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US 7,252,218 B2Granted
Bipolar plate fabrication by roll bonding
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsXiaohong Gayden, Yen-Lung Chen, David R Sigler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An anti-bonding material is placed in a desired pattern onto a first sheet of conductive material. A second sheet of conductive material is roll bonded with the first sheet of material. Fluid is injected between the bonded first and second sheets of material to expand the sheets of material at the desired pattern. A flow channel is formed at the desired pattern between the first and second sheet during fluid injection.
Claims17
A method for making a current collector plate comprising:
- providing a first sheet of material having a first bonding face and a first outer face;
- providing a second sheet of material having a second bonding face and a second outer face;
- creating a plurality of patterned areas on at least one of said first bonding face and said second bonding face;
- bonding said first and second sheets together;
- and
- injecting fluid between said first and second sheets thereby causing said first sheet to project outward at said plurality of patterned areas wherein a first anode fluid flow channel having a defined inlet and outlet is defined on said first outer face and wherein a second self-contained coolant fluid flow channel is defined between said first and second sheets at said plurality of patterned areas, wherein said first and second anode and self-contained coolant flow channels do not connect.
3 more elements
A method for making a current collector plate comprising:
- placing an anti-bonding material onto a first surface of a first sheet of material in a predetermined pattern thereby forming patterned areas defined by said anti-bonding material and adjacent non-patterned areas;
- contacting a second sheet of material with said anti-bonding material;
- forming a metallurgical bond between said first and second sheets at said non-patterned areas thereby creating a two-piece bonded plate;
- and
- introducing fluid between said two-piece bonded plate to cause said first sheet to project outward defining projected portions at said patterned area wherein a first anode fluid flow channel having a defined inlet and outlet is defined on a first outer face of said first sheet of material and wherein a second self-contained coolant fluid flow channel is defined between said first and second sheets of material at said patterned area, wherein said first and second anode and self-contained flow channels do not connect.
2 more elements
A method for making a current collector plate comprising:
- providing a first sheet of conductive material;
- providing a second sheet of conductive material;
- placing an anti-bonding material in a desired pattern over a bonding surface of said first sheet of conductive material, said pattern of anti-bonding material defining an anti-bonding area along said first sheet, wherein the remaining surface of said bonding surface absent said anti-bonding material defines a bonding area;
- contacting said second sheet of conductive material with said anti-bonding material of said first sheet of conductive material;
- roll bonding said first and second sheets together whereby said first and second sheets form a metallurgical bond therebetween at said bonding area and defining a two-piece bonded plate;
- and
- injecting fluid between said first and second bonded sheets whereby said anti-bonding area is expanded outwardly defining expanded portions along said desired pattern wherein a first anode fluid flow channel is defined on a first outer face of said two-piece bonded place, a second self-contained coolant fluid flow channel is defined through said expanded portions, and a third cathode fluid flow channel is defined on a second outer face of said two-piece bonded plate, wherein said first anode flow channel, said second self-contained coolant flow channel and third cathode flow channels do not connect, and wherein said first anode flow channel, said second self-contained coolant flow channel and third cathode flow channels each provide a defined inlet and outlet, respectively.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.