With Bonded Seal Patents (Class 429/510)
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Patent number: 8057955Abstract: A caulk is provided for use in a fuel cell system having an externally manifolded fuel cell stack, forming a gas seal between a manifold gasket and the stack face. The caulk is formed of a ceramic material and a binder formed into a paste.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2006Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.Inventors: Dana A. Kelley, Chao-Yi Yuh, Mohammad Farooque
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Publication number: 20110262841Abstract: A double-sided adhesive metal-based tape for use as contacting aid for SOFC fuel cells is provided. The double-sided metal-based adhesive tape is suitable for simplifying the construction of cell bundles. The double-sided metal-based adhesive tape is used for electrical contacting of the cell connector with the anode and for electrical contacting of the interconnector of the fuel cells with the cell connector. A method for producing the double-sided adhesive metal-base tape is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2008Publication date: October 27, 2011Inventors: Ines Becker, Cora Schillig
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Patent number: 8043764Abstract: A stack structure includes plate-like electrochemical cells of ceramic, each having a pair of main surfaces and a side surface, and plate-like retainer pieces. The cell includes a first electrode in contact with first gas, a solid electrolyte, and a second electrode in contact with second gas. The first electrode has a gas flow channel formed therein and adapted to allow flow of the first gas. The cell has gas inflow and outflow ports. The retainer piece includes a body portion having a through-hole formed therein, and a pair of protrusions protruding from the body portion. The retainer piece has a communication hole formed therein and adapted to establish communication between the through-hole and a space formed between the protrusions. The cell is held by the paired protrusions, thereby establishing communication between the gas inflow or outflow port of the cell and the communication hole of the retainer piece.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2010Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.Inventors: Toshiaki Kuno, Takenori Ichigi, Keiichi Kanno, Makoto Ohmori, Masayuki Shinkai, Genta Terazawa
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Patent number: 8026011Abstract: A fuel cell assembly in which ends on one side of the cells forming gas passages are gas-tightly fixed to a holding means. Between the peripheries of the ends on one side of the cells and the holding means, there are arranged a fixing member for fixing the cells to the holding means and a sealing member for accomplishing a gas-tight sealing between the ends on one side of the cells and the holding means. The fixing member has a softening temperature of not lower than 1000° C. and the sealing member has a softening temperature of from 700 to 1000° C.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2005Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Kyocera CorporationInventors: Yoshihide Ooshima, Kazuto Matsukami, Takashi Shigehisa, Akira Kokaji
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Patent number: 8026019Abstract: A proton exchange membrane fuel cell comprises a membrane formed from a fluorocarbon ionic polymer material capable of being bonded to an acrylic, preferably a polymethylmethacrylate polymer, and at least one desirably electrically conductive plate bonded to an area of a face of the membrane via an acrylic plastic material. The bond may be accomplished by positioning a layer of the acrylic plastic material between a surface of the plate and an area of a face of the membrane. Alternatively, the plate may be constructed of the acrylic plastic material and a surface thereof may be bonded directly to an area of a face of the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2007Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: NK Technologies, LLCInventor: Trung Van Nguyen
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Patent number: 8012284Abstract: Fabrication methods for making a gas diffusion layer incorporating a gasket (GIG) fuel cell subassemblies via roll-to-roll processes are described. A material processable by one or both of heat and pressure having spaced apart apertures is transported to a bonding station. A first gasket layer having gas diffusion layers arranged in relation to spaced apart apertures of a first gasket layer is transported to the bonding station. The heat/pressure processable material is aligned with the first gasket layer and the gas diffusion layers. At the bonding station, the heat/pressure processable material is bonded to the first gasket layer and the gas diffusion layers. After bonding, the heat/pressure processable material forms a second gasket layer that attaches the gas diffusion layers to the first gasket layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2006Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Mark K. Debe, Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Jimmy M. Le, Stephan J. Obradovich, Eric J. Iverson
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Publication number: 20110203721Abstract: A seal and corresponding method of manufacture of stacks enabled by the physical properties of the seal are provided. In the instance of a fuel cell or other electrochemical stack, the seal provides low-cost manufacturing and reliable/durable operation in high temperature (e.g., 120° C. to 250° C.) and acidic environments. The seal provides an elastomeric material characteristic providing resiliency and flexibility, and a protective characteristic that protects the seal from the high temperature acidic environment, such as found in high temperature PEM fuel cells. The seal is affixed to a plate of a fuel cell stack assembly prior to assembly of the stack, such that there is no requirement to apply an adhesive seal, gasket, free flow to solid sealing material, or the like, to each plate during assembly of the fuel cell stack, or during a disassembly and re-assembly process.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2011Publication date: August 25, 2011Inventors: Mohammad Allama Enayetullah, Charles Arthur Myers
