Stack distributor

Abstract

A stack manifold includes: a first end plate of a pair of end plates that sandwich a cell laminate in a thickness direction; and a pipe member formed of a thermoplastic resin and attached to the first end plate. The first end plate includes: a plate body formed of a high-strength material and having a through-hole extending therethrough in the thickness direction and communicating with a fluid flow hole of the cell laminate; and a resin part formed of a thermoplastic resin and integrated with the plate body. The resin part includes a coating part including: a tubular part disposed in contact with an inner peripheral surface defining the through-hole in the plate body; and a flange part exposed on an outer side in the thickness direction from an outer end of the plate body in the thickness direction.The plate body and the coating part have a limiting structure for limiting outward deformation of the flange part in the thickness direction.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a stack manifold used, for example, for a fuel cell stack. BACKGROUND

[0002] Conventionally, stack manifolds used for fuel cell stacks are known (e.g., JP 6 657 974 B and JP 6 776 969 B). Each of such stack manifolds includes a first end plate, which is one of a pair of end plates between which a cell laminate is sandwiched in a thickness direction. The first end plate includes a plate-shaped metal plate and resin parts provided on one end surface in the thickness direction of the metal plate. The metal plate has a plurality of through-holes formed therethrough in the thickness direction. Each of the resin parts covers an inner peripheral surface defining the corresponding through-hole in the metal plate.

[0003] For a stack manifold described in JP 6 657 974 B, a metal plate is inserted into a mold, and then resin is injected into the mold, thereby forming a first end plate in which the metal plate and the resin parts are integral with each other. In addition, a stack manifold described in JP 6 776 969 B has a structure that prevents the generation of a gap between a metal plate and respective resin parts of a first end plate due to thermal shrinkage after molding the resin part (so-called resin floating).In this structure, the resin part includes: a body part extending in a thickness direction along an inner peripheral surface defining a through hole in the metal plate; a flange part extending outward in a radial direction from an outer end part in the thickness direction of the body part; and a bent part bent from an outer end part in the radial direction of the flange part and extending inward in the thickness direction. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0004] However, the structure of the above stack manifold described in JP 6 776 969 B is provided with only the bent part extending inward in the thickness direction from the outer end part in the radial direction of the flange part of the end plate. Thus, when the flange part of the resin part receives a force causing outward deformation in the thickness direction thereof due to the occurrence of thermal shrinkage after molding the resin part as described above, the bent part is easily moved in the thickness direction from a depressed groove part of the metal plate by the force. Therefore, it is difficult to sufficiently limit the deformation of the flange part. Accordingly, there is a concern that the end plate will further exhibit resin floating due to thermal shrinkage.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of these circumstances, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a stack manifold in which an end plate is prevented from further exhibiting resin floating. SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a stack manifold comprising: a first end plate, which is one of a pair of end plates, between which a cell laminate obtained by stacking a plurality of plate-shaped individual cells in a thickness direction is arranged in the thickness direction; and a tubular pipe member attached to the first end plate. The pipe member is formed of a thermoplastic resin.The first end plate includes: a plate body formed of a high-strength material other than a thermoplastic resin, the plate body being provided with a through-hole penetrating the plate body in the thickness direction, the through-hole communicating with a flow hole formed in the cell laminate as a passage through which a fluid flows; and a resin part formed of a thermoplastic resin and integrated with the plate body. The resin part includes a tubular coating part (covering part) covering an inner peripheral surface defining the through-hole in the plate body.The coating part includes: a tubular part extending in the thickness direction and arranged in contact with the inner peripheral surface defining the through hole in the plate body; and a flange part exposed on an outer side in the thickness direction from an outer end in the thickness direction of the plate body, the flange part extending outward in a radial direction from an end part in the thickness direction of the tubular part, the flange part having an outer end surface in the thickness direction with which the pipe member is in contact. The plate body and the coating part have a restriction structure in which deformation of the radially outer end part of the flange part is restricted outward in the thickness direction.

