US 12,531,259 B2Granted

Method and device for producing a fuel cell stack by conveying fuel cell layers along belts via overhangs

AssigneeAudi AG

InventorWolfgang Beck

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Abstract

A method for producing a fuel cell stack includes: providing and individual handover of a plurality of first layers of the fuel cell stack, provided with overhangs, to a first conveyor belt pair which is motor driven and revolves around a first end, the two individual revolving conveyor belts of which run spaced apart so that they respectively receive one of the overhangs of the first layer, providing and individual handover of a plurality of second layers of the fuel cell stack, provided with overhangs, to a second conveyor belt pair which is motor driven and revolves around a second end, the two individual revolving conveyor belts of which run spaced apart so that they respectively receive one of the overhangs of the second layer, and handover of the first layers provided with overhangs at the first end of the first conveyor belt pair to a region of the conveyor belts of the second conveyor belt pair lying between two second layers transported by the second conveyor belt pair. A device for carrying out the method is also provided.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method for producing a fuel cell stack, comprising:

carrying out individual handover of a plurality of first layers of the fuel cell stack to a first pair of individual revolving conveyor belts that are motor driven and revolve around a first end, wherein each of the plurality of first layers are provided with an opposing pair of overhangs that extend outwardly from opposing lateral sides of the first layer, and wherein the first pair of individual revolving conveyor belts run spaced apart so that each of the first pair of individual revolving conveyor belts respectively receives one of the opposing pair of overhangs of each first layer of the fuel cell stack;
carrying out individual handover of a plurality of second layers of the fuel cell stack to a second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts that are motor driven and revolve around a second end, wherein each of the plurality of second layers are provided with an opposing pair of overhangs that extend outwardly from opposing lateral sides of the second layer, and wherein the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts run spaced apart so that each of the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts respectively receive one of the opposing pair of overhangs of each second layer of the fuel cell stack;
and
carrying out handover of the plurality of first layers at the first end of the first pair of individual revolving conveyor belts to a region of the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts to position each of the plurality of first layers between a respective pair of the second layers that are transported by the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts.

1 more element

A device for producing a fuel cell stack, comprising:

a first pair of individual revolving conveyor belts that are motor driven and revolve around a first end, each of the first pair of individual revolving conveyor belts of which run spaced apart so that a plurality of first layers of the fuel cell stack can be transported between the first pair of individual revolving conveyor belts at discrete intervals, wherein each of the plurality of first layers include an opposing pair of overhangs that extend outwardly from opposing lateral sides of the first layer;
a second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts that are motor driven and revolve around a second end, each of the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts of which run spaced apart so that a plurality of second layers of the fuel cell stack can be transported between the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts at discrete intervals, wherein each of the plurality of second layers include an opposing pair of overhangs that extend outwardly from opposing lateral sides of the second layer;
wherein the first end of the first pair of individual revolving conveyor belts is positioned with respect to the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts such that the plurality of first layers are handed over to a region of the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts to position each of the plurality of first layers between a respective pair of the plurality of second layers that are transported by the second pair of individual revolving conveyor belts.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.