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Patent number: 7989118Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fuel cell stack is provided. The method provides forming an inspectable preassembly of multiple fuel cell assemblies that may be termed a pseudostack. Each fuel cell in the pseudostack has permanent electrical interconnections and sealing connections on only one of the two electrodes, namely an anode layer or a cathode layer. For example, an anode interconnect may be firmly attached to the anode layer by means of a bonding agent and a sealing agent used to seal passages on the anode layer of the fuel cell. Alternatively, seals and permanent electrical connections may be made on the cathode layer of the fuel cell, and not on the anode layer.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2010Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Richard Scott Bourgeois, Richard Louis Hart, Sauri Gudlavalleti, Shu Ching Quek, Andrew Philip Shapiro, Rong Fan, Dacong Weng, Xiwang Qi
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Patent number: 7981569Abstract: A fuel cell in which protrusion of an adhesive agent into a gas communication path is suppressed. The fuel cell has a gas passage in a power generation region, a manifold in a non power generation region, and the gas communication path interconnecting the gas passage and the manifold. The adhesive agent is used near at least the gas communication path. An adhesive agent accumulation section for suppressing inflow of the adhesive agent into the gas communication path is located near the gas communication path.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2007Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Junichi Shirahama
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Publication number: 20110171562Abstract: A UEA-subgasket assembly for a fuel cell system and a method of production thereof is disclosed. The UEA-subgasket assembly includes a membrane electrolyte assembly, diffusion media, and a subgasket, wherein the subgasket permeates into one of the diffusion media to form a substantially fluid-tight seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2010Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Michael K. Budinski, Sumeet Bhargava, Brian K. Brady, Lewis Dipietro
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Patent number: 7955751Abstract: An electrochemical cell has an anode cavity and a cathode cavity. The anode cavity and the cathode cavity sandwich an electrochemically conductive medium. The anode cavity and/or the cathode cavity have electrically conductive plates assembled using a solid bonding material. Each plate has nesting volumes and protrusions provided in the perimeter seal area. The protrusions of one plate fit into the volumes of an adjacent plate to eliminate the offset introduced by the bonding material thickness.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2004Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand CorporationInventors: Andrei Leonida, Robert J. Roy, Kurt Matthew Critz
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Patent number: 7931997Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells, a plurality of interconnects and a multi-material seal comprising a first seal material and a second seal material, where the second seal material first forms an effective seal at a higher temperature than the first seal material.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2009Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: Bloom Energy CorporationInventors: Matthias Gottmann, David Weingaertner, Dien Nguyen
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Patent number: 7892695Abstract: In order to enable a fuel cell stack to be easily disassembled into a bundle of a plurality of cells and simultaneously to be handled while considering a unit cell as a unit, the fuel cell stack has a unit cell formed of an MEA and two facing separators which sandwich the MEA, and an adhesive layer for sealing a gap between the separators in the unit cell, and gaskets for sealing a gap between the unit cells, wherein each tacking force of the adhesive layer, and each gasket are different from each other depending on the position in a stacked direction of the unit cell.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2006Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Chisato Kato
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Publication number: 20110033781Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell separator having an airtight gasket, in which a gasket is integrally injection-molded in a region that requires airtightness of a fuel cell separator to maintain airtightness of each flow field of the separator and to smoothly guide the fluid flow in each flow field. For this purpose, the present invention provides a fuel cell separator having an airtight gasket, which is integrally injection-molded on both surfaces of the separator to form a closed curve.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2009Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATIONInventors: Sang Mun Chin, Sae Hoon Kim, Yoo Chang Yang, Suk Min Baeck, Seong Il Heo
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Publication number: 20110033782Abstract: The present invention preferably provides a separator for a fuel cell, in which a strength reinforcing means is integrally formed in a region, which is not supported by a gasket, over the region from manifolds, through which reactant gases and coolant are supplied, to a reaction flow field, in which a reaction takes place, thus suitably preventing local deformation of the separator.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2009Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATIONInventors: Sang Mun Chin, Sae Hoon Kim, Yoo Chang Yang, Chul Ho Yim, Suk Min Baeck, Seong Il Heo
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Patent number: 7862950Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly with a reinforced sealing structure for its use in fuel cells and electrolyzers, comprising a membrane electrode assembly (23) and a sealing structure (S) surrounding said membrane electrode assembly (23), said sealing structure (S) comprising a gasket (G), a reinforcing material (4) integrated in said gasket and reagent gas and coolant fluid openings (10) for the passage of reactant gases and coolant fluid.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2006Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Auto-Juntas, S.A. UnipersonalInventor: Pedro Sánchez Díaz