[0007] This configuration prevents the end plate from further resin floating. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view (part of which is an exploded perspective view) of a fuel cell stack having a stack manifold according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the stack distributor according to the present embodiment. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the part indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 2 is specified. Fig. 4 is a front view of a first end plate of the stack distributor according to the present embodiment. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along VV in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows the part indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 5, where (A) is Fig. Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an undercut part without an avoidance part in the plate body, wherein (B) in Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an avoidance part in the plate body. Fig. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the part indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 4 is specified. Fig. 8 is a configuration diagram of a machining cutting tool for forming the undercut part by cutting the plate body. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a stack distributor according to a modification of the present disclosure. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0008] In the following, a specific embodiment and a modification of the stack distributor according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 9 described.

[0009] A stack manifold 10 according to the present embodiment is a manifold that can be applied to a fuel cell stack 1. The fuel cell stack 1 is, for example, a device for generating power through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The fuel cell stack 1 is mounted in a fuel cell vehicle (FCV). As shown in Fig. 1, the fuel cell stack 1 comprises a cell laminate 20, a pair of end plates 30 and 40, and a plurality of tube components 50.

[0010] The cell laminate 20 is a structure in which a plurality of plate-shaped individual cells are stacked in a thickness direction. The cell laminate 20 includes a plurality of individual cells 21, a pair of closure members 22, and a pair of insulation members 23.

[0011] Each of the individual cells 21 is a component constituting a minimum unit of a battery. The individual cell 21 is formed in the shape of a plate or a sheet. The cell laminate 20 has a structure in which, in a state where the plurality of individual cells 21 are stacked in the thickness direction, the terminal members 22 are arranged to be adjacent to outer sides in the thickness direction of both end parts in the thickness direction of this cell assembly, and the insulating members 23 are arranged to be adjacent to the outer sides in the thickness direction of both end parts in the thickness direction of the terminal members 22. The outer sides in the thickness direction indicate sides farther in the thickness direction from the cell laminate 20, which is regarded as a reference.

[0012] The cell laminate 20 is provided with a flow hole 25. The flow hole 25 is a hole formed in the cell laminate 20 as a passage through which a fluid flows. The cell laminate 20 is provided with a plurality of the flow holes 25. Each of the flow holes 25 is drilled into each of the individual cells 21, the end members 22, and the insulating members 23, and extends in the thickness direction of the individual cells 21. The fluid flowing through the flow hole 25 is an anode gas (e.g., a hydrogen-containing fuel gas) or a cathode gas (e.g., an oxygen-containing fuel gas) to be used for generating power, or a cooling medium (e.g., cooling water) for cooling the cell laminate 20. The shapes, sizes, and diameters of the respective flow holes 25 may differ within the flow holes 25, or may be adjusted according to the fluid flowing therethrough.

[0013] The provided flow holes 25 are: a supply path for supplying the anode gas to the interior; a supply path for supplying the cathode gas to an interior; a supply path for supplying the cooling medium to the interior; a supply path for discharging the anode gas to the exterior; a supply path for discharging the cathode gas to the exterior; and a supply path for discharging the cooling medium to the exterior.

[0014] The two end plates 30 and 40 are components between which the cell laminate 20 is arranged in the thickness direction of the individual cells 21. Each of the end plates 30 and 40 is formed in the shape of a plate or a sheet. Each of the end plates 30 and 40 is formed to have a thickness necessary to obtain a sufficient force for confinement when the cell laminate 20 is arranged between the pair of end plates 30 and 40. One of the end plates, ie, the end plate 30, is arranged to be adjacent to the front side (the nearer side in Fig. 1). The other end plate 40 is arranged so that it is closer to the back side (the far side in the thickness direction of the individual cells 21) Fig. 1) is.

[0015] The disposing of the cell laminate 20 between the pair of end plates 30 and 40 may be performed by accommodating the cell laminate 20 and the pair of end plates 30 and 40 in a receiving container, or it may be performed by fixing the cell laminate 20 and the pair of end plates 30 and 40 by fixing members.

[0016] One end plate 30 is an end plate to which the pipe components 50 are attached. The other end plate 40 is an end plate to which the pipe components 50 are not attached. Hereinafter, one end plate 30 is referred to as the "first end plate 30," and the other end plate 40 is referred to as the "second end plate 40" if attached.

[0017] The second end plate 40 is formed of a high-strength material. The high-strength material of the second end plate 40 is a material other than a thermoplastic resin and has higher strength than a thermoplastic resin of the tubular components 50 described below and a thermoplastic resin of each resin part 32 described below. The high-strength material of the second end plate 40 is formed, for example, by a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, a sintered body such as a ceramic, or a fiber-reinforced thermosetting resin such as CFRP.

[0018] Each of the pipe components 50 is a pipe attached (fixed) to the first end plate 30. The plurality of pipe components 50 are provided in correspondence with the plurality of flow holes 25. The pipe components 50 constitute the manifold. Each of the pipe components 50 is formed in a cylindrical or polygonal tubular shape. The pipe component 50 is formed straight or curved. The pipe component 50 is formed of a thermoplastic resin. The material of the pipe component 50 is, for example, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polypropylene (PP), polyamide 6T (PA6T), polyamide 9T (PA9T), or the like.

[0019] Each of the tube components 50 has one end attached to the first end plate 30. The tube component 50 has another end connected to a gas supply source or a gas collection part. The anode gas, the cathode gas, or the cooling medium flows through the tube component 50. The first end plate 30 and the tube components 50 are components that form the stack manifold 10. That is, the stack manifold 10 includes the first end plate 30 and the tube components 50.

[0020] The first end plate 30 includes a plate body 31 and the resin parts 32. The plate body 31 is a plate-shaped member as a body part of the first end plate 30. The plate body 31 is formed of a high-strength material. The high-strength material of the plate body 31 is a material other than a thermoplastic resin and has higher strength than the thermoplastic resin of the above-described pipe components 50 and a thermoplastic resin of the resin parts 32 described below. The high-strength material of the plate body 31 is formed, for example, by a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, a sintered body such as a ceramic, or a fiber-reinforced thermosetting resin such as CFRP.

[0021] The plate body 31 is provided with a through-hole 33. The through-hole 33 is a hole that passes through the plate body 31 in the thickness direction. The through-hole 33 is formed to have a circular cross-section or a polygonal cross-section. The plate body 31 is provided with a plurality of through-holes 33. Each of the through-holes 33 communicates with the corresponding flow hole 25 in the cell laminate 20. The through-hole 33 serves as an outlet and an inlet with respect to the flow hole 25 in the cell laminate 20. Each of the through-holes 33 also communicates with the corresponding piping member 50. The through-hole 33 connects the inside and outside of the cell laminate 20 and allows the anode gas, the cathode gas, or the cooling medium to flow therethrough.

[0022] Each of the resin parts 32 is a resin part that is additionally attached to the plate body 31. The resin part 32 is formed of a thermoplastic resin. The material of the resin part 32 is, for example, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polypropylene (PP), polyamide 6T (PA6T), polyamide 9T (PA9T), or the like. The material of the resin part 32 can be the same as the material of the pipe component 50.

[0023] The resin part 32 is integrated with the plate body 31. The resin part 32 is molded to be integrated with the plate body 31 by injecting molten resin in a state where the plate body 31 is inserted into a mold.

[0024] Each of the resin parts 32 has as shown Fig. 2, the resin part 32 has a coating part 34. The coating part 34 is a part that covers an inner peripheral surface defining the corresponding through-hole 33 in the plate body 31. The resin part 32 may have a sealing part or the like in addition to the coating part 34 that covers the inner peripheral surface defining the through-hole 33 in the plate body 31. The coating part 34 is formed in a cylindrical shape or in the shape of a polygonal tube according to the shape of the through-hole 33. The coating part 34 is provided to extend in the thickness direction of the cell laminate 20. The first end plate 30 has a side closer to the cell laminate 20 in the thickness direction and a side farther from the cell laminate 20 in the thickness direction, and hereinafter, the former and the latter are referred to as “inner side” and “outer side,” respectively, where appropriate.

[0025] The coating part 34 is provided so as to be exposed on both the inside and outside in the thickness direction of the through-hole 33. The coating part 34 includes a tubular part 34a and a flange part 34b. The tubular part 34a is a part that extends in the thickness direction to have a tubular shape. The tubular part 34a is arranged in contact with the inner peripheral surface defining the through-hole 33 in the plate body 31. The tubular part 34a is provided for each of the through-holes 33.

[0026] The flange part 34b is a part that extends outward in a radial direction from an end part in the thickness direction of the tubular part 34a. The radial direction refers to a direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the tubular part 34a (ie, the thickness direction of the individual cells 21). The flange part 34b is formed in a ring shape around the through-hole 33. The flange part 34b is exposed on the outer side in the thickness direction from an outer end in the thickness direction of the plate body 31 (more precisely, one side of an outer opening of the through-hole 33). The flange part 34b is provided for each of the through-holes 33.

[0027] The plate body 31 has recessed groove portions 35. Each of the recessed groove portions 35 is a groove into which the corresponding flange portion 34b is fitted. The recessed groove portion 35 is formed integrally with the through-hole 33 and extends outward in the radial direction from an outer end portion in the thickness direction of the through-hole 33. The flange portion 34b is exposed on an outer end surface thereof in the thickness direction in a state where it is fitted into the recessed groove portion 35, on the outer side in the thickness direction.

[0028] Each of the above-described pipe components 50 is attached to the corresponding flange portion 34b. One end of the pipe component 50 is in contact with the outer end surface in the thickness direction of the flange portion 34b. The flange portion 34b and the pipe component 50 are connected to each other. The connection is made, for example, by a method such as vibration welding, thermal welding, adhesive bonding, or the like.

[0029] The plate body 31 and the coating part 34 of the first end plate 30 have, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, a restricting structure 60 is shown. The restricting structure 60 denotes a structure in which deformation of the flange part 34b, which is exposed on the outer side in the thickness direction from the outer end in the thickness direction of the plate body 31, is restricted outward in the thickness direction of the flange part 34b. More specifically, the restricting structure 60 is a recess-projection structure formed on the plate body 31 and the coating part 34. The restricting structure 60 includes a projection part 61 projecting in the radial direction and a recess part 62 depressed in the radial direction.

[0030] The protrusion portion 61 is provided to be integrated with the coating portion 34. The protrusion portion 61 is formed at an outer end in the radial direction of the flange portion 34b of the coating portion 34. The protrusion portion 61 is provided to be continuous with the flange portion 34b. The protrusion portion 61 protrudes outward in the radial direction from a position on the inner side in the thickness direction relative to an outer end in the thickness direction of a radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b. That is, the flange portion 34b has a radially outer end portion formed in a step shape from an outer end thereof to an inner end thereof in the thickness direction, so that it has a shape in which a part with a short length in the radial direction and a part with a long length in the radial direction are formed continuously with each other in this order.

[0031] A width in the thickness direction of the protrusion part 61 is set to a width sufficient to resist the deformation when the flange part 34b receives a force causing outward deformation in the thickness direction thereof at the time of thermal shrinkage after molding the resin part 32. The protrusion part 61 may protrude outward in the radial direction from a position on the outer side in the thickness direction with respect to an inner end in the thickness direction of the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange part 34b (see Fig. 3), or it may protrude so as to be continuous with an inner end surface in the thickness direction of the flange part 34b.

[0032] The protrusion portion 61 is further formed in an annular shape over an entire circumference around the through-hole 33. Alternatively, the protrusion portion 61 may be formed at one position on the entire circumference around the through-hole 33, or at two or more positions having a uniform angular positional relationship on the entire circumference around the through-hole 33, instead of being formed in an annular shape. In this case, the width in a circumferential direction of the protrusion portion 61 is set to a width sufficient so that, when the flange portion 34b receives a force causing outward deformation in the thickness direction thereof at the time of thermal shrinkage after molding the resin member 32, the deformation is resisted.

[0033] As described above, the protrusion portion 61 and the flange portion 34b are continuous with each other. Specifically, a circumferential end surface 61a of the protrusion portion 61 (particularly, the circumferential end surface 61a at the root of the protrusion portion 61) and the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b are continuous with each other. A corner where the circumferential end surface 61a of the protrusion portion 61 and the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b intersect is formed to form an obtuse angle. For example, the angle θ of the corner falls within a range of 90°<θ≤165°. This angular condition is to avoid concentration of stress between the circumferential direction end surface 61a of the protrusion part 61 and the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange part 34b due to thermal shrinkage after molding of the resin part 32.

[0034] The above angle θ more preferably falls within a range of 110°≤θ≤150°. In a structure in which the protrusion portion 61 is formed in a ring shape over the entire circumference around the through-hole 33, the above angle condition only needs to include angles forming an outer end surface in the thickness direction and an inner end surface in the thickness direction of the circumferential end surface 61a at the root of the protrusion portion 61 with respect to the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b (see Fig. 3). In a structure in which the protrusion portion 61 is formed on a limited part of the entire circumference around the through-hole 33, the above angle condition preferably includes an angle that the circumferential direction end surface 61a at the root of the protrusion portion 61 forms with respect to the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b over the entire circumference.

[0035] The recessed portion 62 is formed in the plate body 31 in the shape of a recess so as to correspond to the protrusion portion 61. More specifically, the recessed portion 62 is formed in a radially inner end surface defining the corresponding recessed groove portion 35 in the plate body 31, and is recessed outward in the radial direction from a position on the inner side in the thickness direction with respect to an outer end in the thickness direction of the radially inner end surface defining the recessed groove portion 35. The protrusion portion 61 is fitted into the recessed portion 62. The plate body 31 has a retaining portion 36.

[0036] The holding part 36 is a part that, in a state where the protrusion part 61 is fitted into the recessed part 62, faces the outer end surface in the thickness direction of the circumferential direction end surface 61a of the protrusion part 61. The holding part 36 is formed so that, in a state where the protrusion part 61 is fitted into the recessed part 62, it is located above the protrusion part 61. Thus, the holding part 36 covers the protrusion part 61 from above. The holding part 36 firmly holds the protrusion part 61, so that movement of the flange part 34b is restricted, thereby preventing the radially outer end part of the flange part 34b from moving outward in the thickness direction.

[0037] The recessed portion 62 is formed with a shape and size that allow the projection portion 61 to fit therein. The recessed portion 62 is formed in an annular shape over the entire circumference around the through-hole 33. The recessed portion 62 only needs to correspond to the projection portion 61, and if the projection portion 61 is not formed in an annular shape around the through-hole 33, the recessed portion 62 only needs to be formed in a limited part of the entire circumference around the through-hole 33, so that it conforms to the non-annular shape.

[0038] The plate body 31 has as in Fig. 6, an undercut part 37. The undercut part 37 is a part that has a shape such that it is hidden when the plate body 31 is viewed in the thickness direction, and that is formed by cutting with a machining cutting tool 70 (see Fig. 8). The undercut portion 37 extends linearly as a portion where the resin portion 32 is integrated. The undercut portion 37 is formed on the inner surface side in the thickness direction of the plate body 31, for example, being provided annularly along an outer edge of the plate body 31. The undercut portion 37 is provided to increase the strength of integration between the plate body 31 and the resin portion 32 or to ensure sealability between them.

[0039] Alternatively, the undercut portion 37 may be provided in a limited part of the entire periphery of the outer edge of the plate body 31. For example, the undercut portion 37 may be provided to avoid a position such as a position near a screw fastening hole where the thickness of the plate body 31 remaining after forming the undercut portion 37 is reduced. In this case, the undercut portion 37 may be provided to be distributed in a plurality of positions.

[0040] The undercut portion 37 has a corner formed at a position where the plate body 31 and the resin portion 32 are brought into contact with each other, and the corner is formed to have an obtuse angle. For example, the angle of the corner falls within a range of 90°<θ≤165°. This angle condition is to prevent stress concentration from occurring at a corner of the resin portion 32 due to thermal shrinkage after molding of the resin portion 32. The above angle is more preferably in a range of 110°≤θ≤150°.

[0041] The machining cutting tool 70 is a tool for forming the undercut part 37 by cutting the plate body 31. The machining cutting tool 70 has a disc-shaped cutting part 71 as shown in Fig. 8. The cutting part 71 is rotated about an axis thereof to cut the plate body 31. The machining cutting tool 70 is movable in a direction such that it moves away from or comes into contact with the plate body 31 (more specifically, the thickness direction of the plate body 31) when the plate body 31 is manufactured.

[0042] The plate body 31 has an avoidance part 38 which is Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. The avoidance part 38 is a space that allows the machining cutting tool 70 to be removed from or inserted into the undercut part 37 when forming the undercut part 37. The avoidance part 38 is provided so that contact between the machining cutting tool 70 and a component (e.g., a part 39 belonging to the plate body 31 and facing the undercut part 37 in the radial direction, as shown in Fig. 5) of the plate body 31 is avoided while the undercut portion 37 is formed in the plate body 31 using the machining cutting tool 70.

[0043] The avoidance part 38 is formed by cutting the plate body 31 in the shape of a groove so that it extends in the thickness direction. The avoidance part 38 is located at a position continuous with the undercut part 37, while avoiding a position, for example, near a screw fastening hole, where the thickness of the plate body 31 remaining after forming the undercut part 37 decreases. The machining cutting tool 70 is inserted into the avoidance part 38 from outside the plate body 31 before forming the undercut part 37. Then, the machining cutting tool 70 cuts the plate body 31 to form the undercut part 37. After that, the machining cutting tool 70 is removed from the avoidance part 38 to the outside of the plate body 31.

[0044] That is, the avoidance part 38 is provided with: an inlet through which the machining cutting tool 70 is inserted into the plate body 31 before the undercut part 37 is formed; and an outlet through which the machining cutting tool 70 is removed from the plate body 31 after the undercut part 37 is formed. The inlet and the outlet may be separate from each other or may be formed as one part.

[0045] In the above stack manifold 10, the first end plate 30 is an end plate that, together with the second end plate 40, sandwiches the cell laminate 20 and to which the pipe member 50 is attached. The first end plate 30 includes: the plate body 31 formed of a high-strength material; and the resin part 32 formed of a thermoplastic resin and integrated with the plate body 31. This resin part 32 has the tubular coating part 34 covering the inner peripheral surface defining the through-hole 33 provided in the plate body 31, the through-hole 33 communicating with the flow hole 25 of the cell laminate 20.This coating part 34 includes: the tubular part 34a in contact with the inner peripheral surface defining the through-hole 33; and the flange part 34b extending outward in the radial direction from the end part in the thickness direction of the tubular part 34a, the flange part 34b being exposed on the outer side in the thickness direction from the upper opening side of the through-hole 33 in the plate body 31, the flange part 34b having an outer end surface in the thickness direction with which the tubular member 50 is in contact. Furthermore, the plate body 31 and the coating part 34 include the restriction structure 60 in which deformation of the radially outer end part of the flange part 34b outward in the thickness direction is restricted.

[0046] With the restriction structure 60 of this first end plate 30, deformation of the flange portion 34b outward in the thickness direction with respect to the plate body 31 due to thermal shrinkage of the resin portion 32 (particularly, the coating portion 34) after integrating the plate body 31 formed of a high-strength material and the resin portion 32 formed of a thermoplastic resin is restricted. Therefore, the flange portion 34b of the first end plate 30 is prevented from further exhibiting resin floating. Consequently, deformation caused by resin floating, which occurs in the pipe member 50 in contact with the flange portion 34b, is suppressed, and prevention of damage to the pipe member 50 and sealability between the pipe member 50 and the first end plate 30 are ensured.

