Fuel cell component

• US 20040247951A1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inagaki, Toshiyuki, Zeng, Yixin, Hibino, Kouetsu, Yagami, Yuichi, Niimi, Harushisa, Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Takahashi, Tsuyoshi, Asai, Yasuyuki, Wada, Mikio, Ochi, Tsutomu, Kajio, Katsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,754,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/12
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/02 Details electrodes H01M4/86 - H01M4/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0271 Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2425 High-temperature cells with solid electrolytes
• 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

A fuel cell (10) includes a lamination (11) of a plurality of unit cells (30), current collector plates (12, 12) arranged at both ends of the lamination (11), end plates 16, 16 respectively provided outside the current collector plates (12, 12) with 5 insulating plates (14, 14) interposed therebetween, and fastening members (18) for fastening the end plates (16, 16) in the laminating direction to apply desired pressing force to the lamination (11). A barcode (41) corresponding to particular information relating to a unit cell (30) is provided on the exposed side surface of a separator (38) of the unit cell (30). According to this fuel cell (10), the barcode 41 can be easily read requiring no disassembly of the fuel cell (10). Moreover, as the information relating to the fuel cell can be obtained from the barcode (41), the information that cannot be determined from outer appearance can be obtained, resulting in improved service operations.

Claims

1. A fuel cell component of a fuel cell [[(10)]], comprising:

a retrieval code that is correlated to particular information relating to the fuel cell [[(10)]], the retrieval code being provided on an exposed surface of the fuel cell component so as to be accessible from outside of the fuel cell component.

2. A fuel cell component according to claim 1, wherein the retrieval code comprises at least one of an optically readable code, a magnetically readable code, an electrically readable code, and a mechanically readable code.

3. A fuel cell component according to claim 2, wherein the retrieval code comprises at least one of a bar code [[(41)]], a pattern having a concave portion [[(42)]], a magnetic tape [[(43)]], and an IC chip [[(44, 45)]].

4. A fuel cell component according to claim 1 [[or 2]], wherein the fuel cell component comprises a unit cell [[(30)]] formed by interposing a solid electrolyte membrane [[(31)]] between separators via an electrode, and the information relating to the fuel cell contains data relating to the unit cell [[(30)]].

5. A fuel cell component according to claim 4, wherein the retrieval code is provided on one of the separators [[(36, 38)]] of the unit cell.

6. A fuel cell component according to claim 1 [[or 2]], wherein the fuel cell component comprises a cell lamination [[(11)]] formed by laminating a plurality of the unit cells [[(30)]] each including a solid electrolyte membrane [[(31)]] interposed between separators [[(36, 38)]] via an electrode [[(45a)]], and the information relating to the fuel cell [[(10)]] contains data relating to the cell lamination [[(11)]].

7. A fuel cell component according to claim 6, wherein the retrieval code is provided on at least one portion of the cell lamination [[(11)]].

21. A fuel cell assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 20 claim 1, wherein the information contains at least one of output characteristics, charging/discharging characteristics, past usage record, manufacturing record, maintenance record, and chronological change in behavior.

8. A fuel cell component of a fuel cell [[(10)]], comprising:

a specific information indicator that is correlated to a particular information relating to the fuel cell [[(10)]], the specific information indicator being provided on an exposed surface of the fuel cell component so as to be accessible from outside of the fuel cell component.

9. A fuel cell component according to claim 8, wherein the fuel cell component comprises a unit cell [[(3)]] formed by interposing a solid electrolyte membrane [[(31)]] between separators via an electrode, and the information relating to the fuel cell contains data relating to the unit cell [[(30)]].

10. A fuel cell component according to claim 9, wherein the specific information indicator is provided on one of the separators [[(36, 38)]] of the unit cell.

11. A fuel cell component according to claim 8, wherein the fuel cell component comprises a cell lamination [[(11)]] formed by laminating a plurality of the unit cells [[(30)]] each including a solid electrolyte membrane [[(31)]] interposed between separators [[(36, 38)]] via an electrode [[(45a)]], and the information relating to the fuel cell [[(10)]] contains data relating to the cell lamination [[(11)]].

12. A cuel cell component according to claim 11, wherein the specific information indicator is provided on at least one portion of the cell lamination [[(11)]].

22. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 8, wherein the information contains at least one of output characteristics charging/discharging characteristics, past usage record, manufacturing record, maintenance record, and chronological change in behavior.

13. A fuel cell component of a fuel cell [[(10)]], comprising:

a specific information identifying element that is correlated to particular information relating to the fuel cell [[(10)]], the specific information identifying element being provided on an exposed surface of the fuel cell component so as to be accessible from outside of the fuel cell component.

23. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 13, wherein the information contains at least one of output characteristics, charging/discharging characteristics, past usage record, manufacturing record, maintenance record, and chronological change in behavior.

14. A fuel cell component of a fuel cell [[(10)]], comprising:

a data storage medium that stores particular information relating to the fuel cell [[(10)]], the data storage medium being provided on an exposed surface of the fuel cell component so as to be accessible from outside of the fuel cell component.

15. A fuel cell component according to claim 14, wherein the data storage medium allows at least one of update and addition of the information.

16. A fuel cell component according to claim 15, wherein the data storage medium comprises an IC chip [[(44, 45)]].

17. A fuel cell component according to claim 14 [[or 15]], wherein the fuel cell component comprises a unit cell [[(30)]] formed by interposing a solid electrolyte membrane [[(31)]] between separators [[(36, 38)]] via an electrode [[(45a)]], and the information relating to the fuel cell [[(10)]] contains data relating to the unit cell [[(30)]].

18. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 17, wherein the data storage medium is provided on one of the separators [[(36, 38)]] of the unit cell [[(30)]].

19. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 14 [[or 15]], wherein the fuel cell [[(10)]] comprises a cell lamination [[(11)]] formed by laminating a plurality of the unit cells [[(30)]] each including a solid electrolyte membrane [[(31)]] interposed between separators [[(36, 38)]] via an electrode [[(45a)]], and the information relating to the fuel cell [[(10)]] contains data relating to the cell lamination [[(11)]].

20. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 19, wherein the data storage medium is provided on at least one portion of the cell lamination.

24. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 14, wherein the information contains at least one of output characteristics charging/discharging characteristics, past usage record, manufacturing record, maintenance record, and chronological change in behavior.