Holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket
A holding apparatus for a fuel cell gasket has a support having a flat surface part which attracts the gasket and serves to stack a frame-shaped gasket on an outer circumference of an electrolyte membrane or a gas diffusion layer constituting a membrane electrode assembly on which a catalyst layer is disposed. The flat surface part has a frame-shaped recess corresponding to a shape of the gasket, and the recess is connected to an air-sucking section, with the gasket attracted by sucking air in the recess.
1. A holding apparatus for disposing a fuel cell gasket which is to be stacked on an outer circumference of an electrolyte membrane or a gas diffusion layer which constitutes a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell and on which a catalyst layer is disposed, the gasket shaped to frame a shape of the outer circumference of the electrolyte membrane or the gas diffusion layer, the holding apparatus comprising:
a support including a flat surface part which attracts the gasket,
wherein the flat surface part has a recess connected to an air-sucking section, the recess formed as a single continuous channel in the flat surface part that is shaped to correspond to a shape of the gasket, the depth of the channel being less than a thickness of the support,
wherein the gasket is attracted by sucking air in the recess.
2. The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1 , wherein the recess has a linear portion and a bent portion, the air-sucking section connected to the bent portion.
3. The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1 , wherein the support is formed from an optically transparent material.
4. The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1 , further comprising a detecting device which detects pressure when air is sucked by the air-sucking section.
5. The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1 , wherein a center of the channel in a width direction thereof is positioned to match a center of a corresponding frame portion of the gasket, which is attracted to the flat surface part, in a width direction thereof.
6. The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the channel is an inverted U shape.
7. The holding apparatus for fuel cell gasket according to claim 1 , further comprising a transport device which transports the support and the gasket such that the gasket is stacked on the outer circumference of the electrolyte membrane or the gas diffusion layer.