEM 13 is removed from the trim lower mold 14 by stopping the suction at the lower mold suction portion 23. Here, PE with the peripheral edge cut
A bonded body of the M13 and the carbon electrodes 11 and 12 is a membrane / electrode assembly 65, that is, an MEA 65. In order to distinguish the MEA before cutting the peripheral portion from the MEA 65,
65a.

FIG. 5 is a third action diagram for explaining the action of the MEA trim device according to the present invention. In the plan view showing the PEM 13a, the position indicated by an imaginary line 67 is shown in FIG. Indicates to cut with. The cutting positions are the carbon electrodes 11 and 12 (the carbon electrode 11 on the back side).
Is a portion outside the contour (not shown).

FIG. 6 is a fourth action diagram for explaining the action of the MEA trim device according to the present invention. When the peripheral edge of the PEM 13a is cut, even if the cutting edge 15a of the trim blade 15 has a waviness, for example, the upper receiving member 26 of the trim lower mold 14 is a soft material, and therefore the cutting edge 15a of the trim blade 15 is formed.
Can bite into the upper receiving member 26, and the uppermost portion of the waviness of the cutting edge 15a, for example, the point A can be made lower than the lower surface of the PEM 13a, and the PEM 13a can be cut at the entire cutting edge 15a. Therefore, even with a relatively small load, PEM
13a can be reliably cut.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are MEA according to the present invention.
It is a 5th operation figure explaining operation of a trim device. (A)
In, for example, the trim upper mold 16
When the cutting edge 15a of the trim blade 15 is inclined by an angle θ and the cutting edge 15a is linear, that is, when the parallelism between the mounting portion 21 and the cutting edge 15a of the trim blade 15 is large, (b)
As shown in FIG. 4, when the PEM 13a is cut, the compression of the lower receiving member 25, which is an elastic body, is partially increased, and the upper surfaces of the upper receiving member 26 and the PEM 13a follow the cutting edge 15a of the trim blade 15, and the cutting edge is cut. 15a is PEM
It comes to hit the whole surface of 13a. Therefore, PEM13
A can be reliably cut with a small load.

As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the present invention firstly trims the edge of the PEM 13a by trimming the MEA 65a formed by bonding the carbon electrodes 11 and 12 having a smaller area than the both sides of the PEM 13a. In a fuel cell MEA trim device 10 that is cut by a blade 15, the trim device 10 includes a trim lower mold 14 on which a PEM 13a having carbon electrodes 12 and 13 bonded together is placed, and a trim blade 1.
The upper die first adsorption part 44 for adsorbing and holding the carbon electrode 12 is formed on the adsorption holding device 17 by a trim upper die 16 provided with 5 and an adsorption holding device 17 hung up and down on the trim upper die 16. It is characterized by being provided.

Since the trim upper die 16 is integrally provided with the trim blade 15 and the upper die first adsorbing portion 44 provided on the adsorption holding device 17, the adsorption holding device 17 presses the PEM 13a and the carbon electrode. 12 for the upper mold first suction portion 44
Since it can be cut with the trim blade in the state where it is adsorbed with, the PEM 13a is pressed and cut, and the carbon electrode 12
Can be adsorbed smoothly and quickly by a series of operations, and the productivity of the fuel cell can be improved.

Secondly, the present invention relates to the suction holding device 17 with PE.
The pressing portion 41 for pressing the edge of the M13a and the carbon electrode 12
And a first recess 42 for accommodating
It is characterized in that a suction hole 47 for sucking the carbon electrode 12 is formed on the bottom surface of the first recess 42, and a suction hole 51 for sucking the PEM 13a is formed on the holding portion 41. Holding part 41
Thus, the suction holes 47 and the suction holes 51 can reliably hold the MEA 65a so as not to laterally shift during trimming.

Thirdly, according to the present invention, the mechanism for suspending the suction holding device 17 on the trim upper die 16 is the rod 3 which is hung on both members.
6 and a spring 37 for urging the suction holding device 17 toward the lower trim trim mold 14. Since the rod 36 is provided in the mechanism for suspending the suction holding device 17 on the trim upper die 16, the suction holding device 17 can be accurately moved up and down by the rod 36 with respect to the trim upper die 16.

