Fuel cell

Abstract

The utility model provides a fuel cell which comprises a shell with a cavity, a plurality of fuel cells and a plurality of fuel cells, the reactor core is positioned in the cavity; the supporting piece is fixedly connected with the bottom surface of the shell and is positioned between the shell and the reactor core, the extending direction of the supporting piece is the same as that of the reactor core, and the supporting piece is made of a non-Newtonian fluid material. According to the technical scheme provided by the utility model, the problem that the reactor core is easily extruded and deformed by the anti-collapse waist rod at the bottom when the fuel cell is impacted in the prior art can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and more specifically, to a fuel cell. Background Art

[0002] A fuel cell can directly convert the chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy, and has the advantages of high energy density, high efficiency, environmental friendliness, etc., and has received extensive attention in recent years. How to prevent the core of the stack from being misaligned under external impact is a technical problem.

[0003] In the prior art, a rigid anti-collapse waist bar is added between the core and the housing to prevent the core from being misaligned under external impact. The anti-collapse waist bar is made of a rigid material, which easily causes deformation of the outer edges of the membrane electrode and the bipolar plate, making the adjacent bipolar plates contact, and then resulting in insulation failure. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] The utility model provides a fuel cell to solve the problem that the core of the fuel cell in the prior art is easily squeezed and deformed by the anti-collapse waist bar at the bottom when being impacted.

[0005] The utility model provides a fuel cell, which includes: a housing having a cavity; a core located in the cavity; a support member fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the housing and located between the housing and the core, the extending direction of the support member being the same as that of the core, and the support member being made of a non-Newtonian fluid material.

[0006] Further, one side of the bottom surface facing the support member has a first protrusion, and there is a clamping structure between the support member and the first protrusion, and the support member is fixedly connected to the first protrusion through the clamping structure.

[0007] Further, one end of the support member facing the first protrusion has a first groove, and the first protrusion is located in the first groove, and the first protrusion and the first groove cooperate to form a clamping structure.

[0008] Further, a limiting structure is provided between the first protrusion and the support member to limit the relative movement of the support member with respect to the first protrusion.

[0009] Further, the side wall of the first protrusion has a second groove, and the side wall of the first groove has a second protrusion, and the second protrusion is located in the second groove, and the second protrusion and the second groove cooperate to form a limiting structure.

[0010] Further, the fuel cell includes a plurality of support members, and the plurality of support members are arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the first protrusion on the first protrusion.

[0011] Further, one end of the support member facing the core has a third groove, and the bottom of the third groove is connected to the bottom surface through a fastener.

[0012] Further, the support member has a plurality of third grooves, the plurality of third grooves are arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the support member, a plurality of fasteners are provided, and the plurality of fasteners are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of third grooves.

[0013] Further, there are a plurality of support members, and the plurality of support members are arranged at intervals on the bottom surface.

[0014] Further, the support member abuts against the core; or, there is a gap between the support member and the core, wherein the gap is greater than 0 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm.

[0015] Applying the technical solution of the present utility model, a support member is provided at the bottom of the housing to support the core in the cavity. The core is composed of a plurality of battery units, and the plurality of battery units are arranged along the extending direction of the core. The extending direction of the support member is the same as the extending direction of the core. In this way, the support member can prevent the adjacent battery units from being misaligned when the housing is subjected to an external impact, thereby preventing the core from collapsing and deforming. Moreover, the support member is made of a non-Newtonian fluid material, which can ensure providing support force and buffering for the core, reducing the extrusion of the impact on the core, greatly reducing the possibility of core deformation, and further reducing the risk of insulation failure of the core to ensure the normal operation of the fuel cell. Description of the Drawings

[0016] The specification drawings forming a part of this application are used to provide a further understanding of the present utility model. The schematic embodiments of the present utility model and their descriptions are used to explain the present utility model and do not constitute an improper limitation to the present utility model. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 Shows a schematic assembly diagram of the housing and the support member from a top view provided in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 Shows a partial structural diagram of the fuel cell provided in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0019] Figure 3 Shows a cross-sectional view of the fuel cell provided in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0020] Figure 4 Shows a partial cross-sectional view of the fuel cell provided in Embodiment 2 of the present utility model.

