JP2017116028A - Frame-integrated gasket and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a frame-integrated gasket which is favorable in a yield of a frame material.SOLUTION: A frame-integrated gasket is composed of a frame 1 and a rubbery elastic body made gasket main body 2 which is integrally joined to the frame 1, and the frame 1 is composed of a band-shaped body 11 which extends in a loop shape in a state that both ends 11a, 11b in a width direction are oriented to both sides of the gasket main body 2 in a thickness direction. The frame-integrated gasket is manufactured by a process for obtaining the frame 1 which extends in a loop shape by bending the slender and flat band-shaped body 11 to the thickness direction, and a process for integrally molding the gasket main body 2 to the frame 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a frame-integrated gasket that is used in a fuel cell and other devices and integrally includes a reinforcing frame, and a method for manufacturing the same.

  In a fuel cell, basically, a power generator including MEA (membrane-electrode composite) provided with a pair of electrode layers on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between separators to form a fuel cell. It has a stack structure in which many are stacked. Then, an oxidizing gas (oxygen) is supplied to one catalytic electrode layer (cathode) from an oxidizing gas flow path formed on one side of each separator, and a fuel gas flow formed on the other side of each separator. Electric power is generated by an electrochemical reaction that is supplied from the channel to the other catalyst electrode layer (anode) and is a reverse reaction of water electrolysis, that is, a reaction that generates water from hydrogen and oxygen.

  The fuel cell stack has a cathode gas (oxidizing gas) layer, an anode gas (fuel gas) layer, and a refrigerant layer in one cell, and the fuel cell stack has, for example, 400 to 500 cells stacked one by one. Some have more than 1000 fluid layers. These fluid layers need to be sealed so that the fluid flowing through the layers does not leak. As sealing means, it is known to provide sealing means along the outer periphery of the reaction surface of the power generation body, and further to provide sealing means so as to surround the manifold holes for supplying and discharging fluid as required. . As such a sealing means, a gasket made of a rubber-like elastic body such as rubber or thermoplastic elastomer, or a rigid adhesive is used.

  In the case of a gasket made of a rubber-like elastic body, it is preferable to integrally form a laminated member such as a separator constituting the fuel cell. The reason is that labor can be saved when the fuel cell stack is assembled. However, depending on the structure of the fuel cell stack, a gasket made of a single rubber is used as a sealing means between the units that are subassembled to some extent or between the unit and the outermost member (eg, current collector plate). Sometimes. This single rubber gasket seals an area as large as a fuel cell separator for automobiles, and since it has low rigidity, it is likely to be twisted when assembled into a seal groove, so that workability is poor and mechanization is difficult. It must be done manually, and as a result, a huge amount of work is required.

  Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, for example, a gasket body 101 made of a rubber-like elastic body is integrally formed on a reinforcing frame 102 made of a synthetic resin film, so that handling at the time of assembly is improved. An improved frame-integrated gasket 100 is known (see, for example, the following patent document).

JP 2011-238364 A JP 2010-112401 A

  However, as shown in FIG. 7, the conventional frame-integrated gasket 100 is manufactured by punching a flat material such as a synthetic resin film, sheet, or plate into a frame shape. Many times as much material as was used was wasted, so the yield of the material was poor.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its technical problem is to provide a frame-integrated gasket with a high yield of frame material.

  In order to solve the above-described technical problem, a frame-integrated gasket according to the invention of claim 1 includes a frame and a gasket main body made of a rubber-like elastic body integrally joined to the frame. It is characterized by comprising a strip-like body extending in a loop shape with both ends in the direction facing both sides in the thickness direction of the gasket body.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing the frame-integrated gasket according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the frame-integrated gasket is manufactured by bending an elongated flat strip in the thickness direction. And a step of integrally forming a rubber-made elastic gasket main body on the frame.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a frame-integrated gasket according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the belt-like body is produced in a process of cutting a flat material into a long and narrow shape.

  According to the frame-integrated gasket and the method of manufacturing the same according to the present invention, the frame integrated with the gasket body is formed in a loop shape by bending the belt-like body in the thickness direction, so that the yield of the material for the frame is increased. Can be improved.

It is a principal part section perspective view showing a desirable embodiment of a frame integral gasket concerning the present invention. In preferred embodiment of the manufacturing method of the frame integral gasket which concerns on this invention, it is a principal part cross-section perspective view which shows the process of cut | disconnecting a flat material and obtaining a strip | belt-shaped body. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a main part showing a process of setting a loop frame made of a band-like body in a mold in a preferred embodiment of a method for producing a frame-integrated gasket according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a main part showing a step of integrally molding a gasket main body made of a rubber-like elastic body on a frame in a preferred embodiment of a method for producing a frame-integrated gasket according to the present invention. It is a top view which shows an example of the conventional flame | frame integral gasket. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an example of a conventional frame-integrated gasket cut along A-A ′ in FIG. 5. It is a top view which shows an example of the flame | frame used for the conventional flame | frame integral gasket.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a frame-integrated gasket and a manufacturing method thereof according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a frame-integrated gasket according to the present invention, which is assembled to a fuel cell and extends in a loop shape along the outer periphery of a fuel cell (not shown). 1 and a gasket main body 2 integrally joined to the frame 1.

  The frame 1 is composed of a strip 11 made of synthetic resin extending in a loop shape with both ends 11a and 11b in the width direction facing both sides of the gasket body 2 in the thickness direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1).

