# US 2017/0288351 A1 · Connector device including planar member with slits to receive electrical tabs of fuel cell stack > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0288351 A1 - Document ID: US20170288351A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/629,606 - Filed: 2017-06-21 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-03 - Assignees: Intelligent Energy Limited - Applicants: Intelligent Energy Limited - Inventors: Peter David Hood - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288351A1 ## CPC - H01R 24/20: Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable - H01M 8/0247: characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) - H01M 8/0269: {Separators, collectors or interconnectors including a printed circuit board} - H01M 8/04552: {of the individual fuel cell} - H01M 8/2418: Grouping by arranging unit cells in a plane (H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence) - H01M 8/2465: Details of groupings of fuel cells - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An electrical connection system for cell voltage monitoring in a fuel cell stack. A fuel cell stack assembly comprises a plurality of fuel cells disposed in a stacked configuration, each cell substantially parallel to an x-y plane and including an electrical tab extending laterally from an edge of a plate in the cell in the x-direction to form an array of tabs extending along a side face of the fuel cell stack in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-y plane. A connector device comprises a planar member having a plurality of spaced-apart slits formed in an edge of the planar member, each slit having an electrically conductive material on an inside face of the slit. The slits are spaced along the edge of the planar member and configured to receive the tabs by sliding engagement in the y-direction. Alternatively, each tab may be crimped to create a distortion in the tab out of the x-y plane of the plate and a connector device comprises a planar member having a plurality of generally parallel slits formed in the body of the planar member, each slit having an electrically conductive material on an inside face of the slit, the slits being spaced within the planar member and configured to receive the tabs by sliding engagement in the x-direction so that each tab engages with at least a portion of the electrically conductive material on the inside face of a respective slit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel cell stack assembly comprising: a plurality of fuel cells disposed in a stacked configuration, each cell substantially parallel to an x-y plane and including an electrical tab extending laterally from an edge of a plate in the cell in the x-direction to form an array of tabs extending along a side face of the fuel cell stack in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-y plane, each tab being crimped to create a distortion in the tab out of the x-y plane of the plate; a connector device comprising a planar member having a plurality of spaced-apart slits formed in the body of the planar member, each slit having an electrically conductive material on an inside face of the slit; and the slits being spaced within the planar member and configured to receive the tabs by sliding engagement in the x-direction so that each tab engages with at least a portion of the electrically conductive material on the inside face of a respective slit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 1 in which each tab is crimped to create a curved profile transverse to its length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 2 in which the curved profile is a U-shaped profile or a V-shaped profile viewed along the x-axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 1 in which the tabs are each tapered at their distal ends such that the extent of out-of-plane distortion is reduced at the distal ends of the tabs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 1 in which the array of tabs comprises two rows of tabs separated in the y-direction, the second row being offset from the first row in the z-direction so as to facilitate electrical connection to a different set of plates in the stack than the first row. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 1 in which the planar member is a printed circuit board with electrically conductive tracks extending across the planar surface to the electrically conductive material on the inside face of each slit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 1, in which each tab is crimped to create a distortion in the tab out of the x-y plane of the plate to create a curved or angled profile when viewed in the x-axis direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 1, in which the slits and the tabs are configured to slidably engage in the x-direction so that each tab engages with at least a portion of the electrically conductive material on the inside face of a respective slit. ### Claim 9 A fuel cell stack comprising: a plurality of fuel cells disposed in a stacked configuration, each cell substantially parallel to an x-y plane and including an electrical tab extending laterally from an edge of a plate in the cell in the x-direction to form an array of tabs extending along a side face of the fuel cell stack in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-y plane, each tab being crimped to create a distortion in the tab out of the x-y plane of the plate to create a curved profile transverse to its length. ### Claim 10 A method of assembling a fuel cell stack assembly, the method comprising: disposing a plurality of fuel cells disposed in a stacked configuration, each cell substantially parallel to an x-y plane and including an electrical tab extending laterally from an edge of a plate in the cell in the x-direction to form an array of tabs extending along a side face of the fuel cell stack in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-y plane, each tab being crimped to create a distortion in the tab out of the x-y plane of the plate to create a curved or angled profile when viewed in the x-axis direction; providing a connector device comprising a planar member having a plurality of spaced apart slits formed in the body of the planar member, each slit having an electrically conductive material on an inside face of the slit, the slits being spaced within the planar member and configured to receive the tabs; sliding the connector device relative to the tabs in the x-direction so that each tab engages with at least a portion of the electrically conductive material on the inside face of a respective slit.