[0047] The above restriction structure 60 includes: the protrusion portion 61 formed on the radially outer end surface of the flange portion 34b of the coating portion 34 of the resin portion 32; and the recess portion 62 formed in the shape of a recess in the plate body 31 so as to correspond to the protrusion portion 61. The protrusion portion 61 protrudes outward in the radial direction from a position on the inner side in the thickness direction with respect to the outer end in the thickness direction of the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b and is covered with the holding portion 36 of the plate body 31 from above. When the projection part 61 of the flange part 34b is fitted into the recess part 62 of the plate body 31, the projection part 61 is held by the holding part 36, thereby restricting outward movement of the radially outer end part of the flange part 34b in the thickness direction.Therefore, the restriction structure 60 enables resin floating in which the radially outer end part of the flange part 34b is deformed outward in the thickness direction from a target position in the recessed groove portion 35 with respect to the plate body 31 to be prevented from occurring.

[0048] In addition, each of the above protrusion portion 61 and the above recessed portion 62 is formed in an annular shape over the entire circumference around the through hole 33. Accordingly, deformation of the radially outer end portion of the flange portion 34b from the target position in the recessed groove portion 35 with respect to the plate body 31 in the thickness direction outward is restricted over the entire circumference of the flange 34b, and it is ensured over the entire circumference thereof that the flange portion 34b does not exhibit resin floating.

[0049] Preventing the flange portion 34b from resin floating only requires that the protrusion portion 61 projecting outward in the radial direction be formed on the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b. This configuration eliminates the need to provide a bent portion extending inward in the thickness direction from the radially outer end portion of the flange portion 34b, unlike the structure in JP 6 776 969 B described above. Thus, even when the first end plate 30 (more precisely, the plate body 31) has a small thickness, a structure for preventing resin floating is obtained.

[0050] In addition, the angle θ formed between the circumferential end surface 61a of the protrusion portion 61 and the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b, which are continuous with each other, is in the range of 90°<θ≤165°. That is, the protrusion portion 61 on the flange portion 34b is formed such that the circumferential end surface 61a of this protrusion portion 61 forms an angle θ of 90°<θ≤165° with respect to the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b. When the angle θ falls within this range, the protrusion portion 61 is prevented from being continuous with the flange portion 34b with an acute angle θ of 90° or less therebetween.

[0051] Thus, when the flange part 34b receives a force causing outward deformation in the thickness direction thereof due to thermal shrinkage after molding of the resin part 32, stress concentration at the corner between the circumferential direction end surface 61a of the protrusion part 61 and the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange part 34b is prevented, thereby preventing the root of the protrusion part 61 from being damaged or cracked.

[0052] In addition, the plate body 31, formed of a high-strength material, of the first end plate 30 of the stack distributor 10 includes the undercut portion 37, which extends linearly as a portion obtained by cutting and to which the resin portion 32 is integrated. Furthermore, the plate body 31 includes the avoidance portion 38 through which the machining cutting tool 70 for forming the undercut portion 37 is removed or inserted during the molding of the undercut portion 37.

[0053] With this configuration, in a structure in which the plate body 31 has a component that may interfere with the machining cutting tool 70, when the machining cutting tool 70 is taken out from or inserted into the plate body 31 for forming the undercut part 37, the component is taken out from or inserted into the plate body 31 while avoiding such interference, whereby the undercut part 37 is appropriately formed without such interference occurring.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the projection part 61 and the recess part 62, which form the restriction structure 60 of the first end plate 30, are provided on the coating part 34 of the resin part 32 and the plate body 31, respectively. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this embodiment, and, as shown in Fig.9, the first end plate 30 may have a restricting structure 80, the restricting structure 80 may include a protrusion portion 81 provided on the plate body 31 and a recess portion 82 provided on the coating portion 34 of the resin portion 32.