[0021] Among them, the above-mentioned drawings include the following reference numerals:

[0022] 10. Housing;

[0023] 11. Cavity;

[0024] 12. Bottom surface;

[0025] 121. First protrusion;

[0026] 20. Core;

[0027] 30. Support member;

[0028] 31. First groove;

[0029] 32. Third groove;

[0030] 40. Fastener. Detailed implementation manner

[0031] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is actually only illustrative and in no way limits the present invention and its application or use. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] As Figures 1 to 3 shown, Embodiment 1 of the present invention provides a fuel cell, which includes: a housing 10, a core 20, and a support member 30. Among them, the housing 10 has a cavity 11. The core 20 is located in the cavity 11. The support member 30 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface 12 of the housing 10 and is located between the housing 10 and the core 20. The extending direction of the support member 30 is the same as the extending direction of the core 20, and the support member 30 is made of a non-Newtonian fluid material.

[0033] Applying the technical solution of the present invention, a support member 30 is provided at the bottom of the housing 10 to support the core 20 in the cavity 11. The core 20 is composed of a plurality of battery units, and the plurality of battery units are arranged along the extending direction of the core 20. The extending direction of the support member 30 is the same as the extending direction of the core 20. In this way, the support member 30 can prevent adjacent battery units from being misaligned when the housing 10 is subjected to an external impact, thereby preventing the core 20 from collapsing and deforming. And the support member 30 is made of a non-Newtonian fluid material, which can ensure that it provides a support force and buffering for the core 20, reduce the extrusion of the impact on the core 20, greatly reduce the possibility of deformation of the core 20, and further reduce the risk of insulation failure of the core 20 to ensure the normal operation of the fuel cell.

[0034] In this embodiment, the extending direction of the support member 30 is the length direction of the support member 30. As Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, the length direction of the support member 30 is the direction where the Y axis is located.

[0035] Among them, there is no limitation on how the support member 30 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface 12. The support member 30 and the bottom surface 12 can be connected by fasteners, interference fit, or snap connection. As long as the support member 30 can be fixed on the bottom surface 12 to support the reactor core 20.

[0036] In this solution, there is no limitation on the specific material of the support member 30, and it can be a soft EPDM material, foam, or polyethylene material. In this embodiment, the support member 30 is made of nylon material, and the mechanical properties such as fatigue resistance and heat resistance of the nylon material are relatively high, which can provide sufficient strength and toughness for the reactor core 20 and protect the battery module from being easily damaged when subjected to external collision or extrusion.

[0037] Specifically, there is no limitation on the specific shape of the support member 30. Preferably, the side of the support member 30 facing the reactor core 20 is a plane, so that the contact area between the support member 30 and the reactor core 20 can be increased, avoiding extrusion damage to the reactor core 20 by the support member 30, and improving the stability and softness of the support of the support member 30 to ensure the normal operation of the fuel cell.

[0038] As Figure 1 shown, the side of the bottom surface 12 facing the support member 30 has a first protrusion 121, and there is a snap connection structure between the support member 30 and the first protrusion 121. In this way, the first protrusion 121 can support the support member 30, further enhancing the support strength for the reactor core 20. The support member 30 is fixedly connected to the first protrusion 121 through the snap connection structure. By using the snap connection structure for fixed connection, it can be quickly disassembled without other parts or disassembly tools, saving assembly time and being easy to operate. Moreover, the snap connection structure will not cause damage to the support member 30 and the first protrusion 121 and can be reused.

[0039] In this solution, there is no limitation on the specific structure of the first protrusion 121. The cross-section of the first protrusion 121 along the extension direction of the reactor core 20 can be square, trapezoidal, or irregular, etc., as long as it can provide a supporting force for the support member 30.

[0040] Among them, there is no limitation on the connection form between the first protrusion 121 and the bottom surface 12. The first protrusion 121 and the bottom surface 12 can be fixedly connected or integrally formed. In this application, the first protrusion 121 can be integrally formed with the bottom surface 12, so as to improve the connection stability and connection strength between the first protrusion 121 and the bottom surface 12, and further ensure the support stability for the reactor core 20.

[0041] Specifically, as Figure 3As shown, one end of the support member 30 facing the first protrusion 121 has a first groove 31, and the first protrusion 121 is located within the first groove 31. The first protrusion 121 and the first groove 31 cooperate to form a snap-fit structure. With this arrangement, the structures of the first protrusion 121 and the first groove 31 are simple, facilitating disassembly and installation, and improving the convenience of assembly. Moreover, it is convenient to process, saving the manufacturing cost of the housing 10.

[0042] In other embodiments of the present application, a groove structure may also be machined on the surface of the bottom surface 12, and a protrusion structure is provided on the support member 30, thus realizing the snap-fit cooperation between the support member 30 and the bottom surface 12.

