A fuel cell removable stack positioning device

Abstract

The application relates to a fuel cell detachable stack positioning device, which comprises a frame body with a top plate arranged on the top surface, a backstop support, a top side positioning tool and a bottom side positioning frame mechanism; wherein the backstop support comprises a backstop connecting plate detachably arranged on the frame body or the top plate, and a plurality of backstop supporting lugs vertically arranged on the backstop connecting plate; the top side positioning tool comprises a positioning connecting seat, a connecting horizontal plate and a positioning bent plate connected to the positioning connecting seat in sequence, and a detachable accommodation hole horizontally continuously and vertically penetratingly arranged on the connecting horizontal plate and the positioning bent plate; the backstop supporting lug passes through the detachable accommodation hole, points to an assembly groove, and is spaced from the assembly groove; the positioning connecting seat is detachably connected with the backstop supporting lug; and the bottom side positioning frame mechanism is used for bottom side positioning and supporting of single cells. Compared with the prior art, the single cells are effectively positioned in the process of stacking and pressing, and the single cells are prevented from deviating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of fuel cell technology and relates to a detachable fuel cell stack positioning device. Background Technology

[0002] In 2003, Linde built the world's first 70MPa hydrogen refueling station for Adam Opei, marking a milestone in the entry of hydrogen as a clean energy source into the automotive industry and sparking a wave of research and development on hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen storage technologies around the world.

[0003] Fuel cells are devices that convert chemical energy into electrical energy through electrochemical reactions. However, the electrical energy generated by a single cell is insufficient to meet the power demands of everyday vehicles. Therefore, multiple cells need to be stacked in series to achieve high power output. During the stacking process, each cell is prone to misalignment, causing seal failure and affecting the lifespan of the stack. Furthermore, to confine the multiple cells within a certain space, the fuel cell stack needs to be press-fitted after stacking. This process can also cause the cells to tilt, affecting the stack's seal and contact. Therefore, effective positioning of the individual cells in the stack and reducing friction between the positioning structure and the cells are crucial for improving fuel cell performance.

[0004] In invention patent CN109103486A, a single cell passes through a limiting rod and is positioned by a limiting protrusion. After the stacking process, the positioning rod is removed, and the limiting components and limiting posts are dismantled. However, because the positioning rod passes directly through the stack core, the single cell, positioning rod, limiting components, and limiting blocks require a precise fit. This makes it difficult to remove the positioning rod after stacking. Furthermore, during the installation of the single cell and the removal of the positioning rod and limiting components, significant frictional resistance is generated between the positioning rod and the single cell, which can easily damage the single cell.

[0005] In invention patent CN112820925A, this structure limits the position of a single cell inside the casing and installs an extended limiting component on the stacking side of the casing. After stacking, the extended limiting component can be directly removed. Although this structure avoids direct contact between the limiting component and the single cell and eliminates the need to disassemble and remove the internal positioning rod, it occupies a large amount of internal space, resulting in wasted space and increasing the weight of the fuel cell stack. Furthermore, the aforementioned internal structure of the casing has rigid contact with the side of the single cell, which inevitably generates friction during vibration, affecting the lifespan of the fuel cell stack.

[0006] Therefore, how to limit the position of a single cell, facilitate the removal and replacement of the positioning components, reduce the weight of the fuel cell stack, and extend its service life has become a key problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a detachable fuel cell stack positioning device.

[0008] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0009] A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device is used to provide positioning and guidance during the stacking of single cells into a fuel cell stack. Each single cell has an assembly slot at one of its four corners.

[0010] The device includes:

[0011] The frame has a top plate on its top surface;

[0012] The support frame includes a detachable support connecting plate mounted on the frame or top plate, and multiple support lugs vertically mounted on the support connecting plate.

[0013] A top-side positioning fixture includes a positioning connecting seat, a connecting horizontal plate and a positioning curved plate sequentially connected to the positioning connecting seat, and a disassembly clearance hole that is horizontally continuous and vertically penetrating in the connecting horizontal plate and the positioning curved plate; the backing lug passes through the disassembly clearance hole, points towards the assembly groove, and is spaced apart from the assembly groove; the positioning connecting seat and the backing lug are detachably connected, so that when the two are connected, the positioning curved plate bends towards the top side of the single battery and abuts against it; when the two are separated, the top-side positioning fixture moves away from the top side of the single battery along the disassembly clearance hole, and the positioning curved plate bypasses the gap between the backing lug and the assembly groove, allowing the top-side positioning fixture to be removed; and

[0014] The bottom positioning frame mechanism is used to provide bottom-side positioning support for a single battery.

[0015] Furthermore, the aforementioned backing connecting plate is detachably mounted on the frame or top plate via bolts.

[0016] Furthermore, two sets of support brackets and top side positioning fixtures are symmetrically provided on the top plate.

