Conveying device and conveying method

Abstract

To achieve high-precision alignment with reduced misalignment at higher speeds.SOLUTION: A conveying device that aligns a plurality of fuel cells stacked in layers includes a magazine that accommodates the plurality of fuel cells in a state of being stacked along a first direction and has one end opened in the first direction, a first screw that extends along the first direction, has a helical screw groove formed on its outer peripheral surface, and whose outer peripheral surface contacts the plurality of fuel cells from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction when the plurality of fuel cells is accommodated in the magazine, and a screw drive unit that rotates the first screw.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a technology for aligning a plurality of fuel cells. [Background technology]

[0002] A fuel cell stack is manufactured as a structure by stacking multiple fuel cells. Therefore, the process of manufacturing a fuel cell stack includes the step of stacking multiple fuel cells. Conventionally, a pick-and-place method has been used, in which a robot hand or suction pad is used to pick up cells one by one, and the picked cell is placed on top of an already placed cell, stacking the cells upward.

[0003] Patent Document 1 also discloses a configuration in which multiple cells are loaded into a stacking jig using a transport tray that has slide guides that extend to two locations near the bottom end of the cell and one location near the side end, and a gate plate that is positioned parallel to the cell at one end of the slide guide and opens and closes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-212139 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] To improve the quality of fuel cell stacks, it is necessary to align and stack multiple fuel cell units with minimal misalignment between them. Furthermore, it is necessary to achieve this highly accurate alignment with minimal misalignment at high speed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This specification discloses a transport device that aligns a plurality of stacked fuel cells. The transport device includes a magazine that stores the plurality of fuel cells in a stacked state along a first direction and has one end in the first direction that is open, a first screw that extends along the first direction and has a spiral thread groove formed on its outer circumferential surface, and the outer circumferential surface contacts the plurality of fuel cells from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction when the plurality of fuel cells are stored in the magazine, and a screw driver that rotates the first screw.

[0007] According to the above configuration, when the screw driving unit rotates the first screw, each of the plurality of fuel cell units housed in the magazine fits into the thread groove of the first screw and is transported in an aligned state toward the one end along the first direction. Furthermore, the transport speed can be adjusted by adjusting the rotation speed of the first screw. Therefore, compared to conventional methods, it is possible to align the plurality of fuel cell units with high precision and transport and stack them at high speed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the magazine from one end side in the first direction. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of the magazine from the other end side in the first direction. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing how the attitude of the transport device changes. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how a transport device transports a fuel cell. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing the state in which the screw and the fuel cell are engaged. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how the transport device transports a fuel cell with the first direction tilted. [Figure 8] A diagram showing part of a screw. [Figure 9] 10A-10C show several examples of screws. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the verification results of a plurality of verification items for each embodiment of the screw. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Each drawing is merely an example, and the present embodiment is not limited to the contents shown in the drawings. Also, since each drawing is an example, some parts may be omitted.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a simplified configuration of the magazine 10 from a perspective of one end side S1 in the first direction D1, and FIG. 2 shows a simplified configuration of the magazine 10 from a perspective of the other end side S2 in the first direction D1. FIG. 3 shows a simplified exploded perspective view of the magazine 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the magazine 10 is a member or case capable of accommodating a plurality of fuel cell units 40 stacked along the first direction D1. Each fuel cell unit 40 is formed into a plate-like shape by integrating layers such as an electrolyte membrane, a pair of electrode plates sandwiching the electrolyte membrane, and separators. Each fuel cell unit 40 is also referred to as a single cell, for example. One end of the magazine 10 in the first direction D1 is open.

[0011] A support plate 11 is provided on the other end S2 of the magazine 10. The support plate 11 is a rectangular, plate-like member that supports at least one screw. As shown in FIG. 3, the direction perpendicular to the surface of the support plate 11 is a first direction D1. The first direction D1 is also the longitudinal direction of the screw.

[0012] 1 to 3, the magazine 10 supports four screws, namely, screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d. Of course, the number of screws supported by the magazine 10 is not limited to four. Any one of the screws supported by the magazine 10 can be considered as a "first screw." Furthermore, any one of the screws supported by the magazine 10 that contacts the fuel cell 40 from a different direction than the first screw can be considered as a "second screw."

