JPS60163378A - Fastening equipment of fuel cell stack - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To maintain a specified compression pressure in spite of simple construction and make the size compact by fastening a cell stack with an elastic device, which is adjustable, connecting between faced both ends of each compressing piece which is fixed to each of upper and lower end plates. CONSTITUTION:A hook 9 is welded on the inner surface of each of both ends of each compressing piece 4 which compresses a cell stack 1. An elastic device 12, which is adjustable, connects between faced hooks 9 and 9. The device 12 consists of a set of compression coil springs 13 and 13, and an adjusting drum 14 located between them. A hook 131 in one end of each of coil springs 13 and 13 is hung to each of hooks 9 and 9, and a hook 132 in the other end is hung to each of a set of hooks having screws which are mounted with adjusting nuts 15 and 15 in the upper and lower sides of the drum 4. Four adjustable elastic devices 12 fasten the cell stack 1 with a specified compression pressure. A specified compression pressure is maintained in spite of a simple construction, and a cell stack is made compact without projection of fastening devices to upper and lower sides.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a tightening device for a cell stack in a matrix fuel cell.

(b) Prior Art In general, in matrix fuel cells, a battery stack in which a large number of unit cells and gas separation plates are stacked alternately is designed to maintain good electrical contact between each unit cell and gas separation plate, and to Pressure is tightened from the stacking direction to prevent gas leakage from the stacked surfaces.

Conventionally, this battery stack is tightened by using a pair of upper and lower pressing pieces f4) f41 on the upper and lower end plates +21 and +21 of the stack (1) via a pedestal (3), as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The connecting rods (5) are supported in two horizontal parallels, and are pushed through the through holes (4)' drilled at both upper and lower ends of the pressing piece, respectively. At 6F, install the spring seat +61 F61 and the disc spring or coil spring (
After fitting 7), the nut (8) was screwed and tightened.

However, in this tightening method, the connecting rod screw part (5)' and the nut (8) protrude above and below the pressing piece (4), which is unfavorable in terms of appearance. There were problems such as increasing the size of the

(c) Object of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a compact battery stack tightening device that maintains a constant compression force with a relatively simple structure and has no externally protruding parts.

B) Structure of the Invention The present invention connects opposing ends of pressing pieces supported on the upper and lower end plates of a battery stack by an adjustable elastic member, and tightens the battery stack by the tensile force of the member. The adjustable elastic member is comprised of a pair of compression coil springs that are engaged with hooks mounted on opposing inner surfaces of the suppressing piece, and an adjustment means that is interposed between the opening bases of the coil springs.

(E) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on FIGS. 5 and 4, and the corresponding parts are given the same symbols as in FIG. 1.

The pressing pieces (4) according to the present invention are supported by the upper and lower end plates (2) of the battery stack (1) via pedestals (3) as in the conventional product shown in FIG. Hooks (9) are previously attached to the inner surfaces of both ends by welding. This hook (9) has a pressing piece (
4) Press fit into the fitting hole aα and then weld the upper and lower parts (11)
Alternatively, the press piece (4) may be screwed into the screw hole (1 (1') and the rear lower part I may be welded so that the press piece (ζ) is firmly fixed.

The opposing hooks +91 and +9) are connected by an adjustable elastic member. This member az consists of a pair of compression coil springs 03 and an adjustment drum (141) interposed between them, and each compression coil spring Q: 4 (131 is - compression hook part (IJ)) is connected to an opposing hook (91+91).
The other end of the hook part σh is hooked on a pair of threaded hooks +161Q[f] attached to the upper and lower sides of the drum 14) (151α9). A pair of compression coil springs (13 (13, !:), a pair of threaded hooks <161 A regulating drum (1a) with a QS
They are connected together in advance.

When tightening the battery stack (1), a pair of compression coil springs (13α3) are hooked onto the hooks (1 hook 1) of the upper and lower pressing plates f41 (f4+), f91 (+9), respectively. From 041', loosen the pair of adjustment nuts αI51 with a spanner or the like and hook the pair of threaded hooks in the extended state, then tighten the nuts (151051).Thus, the pair of compression coil springs aVU will be extended. The battery stack (1) is tightened through the upper and lower pressing pieces f41+41 by the restoring tensile force after being stretched.

In this way, the four adjustable elastic members O2 (only two shown in FIG. 3) bring the battery stack (1) under elastic compression with a predetermined clamping force.

In addition, a pair of screwed hooks α00 are attached to each adjustment drum (141).
Instead of providing the opening, one hook may be attached to the end surface of the drum, and only the other threaded hook Oe may be adjusted using the nut α9.

(F) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the battery stack is tightened by the tensile force of the adjustable elastic member that connects the opposite ends of the pressing piece supported on the upper and lower end plates, so that the battery stack is reduced in pressure. This is extremely advantageous when stored in a container.

Further, by changing and setting the tension force using the adjustment means interposed between the compression coil springs, it is possible to constantly maintain the tightening force of the battery stack, thereby improving battery performance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 show a conventional battery stack tightening device, with FIG. 1 being a partially exploded perspective view and FIG. 2 being an enlarged sectional view of the arrowed portion in FIG. 1. 5 and 4 show a battery stack tightening device according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the portion indicated by the arrow in FIG. 6. Further, FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are sectional views showing the attached state of the hook according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Battery stack, 2... Upper and lower end plates, 3... Rest, 4... Pressing piece, 9... Hook, 13... Compression coil spring, 13+, 152... Bow 1 Kakebe, 14
...Adjusting drum, 15...Adjusting nut, 16...
Hook with screw. Applicant Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Shizuo Sano

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Opposing ends of pressing pieces supported on the upper and lower end plates of the battery stack are connected by an adjustable elastic member, and the stack is compressed by the tensile force of the member. Fuel cell stack tightening device. (i) The adjustable elastic member includes a pair of compression coil springs that engage with hooks attached to opposing inner surfaces of the pressing piece, and a drum interposed between the springs and provided with a means for adjusting the tension force. A fuel cell stack tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that: