FUEL CELL ASSEMBLY AND VEHICLE

• US 20120028135A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohashi, Yasuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,932,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/400
• 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 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0053 relating to fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/71 Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/72 Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/16 for vehicles comprising converters between the power source and the motor
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/20 Floors or bottom sub-units sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/247 Arrangements for tightening a stack, for accommodation of a stack in a tank or for assembling different tanks
• 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 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

Provided is a mounting structure of a fuel cell system capable of withstanding a collision from the side face of a fuel cell vehicle. The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell unit for housing a fuel cell, and a protective structure having a mounting surface for mounting the fuel cell unit. The protective structure includes sloping frames provided obliquely relative to the mounting surface at a position opposing at least one side face of the fuel cell unit. Since the protective structure has the sloping frames as the structural objects to be subjected to the impact of the collision from the side face, the protection of the entire height of the fuel cell unit is realized by the lightest structural objects.

Claims

1. A fuel cell assembly, comprising:

a fuel cell unit configured to house a fuel cell; and

a protective structure having a mounting surface configured to mount the fuel cell unit,

the protective structure including a sloping frame provided obliquely relative to the mounting surface at a position opposing at least one side face of the fuel cell unit,

the fuel cell unit having an inclined flange that is provided on the at least one side face and is inclined relative to the surface mounted on the protective structure, and

the protective structure and the fuel cell unit being mounted so that the side face to which the inclined flange of the fuel cell unit is provided opposes the sloping frame of the protective structure, and so that the sloping frame and the inclined flange intersect when viewed from the side.

3. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 1,

wherein at least one face of the fuel cell unit is provided with a relief shape.

4. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the fuel cell assembly is mounted on a vehicle, and

the fuel cell assembly is mounted on the vehicle so that the sloping frame of the protective structure faces a side direction of the vehicle.

5. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 4,

wherein the protective structure is fastened to a reinforcing frame configuring a part of a frame structure of the vehicle, and

the reinforcing frame and the protective structure are fastened with a bracket which increases a fastening strength.

6. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 4,

wherein the protective structure is provided with a related component of the fuel cell on a side that is opposite to a forward travel direction of the vehicle.

7. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the mounting surface of the protective structure is provided with a panel.

8. The fuel cell assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the fuel cell unit further houses a power source related device.

2. (canceled)

9. (canceled)