Flexible Connector for Fuel Cell Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connectors face challenges with thin flow plates in fuel cell stacks, leading to stiffness and alignment issues, and require high insertion force, making it difficult to monitor cell voltage effectively, especially with thin plates below 0.6 mm thickness and large numbers of tabs.
Innovation Solution
A connector system with flexible conductors and a support region, where the flexible conductors deflect to engage with tabs, reducing mechanical deformation and allowing low insertion force, and featuring a planar substrate with apertures for easy alignment and connection, along with resistors for current protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If flow plate thickness is reduced to increase power density, then weight and size are reduced, but tab stiffness and structural integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible conductors that can deflect and adapt to the thin tabs on reduced-thickness flow plates. These flexible conductors maintain reliable electrical contact without requiring high insertion forces, thus preserving tab integrity while enabling the use of thinner flow plates for reduced weight and increased power density.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the mechanical parameters of the connector system by using flexible conductors with appropriate elasticity and deflection characteristics. This allows the connector to accommodate thin tabs without exerting excessive compressive force, thereby maintaining tab structural integrity even when flow plate thickness is reduced to 0.6 mm or below.
2Reliability
If conventional push-fit spring-loaded connectors are used on thin tabs, then electrical connection is achieved, but insertion force becomes excessively high causing tab deformation or breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible conductors in the connector are designed to deflect and conform to the thin tabs without requiring high insertion forces. This flexibility maintains reliable electrical contact while preventing tab deformation or breakage that would occur with conventional spring-loaded connectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector incorporates dynamic elements that allow the conductors to flex and adapt during insertion and operation. This dynamic behavior enables the connector to maintain reliable electrical connection with minimal insertion force, avoiding the static high-force contact that causes tab damage in conventional connectors.
3Measurement precision
If individual cell voltage monitoring connectors are used on each tab, then voltage monitoring capability is achieved, but assembly becomes labor intensive and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual connector functions into a single multi-tab connector that can engage with multiple tabs simultaneously. This consolidated connector design maintains the ability to monitor individual cell voltages while dramatically reducing assembly time and labor requirements compared to connecting individual connectors to each tab separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-tab connector is designed with universal engagement capability to connect to multiple tabs across different cells in a single operation. This multi-functional connector performs the voltage monitoring function for multiple cells simultaneously, improving productivity while maintaining measurement precision for individual cell voltage monitoring.
4Power
If flow plate thickness is reduced below 0.6 mm, then power density increases further, but conventional electrical connectors cannot reliably engage with the tabs
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible conductors are specifically designed to work with extremely thin tabs on high-power-density flow plates with thickness below 0.6 mm. The flexibility and adaptability of these conductors enable reliable electrical engagement without requiring the tab thickness needed for conventional rigid connectors, thus achieving both high power density and reliable connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the mechanical parameters of the connector system to accommodate ultra-thin tabs. By adjusting the flexibility, deflection range, and contact pressure characteristics of the conductors, the system achieves reliable electrical engagement on tabs from flow plates reduced to below 0.6 mm thickness, enabling further power density increases.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and reversible connection of multiple tabs with reduced mechanical stress, facilitating easy assembly and monitoring of cell voltage while minimizing damage to thin tabs, and reducing assembly errors and costs.
Implementation Method 1
flexible conductors laterally extending from the support region over at least a portion of one of the engagement regions and configured to be deflected away from the support region by a received tab
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack assembly comprises fuel cells disposed in a stacked configuration, each cell substantially parallel to an x-y plane and including a tab extending laterally from an edge of a plate in the cell in the x-direction to form an array of tabs extending along a side face of the fuel cell stack in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-y plane. A connector engages with the tabs of the fuel cell stack. The connector comprises a support region and engagement regions, each engagement region bounded by the support region and configured to receive one of the array of tabs by engagement in the x-direction. The connector has flexible conductors, each of the flexible conductors laterally extending from the support region over at least a portion of one of the engagement regions and configured to be deflected away from the support region by a received tab.