[0055] In the above modification, the protrusion portion 81 is formed on the radially inner end surface defining the recessed groove portion 35 in the plate body 31 and protrudes inward in the radial direction from a position on the outer side in the thickness direction with respect to an inner end in the thickness direction of the radially inner surface defining the recessed groove portion 35. The recessed portion 82 is formed in the shape of a recess in the coating portion 34 so as to correspond to the protrusion portion 81. More specifically, the recessed portion 82 is formed in the radially outer end surface 34c of the flange portion 34b of the coating portion 34 and is recessed inward in the radial direction from a position on the outer side in the thickness direction with respect to the inner end in the thickness direction of the radially outer end surface 34c of this flange portion 34b. The protrusion portion 81 is fitted into the recessed portion 82.

[0056] In this modification, when the protrusion portion 81 of the plate body 31 is fitted into the recess portion 82 of the coating portion 34, a portion belonging to the radially outer end portion of the flange portion 34b of the coating portion 34 and located on the inner side in the thickness direction with respect to the protrusion portion 81 is held on the protrusion portion 81, thereby restricting the movement of the portion on the inner side of the flange portion 34b outward in the thickness direction. Therefore, the restriction structure 80 enables suppression of deformation of the flange portion 34b outward in the thickness direction with respect to the plate body 31 and enables the occurrence of resin floating to be inhibited.

[0057] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment or the like, and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, for example, by extracting elements described in the embodiment and combining the elements appropriately. In addition, the description of the present disclosure discloses not only the technical concept indicated by the relationship between the originally filed claims, but also the technical concept obtained by appropriately combining the subject matters of the claims.

[0058] It is explicitly emphasized that all features disclosed in the description and / or the claims are to be considered separate and independent of each other for the purpose of the original disclosure as well as for the purpose of limiting the claimed invention, regardless of the feature combinations in the embodiments and / or the claims. It is explicitly stated that all range specifications or specifications of groups of units disclose every possible intermediate value or subgroup of units for the purpose of the original disclosure as well as for the purpose of limiting the claimed invention, in particular also as a limit of a range specification. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 6 657 974 B [0002, 0003] JP 6 776 969 B [0002, 0003, 0004, 0049]

Claims

[1] Stack distributor with: a first end plate which is one of a pair of end plates between which a cell laminate obtained by stacking a plurality of plate-shaped single cells in a thickness direction is arranged in the thickness direction; and a tubular pipe component attached to the first end plate, in which the pipe component is made of a thermoplastic resin, the first end plate a plate body formed of a high-strength material other than a thermoplastic resin, the plate body being provided with a through-hole passing therethrough in the thickness direction, the through-hole communicating with a flow hole formed in the cell laminate as a passage through which a fluid flows, and a resin part formed of a thermoplastic resin and integrated with the plate body, the resin part has a tubular coating part covering an inner peripheral surface defining the through hole in the plate body, the coating part a tubular part extending in the thickness direction and arranged in contact with the inner peripheral surface defining the through hole in the plate body, and a flange part exposed on an outer side in the thickness direction from an outer end in the thickness direction of the plate body, the flange part extending outward in a radial direction from an end part in the thickness direction of the tubular part, the flange part having an outer end surface in the thickness direction with which the pipe component is in contact, and the plate body and the coating part have a restriction structure in which deformation of a radially outer end part of the flange part in the thickness direction is restricted outwardly. [2] Stack distributor according to claim 1, in which the boundary structure a protrusion part formed on a radially outer end surface of the flange part of the coating part and protruding outward in the radial direction from a position on an inner side in the thickness direction with respect to an outer end in the thickness direction of the radially outer end surface of the flange part, and a recessed portion formed in the shape of a recess in the plate body so as to correspond to the projection portion. [3] A stack distributor according to claim 2, wherein each of the projection part and the recess part is formed in a ring shape over an entire circumference around the through hole. [4] A stack distributor according to claim 2 or 3, wherein an angle θ formed between a circumferential direction end surface of the projection part and the radially outer end surface of the flange part, which are continuous with each other, is in a range of 90°<θ≤165°. [5] Stack distributor according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the plate body an undercut part extending linearly as a part obtained by cutting and to which the resin part is integrated, and an avoidance part through which a machining cutting tool configured to form the undercut part by cutting is taken out or inserted when forming the undercut part.

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