# US 9,437,882 B2 · Holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket

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- Number: US 9,437,882 B2
- Document ID: US9437882B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/413,103
- Filed: 2013-06-24
- Published: 2015-07-16
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-07-10
- Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kei Ono; Masaya Yamamoto; Kenichi Toyoshima; Norifumi Horibe; Takayuki Terasaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437882B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/0273: with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame
- B25B 11/007: {portable, e.g. handheld}
- B25B 27/0028: {Tools for removing or installing seals (B25B27/0092 takes precedence)}
- H01M 8/006: {Flat}
- H01M 8/0276: Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence)
- 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
- B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING
- 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 holding apparatus for a fuel cell gasket has a support having a flat surface part which attracts the gasket and serves to stack a frame-shaped gasket on an outer circumference of an electrolyte membrane or a gas diffusion layer constituting a membrane electrode assembly on which a catalyst layer is disposed. The flat surface part has a frame-shaped recess corresponding to a shape of the gasket, and the recess is connected to an air-sucking section, with the gasket attracted by sucking air in the recess.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A holding apparatus for disposing a fuel cell gasket which is to be stacked on an outer circumference of an electrolyte membrane or a gas diffusion layer which constitutes a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell and on which a catalyst layer is disposed, the gasket shaped to frame a shape of the outer circumference of the electrolyte membrane or the gas diffusion layer, the holding apparatus comprising:
a support including a flat surface part which attracts the gasket,
wherein the flat surface part has a recess connected to an air-sucking section, the recess formed as a single continuous channel in the flat surface part that is shaped to correspond to a shape of the gasket, the depth of the channel being less than a thickness of the support,
wherein the gasket is attracted by sucking air in the recess.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1, wherein the recess has a linear portion and a bent portion, the air-sucking section connected to the bent portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1, wherein the support is formed from an optically transparent material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1, further comprising a detecting device which detects pressure when air is sucked by the air-sucking section.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1, wherein a center of the channel in a width direction thereof is positioned to match a center of a corresponding frame portion of the gasket, which is attracted to the flat surface part, in a width direction thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the channel is an inverted U shape.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1, further comprising a transport device which transports the support and the gasket such that the gasket is stacked on the outer circumference of the electrolyte membrane or the gas diffusion layer.