[0013] Each of the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d is rotatably supported while penetrating the support plate 11 in the first direction D1. As shown in Fig. 2, pulleys 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d are attached to the ends of the shafts of the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d that protrude beyond the support plate 11 toward the other end S2. A shaft 31 parallel to the first direction D1 is rotatably supported on the support plate 11 and protrudes from the other end S2, and a pulley 30e is attached to the shaft 31. A belt 32 with a predetermined tension is wound around the pulleys 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e.

[0014] 2 is coupled to, for example, shaft 31, and the power generated by motor 33 rotates shaft 31 and pulley 30e. The rotation of pulley 30e is transmitted to pulleys 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d via belt 32, causing pulleys 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d to rotate, respectively, resulting in synchronous rotation of screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which pulley 30e is not present, and any one of pulleys 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d rotates in synchronization with motor 33, and pulleys 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d rotate in synchronization with each other via belt 32.

[0015] The pulleys 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e, the shaft 31, the belt 32, and the motor 33 correspond to an example of a screw driving unit 34 that rotates screws including at least the first screw. However, the screw driving unit 34 may be any mechanism that can ultimately synchronously rotate one or more screws supported by the support plate unit 11, and various configurations other than the configuration shown in the figure may be adopted. In this way, the configuration including the magazine 10, one or more screws, and the screw driving unit 34 corresponds to an example of a conveying device 1 that aligns a plurality of stacked fuel cell units 40.

[0016] 1 and 3, the magazine 10 has a first side plate 12, a second side plate 13, and a third side plate 14. The first side plate 12 is a plate-like member that is aligned with the first side 11a of the support plate 11 and extends from the support plate 11 to one end side S1 in the first direction D1. Similarly, the second side plate 13 is a plate-like member that is aligned with the second side 11b of the support plate 11 and extends from the support plate 11 to one end side S1 in the first direction D1. The third side plate 14 is a plate-like member that is aligned with the third side 11c of the support plate 11 and extends from the support plate 11 to one end side S1 in the first direction D1.

[0017] The second side plate 13 and the third side plate 14 face each other. The second side plate 13 and the third side plate 14 may be considered parallel. The second side plate 13 and the third side plate 14 are each connected to the first side plate 12 along the first direction D1. The second side plate 13 and the third side plate 14 may be considered connected perpendicularly to the first side plate 12. The ends of the one end S1 of the first side plate 12, the second side plate 13, and the third side plate 14 form an opening 15 at the one end S1 of the magazine 10. In addition to the surface of the one end S1 of the magazine 10 being the opening 15, the surface facing the first side plate 12 is also open. The first side plate 12, the second side plate 13, and the third side plate 14 may be an integral, inseparable member, or may be separate members.

[0018] Each of the first side plate 12, the second side plate 13, and the third side plate 14 supports a screw at one end S1. As shown in FIG. 1, the first side plate 12 supports screws 20a and 20b. The second side plate 13 supports screw 20c, and the third side plate 14 supports screw 20d. Specifically, the first side plate 12 has protruding support portions 12a and 12b that protrude toward the inside of the magazine 10 at two positions spaced apart in a direction parallel to the first side 11a of the support plate 11, corresponding to the screws 20a and 20b, respectively. The protruding support portion 12a rotatably supports the screw 20a, and the protruding support portion 12b rotatably supports the screw 20b.

[0019] Similarly, the second side plate 13 has a protruding support portion 13c that protrudes inward of the magazine 10 at a position corresponding to the screw 20c in the direction parallel to the second side 11b. The third side plate 14 has a protruding support portion 14d that protrudes inward of the magazine 10 at a position corresponding to the screw 20d in the direction parallel to the third side 11c. The protruding support portion 13c rotatably supports the screw 20c, and the protruding support portion 14d rotatably supports the screw 20d.

[0020] The method of supporting the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d by the protruding support portions 12a, 12b, 13c, and 14d is not particularly limited. Each of the protruding support portions 12a, 12b, 13c, and 14d has, for example, a hole or a notch penetrating in the first direction D1, and the end (tip) of one end side S1 of the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d is passed through each of the hole or notch to rotatably support the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d. The protruding support portions 12a, 12b, 13c, and 14d are shaped so as not to interfere with the fuel cell 40 being transported in the first direction D1.

