Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for fuel cell unit
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsYusuke Wada, Shintaro Sumi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The manufacturing method for the fuel cell unit includes a stacking step and a laser irradiation step. In the stacking step, a stacked portion including, stacked together, a resin frame member of a resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly and an outer peripheral portion of a separator is placed on a metal spacer. The resin frame member at a joining target portion of the stacked portion is placed so as to face a recess of the metal spacer. In the laser irradiation step, the separator at the joining target portion in a state where the resin frame member faces the recess is irradiated with a laser beam to thereby form a welded portion where the resin frame member and the separator are welded to each other.
Claims8
A manufacturing method for a fuel cell unit obtained by joining a resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly to a separator,
- the resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly including a membrane electrode assembly and a resin frame member attached to an outer peripheral portion of the membrane electrode assembly,
- the membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and electrodes disposed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane,
- the manufacturing method comprising a stacking step and a laser irradiation step,
- wherein:
- in the stacking step, a stacked portion including, stacked together, the resin frame member of the resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly and an outer peripheral portion of the separator is placed on an upper surface of a metal spacer, and the resin frame member at a joining target portion of the stacked portion is placed so as to face a recess formed in the upper surface of the metal spacer;
- and
- in the laser irradiation step, a welded portion where the resin frame member and the separator are welded to each other is formed by irradiating the separator at the joining target portion with a laser beam directed from the separator toward the recess.
A manufacturing apparatus for a fuel cell unit obtained by joining a resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly to a separator,
- the resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly including a membrane electrode assembly and a resin frame member attached to an outer peripheral portion of the membrane electrode assembly,
- the membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and electrodes disposed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane,
- the manufacturing apparatus comprising a metal spacer and a laser irradiation unit,
- wherein:
- an upper surface of the metal spacer is provided with a recess;
- the recess faces the resin frame member at a joining target portion of a stacked portion;
- the stacked portion is formed by stacking the resin frame member of the resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly and an outer peripheral portion of the separator on the upper surface of the metal spacer;
- and
- the laser irradiation unit forms a welded portion where the resin frame member and the separator are welded together, by irradiating the separator at the joining target portion with a laser beam directed from the separator toward the recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.