JP2006339100A - Mounting method and device of mounting member on fuel cell stack - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mounting method and a mounting device of a mounting member on a fuel cell stack capable of efficiently mounting a mounting member (such as a connector and a sensor) on the stack. <P>SOLUTION: (1) The mounting method of mounting members on a stack comprises a process of retaining a mounting member combination body 40 combining a plurality of mounting members (such as a connector for cell voltage monitoring) at a moving jig 60 of a connector mounting device 50 in free sliding movement, and fitting the plurality mounting members (such as the connector for cell voltage monitoring) of the mounting member combination body 40 in turn on the fuel cell stack 23 by moving the moving jig 60 against a fixed jig 51. (2) The mounting member mounting device 50 on the stack 23 is provided with the fixing jig 60, a combination body retaining part 61 retaining the mounting member combination body 40 in free sliding movement, and a U-turn part 62. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for mounting a mounting member (a mounting member is, for example, a cell voltage monitoring connector, a temperature sensor, etc.) on a fuel cell stack.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2002-372262 and 2004-079192 disclose cell voltage monitoring connectors that are assembled to a fuel cell stack. In this case, one connector or a plurality of integrated terminals are individually attached to the fuel cell separator of the fuel cell stack.
JP 2002-372262 A JP 2004-079192 A

  The conventional method of attaching the connector to the fuel cell stack is troublesome because one terminal or several terminals integrated are individually attached to the fuel cell separator of the fuel cell stack. There are challenges.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell capable of efficiently mounting a mounting member (a mounting member includes, for example, various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor) on a fuel cell stack. It is an object to provide a method and apparatus for mounting a mounting member on a stack.

The present invention for solving the above problems and achieving the above object is as follows.
(1) A connecting body integrally connecting and holding a plurality of mounting members can be slid on the moving jig of the mounting member mounting jig having a fixing jig and a moving jig that can slide on the fixing jig. Mounting process;
A step of sequentially fixing the plurality of mounting members to the fuel cell stack by moving the moving jig with respect to the fixing jig;
A mounting member mounting method to a fuel cell stack having
(2) The mounting member mounting method to the fuel cell stack according to (1), wherein the mounting member is a cell voltage monitoring connector.
(3) The method for mounting the mounting member on the fuel cell stack according to (1) or (2), wherein a moving direction of the moving jig is a cell stacking direction of the fuel cell stack.
(4) a fixing jig;
A moving jig supported by the fixing jig and slidable on the fixing jig;
Have
The moving jig includes a connecting body holding portion that slidably holds a connecting body that integrally holds a plurality of mounting members, and a U-turn portion that connects to one end of the connecting body holding portion and makes a U-turn. A mounting member mounting device for a fuel cell stack.
(5) The mounting member mounting device to the fuel cell stack according to (4), wherein the mounting member is a cell voltage monitoring connector.
(6) The mounting member mounting device to the fuel cell stack according to (4) or (5), wherein the moving direction of the moving jig is a cell stacking direction of the fuel cell stack.

According to the mounting method (the mounting member includes, for example, various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor) mounting method to the fuel cell stack of (1) above, a plurality of mounting members are integrated. One operation of forming a held connecting body, slidably mounting it on a moving jig of a mounting member mounting jig having a fixing jig and a moving jig, and moving the moving jig relative to the fixing jig Then, since a plurality of mounting members arranged in a row of mounting member assemblies are sequentially mounted on the separators of the cells of the fuel cell stack, when the connectors are mounted one by one as in the prior art (therefore, only the number of connectors) The number of assembly steps can be reduced and the mounting member can be efficiently mounted on the fuel cell stack.
According to the mounting device (the mounting member includes, for example, various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor) mounting device to the fuel cell stack of (2) above, the fixing jig and the moving jig are Since the moving jig includes a connecting body holding portion that slidably holds the connecting body that integrally holds the mounting member, the moving jig can be moved with respect to the fixed jig in one man-hour. In the case where a plurality of mounting members arranged in a connecting body can be sequentially mounted on the fuel cell stack (cell separator), and connectors are mounted one by one as in the past (therefore, the number of connectors) As compared with the case where only the number of man-hours is required), the number of assembling steps is reduced, and the attachment member can be efficiently attached to the fuel cell stack. Moreover, since the moving jig is provided with a U-turn part, it is possible to sequentially supply unattached mounting members of the connecting body from the rear side in the moving direction of the moving jig to the front end of the moving jig. The unmounted mounting member does not interfere with the mounting of the mounting member that is currently mounted, and the mounting status of the mounting member that is currently mounted can be visually checked, thereby facilitating and ensuring the mounting.