[0021] In the magazine 10, the fuel cells 40 are accommodated so that their edges come into contact with the screws. If the magazine 10 is configured to have the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, the fuel cells 40 are accommodated in a stacked state in the space surrounded by the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, as shown in FIG. 3 . Therefore, in the magazine 10, it is sufficient that the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d are rotatably supported so that their longitudinal directions remain parallel to the first direction D1, and the first side plate portion 12, the second side plate portion 13, and the third side plate portion 14 are not essential components. In other words, this embodiment also includes a configuration in which some or all of the first side plate portion 12, the second side plate portion 13, and the third side plate portion 14 are absent.

[0022] For example, the magazine 10 may not have the second side plate 13 and the third side plate 14. Instead of having the second side plate 13 and the third side plate 14, the end of the one end S1 of the first side plate 12 may have an open end 16 shape as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3. When viewed from the one end S1, the open end 16 has almost no difference in shape from the opening 15 shown in FIG. 1. In other words, protruding support portions 12a, 12b, 13c, and 14d may be formed at the open end 16 as a modified example of the one end S1 of the first side plate 12, and the open end 16 may rotatably support the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d at the one end S1.

[0023] The screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d correspond to so-called male screws. The screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d extend along the first direction D1, and have a spiral thread groove formed on their outer circumferential surfaces in a range toward one end S1 from the support plate portion 11. Since the thread groove is sandwiched between the threads, it can be said that the outer circumferential surfaces of the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d have a spiral thread formed thereon.

[0024] The symbols D2, D3, and D4 indicate the directions in which each screw contacts the fuel cell 40. The directions D2, D3, and D4 are all perpendicular to the first direction D1 and are different from each other. The direction D2 is perpendicular to the directions D3 and D4 and is opposite to the directions D3 and D4. As an example, if one of the screws 20a and 20b is referred to as the first screw, it can be said that the outer peripheral surface of the first screw contacts the fuel cell 40 from the direction D2 (second direction) when the fuel cell 40 is housed in the magazine 10. As another example, if the screw 20c is referred to as the second screw, it can be said that the outer peripheral surface of the second screw contacts the fuel cell 40 from the direction D3 (third direction) when the fuel cell 40 is housed in the magazine 10. As a further example, if the screw 20d is referred to as the third screw, it can be said that when multiple fuel cell units 40 are housed in the magazine 10, the outer circumferential surface of the third screw comes into contact with the multiple fuel cell units 40 from direction D4 (fourth direction).

[0025] Next, the transport method performed by the transport device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 4, 5, and 6. Figure 4 shows how the attitude of the transport device 1 changes depending on the viewpoint from the above-mentioned direction D3. Figure 5 shows how the transport device 1 transports fuel cells 40 from the same viewpoint as Figure 4. For ease of viewing, Figures 4 and 5 show an example in which the magazine 10 does not have the second side plate portion 13 and the third side plate portion 14, and the first side plate portion 12 has an open end 16. In the following description, the open end 16 may be read as the opening 15.

[0026] As shown on the left side of FIG. 4, a plurality of fuel cells 40 are stored in a stacked arrangement in the magazine 10, which is held in a position (first position) with the support plate portion 11 facing downward and the first direction D1 upward (storing process). In this embodiment, precision in aligning the fuel cells 40 is not particularly required in the storing process. This is because the plurality of fuel cells 40 are properly aligned by the transport process described below. Aligning the fuel cells 40 means lining up the fuel cells 40 with as little misalignment as possible between them in a direction parallel to the surface of the fuel cells 40, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the first direction D1; the smaller this misalignment, the higher the precision of the alignment. Because precision in alignment is not required for the task of stacking and storing the fuel cells 40 in the magazine 10, the task is made easier and faster.

[0027] Next, the magazine 10 in the first position, which accommodates the plurality of fuel cells 40, is rotated approximately 90 degrees and is maintained in a position (second position) in which the first side plate portion 12 faces the bottom and the first direction D1 faces horizontally or approximately horizontally, as shown on the right side of FIG. 4 . Taking into consideration the ease of the work of accommodating the fuel cells 40 in the magazine 10, the fuel cells 40 are accommodated in the magazine 10 in the first position as described above. However, in the accommodating step, the fuel cells 40 can also be accommodated in the magazine 10 in the second position by stacking them along the first direction D1. Therefore, the step of rotating the magazine 10 as shown in FIG. 4 is not essential in this embodiment. Accompanying this accommodating step, a contacting step is also performed in which the outer circumferential surface of the first screw is brought into contact with the plurality of fuel cells 40 accommodated in the magazine 10 from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction D1.

