Nissan Motor Company Limited

Yoshiki Muto

Masahiro Omata

Takeharu Kuramochi

Masanori Iwamoto

Masahiko Katsu

Hideto Kanafusa

Akira Fujiki

Takayuki Hirao

Hiroshi Saitou

Yukihiro Maekawa

Haruhiko Suzuki

Takeshi Shimizu

Sadao Miki

Takeichiro Takehara

A fuel cell is manufactured using a polymer electrolyte membrane (). A catalyst layer () is formed at fixed intervals on the surface of the strip-form polymer electrolyte membrane () in the lengthwise direction thereof, and conveyance holes () are formed in series at fixed intervals on the two side portions thereof. By rotating a conveyance roller () comprising on its outer periphery projections which engage with the holes (), the polymer electrolyte membrane () is fed from a reel (). A GDL () and a separator () are adhered to the fed polymer electrolyte membrane () at a predetermined processing timing based on the rotation speed of the conveyance roller (), and thus the fuel cell is manufactured efficiently while the GDL () and separator () are laminated onto the catalyst layer () accurately.

Manufacture of fuel cell

Separators (A,B,) and membrane-electrode assemblies () of a fuel cell stack () are alternately stacked in a guide box (). The separators (A,B,) each have groove-like gas paths (A,B). Powder of an adhesive agent () is adhered in advance to the surfaces of the separators (A,B,), except the gas paths (A,B), through photosensitive drums (A,B) to which the powder is adsorbed in a given pattern. The separators (A,B,) and the membrane-electrode assemblies (), stacked in the guide box (), are heated and compressed by a press () and heaters (C) to obtain a unitized fuel cell stack ().

Fuel cell and production of fuel cell stack

A valve operating mechanism for a reciprocating internal combustion engine. The mechanism comprises a valve lifter made of fiber reinforced plastic and including a cylindrical section. A partition section is integrally connected to the cylindrical section and located perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical section. The partition section has a lower side at which an end portion of the valve stem of an intake or exhaust valve is to be pushed. At least one coaxial annular shim engagement projection is formed at the upper side of the valve lifter partition section. Each projection is formed with coaxial two shim contacting surfaces. A generally disc-shaped shim is disposed on the upper side of the valve lifter partition section. The shim has an upper side in slidable contact with a cam, and a lower side in contact with the upper side of the valve lifter partition section. At least one lifter engagement groove is formed at the lower side of the shim. Each groove is defined between coaxial two lifter contacting surfaces of the shim. Each projection of the valve lifter partition section is in fitting engagement with each groove of the shim so that the shim contacting surfaces of the valve lifter are respectively in contact with the lifter contacting surfaces of the shim, thereby uniformalizing and distributing an applied load over wide contacting areas between the valve lifter and the shim.

Valve operating mechanism including valve lifter

Growing community of inventors

Zama, Japan

Yoshiki Muto