Fuel cell stack, installation structure of fuel cell stack, method of transporting fuel cell stack, and method of mounting fuel cell stack on vehicle

• US 7,851,101 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US11/883,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20080166600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/469
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2465 Details of groupings of fuel cells
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

In order to easily transport a fuel cell stack, without increasing costs, the fuel cell stack according to the present invention includes a stack body 5 in which end plates 8, 8 are arranged at both ends in a cell lamination direction, and suspension hangers 10 provided on the end plates 8, 8. The suspension hangers 10 project outward from a case 6 in which the stack body 5 is stored. With this arrangement, the fuel cell stack can be suspended from outside the case 6, and transported. Also using the suspension hangers 10, this fuel cell stack can be secured in a predetermined installation location.

Claims

1. A fuel cell stack comprising:

a stack body including a pile of fuel cells,

wherein the stack body includes;

a rigid member being capable of bearing transportation of the fuel cell stack; and

an engagement portion for engaging with a transporting apparatus, the engagement portion being attached to the rigid member so that a cell lamination direction of the stack body is substantially a horizontal direction during the transportation;

wherein the engagement portion is a suspension hanger for suspending the stack body,

wherein the suspension hanger includes a hooked portion.

4. A fuel cell stack according to claim 1,

wherein the fuel cell stack has a parallelepiped shape and three sides in three dimensions that form an outer contour of the fuel cell stack, and at least one of relationships Ll>

H and L2>

H is established, where among the three sides, H denotes a length of one side that is substantially aligned with the force of gravity during transportation and Ll and L2 denote lengths of the two remaining sides.

5. A fuel cell stack according to claim 1, wherein

the stack body includes a bolt extending through the suspension hanger horizontally for securing the suspension hanger to the rigid member.

9. A fuel cell stack installation structure wherein a fuel cell stack according to claim 1 is installed and secured in place using the engagement portion.

10. A method for transporting a fuel cell stack according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell stack is transported by being suspended using the engagement portion.

11. A method for mounting, in a vehicle, a fuel cell stack according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell stack is mounted in the vehicle by being suspended using the engagement portion.

12. A method for mounting a fuel cell stack in a vehicle, according to claim 11, wherein after the mounting in the vehicle has been completed, the engagement portion is removed from the fuel cell stack.

2. A fuel cell stack comprising:

a stack body having a pile of fuel cells;

wherein the stack body includes;

a rigid member being capable of bearing transportation of the fuel cell stack;

a suspension hanger for suspending the stack body, the suspension hanger provided with the rigid member to be capable of pivot; and

a rotation prevention structure for preventing the suspension hanger from pivoting relative to the rigid member during transportation,

wherein the rotation prevention structure is configured to prevent rotation of the suspension hanger in and of itself.

3. A fuel cell stack according to claim 2,

wherein the rotation prevention structure comprises a projection formed on the rigid member;

and

wherein the projection prevents the suspension hanger from pivoting when brought into contact with the suspension hanger during transportation.

6. A fuel cell stack comprising:

a stack body having a pile of fuel cells,

wherein the stack body includes;

rigid members arranged at both ends in a cell lamination direction and being capable of bearing transportation of the fuel cell stack; and

engagement portions provided with the rigid members and electrically insulated from the rigid members, the engagement portion engaging with a transporting apparatus,

wherein the engagement portions are suspension hangers for suspending the stack body,

wherein the suspension hanger includes a hooked portion.

7. A fuel cell stack comprising:

a stack body having a pile of fuel cells, and

a case in which the stack body is stored;

wherein the stack body includes;

a rigid member being capable of bearing transportation of the fuel cell stack;

wherein a suspension hanger for suspending the stack body is attached to the rigid member; and

wherein the suspension hanger includes a hooked portion that is projected outside the case.

8. A fuel cell stack comprising:

a stack body having a pile of fuel cells, and

a case in which the stack body is stored;

wherein the stack body includes;

a rigid member being capable of bearing transportation of the fuel cell stack;

wherein suspension hangers for suspending the stack body are attached to the rigid members;

wherein the suspension hangers include hooked portions to be put on suspension means, and the suspension hangers are secured in pairs at a plurality of locations on the stack body; and

wherein the hooked portions of the suspension hangers of the pair face in opposite directions to each other.