# US 2024/0204352 A1 · Joining method

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- Number: US 2024/0204352 A1
- Document ID: US20240204352A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/533,305
- Filed: 2023-12-08
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-14
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Suguru OMORI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240204352A1

## CPC

- H01M 50/403: Manufacturing processes of separators, membranes or diaphragms
- H01M 8/0206: Metals or alloys
- H01M 8/0297: Arrangements for joining electrodes, reservoir layers, heat exchange units or bipolar separators to each other (H01M8/0271 takes precedence)
- H01M 50/46: Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
- H01M 8/10: Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
- H01M 50/409: Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by the material
- H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- 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

A joining method of joining two separators includes bringing a first separator and a second separator into contact with each other, bringing a first welding electrode into contact with a first inward ridge, bringing a second welding electrode into contact with the second inward ridge, and welding a plurality of portions where a first outward ridge and a second outward ridge are contact with each other by causing a current to flow between the first welding electrode and the second welding electrode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A joining method of joining two adjacent separators in a fuel cell stack in which unit cells are stacked, each of the unit cells including a membrane electrode assembly and a pair of separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly,
wherein the two adjacent separators are a first separator covering a cathode of a first membrane electrode assembly and a second separator covering an anode of a second membrane electrode assembly,
the first separator includes a plurality of first inward ridges that are in contact with the cathode of the first membrane electrode assembly and a plurality of first outward ridges that protrude toward the second separator, and
the second separator includes a plurality of second inward ridges that are in contact with the anode of the second membrane electrode assembly and a plurality of second outward ridges that protrude toward the first separator,
the joining method comprising:
bringing the first separator and the second separator into contact with each other;
bringing a first welding electrode into contact with the plurality of first inward ridges;
bringing a second welding electrode into contact with the plurality of second inward ridges; and
welding a plurality of portions where the first outward ridges and the second outward ridges are in contact with each other by causing a current to flow between the first welding electrode and the second welding electrode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The joining method according to claim 1, wherein in a state where the first welding electrode and the second welding electrode overlap an entire area of a power generation area of the first separator and an entire area of a power generation area of the second separator in plan view, the plurality of portions where the first outward ridges and the second outward ridges are in contact with each other are welded by causing the current to flow between the first welding electrode and the second welding electrode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The joining method according to claim 1, wherein in a state where the first welding electrode and the second welding electrode overlap a part of a power generation area of the first separator and a part of a power generation area of the second separator in plan view, the plurality of portions where the first outward ridges and the second outward ridges are in contact with each other are welded by causing the current to flow between the first welding electrode and the second welding electrode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The joining method according to claim 3, wherein the first outward ridge and the second outward ridge located on a central side of each of the power generation areas are welded first, and then the first outward ridge and the second outward ridge located on a marginal side of each of the power generation areas are welded.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The joining method according to claim 1, wherein each of the first separator and second separator includes a fluid passage at a same position in a plan view, and
after the first outward ridges of the first separator and the second outward ridges of the second separator are welded, laser welding is performed in an outer peripheral portion of the fluid passage of the first separator and an outer peripheral portion of the fluid passage of the second separator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The joining method according to claim 1, wherein after the first outward ridges of the first separator and the second outward ridges of the second separator are joined, laser welding is performed in a marginal portion of the first separator and a marginal portion of the second separator.