[0017] Furthermore, the positioning connector and the backing lug are detachably connected by bolts.

[0018] Furthermore, the device also includes a fuel cell stack positioning fixture, which includes a support rod that is detachably connected to the backing lug and whose bottom side is adapted to the assembly groove, and a vibration damping pad located on the bottom side of the support rod.

[0019] Furthermore, the vibration-damping pad is a silicone pad.

[0020] Furthermore, the support rod and the vibration isolation pad are detachably connected by bolts.

[0021] Furthermore, the bottom positioning frame mechanism includes guide rods arranged side by side on the bottom side of the frame and adapted to the mounting slot at the bottom corner of the single battery.

[0022] Furthermore, the bottom positioning frame mechanism also includes a mounting crossbar for connecting the guide rod to the bottom side of the frame.

[0023] Furthermore, the bottom positioning frame mechanism also includes a support crossbar for connecting adjacent guide rods.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following characteristics:

[0025] 1) During the stacking and pressing process, the present invention effectively positions the single cell to prevent it from shifting; reduces the friction of the support structure on the single cell during stack vibration, extending the service life of the stack; enables the replacement of the positioning structure; only this one set of positioning tooling is needed in similar products, without the need for additional design of other structures, ensuring product consistency, guaranteeing the error rate of production stacking, improving efficiency, and saving costs.

[0026] 2) This invention provides a top-side positioning fixture with an end bent towards the single cell, and guide rods arranged side by side on the bottom side, which work in conjunction with the assembly groove at the corner of the single cell to guide the stacking assembly of the single cells, while reducing the contact between the positioning fixture and the single cell and avoiding wear. In addition, this invention can also remove the top-side positioning fixture from the device by moving away from the support ear and then rotating it around the support ear, which effectively reduces the impact on other components and effectively ensures the stacking quality of the fuel cell stack. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a detachable fuel cell stack positioning device in one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the support bracket and the top side positioning fixture;

[0029] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the support bracket and the fuel cell stack positioning fixture;

[0030] Explanation of markings in the diagram:

[0031] 1-Single battery, 101-Assembly slot, 2-Frame, 3-Mountain support bracket, 301-Mountain support connecting plate, 302-Mountain support lug, 4-Top side positioning fixture, 401-Positioning connecting seat, 402-Connecting horizontal plate, 403-Positioning bent plate, 404-Disassembly clearance hole, 5-Fuel stack positioning fixture, 501-Support rod, 502-Vibration isolation pad, 6-Guide rod, 7-Installation horizontal bar, 8-Support horizontal bar. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. These embodiments are based on the technical solution of the present invention and provide detailed implementation methods and specific operating procedures. However, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0033] Example:

[0034] A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device is provided to guide and position the individual cells 1 during the stacking process. Each individual cell 1 has an assembly slot 101 at one of its four corners. The device structure is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a frame 2 with a top plate on the top surface, two sets of support brackets 3 symmetrically arranged on the top plate, a top side positioning fixture 4, a bottom side positioning frame mechanism, and an electric stack positioning fixture 5.

[0035] Among them, the support frame 3 has the following structure: Figure 2 , 3 As shown, it includes a detachable backing connecting plate 301 mounted on the top plate, and multiple backing lugs 302 vertically mounted on the backing connecting plate 301.

[0036] Top side positioning fixture 4, structure as follows Figure 2 , 3 As shown, the device includes a positioning connector 401, a connecting horizontal plate 402 and a positioning curved plate 403 connected sequentially to the positioning connector 401, and a disassembly clearance hole 404 that is horizontally continuous and vertically penetrating on the connecting horizontal plate 402 and the positioning curved plate 403. The backrest lug 302 passes through the disassembly clearance hole 404, points towards the assembly groove 101, and has a gap between it and the assembly groove 101. The positioning connector 401 and the backrest lug 302 are detachably connected so that when the two are connected, the positioning curved plate 403 bends towards the top side of the single battery 1 and abuts against it. When the two are separated, the top positioning fixture 4 moves away from the top side of the single battery 1 along the disassembly clearance hole 404, and the positioning curved plate 403 bypasses the gap between the backrest lug 302 and the assembly groove 101, so that the top positioning fixture 4 can be removed.

[0037] In some preferred embodiments, the backing plate 301 is detachably mounted on the top plate by bolts, and the positioning connecting seat 401 and the backing lug 302 are detachably connected by bolts.

[0038] The bottom positioning frame mechanism is used to provide bottom positioning support for the single battery 1. It includes a guide rod 6 arranged side by side on the bottom side of the frame 2 and adapted to the mounting groove 101 at the bottom corner of the single battery 1, a mounting crossbar 7 for connecting the guide rod 6 to the bottom side of the frame 2, and a support crossbar 8 for connecting adjacent guide rods 6.

