FUEL CELL MODULE FOR VEHICLES

• US 20100112412A1
• Filed: 01/11/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoto, Akira
• Application Number:
  US12/523,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20100112412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/515
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0411 Arrangement in the front part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0433 Arrangement under the rear seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/71 Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2475 Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell module for a vehicle, which accommodates a stacked-cell body which is provided with electric output terminals for taking electric power from stacked power generating cells in a metallic casing which has an insulation layer on its inner surface, is disposed in a vehicle front room such that the stacked direction of the power generating cells is a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the electric output terminals face the front of the vehicle. An insulating cover made of insulating rubber which is thicker than an insulation layer of a cover is disposed on the exterior surface of the electric output terminals to prevent short circuiting of the electric output terminals.

Claims

1. A fuel cell module for a vehicle including a stacked-cell body which is provided with electric output terminals for taking electric power from stacked power generating cells, and a metallic casing which has an insulation layer on its inner surface and accommodates the stacked-cell body, wherein:

an insulator which is made of insulating rubber or an insulating resin and thicker than the insulation layer is disposed between the insulation layer and the electric output terminals.

2. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the stacked-cell body is disposed in the vehicle front room, the power generating cells are stacked in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the electric output terminals are oriented facing towards the front of the vehicle.

4. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the insulator is an insulating cover which covers the electric output terminals.

5. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the insulator is an insulating plate which is disposed on the inner surface of the casing.

6. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the insulating plate is fixed to a tightening member for the stacked-cell body.

3. (canceled)

7. A fuel cell module for a vehicle, including:

a stacked-cell body which is provided with a positive electric output terminal having a voltage higher than a ground electric potential and a negative electric output terminal having a voltage lower than the ground potential, and

a metallic casing which has an insulation layer on its inner surface, accommodates the stacked-cell body and has the same potential as the ground potential, wherein;

an insulator which is made of insulating rubber or an insulating resin and thicker than the insulation layer is disposed between the insulation layer and the individual electric output terminals.

8. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the stacked-cell body is disposed in the vehicle front room, the power generating cells are stacked in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the electric output terminals are oriented facing towards the front of the vehicle front.

10. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the insulator is an insulating cover for covering the electric output terminals.

11. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the insulator is an insulating plate which is disposed on the inner surface of the casing.

12. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the insulating plate is fixed to a tightening member for the stacked-cell body.

9. (canceled)

13. A fuel cell module for a vehicle, including:

a stacked-cell body having power generating cells stacked, and

a metallic casing for housing the stacked-cell body, wherein;

an insulator made of insulating rubber or an insulating resin is disposed between the metallic casing and the surface of the stacked-cell body opposite that of the vehicle body.

14. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein an insulator is disposed between the metallic casing and individual surfaces, which are opposed to individual side faces of the vehicle, of the individual stacked-cell bodies which accommodate a plurality of the stacked power generating cell bodies and are disposed on both side faces of the vehicle.

15. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein a thin insulating sheet thinner than the insulator is disposed between plurality of the stacked power generating cell bodies.

16. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the metallic casing has an insulation layer on its inner surface, and the insulator is thicker than the insulation layer.

17. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the metallic casing has an insulation layer on its inner surface, and the insulator is thicker than the insulation layer.

18. The fuel cell module for a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the metallic casing has an insulation layer on its inner surface, the insulator is thicker than the insulation layer, and the insulating sheet is thicker than the insulation layer.