Assembling bipolar plates
AssigneeAdvanced Energy Technology Inc.
InventorRobert Angelo Mercuri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods are provided for manufacturing bipolar graphite articles. First and second components are formed from flexible graphite material. The first component has a protrusion formed thereon, and the second component has a recess formed therein which is complementary to the protrusion of the first component. The first and second components are assembled so that the protrusion of the first component is received in the recess of the second component. Preferably, the components are made from uncured resin impregnated graphite material. The assembled components are then pressed together and heated to cure the resin so as to bond the components together.
Claims17
A method of manufacturing a bipolar graphite article, comprising:
- (a) forming a first component having an operative side and a back side, and having a protrusion formed on its back side, the first component formed of a compressed mass of expanded graphite particles;
- (b) forming a second component having an operative side and a back side, and having a recess formed in its back side, the recess being complementary to the protrusion of the first component, the second component formed of a compressed mass of expanded graphite particles;
- and
- (c) assembling the first and second components so that the protrusion of the first component is received in the recess of the second component to form a bipolar graphite article.
A method of manufacturing a bipolar article for a fuel cell, comprising:
- (a) providing first and second sheets of a compressed mass of expanded graphite particles, each sheet having first and second parallel opposed surfaces;
- (b) impregnating the sheets with a resin to form uncured resin impregnated sheets;
- (c) calendering the uncured resin impregnated sheets to form first and second calendered uncured resin impregnated sheets;
- (d) embossing the first and second calendered uncured resin impregnated sheets, thereby:
- (1) forming from the first sheet a first component having a protrusion defined thereon;
- and
- (2) forming from the second sheet a second component having a recess defined thereon;
- (e) pressing the first and second components together with the protrusion of the first component received in the recess of the second component;
- and
- (f) curing the resin of the first and second components and thereby bonding the first and second components together to form the bipolar article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.