Assembly for maintaining compression for electrical contact of the active area of an electrochemical cell

• US 7,261,798 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Mann, John Calvin
• Primary Examiner(s): King; Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith; Nicholas A.
• Application Number:
  US10/766,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20050164068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 204/242, 204/267, 204/283, 429/37, 429/66
• US Class Current: 204/242
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0206 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• 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: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

An electrochemical cell structure has a first fluid chamber and a resilient member disposed in the first fluid chamber. An opening permits communication of fluid into the first fluid chamber. An anode cavity and a cathode cavity are in fluid communication with the fluid chamber through the opening.

Claims

1. An electrochemical cell structure comprising:

a first fluid chamber;

a resilient member comprising an uncoiled wave spring disposed in said first fluid chamber, wherein said uncoiled wave spring is metallic and comprises a first peak, a second peak and a valley spaced between said first peak and said second peak;

an opening for permitting communication of a fluid into said first fluid chamber from one of an anode cavity and a cathode cavity; and

a second uncoiled wave spring located concentrically with said uncoiled wave spring.

2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said resilient member is electrically conductive.

3. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 including a second resilient member positioned within a second fluid chamber, said second fluid chamber in fluid communication with said one of an anode cavity and a cathode cavity and said first resilient member in fluid communication with the other of said one of an anode cavity and a cathode cavity.

4. The electrochemical cell of claim 3 wherein said first resilient member is biased to apply a first spring force in a first direction and said second resilient member is biased to apply a second spring force in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

5. An electrochemical cell structure comprising:

a spring; and

a spring frame for positioning said spring relative to an electrochemical cavity wherein said spring frame has a side facing toward said electrochemical cavity and another side facing away from said electrochemical cavity and at least one spring frame opening that extends between said sides for receiving said spring and permitting fluid flow between said sides, wherein said spring frame opening comprises a plurality of ribs.

6. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 wherein each of said plurality of ribs extends generally radially from a center of said spring frame.

7. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 wherein said spring comprises a wave spring having a first peak, a second peak and a valley spaced between said first peak and said second peak.

8. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 wherein said spring comprises a first circular spring and a second circular spring, said first circular spring generally concentric with said second circular spring.

9. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 wherein said spring and said spring frame are electrically conductive.

10. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 further comprising a separator plate adjacent said spring frame and moveable relative to said spring frame.

11. An electrochemical cell structure comprising:

a spring; and

a spring frame for positioning said spring relative to an electrochemical cavity wherein said spring frame has a side facing toward said electrochemical cavity and another side facing away from said electrochemical cavity and at least one spring frame opening that extends between said sides for receiving said spring and permitting fluid flow between said sides, wherein said at least one spring frame opening comprises an annular channel and said annular channel comprises a plurality of ribs spaced circumferentially within said annular channel.

12. The electrochemical cell of claim 11 wherein said spring is interlaced among said plurality of ribs such that said spring passes alternately over and under said plurality of ribs to resist circumferential movement of said spring relative to said spring frame.

13. An electrochemical cell structure comprising:

a first fluid chamber;

a resilient member comprising an uncoiled wave spring disposed in said first fluid chamber, wherein said uncoiled wave spring is metallic and comprises a first peak, a second peak and a valley spaced between said first peak and said second peak, and wherein said uncoiled wave spring is an annular structure, and the first peak, the second peak, and the valley extend out of a plane of the annular structure;

an opening for permitting communication of a fluid into said first fluid chamber from one of an anode cavity and a cathode cavity.