Hereinafter, a method and apparatus for mounting a mounting member (a mounting member includes various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor) on the fuel cell stack of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The description will be given with reference.
The fuel cell 10 to which the mounting member (the mounting member includes various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor) mounting method to the fuel cell stack of the present invention is applied, for example, to a solid polymer electrolyte. Type fuel cell. However, the fuel cell only needs to have a separator, and is not limited to the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell 10.
The fuel cell 10 is mounted on, for example, a fuel cell vehicle. However, it may be used other than an automobile.

As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell (cell) 10 is composed of a laminate of a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and a separator 18.
The membrane-electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane 11 made of an ion exchange membrane, an electrode (anode, fuel electrode) 14 made of a catalyst layer disposed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane, and a catalyst layer disposed on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane. It consists of electrodes (cathode, air electrode) 17. Between the membrane-electrode assembly and the separator 18, diffusion layers 13 and 16 are provided on the anode side and the cathode side, respectively.
A cell module 19 is configured by stacking the membrane-electrode assembly and the separator 18, and the cell module 19 is stacked to form a cell stack, and terminals 20, insulators 21, and end plates 22 are disposed at both ends of the cell stack in the cell stacking direction. Then, the end plates 22 at both ends are fixed to a fastening member (for example, a tension plate 24) extending in the cell stacking direction outside the cell stack with bolts and nuts 25, and the end plates 22 are adjusted with adjustment screws provided on the end plate at one end. A fuel cell stack 23 is configured by applying a fastening load in the cell stacking direction to the cell stack through a spring provided inside.

The separator 18 is formed with a fuel gas passage 27 for supplying fuel gas (hydrogen) to the anode 14 in the power generation region, and an oxidizing gas for supplying oxidizing gas (oxygen, usually air) to the cathode 17. A flow path 28 is formed. The separator 18 is also formed with a refrigerant flow path 26 for flowing a refrigerant (usually cooling water). In the separator 18, a fuel gas manifold 30, an oxidizing gas manifold 31, and a refrigerant manifold 29 are formed in the non-power generation region. The fuel gas manifold 30 is in communication with the fuel gas passage 27, the oxidizing gas manifold 31 is in communication with the oxidizing gas passage 28, and the refrigerant manifold 29 is in communication with the refrigerant passage 26.
The fuel gas, the oxidizing gas, and the refrigerant are sealed with each other in the cell. The two separators 18 sandwiching the MEA of each cell module 19 are sealed by a first seal member 32, and the adjacent cell modules 19 are sealed by a second seal member 33.

An ionization reaction that converts hydrogen into hydrogen ions (protons) and electrons is performed on the anode 14 side of each cell 10 (in the case of a one-cell module, the cell 10 is the same as the cell module 19). The electrolyte moves through the electrolyte membrane 11 to the cathode 17 side. On the cathode 17 side, oxygen, hydrogen ions, and electrons (electrons generated at the anode of the adjacent MEA pass through the separator, or electrons generated at the anode of the cell at one end in the cell stacking direction). From an external circuit to the cathode of the other cell), and water is generated according to the following equation.
Anode side: H ₂ → 2H ⁺ + 2e ⁻
Cathode side: 2H ⁺ + 2e ⁻ + (1/2) O ₂ → H ₂ O

  The separator 18 is composed of any one of a carbon separator, a metal separator, a combination of a metal separator and a resin frame, and the illustrated example shows a case where the separator 18 is a carbon separator. However, the separator 18 is not limited to a carbon separator.

In the fuel cell stack 23, the potential difference between the two separators 18 facing each other with the electrolyte membrane 11 in each cell 10 is a maximum, for example, about 1 volt, and between the two separators 18 in contact with each other in the adjacent cells 10. The potential difference is 0 volts because they are mutually conductive.
In the fuel cell stack 23, when 200 cells 10 are stacked, the potential difference between the terminals 20 at both ends of the stack is about 200 volts, and two rows are arranged in parallel and electrically connected in series (one stack of The potential difference between the total plus and the total minus of the two rows of stacks is about 400 volts (when the total plus is connected to the total minus of the other stack), allowing the vehicle to take the required voltage.