[0039] fuel cell stack positioning fixture 5, structure as follows Figure 4As shown, it includes a support rod 501 that is detachably connected to the backing lug 302 and whose bottom side is adapted to the mounting groove 101, and a vibration damping pad 502 provided on the bottom side of the support rod 501.

[0040] In some preferred embodiments, the vibration isolation pad 502 is a silicone pad; the support rod 501 and the vibration isolation pad 502 are detachably connected by bolts, or they can be detachably connected by an interference fit between the vertically set lugs and the opening.

[0041] In use, first fix the support bracket 3 to the top plate of the frame 2 with bolts, then fix the top side positioning fixture 4 to the support bracket 3 with bolts. Next, fix the guide rod 6, the mounting crossbar 7, and the support crossbar 8 together, and then fix them to the frame 2 with bolts. Place the single cell along the top side positioning fixture 4, handling it gently to avoid damaging the single cell. After the stacking is completed, remove the bolts from the support bracket 3 and begin removing the top side positioning fixture 4. When removing it, hold the top side positioning fixture 4 from the side with one hand, and slowly remove it from the slot with the other hand. The top-side positioning fixture 4 is moved towards the upper part and side of the shell, moving it away from the core until its three slots are close to the three lugs of the support bracket 3. Then, the top-side positioning fixture 4 is moved downwards along the support bracket 3 until its three slots are away from the lugs. Finally, the top-side positioning fixture 4 is slowly removed from the upper part of the shell. Similarly, the support crossbar 8 is removed first, followed by the guide rod 6, which can be moved to the sides to avoid damaging the individual cells. The installation crossbar 7 is then removed. Next, the three lugs of the silicone gasket are passed through the three holes of the support rod and fixed together. The support rod 501 is then fixed to the support bracket 3 with bolts. Additionally, the two sets of silicone gaskets near the upper side of the shell are fixed to the top-side positioning fixture 4 using bolts along the support bracket. The two sets of silicone gaskets away from the upper side of the shell are fixed to the frame 2 using brackets, such as the support bracket 3.

[0042] The above description of the embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand and use the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to these embodiments, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without inventive effort. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and any improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device, used for positioning and guiding during the stacking of single cells (1) into a fuel cell stack, wherein each single cell (1) is provided with an assembly slot (101) at one of its four corners; characterized in that, The device includes: The frame (2) has a top plate on its top surface; The support bracket (3) includes a support connecting plate (301) that can be detachably installed on the frame (2) or the top plate, and a plurality of support lugs (302) that are vertically installed on the support connecting plate (301); The top-side positioning fixture (4) includes a positioning connecting seat (401), a connecting horizontal plate (402) and a positioning curved plate (403) connected sequentially to the positioning connecting seat (401), and a disassembly clearance hole (404) that is horizontally continuous and vertically penetrating on the connecting horizontal plate (402) and the positioning curved plate (403); the backing lug (302) passes through the disassembly clearance hole (404), points towards the assembly groove (101), and is spaced apart from the assembly groove (101). The positioning connector (401) and the backing lug (302) are detachably connected such that when they are connected, the positioning bend (403) bends toward the top of the single battery (1) and abuts against it; when they are separated, the top positioning fixture (4) moves away from the top of the single battery (1) along the disassembly clearance hole (404), and the positioning bend (403) bypasses the gap between the backing lug (302) and the assembly groove (101), allowing the top positioning fixture (4) to be removed; and The bottom positioning frame mechanism is used to provide bottom positioning support for the single battery (1).

2. The fuel cell detachable stack positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned backing plate (301) is detachably mounted on the frame (2) or the top plate by bolts.

3. The fuel cell detachable stack positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top plate is symmetrically provided with two sets of mountain support brackets (3) and top side positioning fixtures (4).

4. The fuel cell detachable stack positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning connector (401) and the backing lug (302) are detachably connected by bolts.

5. A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a fuel cell stack positioning fixture (5), which includes a support rod (501) detachably connected to the backrest lug (302) and whose bottom side is adapted to the assembly groove (101), and a vibration damping pad (502) provided on the bottom side of the support rod (501).

6. A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vibration isolation pad (502) is a silicone pad.

7. A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support rod (501) and the vibration isolation pad (502) are detachably connected by bolts.

8. A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom positioning frame mechanism includes guide rods (6) arranged side by side on the bottom side of the frame (2) and adapted to the bottom corner mounting groove (101) of the single battery (1).

9. A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom positioning frame mechanism also includes a mounting crossbar (7) for connecting the guide rod (6) to the bottom side of the frame (2).

10. A detachable fuel cell stack positioning device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom positioning frame mechanism also includes a support crossbar (8) for connecting adjacent guide rods (6).

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