[0043] In the present application, a limiting structure is provided between the first protrusion 121 and the support member 30 to limit the relative movement of the support member 30 with respect to the first protrusion 121. Through the above arrangement, the limiting structure can prevent the support member 30 and the first protrusion 121 from being misaligned when the housing 10 is subjected to external impacts, ensuring the stability of the connection between the support member 30 and the first protrusion 121, and further preventing the support failure of the support member 30 for the core 20.

[0044] Among them, the specific form of the limiting structure is not limited, and other limiting structures such as limiting by fasteners, wedge fit limiting, or the cooperation of protrusions and grooves can be used.

[0045] Specifically, the side wall of the first protrusion 121 has a second groove, and the side wall of the first groove 31 has a second protrusion. The second protrusion is located within the second groove, and the second protrusion and the second groove cooperate to form a limiting structure. This can reduce the misalignment or detachment between the support member 30 and the first protrusion 121 when the housing 10 is impacted, further ensuring the firm connection between the support member 30 and the first protrusion 121. Moreover, the limiting structure formed in this way has a simple design and is convenient to process. At the same time, no additional parts are required, and the installation and disassembly are more convenient.

[0046] In other embodiments, the second groove may be provided on the side wall of the first groove 31, and the second protrusion may be provided on the side wall of the first protrusion 121.

[0047] Among them, the fuel cell includes a plurality of support members 30, and the plurality of support members 30 are arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the first protrusion 121 on the first protrusion 121. Compared with the situation where the lengths of the support member 30 and the first protrusion 121 are the same, the above arrangement can reduce the material consumption and save the production cost of the fuel cell.

[0048] In other embodiments of the present application, the support member 30 may be set to have the same length as the first protrusion 121 to enhance the support strength.

[0049] In the present application, the interval of the support member 30 along the extending direction of the first protrusion 121 is not limited, and it can be selected according to the actual working conditions.

[0050] In the second embodiment provided by the present application, as Figure 4 shown, the difference from the first embodiment is that one end of the support member 30 facing the core 20 has a third groove 32, and the bottom of the third groove 32 is connected to the bottom surface 12 through a fastener 40. In this way, only mounting holes need to be processed on the bottom surface 12, and there is no need to process protrusions on the bottom surface 12, reducing the processing difficulty. And the above design increases the number of contact surfaces between the support member 30 and the core 20, which can avoid stress concentration when the core 20 is impacted and improve the uniformity of the force on the core 20.

[0051] Among them, the fastener 40 can be selected as a buckle, a screw, etc.

[0052] Preferably, the fastener 40 is made of plastic. When the core 20 works, water vapor will be generated. Water itself is conductive. Especially when there are ions in the water, after the water vapor condenses into liquid water on the metal surface, a conduction path may be formed, reducing the overall insulation performance of the fuel cell. Through the above design of the present application, when the water vapor generated by the core 20 contacts the fastener 40, it will not directly contact the bottom surface 12, reducing the risk of insulation failure due to water vapor conduction between the housing 10 and the core 20.

[0053] As Figure 4 shown, specifically, the support member 30 has a plurality of third grooves 32, and the plurality of third grooves 32 are arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the support member 30. A plurality of fasteners 40 are provided, and the plurality of fasteners 40 are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of third grooves 32. Through the above arrangement, only the third grooves 32 are processed at the positions where the fasteners 40 are provided. In this way, the support member 30 and the bottom surface 12 can be fixed, and at the same time, the structural strength of the support member 30 will not be reduced too much, ensuring the support effect of the support member 30 on the core 20.

[0054] In other embodiments of the present application, the third groove 32 can penetrate the support member 30 along the extending direction of the support member 30, and such an arrangement is convenient for processing.

[0055] In this solution, there are a plurality of support members 30, and the plurality of support members 30 are arranged at intervals on the bottom surface 12. Through the above arrangement, the support strength and stability of the core 20 can be improved, and the support effect on the core 20 can be further improved.

[0056] In the present application, the specific number of the support members 30 provided and the interval between adjacent support members 30 are not limited, and can be 1, 3, 6, 9, etc. When the length of the core 20 is between 300 mm and 500 mm, the interval between adjacent support members 30 can be set between 100 mm and 180 mm. The above numerical range can be selected and adjusted according to the actual use situation and the requirement of the support strength.

[0057] Among them, the support member 30 is adhesively connected to the core 20. In this way, the support member 30 and the core 20 have a connection relationship, further improving the support effect between the support member 30 and the core 20.

[0058] In the present application, the support member 30 may also have no connection relationship with the core 20.

[0059] In some embodiments, the support member 30 abuts against the core 20, so the assembly is convenient.