In order to confirm that a normal potential difference is generated between the stack 23 and each cell 10, a cell voltage monitor connector 41 is attached to each cell 10 of the fuel cell stack 23 or for each of a plurality of cells.
Conventionally, each connector is manually attached to the separator of the cell in which the connector is mounted, but this is a laborious operation. The present invention relates to a method for efficiently attaching a cell voltage monitoring connector 41 to a cell 10 of a stack 23 and an apparatus directly used for performing the method.

First, a cell voltage monitoring connector mounting device to a fuel cell stack according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The cell voltage monitoring connector mounting device 50 to the fuel cell stack of the present invention includes a fixing jig 51 and a moving jig 60 supported by the fixing jig 51 and slidable with respect to the fixing jig 51. Have. The moving direction of the moving jig 60 intersects the cell stacking direction of the fuel cell stack 23 (the direction connecting the end plate at one end of the fuel cell stack 23 and the end plate at the other end) or the cell stacking direction of the fuel cell stack 23. Direction around the cell stack, or a combined direction of a direction around the cell stack in a direction intersecting the cell stack direction of the fuel cell stack 23 and the cell stack direction of the fuel cell stack 23. is there.

  The fixing jig 51 has a cell stacking direction extending portion 52 extending in the cell stacking direction of the fuel cell stack 23. The fixing jig 51 has hook portions 53 that are bent at right angles to the cell stacking direction extending portion 52 and extend short toward the fuel cell stack 23 at both ends of the cell stacking direction extending portion 52 in the cell stacking direction. The hook portion 53 is hooked on the outer surface of the end plate 52 of the stack 23 in the cell stacking direction to fix the position with respect to the stack 23. The fixing jig 51 has upper and lower guide surfaces 54, 55, and the upper and lower guide surfaces 54, 55 allow the moving jig 60 to slide on the fixing jig 51 in the stacking direction while moving the moving jig 60 in the vertical direction. Put out. The fixing jig 51 has, on at least one of the upper and lower guide surfaces 54, 55, a horizontal guide surface 56 made of, for example, a groove, and the horizontal guide surface 56 fixes the moving jig 60 in the stacking direction. While allowing the slide 51 to slide, the lateral position of the moving jig 60 (the position in the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction) is taken out.

The moving jig 60 includes a connector coupling body holding portion 61 that slidably holds a connector coupling body 40 in which a plurality of cell voltage monitoring connectors 41 are adhered to a flexible tape 42 (single-sided adhesive tape) in a row, a connector Connected to one end of the connecting body holding portion 61 (the front end in the direction in which the moving jig 60 is sent when the connector is mounted on the stack) and makes a U-turn (turns in the vertical direction by 180 degrees and makes a U-turn so as to extend backward) Part 62.
The connector coupling body holding portion 61 has upper and lower walls 64 and 65 that are slidably in contact with the upper and lower guide surfaces 54 and 55 of the connector coupling body 40, and are slidably in contact with the lateral guide surface 56 (the lateral guide surface 56 is In the case of a groove, it has a protrusion 63 that enters into the groove. The connector connector holding portion 61 is restrained in the vertical direction by the upper and lower guide surfaces 54 and 55 of the fixing jig 51 by the upper and lower walls 64 and 65 while allowing the moving jig 60 to slide on the fixing jig 51 in the stacking direction. In addition, the projection 63 is restrained in the lateral direction by the lateral guide surface 56 of the fixing jig 51.
The U-turn part 62 sequentially supplies the unattached connector 41 of the connector coupling body 40 from the rear to the front end of the connector coupling body holding part 61 in the feed direction.

Next, a method for mounting the mounting member on the fuel cell stack of the present invention, which is performed using the above-described apparatus, will be described with reference to FIGS. The mounting member 41 is, for example, a cell voltage monitoring connector, a temperature sensor, or the like. In the following description, the case where the mounting member 41 is the cell voltage monitoring connector 41 (the mounting member 41 and the cell voltage monitoring connector are the same member, and the cell voltage monitoring connector code is also 41) is taken as an example. explain. However, the mounting member 41 is not limited to the cell voltage monitoring connector 41, and may be a temperature sensor or the like. In the case of a temperature sensor, the cell voltage monitoring connector 41 may be used as the temperature sensor 41 in the following description.
The mounting member mounting method to the fuel cell stack of the present invention includes (b-1) a plurality of mounting members 41 (for example, including various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector 41 and a temperature sensor). A mounting member that includes a fixed jig 51 and a movable jig 60 that can slide on the fixed jig 51. The connected member 40 is connected and held (or the connector connected body 40 when the mounting member 41 is the cell voltage monitoring connector 41). A step of slidably mounting on the moving jig 60 of the mounting jig 50, and (b-2) moving the moving jig 60 relative to the fixing jig 51, thereby providing a plurality of mounting members 41 (for example, cell voltages). (Including various connectors and sensors such as a monitor connector 41 and a temperature sensor) are sequentially fixed to the fuel cell stack 23.
The mounting method of the cell voltage monitoring connector 41 to the fuel cell stack 23 of the present invention includes:
(A) forming a connector coupling body 40 by adhering a plurality of cell voltage monitoring connectors 41 to the flexible tape 42 in a row;
(B) (B-1) The connector coupling body 40 is slidably held on the moving jig 60 of the connector mounting device 50 having the fixing jig 51 and the moving jig 60 slidable on the fixing jig 51.
(B-2) a step of moving the moving jig 60 relative to the fixing jig 51 and sequentially assembling the plurality of cell voltage monitoring connectors 41 of the connector connector 40 to the separator 18 of the fuel cell stack 23; ,
You may have.

