METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY IN A WEB-PROCESSING PROCESS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a membrane assembly in a web-processing process, comprising providing a first frame material (11) and a second frame material (12) as material from a roll, and forming the membrane assembly in a web-processing process, wherein membrane blanks (13) are laminated with the first frame material (11) and the second frame material is laminated with the composite comprising the first frame material (11) and the membrane blanks (13), and wherein the membrane assembly is formed on a rotating central roller (2).

Claims

1. A method for producing a membrane assembly in a web-processing process, in particular a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), comprising: providing a first frame material and a second frame material as material from a roll, and forming the membrane assembly in a web-processing process, wherein membrane blanks are laminated with the first frame material and the second frame material is laminated with the composite comprising the first frame material and the membrane blanks, wherein the membrane assembly is formed on a rotating central roller, wherein the first frame material is transferred to the central roller at a first station, wherein the membrane blanks are transferred to the central roller at a second station, downstream of the first station in the direction of rotation of the central roller, and laminated with the first frame material on the central roller, and the second frame material is transferred to the central roller at a third station, downstream of the second station in the direction of rotation of the central roller, and laminated with the composite of the membrane blanks and the first frame material (on the central roller.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first frame material and the second frame material is provided on a protective film, wherein the protective film is delaminated in each case before transferring the first frame material and the second frame material to the central roller.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein punched outlines for windows are formed in at least one of the first frame material provided on the protective film or the second frame material provided on the protective film prior to a delamination of the protective film, wherein in particular the punched outlines for windows are formed without cutting through the protective film.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first frame material and the second frame material is transferred to the central roller by means of a transfer roller which in each case is disposed on the circumference of the central roller and rotates synchronously with the central roller.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the first frame material and the second frame material is provided on a protective film, wherein on the respective transfer roller the protective film is delaminated from the first frame material and the second frame material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the membrane blanks are transferred to the central roller by means of a transfer roller which is disposed on the circumference of the central roller and rotates synchronously with the central roller.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the membrane blanks are provided on a protective film, wherein the protective film is delaminated from the membrane blanks on a delamination roller disposed upstream of the transfer roller and the membrane blanks are transferred from the delamination roller to the transfer roller.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first carrier sheet is transferred to the central roller upstream of the first frame material, wherein the membrane assembly is formed on the first carrier sheet.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a second carrier sheet is transferred to the central roller downstream of the second frame material, wherein the second carrier sheet is laminated onto the membrane assembly.

10. An apparatus for producing a membrane assembly in a web-processing process, in particular a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), comprising a central roller, wherein three stations are provided on the circumference of the central roller, wherein the first station is designed to transfer a first frame material, which is fed as material from a roll, to the central roller, wherein the second station is disposed downstream of the first station in the direction of rotation of the central roller and is designed to transfer membrane blanks to the central roller and to laminate them with the first frame material on the central roller and wherein the third station is disposed downstream of the second station in the direction of rotation of the central roller and the third station is designed to transfer a second frame material, which is fed as material from a roll, to the central roller and to laminate it with the composite of the membrane blanks and the first frame material on the central roller.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the first station and the third station has a delamination device, which is designed to delaminate a protective film from the first frame material and the second frame material, respectively.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein upstream of at least one of a first delamination device at the first station and a second delamination device at the third station a cutting device is provided, which is designed for forming punched outlines for windows in the first frame material provided on the protective film or the second frame material provided on the protective film prior to a delamination of the protective film.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the first station and the third station has a transfer roller, which is disposed on the circumference of the central roller and forms a gap with the central roller or makes contact with the central roller.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the first station and the third station has a delamination device, which is designed to delaminate a protective film from the first frame material and the second frame material, respectively.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the second station has a transfer roller, which is disposed on the circumference of the central roller and forms a gap with the central roller or makes contact with the central roller.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second station has a delamination roller disposed upstream of the transfer roller and a delamination device disposed on the circumference of the delamination roller, wherein the delamination device is designed to delaminate a protective film from the membrane blanks.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a feed device for a first carrier sheet is provided upstream of the first station and is designed to transfer the first carrier sheet upstream of or with the first frame material to the central roller, with the result that the membrane assembly can be formed on the first carrier sheet-

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a fourth station is provided downstream of the third station on the circumference of the central roller and is designed to transfer a second carrier sheet to the central roller, wherein the second carrier sheet can be laminated onto the membrane assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Further advantages and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the claims and from the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are explained below with reference to the schematic figures. In the figures:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an apparatus for producing the membrane assembly in a web-processing process on a central roller, in the case of which firstly a carrier sheet is guided onto the central roller and the membrane assembly is formed on the carrier sheet, and

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of an apparatus for producing the membrane assembly in a web-processing process on a central roller, in the case of which a carrier sheet is fed at the end of this process after the membrane has been formed on the central roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0034] FIG. 1 schematically shows a first exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 100 for producing a membrane assembly in a web-processing process on a central roller 2 rotating about an axis 20.

[0035] The membrane assembly formed by means of the apparatus 100 comprises a first web-like frame material 11, a second web-like frame material 12 and membrane blanks 13 disposed between the first and the second frame material 11, 12. The membrane assembly also comprises a carrier sheet 14 provided as material from a roll.

[0036] The apparatus 100 comprises a first station 110, a second station 120 and a third station 130.