[0028] Next, the screw driver 34 rotates the screws. As a result, the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, including the first screws, rotate, for example, synchronously while maintaining their positions in the first direction D1, and the multiple fuel cell units 40 engage with the thread grooves of the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, and are transported toward the one end side S1 in an aligned state as shown in Fig. 5 (transportation process). Alternatively, a screw driver may be provided corresponding to each of the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, including the first screws, and each screw driver may rotate the corresponding screw independently of one another.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the screw and the fuel cell 40 engaged. FIG. 6 shows, from a perspective facing the direction D2, how multiple fuel cells 40 are engaged with the thread grooves of the screw 20b and the screw 20d. For example, all of the screws in the magazine 10 have the same shape and are located at the same position in the first direction D1. The shape of the screw refers to the outer diameter of the thread, the pitch (the distance between the threads in the first direction D1), the depth of the thread groove, the angle of the slope of the thread groove, and the like. The thread pitch is designed to be larger than the thickness of the fuel cell 40 so that the edges of the fuel cell 40 fit into the thread groove. As the screw rotates, the edges of fuel cells 40 that were not previously engaged in the thread groove also fit into the thread groove, resulting in the alignment of the fuel cells 40. However, the screws in the magazine 10 may include screws that are not identical in shape. For example, one screw may be a right-handed screw and another may be a left-handed screw.

[0030] In the transport process, as the screws are rotated, a fuel cell 40 is transported along the first direction D1 toward the one end side S1, and when it reaches the open end 16, it is pushed by another fuel cell 40 moving toward the one end side S1 from behind it, exits the magazine 10 from the open end 16, and continues toward the one end side S1. A stopper 50 is provided at a predetermined position closer to the one end side S1 than the open end 16 for supporting the leading fuel cell 40 located closest to the one end side S1. Furthermore, a platform 51 is provided between the open end 16 and the stopper 50 on a line connecting the screws 20a, 20b and the stopper 50 for supporting the lower ends of each fuel cell 40 moving along the first direction D1. The stopper 50 is pushed by the fuel cell 40, allowing it to move a certain distance toward the one end side S1.

[0031] When the fuel cell 40 located closest to the other end S2 reaches the open end 16 as the screw rotates, it can be said that the transport process by the transport device 1 is completed. The multiple fuel cell cells 40 aligned on the platform 51 between the open end 16 and the stopper 50 are then subjected to various processes, such as being housed in a stack case (not shown).

[0032] 1, 4, and 5, the conveying device 1 may include one or more guide bars 17. The guide bar 17 is a bar that is long in the first direction D1. The guide bar 17 is attached to, for example, one or more of the first side plate portion 12, the second side plate portion 13, the third side plate portion 14, and the open end portion 16. Alternatively, the guide bar 17 may be a member separate from the magazine 10 and held horizontally at a predetermined position, so that when the magazine 10 is in the second position, the first direction D1 of the magazine 10 and the guide bar 17 are parallel to each other.

[0033] 1 and 3, a notch 41 is formed in the fuel cell 40. The notch 41 penetrates the fuel cell 40 in the thickness direction and opens to the edge of the fuel cell 40. The notch 41 is formed at a common position in each of the plurality of fuel cell 40. In the transport process, when the plurality of fuel cell 40 is transported toward the one end side S1 by rotating the screw, the guide bar 17 is sequentially inserted into the notch 41 provided in each of the plurality of fuel cell 40. This further improves the accuracy of alignment of the plurality of fuel cell 40. Note that each of the plurality of fuel cell 40 may have a hole, instead of the notch 41, that penetrates the fuel cell 40 in the thickness direction at a common position, and the guide bar 17 may be inserted into these holes.

[0034] Furthermore, this embodiment may include a pressing step of contacting the pressing member 18 with edges of the plurality of fuel cell units 40 that do not contact any of the screws after the accommodation step. In the example on the right side of FIG. 4, the edges that do not contact any of the fuel cell units 40 are the edges opposite the edges that contact the screws 20a, 20b, i.e., the edges that face upward. The pressing member 18 may be, for example, a plate parallel to the first side plate portion 12 or a rod parallel to the first direction D1. The pressing step ensures that each fuel cell unit 40 contacts the screws and prevents misalignment between the fuel cell units 40, improving alignment accuracy. The pressing step can be considered part of the contact step.