The formation of the connector connector 40 in the step (A) will be described in more detail.
The cell voltage monitoring connector 41 is made of a metal contact (not shown) that contacts the separator 18 and a non-conductive (for example, resin) that holds the contact and is attached to the separator 18 in a side view. Having a housing. The separator 18 is sandwiched between the U-shaped legs 41a of the housing, and the back surface of the U-shaped both legs connecting portion 41b of the housing is detachably bonded to one surface of the flexible tape 42 with an adhesive. The connector 41 is attached to the flexible tape 42 in one row without any interval. The connector coupling body 40 can be bent by bending the tape 42 where there is no housing, that is, only the tape 42.
After the connector connector 40 is mounted on the separator 18 of the stack 23, the flexible tape 42 may be removed from the connector 41 and removed, or may remain attached to the connector 41 without being removed.
The cell voltage monitoring connector 41 is attached to the separator 18 by holding the cell voltage monitoring connector 41 on the moving jig 60 with both U-shaped legs 41 a of the housing of the cell voltage monitoring connector 41 facing the separator 18. At this time, the ends of the U-shaped legs 41a of the housing of the cell voltage monitoring connector 41 are tapered so that the U-shaped legs 41a of the housing of the connector 41 can be easily inserted between the separators 18. It is desirable that the 18 connector 41 mounting portions are rounded or tapered.

The assembly of the connector 41 to the separator 18 of the fuel cell stack 23 in the step (b) (including the steps (b-1) and (b-2)) will be described in more detail.
In mounting the cell voltage monitoring connector 41 on the stack 23, the hook 53 of the fixing jig 51 is hooked on the end plate 52 of the fuel cell stack 23 and fixed.
Next, (B-1) the connector coupling body 40 is set on the moving jig 60.
Next, (B-2) the moving jig 60 is passed from the end of the fixing jig 51 and the fasteners are closed, and the cell voltage monitoring connectors 41 in the column state are placed on the stack 23 in order from one end to the other end. Assemble and complete the assembly.

Next, a mounting method of the mounting member 41 (for example, the cell voltage monitoring connector 41, but the mounting member is not limited to the cell voltage monitoring connector) to the fuel cell stack 23 of the present invention and the operation of the device 50・ Explain the effect.
In the mounting method of the mounting member 41 (for example, the cell voltage monitoring connector 41) to the fuel cell stack 23 of the present invention, a plurality of mounting members 41 (for example, the cell voltage monitoring connector 41) are arranged in the flexible tape 42. A plurality of mounting members arranged in a line of the connecting body 40 by one operation of forming the connecting body 40 and moving the moving jig 60 relative to the fixing jig 51 (for example, by adhering the connecting body 40 to each other). 41 (for example, the cell voltage monitoring connector 41) can be sequentially attached to the separator 18 of the cell 10 of the fuel cell stack 23 from the attachment member at one end of the row to the attachment member at the other end. As compared with the case where connectors are attached one by one (thus, when man-hours corresponding to the number of connectors are required), the assembling man-hours are reduced, and the attachment member 41 (for example, a cell battery) Attachment to the separator 18 of the fuel cell stack 23 of the connector 41) for monitoring the (attached) efficiently (high productivity) can be carried out.

