Fuel Cell Joint Cover for Screw Tightening Chip Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

During the tightening of power output units and external connectors in a fuel cell system, metal chips produced by screw tightening can drop onto the cell stack body, potentially causing damage or contamination.

Innovation Solution

A cover is provided to cover the screw tightening part of the tightening member from below, effectively capturing and preventing metal chips from falling onto the cell stack body by positioning the joint part above the cell stack body in the outer case, ensuring reliable electrical connections through an electrically conductive member.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If screw tightening is used to connect power output unit and external connector, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but metal chips are produced and may drop onto cell stack body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidmetal chip contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A cover is introduced as an intermediary component between the screw tightening operation and the cell stack body. The cover receives and contains metal chips produced during tightening, preventing them from contaminating the cell stack body while allowing the electrical connection to be established through the power output unit and external connector.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The joint part is segmented into multiple functional components: the power output unit, external connector, tightening member for electrical connection, and cover for contamination control. This segmentation allows the tightening function and contamination prevention function to be independently optimized and performed simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If cover is added to cover screw tightening part, then metal chip contamination is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemetal chip contaminationVSAvoidjoint part structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cover serves multiple functions: it covers the screw tightening part, receives metal chips produced during tightening, prevents contamination of the cell stack body, and maintains the compact structure of the joint part. By combining multiple functions into a single component, the overall device complexity is minimized while achieving contamination prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11515559B2Fuel cell system

Publication Date: 2022.11.29 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A first power output unit connected to a first terminal plate of a fuel cell system is electrically connected to a first external connector through a first joint part at a position above a cell stack body in an outer case. The first joint part includes a tightening member for tightening the first power output unit and the first external connector together by screw tightening, and a cover covering a screw tightening part of the tightening member from below.