[0037] The first frame material 11 is transferred to the central roller 2 at the first station 110. The frame material 11 is provided as material from a roll and, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, on a protective film 15. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the first frame material 11 is transferred to the central roller 2 by means of a transfer roller 111 rotating synchronously with the central roller 2, wherein, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the protective film 15 is drawn off from the first frame material 11 on the transfer roller 111 by means of a delamination device 112, which is illustrated schematically as a release edge. For secure wrapping around the transfer roller 111, a pressing roller 113 is provided.

[0038] Upstream of the transfer roller 111, a cutting device 116 is provided at the station 110, which cutting device 116 is designed to cut or form punching outlines for windows into the first frame material 11. The cutting device 116 is designed in such a way that the punching outlines are formed without cutting through the protective film 15. The protective film 15 ensures stabilization of the first frame material 11 during transport of the first frame material 11 to the transfer roller 111. After delamination of the protective film 15, stabilization of the frame material 11 is ensured by the transfer roller 111 and later the center roller 2.

[0039] The membrane blanks 13 are transferred to the central roller 2 at the second station 120 and are laminated onto the already present first frame material 11 there. The membrane blanks 13 are provided on a protective film 16. The second station 120 illustrated comprises a transfer roller 121 and a delamination roller 122 disposed upstream of the transfer roller 121. The transfer roller 121 rotates synchronously with the central roller 2. The delamination roller 122 and the transfer roller 121 are disposed and operated in such a way that a spacing between successive membrane blanks 13 can be enlarged upon transfer to the transfer roller 121. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the protective film 16 is drawn off from the membrane blanks 13 on the delamination roller 122 by means of a delamination device 123, which is illustrated schematically as a release edge. For secure wrapping around the delamination roller 122, a pressing roller 124 is provided.

[0040] The second frame material 12 is transferred to the central roller 2 at the third station 130 and laminated with the composite comprising the first frame material 11 and the membrane blanks 13, the composite being transported by the central roller 2. The third station 130 has a structurally identical design to the first station 110. The second frame material 12 is provided as material from a roll. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the second frame material 12 is transferred to the central roller 2 by means of a transfer roller 131 rotating synchronously with the central roller 2. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the second frame material 12 is provided on a protective film 17, wherein the protective film 17 is drawn off from the second frame material 12 on the transfer roller 131 by means of a delamination device 132, which is illustrated schematically as a release edge. For secure wrapping around the transfer roller 131, a pressing roller 133 is provided.

[0041] Upstream of the transfer roller 131, a cutting device 136 is provided at the third station 130, which cutting device 136 is designed to cut or form punching outlines for windows into the second frame material 12. The cutting device 136 in embodiments is designed in such a way that the punching outlines are formed without cutting through the protective film 17. The protective film 17 ensures stabilization of the second frame material 12 during transport of the second frame material 12 to the transfer roller 131. After delamination of the protective film 17, stabilization of the second frame material 12 is ensured by the transfer roller 131 and later the center roller 2.

[0042] To stabilize the laminate comprising the first frame material 11, the second frame material 12 and the interposed membrane blanks 13, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated the self-adhesive carrier sheet 14 is provided. The carrier sheet 14 is transferred to the central roller 2 upstream of or with the first frame material 11.

[0043] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the carrier sheet 14 is provided on a protective film 18, wherein the protective film 18 is drawn off from the carrier sheet 14 before the carrier sheet 14 is transferred to the central roller 2 by means of a delamination device 180, which is illustrated schematically as a release edge.

[0044] The central roller 2 is driven in rotation by means of a suitable drive. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, drives are moreover also provided at the transfer rollers 111, 121, 131 and the delamination roller 122. In an embodiment, the drives at the transfer rollers 111, 121, 131 and the delamination roller 122 are designed such that these drives are used to compensate only frictional losses. In other embodiments, at least in part no drives are provided at the transfer rollers 111, 121, 131 and the delamination roller 122.

[0045] FIG. 2 schematically shows a second exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 100 for producing a membrane assembly on a central roller 2 rotating about an axis 20.

[0046] The apparatus 100 according to FIG. 2 is similar to the apparatus 100 according to FIG. 1 and consistent reference signs are used for components that are the same or similar. The apparatus 100 according to FIG. 2 comprises three stations 110, 120, 130, which at least substantially have the same function as the first station 110, the second station 120 and the third station 130 according to FIG. 1. Reference is made to the above text for a description of the stations 110, 120, 130.

[0047] By contrast to the design according to FIG. 1, in the case of the design according to FIG. 2 no first carrier sheet 14 which is transferred to the central roller 2 with the first frame material 11 is provided.

[0048] Instead, in the case of the design according to FIG. 2, a fourth station 140 is provided downstream of the third station 130 in the direction of rotation of the central roller 2, wherein at the fourth station 140 a second carrier sheet 19 is transferred to the central roller 2 and laminated onto a membrane assembly comprising the first frame material 11, the second frame material 12 and the interposed membrane blanks 13. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the second self-adhesive carrier sheet 19 is transferred to the central roller 2 by means of a roller 141.

[0049] The second carrier sheet 19 is provided on a protective film 21, wherein the protective film 212 is drawn off from the carrier sheet 19 before the carrier sheet 19 is transferred to the central roller 2 by means of a delamination device 142, which is illustrated schematically as a release edge.

[0050] The embodiments illustrated are merely by way of example and numerous modifications, for example formation without carrier sheets, in the case of which a membrane assembly is formed on a rotating central roller 2 are conceivable. In particular, instead of the arrangement illustrated of the first station below the central roller 2, it is conceivable to dispose the first station 110 above the central roller and the third station 130 below the central roller 2.