[0035] The magazine 10 may be in a second position, in which one end is lowered and the first direction D1 is tilted relative to the horizontal. FIG. 7 shows how the transport device 1 in this tilted position transports fuel cells 40. Regarding FIG. 7, only the differences from FIG. 5 will be described. According to FIG. 7, the first direction D1 of the magazine 10 is tilted relative to the horizontal, with the one end side S1 lower than the other end side S2. When the first direction D1 of the magazine 10 is tilted in this way, the platform 51 and the stopper 50 are also tilted in the same way, so that the fuel cells 40 ejected from the open end 16 are received on the one end side S1 rather than the open end 16. By tilting the first direction D1, transport of the fuel cells 40 toward the one end side S1 is made smoother.

[0036] As described above, according to this embodiment, the transport device 1 aligns a plurality of stacked fuel cells 40. The transport device 1 stores a plurality of fuel cells 40 in a stacked state along a first direction D1, and includes a magazine 10 having one open end in the first direction D1, a first screw (e.g., screw 20a) extending along the first direction D1 and having a helical thread groove formed on its outer circumferential surface, and a screw driver 34 that rotates the first screw. When the plurality of fuel cells 40 are stored in the magazine 10, the outer circumferential surface of the first screw comes into contact with the plurality of fuel cells 40 from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction D1.

[0037] According to the above configuration, when the screw driving unit 34 rotates the first screw, the fuel cells 40 stored in a stacked state in the magazine 10 are naturally fitted into the thread grooves of the first screw, aligning them, and transported toward the one end in the first direction D1. The transport speed can also be easily adjusted by adjusting the rotation speed of the first screw by the screw driving unit 34. Therefore, compared to conventional methods, it is possible to transport and stack the fuel cells 40 in a highly aligned state at high speed. This improves the quality of fuel cell stacks and speeds up production.

[0038] Furthermore, in the conventional pick-and-place method, when suction pads are used, there is a concern that foreign matter may become mixed in between the fuel cell cells 40 due to wear of the suction pads, etc. In the present embodiment, suction pads are not used, so that such mixing of foreign matter can be avoided.

[0039] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the conveying device 1 may further include a guide bar 17 extending along the first direction D1 and inserted into a notch 41 or hole provided in each of the plurality of fuel cell cells 40 when the plurality of fuel cell cells 40 are conveyed toward the one end by rotation of the first screw. According to the above configuration, as the plurality of fuel cells 40 are transported, the guide bars 17 are inserted into the notches 41 or holes provided in each of the fuel cells 40, thereby further improving the accuracy of alignment of the fuel cells 40.

[0040] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the transport device 1 may have a screw other than the first screw. That is, the transport device 1 further includes a second screw (e.g., screw 20c) that extends along the first direction D1, has a spiral thread groove formed on its outer circumferential surface, and has an outer circumferential surface that is perpendicular to the first direction D1 and contacts the plurality of fuel cell units 40 from a third direction different from the second direction when the plurality of fuel cell units 40 are accommodated in the magazine 10. The screw driver 34 rotates the first screw and the second screw synchronously. According to the above configuration, the screws are brought into contact with the multiple fuel cell units 40 housed in the magazine 10 from multiple different directions, and the multiple fuel cell units 40 are transported by the synchronized rotation of each screw, thereby stabilizing the position of each fuel cell unit 40 during transport.

[0041] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the magazine 10 may be capable of maintaining its posture so that the first direction D1 faces the horizontal direction, or so that the one end is lowered and the first direction D1 is inclined relative to the horizontal direction. According to the above configuration, by making the first direction D1 horizontal, it is possible to stack the multiple fuel cell units 40 horizontally, rather than vertically. By stacking the multiple fuel cell units 40 horizontally, it is possible to prevent the weight of one fuel cell unit 40 from being placed on another, making it possible to easily correct the position of each individual fuel cell unit 40. Furthermore, by tilting the first direction D1 relative to the horizontal, it is possible to smoothly transport the multiple fuel cell units 40.

