# US 8,771,902 B2 · Manufacture of fuel cell > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,902 B2 - Document ID: US8771902B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/116,503 - Filed: 2011-05-26 - Published: 2011-09-22 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2003-12-02 - Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Takeharu Kuramochi; Masanori Iwamoto; Masahiko Katsu; Kaoru Eguchi; Masahiro Omata; Hideto Kanafusa; Yoshiki Muto - Inventors: Takeharu Kuramochi; Masanori Iwamoto; Masahiko Katsu; Kaoru Eguchi; Masahiro Omata; Hideto Kanafusa; Yoshiki Muto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771902B2 ## CPC - H01M 4/881: {Electrolytic membranes} - B32B 37/223: {One or more of the layers being plastic} - B32B 38/1841: {during laying up} - H01M 8/1007: with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised (H01M8/12 takes precedence) - H01M 8/2404: Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells - B32B 2457/18: Fuel cells - H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes} - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A fuel cell is manufactured using a polymer electrolyte membrane (1). A catalyst layer (12) is formed at fixed intervals on the surface of the strip-form polymer electrolyte membrane (1) in the lengthwise direction thereof, and conveyance holes (10) are formed in series at fixed intervals on the two side portions thereof. By rotating a conveyance roller (32) comprising on its outer periphery projections which engage with the holes (10), the polymer electrolyte membrane (1) is fed from a reel (9). A GDL (6) and a separator (7) are adhered to the fed polymer electrolyte membrane (1) at a predetermined processing timing based on the rotation speed of the conveyance roller (32), and thus the fuel cell is manufactured efficiently while the GDL (6) and separator (7) are laminated onto the catalyst layer (12) accurately. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A manufacturing method for a fuel cell formed by laminating a polymer electrolyte membrane and a separator alternately, comprising: (1) a process of supplying a film-form polymer electrolyte membrane from a side of a first separator, which is held in a predetermined position, to a position facing the first separator in parallel with the first separator, then; (2) a process of supplying a second separator and a cutter to an opposite side of the polymer electrolyte membrane, which faces the first separator, to the first separator; and, then, (3) a process of displacing the second separator and the cutter toward the first separator such that the polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched together with and between the first separator and the second separator and the polymer electrolyte membrane is cut into a predetermined shape and dimension at the same time that the first separator and second separate are cut into the same predetermined shape and dimension. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The manufacturing method as defined in claim 1, further comprising a process of applying tension to the polymer electrolyte membrane by pressing the first separator against the polymer electrolyte membrane prior to the displacement of the second separator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The manufacturing method as defined in claim 1, wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises conveyance holes formed in series at fixed intervals on both side portions thereof in a lengthwise direction, and the film-form polymer electrolyte membrane supplying process comprises a process of feeding the polymer electrolyte membrane to the position facing the first separator using a conveyance roller comprising on an outer periphery thereof projections which engage with the conveyance holes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The manufacturing method as defined in claim 1, wherein a perforation having incisions which define a cutout part is formed in advance on the polymer electrolyte membrane at predetermined intervals, and the second separator displacing process comprises a process of cutting out the cutout part by pressing the perforation with the second separator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The manufacturing method as defined in claim 1, further comprising a process of stacking a fuel cell comprising the first separator, the polymer electrolyte membrane, and the second separator, within a holding frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The manufacturing method as defined in claim 5, wherein the holding frame is constituted by a guide member which permits displacement of the fuel cell only in an identical direction to the displacement of the second separator. ### Claim 7 A manufacturing device for a fuel cell formed by laminating a polymer electrolyte membrane and a separator alternately, comprising: (1) a mechanism for supplying a film-form polymer electrolyte membrane from a side of a first separator, which is held in a predetermined position, to a position facing the first separator in parallel with the first separator, which is operationally sequenced with; (2) a mechanism for supplying a second separator and a cutter to an opposite side of the polymer electrolyte membrane, which faces the first separator, to the first separator; and, which is operationally sequenced with, (3) a mechanism for displacing the second separator and the cutter toward the first separator such that the polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched together with and between the first separator and the second separator and the polymer electrolyte membrane is cut into a predetermined shape and dimension at the same time that the first separator and second separate are cut into the same predetermined shape and dimension. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The manufacturing device as defined in claim 7, further comprising a mechanism for applying tension to the polymer electrolyte membrane by pressing the first separator against the polymer electrolyte membrane prior to the displacement of the second separator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The manufacturing device as defined in claim 7, wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises conveyance holes formed in series at fixed intervals on both side portions thereof in a lengthwise direction, and the film-form polymer electrolyte membrane supplying mechanism comprises a mechanism for feeding the polymer electrolyte membrane to the position facing the first separator using a conveyance roller comprising on an outer periphery thereof projections which engage with the conveyance holes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The manufacturing device as defined in claim 7, wherein a perforation having incisions which define a cutout part is formed in advance on the polymer electrolyte membrane at predetermined intervals, and the second separator displacing mechanism comprises a mechanism for cutting out the cutout part by pressing the perforation with the second separator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The manufacturing device as defined in claim 7, further comprising a mechanism for stacking a fuel cell comprising the first separator, the polymer electrolyte membrane, and the second separator, within a holding frame. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The manufacturing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the holding frame is constituted by a guide member which permits displacement of the fuel cell only in an identical direction to the displacement of the second separator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The manufacturing method as defined in claim 5, wherein the process of stacking a fuel cell comprises supporting previously laminated fuel cells within the holding frame from below using an elevatable lower member which ascends and descends between an elevated position and a lowered position depending on a thickness of the previously laminated fuel cells. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The manufacturing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the mechanism for stacking a fuel cell comprises an elevatable lower member which supports previously laminated fuel cells within the holding frame from below and ascends and descends between an elevated position and a lowered position depending on a thickness of the previously laminated fuel cells.