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Patent number: 7855029Abstract: A fuel cell module includes an anode flow board, a cathode board, an intermediate adhesive layer, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) including a membrane edge, and a leak-proof adhesive layer mounted on the membrane edge, thereby preventing contact between the intermediate adhesive layer and the membrane edge. The adhesive ability of the leak-proof adhesive layer to the membrane edge is higher than that of the intermediate adhesive layer to the membrane edge. Therefore, the methanol leakage from the membrane can be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2007Date of Patent: December 21, 2010Assignee: Nan Ya Printed Circuit Board CorporationInventors: Jiun-Ming Chen, Yu-Chih Lin, Chih-Yen Lin, Chiang-Wen Lai, Ching-Sen Yang
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Patent number: 7829238Abstract: In order to prevent an electrolyte membrane from being broken, and make an assembling steps of a cell easy, in a fuel cell provided with a membrane electrode complex in which catalyst layers are respectively arranged on both surfaces of a electrolyte membrane, first and second gas diffusion layers which are arranged on both surfaces of the electrode complex, separators for respectively supplying reaction gas to the first and second gas diffusion layers, and a gasket for sealing the reaction gas, the gasket is formed on a surface of the gas diffusion layer so as to oppose to the separator, at least the gasket forming portion of the gas diffusion layer has a lower void content than the portion in contact with the catalyst layer, and the gasket arranged in the first and second gas diffusion layers is integrally formed at least via a through hole passing through the first and second gas diffusion layers.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2007Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignees: Nok Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Yuichi Kuroki, Yoshihiro Kurano, Tomohiro Inoue, Atsushi Oma, Yasuji Ogami, Kazuo Saito
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Patent number: 7799484Abstract: In order to provide a gasket which has a good handling property as a gasket used for a fuel battery or a gasket for an HDD, can be easily integrated with the other end mounting member even in the case that the other end mounting member such as a separator or the like is a material having low strength or a thin plate, and has good mounting workability, a gasket is having a sheet-shaped gasket mounting member provided with a sticking function on one face, and a gasket main body made of a rubber-type elastic member integrated with the sheet-shaped gasket mounting member, and the gasket is mounted to the other end mounting member on the basis of the sticking function of the sheet-shaped gasket mounting member.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2007Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: NOK CorporationInventors: Yuichi Kuroki, Kazuhisa Senda, Yoshihiro Kurano, Tomohiro Inoue
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Patent number: 7794894Abstract: Multi-layer seals are provided that find advantageous use for reducing leakage of gases between adjacent components of electrochemical devices. Multi-layer seals of the invention include a gasket body defining first and second opposing surfaces and a compliant interlayer positioned adjacent each of the first and second surfaces. Also provided are methods for making and using the multi-layer seals, and electrochemical devices including said seals.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2007Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Yeong-Shyung Chou, Kerry D. Meinhardt, Jeffry W. Stevenson
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Patent number: 7771887Abstract: An apparatus having a first substrate having (1) a cavity, (2) one or more resistive heaters, and (3) one or more coatings forming a diffusion barrier to hydrogen; a second substrate having (1) an outlet valve comprising a pressure relief structure and (2) one or more coatings forming a diffusion barrier to hydrogen, wherein said second substrate is coupled to said first substrate forming a sealed volume in said cavity; a metal hydride material contained within said cavity; and a gas distribution system formed by coupling a microfluidic interconnect to said pressure relief structure. Additional apparatuses and methods are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2009Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Jeffrey D. Morse, Alan F. Jankowski, Conrad Yu
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Patent number: 7740989Abstract: A micro fuel cell comprises at least a substrate provided with front and rear faces. The front face of the substrate supports a successive stacking of a first electrode, a substantially flat electrolytic membrane and a second electrode. The electrolytic membrane comprises at least one anchoring element salient substantially perpendicularly to a main plane of said membrane. The anchoring element is arranged in a complementary part of an anchoring recess formed in the substrate. The substrate can also comprise a plurality of microchannels, substantially perpendicular to the main plane of the membrane. The anchoring recess can then be formed by one of the microchannels whereas the other microchannels enable supply of the first electrode with reactive fluid. Such a micro fuel cell is able to operate when a pressure difference exists between the two sides of the stacking.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2006Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie AtomiqueInventors: Jean-Yves Laurent, Frederic Gaillard, Karine Lambert, Marc Plissonnier
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Patent number: 7736816Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of unit cells in a horizontal direction. The stack body is held in a casing including end plates. Further, the casing includes a plurality of side plates provided on sides of the stack body. The end plates and the side plates are coupled by coupling pins. Each of the side plates has a plurality of separate second coupling portions, and the coupling pins are inserted into the coupling portions.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ryoichi Yoshitomi, Ayumu Ishizuka, Makoto Tsuji