[0042] As can be seen from the above description, this embodiment also discloses a transport method for aligning a plurality of stacked fuel cells 40. The transport method includes an accommodation step of accommodating a plurality of fuel cells 40 in a state where they are stacked along the first direction D1 in a magazine 10 that is open at one end in the first direction D1; a contact step of bringing the outer circumferential surface of a first screw that extends along the first direction D1 and has a helical thread groove formed on its outer circumferential surface into contact with the plurality of fuel cells 40 accommodated in the magazine 10 from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction D1; and a transport step of rotating the first screw to transport the plurality of fuel cells 40 that are engaged with the thread groove toward the one end. This transport method also produces the effects described in this embodiment.

[0043] The transport device 1 is also capable of transporting in the opposite direction to the transport described above. That is, the screw drive unit 34 can transport the fuel cell 40 from the one end side S1 to the other end side S2 by rotating (reversely rotating) the screw in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the screw when transporting the fuel cell 40 from the other end side S2 to the one end side S1. Specifically, the transport device 1 sequentially transports the multiple fuel cell units 40 that have been supplied from outside the open end 16 toward the open end 16 from the one end side S1 to the other end side S2, and stores them in a stacked state in the magazine 10.

[0044] The shape of the screw will be described in detail. FIG. 8 shows a portion of the screw 20. The screw 20 is a first screw. The characteristics of the screw 20 described below also apply to the second screw. The screw 20 may be considered to be each of the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d. The screw 20 has an outer diameter Do of 20 mm to 40 mm, for example. The screw 20 has a pitch P, which is the distance between the threads in the first direction D1, that is, 3 to 15 times the thickness of the fuel cell 40, i.e., the thickness of one fuel cell 40. The screw 20 has a thread depth De of 1.5 mm to 5 mm, for example. The screw 20 has a thread inclination A of 10 degrees to 30 degrees, for example. The inclination A may be considered to be the angle of the slope of the thread groove. The inclination A is the inclination of the thread with respect to a direction perpendicular to the first direction D1. The width W of the thread groove of the screw 20 in the first direction D1 is, for example, 0.5 to 10 times the thickness of the fuel cell 40. The thickness of the fuel cell 40 is, for example, 0.05 mm to 1.2 mm. Preferably, the thickness of the fuel cell 40 is 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm.

[0045] More preferably, the pitch P of the screw 20 is 9 to 15 times the thickness of the fuel cell 40. More preferably, the width W of the screw 20 is 3 to 5 times the thickness of the fuel cell 40.

[0046] Figure 9 shows examples 1 to 6 of the screw 20. According to Figure 9, the screw 20 of Example 1 has an outer diameter Do = 30 mm, a pitch P = 3.5 mm, a depth De = 2 mm, an inclination A = 30°, and a width W = 0.69 mm. Similarly, the characteristics of each screw 20 of Examples 2 to 6 are as shown in Figure 9.

[0047] Fig. 10 shows the verification results for a plurality of verification items when the screws 20 are incorporated into the magazine 10 and the fuel cell 40 is transported. That is, Fig. 10 shows the verification results when the screws 20 of the first example are used as the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, the verification results when the screws 20 of the second example are used as the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, the verification results when the screws 20 of the third example are used as the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, the verification results when the screws 20 of the fourth example are used as the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, the verification results when the screws 20 of the fifth example are used as the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, and the verification results when the screws 20 of the sixth example are used as the screws 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d.

[0048] The verification result corresponding to the verification item "thread pitch" indicates the result of verifying whether an appropriate clearance was secured so that adjacent fuel cell cells 40 in the first direction D1 do not come into contact with each other during transport. The verification results are ◎, ◯, △, and ×, with ◎ being the highest rating and × being the lowest rating. In other words, the order of the ratings is ◎ > ◯ > △ > ×. The verification result corresponding to the verification item "thread shape" indicates the result of verifying whether the bottom shape of the thread groove is an appropriate shape that minimizes contact with the fuel cell 40. For the verification item "thread shape," the bottom shape of the thread groove was flat in all examples, so the rating was ○, and there was no difference.

[0049] The verification result corresponding to the verification item "Scratches" indicates the result of verifying the lack of scratches and wear on the contact portion of the fuel cell 40 with the screw 20. The verification item "Speed" indicates the result of verifying whether the fuel cell 40 was transported stably (with little vibration or flapping) when the rotation speed (number of rotations per minute) of the screw 20 was set to 500 rpm. The verification result corresponding to the verification item "Operation with one sheet" indicates the result of verifying whether one fuel cell 40 was transported stably when the rotation speed of the screw 20 was set to 300 rpm. The verification result corresponding to the verification item "Operation with three sheets" indicates the result of verifying whether three adjacent fuel cell 40 in the first direction D1 were transported stably when the rotation speed of the screw 20 was set to 300 rpm.