  The gasket body 2 is integrally formed with the frame 1 with a rubber-like elastic body. The gasket 21 is joined to the frame 1 with the outer periphery covering the frame 1, and the inside of the joint 21. A plate-like base 22 extending along the circumference (inner circumference of the frame 1) and seal beads 23, 24 formed in a ridge shape from both sides in the thickness direction of the base 22 are provided. Further, the protruding height h2 of the seal beads 23, 24 from the base portion 22 is higher than the protruding height h1 of the joint portion 21 covering the frame 1 from the base portion 22, and the protruding height The lengths h1 and h2 are appropriately set in consideration of the compression amount of the seal beads 23 and 24 in the assembled state.

  According to the frame-integrated gasket having the above-described configuration, the frame 1 is composed of an elongated strip-shaped body 11, but the width direction both ends 11a, 11b are formed in the thickness direction of the base portion 22 of the gasket body 2 composed of a rubber-like elastic body. 1, the base 22 and the frame 1 are joined substantially perpendicularly to each other in the cross section shown in FIG. 1, so that the overall mechanical strength of the gasket is high. The workability at the time of assembling to the fuel cell can be improved.

  A frame-integrated gasket having the above-described configuration is manufactured by a process described below.

  That is, first, as shown in FIG. 2, the flat material 10 made of synthetic resin is cut in a straight line in directions parallel to each other, thereby cutting the strip-like body 11 having a required length and being elongated and flat. Here, the flat material 10 is a generic term for films, sheets, plates, and the like.

  Next, by bending the cut synthetic resin strip 11 in the thickness direction, a frame 1 extending in a loop shape as shown in FIG. 3 is formed, and this frame 1 is formed into a gasket molding die 3. set.

  The gasket molding die 3 is composed of, for example, a lower mold 31 and an upper mold 32, and the upper surface of the lower mold 31 has a shape corresponding to the lower half of the joint portion 21 of the gasket body 2 shown in FIG. And the inner peripheral shaping groove 31b extending along the inner circumference and corresponding to the lower half of the base 22 and the lower seal bead 23 of the gasket body 2 shown in FIG. Is formed on the lower surface of the upper die 32 and has a shape corresponding to the upper half of the joint 21 of the gasket body 2 shown in FIG. 32a and the inner peripheral shaping groove 31b of the lower mold 31 are vertically symmetrical and have shapes corresponding to the upper half and upper seal beads 24 of the base 22 of the gasket body 2 shown in FIG. Is formed.

  Then, the frame 1 is set on the gasket molding die 3 as shown in FIG. 4 after the frame 1 is inserted into the outer peripheral shaping groove 31a of the lower die 31 with the mold open as shown in FIG. The upper die 32 is abutted against the lower die 31 and clamped. The frame 1 is supported in a loosely fitted state between the outer peripheral shaping grooves 31a and 32a by a support means (not shown) provided in the outer peripheral shaping groove 31a of the lower die 31. The direction ends 11a and 11b are set in a state where the lower mold 31 and the upper mold 32 face each other.

  Next, in the mold clamping state shown in FIG. 4, a gap is formed between the outer peripheral shaping groove 31 a and the inner peripheral shaping groove 31 b of the lower mold 31 and the outer peripheral shaping groove 32 a and the inner peripheral shaping groove 32 b of the upper mold 32. The gasket molding cavity 33 to be formed is filled with a molding rubber material through, for example, an injection port (not shown) provided in the upper mold 32, and is cured by crosslinking. Of the molding rubber material filled in the gasket molding cavity 33, the portion shaped in the gap between the outer circumferential shaping grooves 31a, 32a and the frame 1 is integrated with the frame 1 by crosslinking curing, The molding rubber material formed as the joint portion 21 of the gasket main body 2 shown in FIG. 1 and formed between the inner peripheral shaping grooves 31b and 32b is cross-linked and cured, so that the base 22 of the gasket main body 2 shown in FIG. The seal beads 23 and 24 are formed.

  Accordingly, the frame-integrated gasket shown in FIG. 1 can be taken out by opening the gasket molding die 3 thereafter.

  In the manufacture of the frame-integrated gasket described above, the frame 1 integrated with the gasket body 2 is formed in a loop shape by bending a strip 11 made of synthetic resin in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 2, 11 is manufactured by cutting a flat material 10 such as a film, a sheet, or a plate into an elongated shape. Therefore, a plurality of frames 1 can be manufactured from one flat material 10. Therefore, by wasting the flat material 10 into a frame shape, the waste of material as in the case of manufacturing a frame is remarkably reduced, and the yield of the material can be improved.

  In the above-described process, the frame 1 may be formed in a closed loop shape by joining both ends in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like body 11. However, since the frame 1 is integrally joined with the gasket body 2, it is not always necessary to join the both ends.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Frame 10 Flat material 11 Strip | belt-shaped object 11a, 11b Width direction both ends 2 Gasket body 3 Gasket molding die 31 Lower mold 32 Upper mold 31a, 32a Outer periphery shaping groove 31b, 32b Inner circumference shaping groove 33 Gasket molding cavity

Claims (3)

  A frame and a rubber body made of a rubber-like elastic body integrally joined to the frame, the frame extending in a loop shape with both ends in the width direction facing both sides in the thickness direction of the gasket body A frame-integrated gasket characterized by comprising:   A method for producing the frame-integrated gasket according to claim 1, wherein a step is obtained in which a long and slender flat strip is bent in the thickness direction to obtain a frame extending in a loop shape, and the frame is made of a rubber-like elastic body. A process for producing a frame-integrated gasket, comprising: integrally molding the gasket main body.   The method for manufacturing a frame-integrated gasket according to claim 2, wherein the belt-shaped body is manufactured in a process of cutting a flat material into an elongated shape.

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