  Further, according to the mounting device 50 of the mounting member 41 (for example, the cell voltage monitoring connector 41, but the mounting member is not limited to the cell voltage monitoring connector) to the fuel cell stack 23 of the present invention, the mounting device 50 includes a fixing jig 51 and a moving jig 60, and the moving jig 60 includes a connecting body holding portion 61 that integrally connects the mounting member 41 and slidably holds the mounting member connecting body 40. Therefore, in one man-hour (one operation) of moving the moving jig 60 with respect to the fixing jig 51, a plurality of mounting members 41 (for example, cell voltage monitoring connectors) arranged in a row of mounting member coupling bodies 40 are arranged. 41 (however, the mounting member is not limited to the cell voltage monitoring connector) can be sequentially mounted on the fuel cell stack 23 (the separator 18 of the cell 10). Compared with the case where the connectors are attached one by one (therefore, the man-hours corresponding to the number of connectors are required), the assembly man-hour is reduced, and the attachment member 41 is efficiently attached to the fuel cell stack 23. be able to. In addition, since the moving jig 60 includes the U-turn portion 62, the mounting member 41 that is not mounted on the mounting member coupling body 40 (for example, a separator) is disposed from the rear side in the feed direction of the moving jig 60 to the front end of the moving jig 60. Connector which has not yet been attached to 18) can be sequentially supplied, and the unattached attachment member 41 of the attachment member coupling body 40 does not interfere with the attachment of the attachment member currently being attached, and is currently attached. It is possible to visually check the mounting state of the mounting member that is being performed, and the mounting is easy and reliable.

Mounting to the fuel cell stack of the present invention in a state where the mounting member (for example, various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor) is mounted. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a part of a mounting apparatus for members (including various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor). FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the apparatus of FIG. 2, and a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2. It is a top view of the fixing jig of the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of the fixing jig of the apparatus of FIG. 5 (when the direction viewed from the side of the fuel cell stack is the front of the fixing jig when mounted on the fuel cell stack). FIG. 6 is a side view of the fixing jig of the apparatus of FIG. 5 (when the direction viewed from the side of the fuel cell stack is the front of the fixing jig when mounted on the fuel cell stack). 1 is a side view of a fuel cell stack to which a mounting member (for example, various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor) mounting method is applied. FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the fuel cell stack of FIG. 8. It is a front view of the separator of the fuel cell stack of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 (solid polymer electrolyte type) fuel cell 11 electrolyte membranes 13 and 16 diffusion layer 14 anode 17 cathode 18 separator 19 cell 20 terminal 21 insulator 22 end plate 23 fuel cell stack 24 fastening member (tension plate)
25 Bolt / Nut 26 Refrigerant flow path (fluid flow path)
27 Fuel gas flow path (fluid flow path)
28 Oxidizing gas channel (fluid channel)
29 Refrigerant manifold (fluid manifold)
30 Fuel gas manifold (fluid manifold)
31 Oxidizing gas manifold (fluid manifold)
32 Gasket 33 Adhesive 40 Mounting member connector 41 Mounting member (including various connectors and sensors such as a cell voltage monitoring connector and a temperature sensor)
41a Both U-shaped legs of housing 41b Both U-shaped legs connecting portion of housing 42 Flexible tem 50 Attaching member to fuel cell stack (including various connectors and sensors such as cell voltage monitoring connector and temperature sensor) Device 51 Fixing jig 52 Cell stacking direction extending portion 53 Hooking portion 54, 55 Vertical guide surface 56 Horizontal guide surface 60 Moving jig 61 Linked body holding portion 62 U-turn portion 63 Protrusions 64, 65 Upper and lower walls

Claims (6)

A step of slidably mounting a connecting body integrally connecting and holding a plurality of mounting members to the moving jig of a mounting member mounting jig having a fixing jig and a moving jig slidable on the fixing jig. When,
A step of sequentially fixing the plurality of mounting members to the fuel cell stack by moving the moving jig with respect to the fixing jig;
A mounting member mounting method to a fuel cell stack having   The method for mounting a mounting member on a fuel cell stack according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member is a cell voltage monitoring connector.   The method for mounting a mounting member on a fuel cell stack according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a moving direction of the moving jig is a cell stacking direction of the fuel cell stack. A fixture,
A moving jig supported by the fixing jig and slidable on the fixing jig;
Have
The moving jig includes a connecting body holding portion that slidably holds a connecting body that integrally holds a plurality of mounting members, and a U-turn portion that connects to one end of the connecting body holding portion and makes a U-turn. A mounting member mounting device for a fuel cell stack.   The mounting member mounting device to a fuel cell stack according to claim 4, wherein the mounting member is a cell voltage monitoring connector.   6. The apparatus for mounting a mounting member on a fuel cell stack according to claim 4, wherein the moving direction of the moving jig is a cell stacking direction of the fuel cell stack.

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