# US 4,397,917 A · Fuel cell pack with internal connection of fuel cells

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- Number: US 4,397,917 A
- Document ID: US4397917A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/338,353
- Filed: 1982-01-11
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1982-01-11
- Assignees: Energy Research Corporation
- Inventors: Chang V. Chi; Andrei Leonida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397917A

## CPC

- H01M 8/2404: Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells
- H01M 8/02: Details (electrodes H01M4/86 - H01M4/98)
- H01M 8/0267: having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
- H01M 8/241: with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
- H01M 8/2418: Grouping by arranging unit cells in a plane (H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence)
- 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 fuel cell pack comprising a plurality of fuel cells and means internal of said pack for holding the cells together.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell pack comprising:
a plurality of fuel cells arranged in adjacent relationship;
a first cooling means following said cells and forming a first end of said pack;
and means internal of said pack for holding said cells and said cooling means together.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 1 wherein:
said pack has one or more passages extending therethrough;
and said internal means comprises connecting means disposed in one or more of said passages.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein:
said connecting means comprises a chemical.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 3 wherein:
said chemical is a solidified chemical material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 3 wherein:
said chemical is a high-strength adhesive material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein:
said connecting means comprises a mechanical means.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 6 wherein:
said mechanical means comprises a cylindrical plug.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 7 wherein:
said cylindrical plug comprises one of a dowel pin, a rivet, screw and a bolt.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein:
said connecting means comprises a chemical and a mechanical means.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 2 wherein:
said internal means comprises further connecting means disposed between selected surface areas of adjacent cells.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 10 wherein:
said further connecting means is a chemical.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 11 wherein:
said chemical is a high strength adhesive.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

A fuel cell in pack accordance with claim 10 wherein:
said surface areas border the peripheries of the respective cells.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 1 wherein:
said internal means comprises a connecting means disposed between selected surface areas of adjacent cells.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 14 wherein:
said connecting means is a chemical.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 15 wherein:
said chemical is a high-strength adhesive.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 14 wherein:
said surface areas border the peripheries of the respective cells.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 1 wherein:
said first cooling means comprises a first cooling plate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 18 wherein:
said first cooling plate has a surface facing outward of said stack which is flat.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 18 wherein:
said first cooling plate has a surface facing outward of
said stack which has one or more channels for carrying a cooling gas.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 18 wherein:
the fuel cell at said one end of said pack includes said cooling plate.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 1 wherein:
said fuel cell pack further includes a second cooling means at the other end of said pack;
and said internal means holds said second cooling means to said cells.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 22 wherein:
each of said first and second cooling means comprises a cooling plate.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 23 wherein:
the fuel cells at said one and the other end of said pack include the cooling plates of said first and second cooling means, respectively.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 23 wherein:
the surface of at least one of said cooling plates facing outward of said pack is flat.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

A fuel cell pack in accordance with claim 23 wherein:
the surface of at least one of said cooling plates facing outward of said pack has channels for carrying a cooling gas.