The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 14, 2020
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2018
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota-shi, Aichi, JP;
Kazuma Shinozaki, Nagoya, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota-shi, Aichi-ken, JP;
Abstract
Provided are an inspection apparatus and method capable of accurately detecting a defective membrane electrode assembly based on the rate of deterioration of carbon forming an electrode catalyst layer or the like of the assembly. The apparatus is an inspection apparatus for a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and anode-side and cathode-side electrode catalyst layers made of carbon materials to form a fuel cell, the apparatus including a voltage application unit that applies voltage to the assembly; and a measurement and operation determination unit that measures a time history waveform of current that flows upon application of the voltage for an inspection time and calculates the time integral value of current for the inspection time, and compares the time integral value of current with a threshold of the time integral value of current preset based on a predetermined carbon deterioration rate so as to determine the assembly to be defective if the time integral value of current is greater than the threshold.