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Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsGary William Schukar, John Russell Mlinar, Mark Hyland Smith, Steven Mark Spicer
Estimating the term…
An apparatus and method provide for automated converting of a web of a thin patterned catalyst-coated membrane to separate membrane sheets for fuel cell assembly. The membrane typically has a thickness of about one thousandth of an inch. Automated web converting involves transporting, with use of a movable vacuum, an end portion of the membrane web from a first location to a second location. With use of respective first and second vacuums at the first and second locations, and after removal of the movable vacuum, the end portion of the membrane web is releasably secured at the first and second locations. The membrane web is cut within a gap defined between a single catalyst pattern of the membrane web end portion and an adjacent catalyst pattern to produce a membrane sheet. The membrane sheet is precisely positioned to a desired orientation to facilitate subsequent processing of the membrane sheet.
A method of automatically converting a web of a thin patterned catalyst-coated membrane to separate membrane sheets for fuel cell assembly, a first side of the membrane web coated with an anode catalyst and a second side of the membrane web coated with a cathode catalyst, the method comprising:
An apparatus for automatically converting a web of a thin patterned catalyst-coated membrane to separate membrane sheets for fuel cell assembly, a first side of the membrane web coated with an anode catalyst and a second side of the membrane web coated with a cathode catalyst, a web handling module presenting an end portion of the membrane web, the apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Fuel cells with solid electrolytes: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA]
Supports for the deposition of the catalytic active composition: electrolytic membranes
After-treatment of the membrane other than by polymerisation: mechanical, e.g. pressing, puncturing
Hydrogen technology: fuel cells
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates generally to automated fuel cell fabrication and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for converting a web of a fuel cell membrane to separate membrane sheets and accurately positioning the separated membrane sheets for subsequent processing.
Various apparatuses have been developed to convert a web of a given material to individual sheets. Converting extremely thin web structures on the order of a thousandth of an inch thick renders conventional converting processes generally unworkable for such applications. One particular structure of interest in the construction of fuel cells is the thin membrane of the fuel cell. An apparatus for converting a membrane web must be capable of handling and cutting very thin, two-sided membrane structures of the web and, once cut, properly aligning the membrane sheets for downstream processing. Disrupting the positioning of the membrane sheets at a particular process station can result in damage to the membrane sheets or the fuel cell structures that incorporate such membrane sheets. Disturbing membrane sheet orientation is also likely to result in reduced product throughput, which negatively affects the productivity of the automated fuel cell assembly line.
It is often desirable to automate, either partially or completely, a number of web converting processes. Many conventional web converting apparatuses and methods are not well suited for a high degree of automation, particularly converting processes which have tight positional tolerance requirements.
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a fuel cell and its constituent layers;
FIG. 2 is a depiction of an apparatus for converting a web of a fuel cell membrane to individual membrane sheets in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an embodiment of an apparatus for converting a web of a fuel cell membrane to individual membrane sheets in accordance with the present invention;
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
In the following description of the illustrated embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, various embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that the embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
An apparatus for converting a web of a fuel cell membrane to separate membrane sheets according to the present invention represents an important apparatus used to automate a fuel cell assembly process. A web converting apparatus and method of the present invention provides for the continuous converting of a thin fuel cell membrane web to individual membrane sheets, and precise positioning of individual membrane sheets as needed by downstream process stations. A web converting apparatus and method of the present invention is particularly useful for converting webs having very thin patterned regions (e.g., fuel cell membranes), where the patterned regions are typically less than about three thousandths of an inch in thickness, and typically about one thousandth of an inch in thickness.