Back to results
US 11,539,060 B2Granted
Membrane humidifier for fuel cell
AssigneeKolon Industries, Inc.
InventorsDo-Woo Kim, Kyoung-Ju Kim, In-Ho Kim, Na-Hyeon An, Jin-Hyung Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell is disclosed. The membrane includes a middle case in which a plurality of hollow fiber membranes are accommodated; a cap case coupled to the middle case; a potting part formed at the end portions of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes; and an assembling member disposed between the end portions of the cap case and the middle case, and simultaneously coupling, so as to be airtight, a gap between the cap case and the middle case and a gap between the cap case and the potting part.
Claims20
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell, the membrane humidifier comprising:
- a middle case housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- a cap case coupled to the middle case;
- a potting unit formed at ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, the potting unit being spaced apart from the middle case;
- and
- an assembly member disposed between the cap case and an end of the middle case and between the middle case and the potting unit through a mechanical assembly, the assembly member is pressed during the mechanical assembly so as to simultaneously perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case, between the cap case and the potting unit, and between the middle case and the potting unit.
2 more elements
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell, the membrane humidifier comprising:
- a middle case housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- a cap case coupled to the middle case;
- a potting unit formed at ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- and
- an assembly member disposed between the cap case and an end of the middle case, the assembly member being configured to simultaneously perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case and between the cap case and the potting unit,
- wherein the assembly member comprises a first sealing unit mounted on the end of the middle case while being in contact with an inner wall of the cap case and a second sealing unit formed inside the first sealing unit so as to wrap the potting unit,
- wherein the first sealing unit comprises a first sealing body mounted on the end of the middle case while being in contact with the inner wall of the cap case, the first sealing body being formed so as to have a bracket shape, and a first sealing leg formed so as to come into contact with the second sealing unit while extending downwards from one end of the first sealing body;
- and
- wherein the first sealing unit further comprises an extension leg extending inwards from an end of the first sealing leg and then extending upwards from the end thereof such that the extension leg wraps the second sealing unit.
6 more elements
A membrane humidifer for a fuel cell, the membrane humidifer comprising:
- a middle case housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- a cap case coupled to the middle case;
- a potting unit formed at ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- and
- an assembly member disposed between the cap case and an end of the middle case, the assembly member being configured to simultaneously perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case and between the cap case and the potting unit,
- wherein the assembly member comprises a first sealing unit mounted on the end of the middle case while being in contact with an inner wall of the cap case and a second sealing unit formed inside the first sealing unit so as to wrap the potting unit,
- wherein the first sealing unit comprises a first sealing body mounted on the end of the middle case while being in contact with the inner wall of the cap case, the first sealing body being formed so as to have a bracket shape, and a first sealing leg formed so as to come into contact with the second sealing unit while extending downwards from one end of the first sealing body, and
- wherein the second sealing unit comprises a second sealing body formed so as to wrap the potting unit and a sealing arm inserted into the first sealing body.
5 more elements
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell, the membrane humidifier comprising:
- a middle case housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- a cap case coupled to the middle case;
- a potting unit formed at ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- and
- an assembly member disposed between the cap case and an end of the middle case, the assembly member being configured to simultaneously perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case and between the cap case and the potting unit,
- wherein the assembly member comprises:
- a main body disposed between the cap case, the middle case, and the potting unit;
- a first coupling portion pressed between the cap case and the end of the middle case in order to perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case;
- and
- a second coupling portion brought into contact with one end of the potting unit in order to perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the potting unit,
- wherein the first coupling portion comprises a first extension portion extending outwards from the main body, and
- wherein the first coupling portion further comprises a second extension portion extending from an end of the first extension portion so as to come into contact with an outer surface of the middle case.
9 more elements
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell, the membrane humidifier comprising:
- a middle case housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- a cap case coupled to the middle case;
- a potting unit formed at ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- and
- an assembly member disposed between the cap case and an end of the middle case, the assembly member being configured to simultaneously perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case and between the cap case and the potting unit,
- wherein hardness of the assembly member is less than hardness of the potting unit.
3 more elements
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell, the membrane humidifier comprising:
- a middle case housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- a cap case coupled to the middle case;
- a potting unit formed at ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- and
- an assembly member disposed between the cap case and an end of the middle case, the assembly member being configured to simultaneously perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case and between the cap case and the potting unit,
- wherein hardness of the assembly member is greater than hardness of the potting unit and is less than hardness of the middle case and hardness of the cap case.
3 more elements
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell, the membrane humidifier comprising:
- a middle case housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- a cap case coupled to the middle case;
- a potting unit formed at ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- and
- an assembly member disposed between the cap case and an end of the middle case, the assembly member being configured to simultaneously perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case and between the cap case and the potting unit,
- wherein the assembly member comprises:
- a main body disposed between the cap case, the middle case, and the potting unit;
- a first coupling portion pressed between the cap case and the end of the middle case in order to perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the middle case;
- and
- a second coupling portion brought into contact with one end of the potting unit in order to perform hermetic coupling between the cap case and the potting unit,
- wherein the assembly member further comprises a rib extending inwards so as to widen a surface area thereof that contacts the potting unit, and
- wherein hardness of the assembly member is greater than hardness of the potting unit and is less than hardness of the middle case and hardness of the cap case.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.