[0060] In other embodiments, the battery unit can be fixedly pressed in the housing 10 through the end plates at both ends of the core 20. There is a gap between the support member 30 and the core 20, and the gap is greater than 0 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm. If the gap between the support member 30 and the core 20 is too large, the support member 30 cannot support the core 20 in time when the fuel cell is impacted, and the support effect of the support member 30 on the core 20 is poor. In the present application, the gap between the support member 30 and the core 20 is set within the above range, so it is convenient for the installation and disassembly of the support member 30 and the core 20, and at the same time, it can also prevent the support member 30 and the core 20 from interfering with each other or squeezing the core 20 during assembly or use, resulting in deformation and damage of the core 20. Among them, the gap between the support member 30 and the core 20 can be set to 0.03 mm, 0.05 mm or 0.08 mm.

[0061] It should be noted that the terms used here are only for describing specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used here, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components and / or their combinations.

[0062] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangements, numerical expressions, and numerical values of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present utility model. At the same time, it should be understood that, for the sake of convenience of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn in actual proportional relationship. Technologies, methods, and devices known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the said technologies, methods, and devices should be regarded as part of the description. In all the examples shown and discussed here, any specific values should be construed as merely exemplary and not as a limitation. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that: like reference numerals and letters denote like items in the following drawings, and thus, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0063] In the description of the present utility model, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationships indicated by orientation terms such as "front, rear, upper, lower, left, right", "lateral, vertical, perpendicular, horizontal", and "top, bottom", etc. are generally based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present utility model and simplifying the description. Without contrary instructions, these orientation terms do not indicate and imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the protection scope of the present utility model; the orientation terms "inside, outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the contour of each component itself.

[0064] For the convenience of description, spatial relative terms such as "above...", "over...", "on the upper surface of...", "above" etc. can be used here to describe the spatial positional relationships between a device or feature shown in the drawings and other devices or features. It should be understood that the spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if the device in the drawing is inverted, the device described as "above other devices or structures" or "over other devices or structures" will then be positioned "below other devices or structures" or "under other devices or structures". Thus, the exemplary term "above..." can include both the orientations of "above..." and "below...". The device can also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and corresponding interpretations should be made for the spatial relative descriptions used here.

[0065] In addition, it should be noted that the use of words such as "first", "second", etc. to limit components is only for the convenience of differentiating the corresponding components. Without otherwise stating, the above words have no special meanings, and thus should not be construed as limiting the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0066] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. For those skilled in the art, the present utility model may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present utility model shall be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A fuel cell, characterized in that, The fuel cell includes: A housing (10) having a cavity (11); A core (20) located within the cavity (11); A support member (30) fixedly connected to the bottom surface (12) of the housing (10) and located between the housing (10) and the core (20). The extending direction of the support member (30) is the same as that of the core (20), and the support member (30) is made of a non-Newtonian fluid material.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein One side of the bottom surface (12) facing the support member (30) has a first protrusion (121). A clamping structure is provided between the support member (30) and the first protrusion (121), and the support member (30) is fixedly connected to the first protrusion (121) through the clamping structure.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein, One end of the support member (30) facing the first protrusion (121) has a first groove (31). The first protrusion (121) is located within the first groove (31), and the first protrusion (121) and the first groove (31) cooperate to form the clamping structure.

4. The fuel cell according to claim 3, characterized in that, A limiting structure is provided between the first protrusion (121) and the support member (30) to limit the relative movement of the support member (30) with respect to the first protrusion (121).

5. The fuel cell according to claim 4, characterized in that, The side wall of the first protrusion (121) has a second groove, and the side wall of the first groove (31) has a second protrusion. The second protrusion is located within the second groove, and the second protrusion and the second groove cooperate to form the limiting structure.

6. The fuel cell according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fuel cell includes a plurality of the support members (30), and the plurality of support members (30) are arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the first protrusion (121) on the first protrusion (121).

7. The fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the support member (30) facing the core (20) has a third groove (32), and the bottom of the third groove (32) is connected to the bottom surface (12) through a fastener (40).

8. The fuel cell according to claim 7, characterized in that, The support member (30) has a plurality of third grooves (32), and the plurality of third grooves (32) are arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the support member (30). A plurality of the fasteners (40) are provided, and the plurality of fasteners (40) are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of third grooves (32).

9. The fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are a plurality of the support members (30), and the plurality of support members (30) are arranged at intervals on the bottom surface (12).

10. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein: The support member (30) abuts against the core (20); or There is a gap between the support member (30) and the core (20), where the gap is greater than 0 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm.

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