[0050] According to Figure 10, all of the verification results when the screw 20 of the third example was used were rated as good or better, so the third example received the highest overall evaluation among the examples shown in Figure 9. The characteristics of the screw 20, including these examples, provide a screw-based transport structure and transport method that ensures an appropriate clearance between adjacent fuel cell cells 40, has a good bottom shape of the thread groove in terms of contact with the fuel cell 40, reduces scratches and wear on the fuel cell 40, and is capable of stably transporting one or more fuel cell cells 40 at a rotational speed of 300 rpm or more.

[0051] The first screw may have at least one of the outer diameter Do, pitch P, depth De, inclination A, and width W that is not constant in the first direction D1. In other words, the screw 20 may have at least one of the outer diameter Do, pitch P, depth De, inclination A, and width W that differs at different positions in the first direction D1. More specifically, one screw 20 may have a shape that combines two or more of the above-mentioned examples.

[0052] Although specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples exemplified above. Furthermore, the technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technology exemplified in this specification or drawings simultaneously achieves multiple objectives, and achieving one of those objectives itself has technical utility. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1: conveying device, 10: magazine, 11: support plate portion, 12: first side plate portion, 13: second side plate portion, 14: third side plate portion, 15: opening, 16: opening edge, 17: guide bar, 18: holding member, 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d: screws, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e: pulleys, 31: shaft, 32: belt, 33: motor, 34: screw drive portion, 40: fuel cell, 41: notch, 50: stopper, 51: base, D1: first direction

Claims

1. A conveying device that aligns a plurality of stacked fuel cell units, a magazine that houses the plurality of fuel cells in a stacked arrangement along a first direction and has one end in the first direction that is open; a first screw that extends along the first direction, has a spiral thread groove formed on its outer circumferential surface, and when the plurality of fuel cell units are housed in the magazine, the outer circumferential surface comes into contact with the plurality of fuel cell units from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a screw driving unit that rotates the first screw.

2. The transport device described in claim 1, further comprising a guide bar extending along the first direction and inserted into a notch or hole provided in each of the plurality of fuel cell units when the plurality of fuel cell units are transported toward the one end by rotating the first screw.

3. a second screw extending along the first direction, having a spiral thread formed on an outer peripheral surface, and when the plurality of fuel cell units are housed in the magazine, the outer peripheral surface contacting the plurality of fuel cell units from a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and different from the second direction; The conveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the screw driving unit rotates the first screw and the second screw in synchronization with each other.

4. The transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the magazine can be held in a position such that the first direction faces the horizontal direction or such that the one end is lowered and the first direction is inclined relative to the horizontal direction.

5. The conveying device of claim 1, wherein the first screw has an outer diameter of the threads of 20 mm to 40 mm, a pitch (the distance between the threads in the first direction) that is 3 to 15 times the thickness of the fuel cell, a depth of the thread groove of 1.5 mm to 5 mm, an inclination of the threads of 10 degrees to 30 degrees, and a width of the thread groove in the first direction that is 0.5 to 10 times the thickness of the fuel cell.

6. 6. The transport device according to claim 5, wherein the pitch of the first screw is 9 to 15 times the thickness of the fuel cell.

7. 6. The transport device according to claim 5, wherein the width of the thread groove of the first screw is three to five times the thickness of the fuel cell.

8. 6. The conveying device according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the outer diameter of the thread, the pitch, the depth of the thread groove, the inclination of the thread, and the width of the thread groove of the first screw is not constant in the first direction.

9. A transport method for aligning a plurality of stacked fuel cell units, comprising the steps of: an accommodating step of accommodating the plurality of fuel cells in a magazine having an open end in a first direction in a state where the fuel cells are stacked along the first direction; a contacting step of contacting the outer circumferential surface of a first screw, the first screw extending along the first direction and having a spiral thread groove formed on the outer circumferential surface, with the plurality of fuel cell units accommodated in the magazine from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a transport step of transporting the plurality of fuel cells engaged with the thread grooves toward the one end by rotating the first screw.

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