Circuit testing device for solid oxide fuel cell
First Claim
1. ) A device for testing the circuitry of a solid oxide fuel cell having a surface that bears a plurality of spaced-apart electrically connected cells, comprising:
- a support member having a face that conforms to said cell-bearing surface of said solid oxide fuel cell;
a plurality of resilient contacts mounted on said face of said support member, said contacts being spaced-apart such that each contact is individually registrable with one of said plurality of spaced-apart cells, anda light conducting portion in said support member that visually facilitates alignment and engagement between said resilient contact members and said cells when said support member is positioned over said cell-bearing surface of said solid oxide fuel cell.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for testing the circuitry of a ceramic sheet-type, multi-cell solid oxide fuel cell is provided. The testing device includes a support plate having a substantially flat face, and a plurality of resilient contacts mounted on the flat face of the support plate. The contacts are spaced-apart so that each contact is individually registrable with one of the plurality of spaced-apart cells when the support plate of the device is positioned over fuel cell, allowing the circuit integrity of all of the cells to be tested simultaneously. The support plate includes a light conducting portion that visually facilitates alignment and engagement between said resilient contact members and the cells when the device is positioned over the solid oxide fuel cell. The light conducting portion of the support plate may be a transparent material that forms all or part of the plate. The resilient contacts each engage a sufficiently broad area of the cells to avoid localized stresses in the ceramic sheet that may otherwise provide sites for unwanted cracking or other types of damage.
23 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. ) A device for testing the circuitry of a solid oxide fuel cell having a surface that bears a plurality of spaced-apart electrically connected cells, comprising:
-
a support member having a face that conforms to said cell-bearing surface of said solid oxide fuel cell; a plurality of resilient contacts mounted on said face of said support member, said contacts being spaced-apart such that each contact is individually registrable with one of said plurality of spaced-apart cells, and a light conducting portion in said support member that visually facilitates alignment and engagement between said resilient contact members and said cells when said support member is positioned over said cell-bearing surface of said solid oxide fuel cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. ) A device for testing the circuitry of a solid oxide fuel cell of a type formed on a thin, flexible ceramic sheet and having a surface including an array of spaced-apart electrically connected cells, comprising:
-
a support plate having a substantially flat face; a plurality of resilient contacts mounted on said face of said support plate, said contacts being spaced-apart so that each contact is individually registrable with one of said plurality of spaced-apart cells, and a light conducting portion in said support plate that visually facilitates alignment and engagement between said resilient contact members and said cells when said support member is positioned over said surface of said solid oxide fuel cell. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. ) A device for testing the circuitry of a solid oxide fuel cell of a type formed on a thin, flexible ceramic sheet and having a surface that includes an array of spaced-apart electrically connected cells, comprising:
-
a support plate having a substantially flat face and being formed from a transparent, non-conductive material; a plurality of resilient contacts mounted on said face of said support plate, said contacts being spaced-apart so that each contact is individually registrable with one of said plurality of spaced-apart cells, wherein said support plate is of a weight selected so as to apply a sufficient force on said resilient contacts to conductively engage them against said cells of said solid oxide fuel cells when said device overlies said surface of said solid oxide fuel cell.
-
Specification