The mechanism for suspending the pressing member on the press upper die of the present invention may be composed of a link mechanism provided between both members and an elastic member for urging the pressing member toward the press lower die.

[0042]

The present invention has the following effects due to the above configuration. A membrane / electrode assembly trimming device for a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a press lower die for mounting the membrane / electrode assembly, a press upper die having a trim blade, and a holding member hung up and down on the press upper die. Since the adsorbing means for adsorbing and holding one of the carbon electrodes is provided on the pressing member, the pressing member is provided with the trim blade and the adsorbing means provided on the pressing member integrally. Since the polymer electrolyte membrane can be pressed with and the carbon electrode can be cut by the trim blade while being adsorbed by the adsorption means, the pressing and cutting of the polymer electrolyte membrane and the adsorption of the carbon electrode can be performed smoothly with a series of operations. Can be done quickly. Therefore, the productivity of the fuel cell can be improved.

In the fuel cell membrane / electrode assembly trimming device of the second aspect, the holding member is provided with a holding portion for holding the edge of the polymer electrolyte membrane and a concave portion for accommodating one of the carbon electrodes, and the bottom surface of the concave portion is provided. Since the electrode suction hole for sucking the carbon electrode was opened in the and the membrane suction hole for sucking the polymer electrolyte membrane was opened in the holding part, the membrane / electrode assembly was trimmed with the holding part, the electrode suction hole and the membrane suction hole. It can be securely held so as not to slip laterally inside.

In the fuel cell membrane / electrode assembly trim device according to a third aspect of the present invention, the mechanism for suspending the pressing member on the press upper die urges the guide rods stretched over both members and the pressing member to the press lower die. Since it is composed of the elastic member, the pressing member can be accurately moved up and down with respect to the upper press die by the guide rod.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel cell membrane / electrode assembly trim device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining a flow of manufacturing a fuel cell unit including a trim process by the MEA trim device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a first operation diagram illustrating the operation of the MEA trim device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a second operation diagram illustrating the operation of the MEA trim device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a third action diagram for explaining the action of the MEA trim device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a fourth action diagram for explaining the action of the MEA trim device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a fifth action diagram for explaining the action of the MEA trim device according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a fuel cell cell.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an MEA trim step and a transfer step.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Membrane / electrode assembly trim device, 11, 12 ... Carbon electrode, 13 ... Polymer electrolyte membrane, 13a ... Polymer electrolyte membrane before trimming, 14 ... Press lower mold (lower trim mold), 15
… Trim blade, 16… Press upper mold (trim upper mold), 17…
Holding member (suction holding device), 36 ... Guide rod (rod), 37 ... Elastic member (spring), 41 ... Holding portion,
42 ... Recessed portion (first recessed portion), 44 ... Adsorption means (first upper die)
Adsorption part), 47 ... Electrode suction hole (suction hole), 51 ... Membrane suction hole (suction hole), 65 ... Membrane / electrode assembly, 65a ... Membrane / electrode assembly before trimming.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A fuel cell for a membrane / electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and carbon electrodes of a smaller area bonded to both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane, which is to be trimmed, and whose edges are cut by a trim blade. In the membrane / electrode assembly trimming device, this trimming device is composed of a press lower die on which the membrane / electrode assembly is placed, a press upper die having a trim blade, and a presser member hung up and down on the press upper die. The fuel cell membrane / electrode assembly trim device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member is provided with an adsorbing means for adsorbing and holding one of the carbon electrodes. 2. The holding member is provided with a holding portion for holding the edge of the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a concave portion for accommodating one of the carbon electrodes, and an electrode suction hole for sucking the carbon electrode is formed on the bottom surface of the concave portion, The membrane / electrode assembly trim device for a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a membrane suction hole for sucking the polymer electrolyte membrane is opened in the holding portion. 3. The mechanism for suspending a pressing member on a press upper die is constituted by a guide rod hung on both members and an elastic member for urging the pressing member toward the press lower die. The membrane / electrode assembly trim device for a fuel cell described.