Patent ID: 7959750
Filing Date: 2011-06-14
Classification: B29C,B29K,B30B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a carbon electrode substrate for a fuel cell from a long uncured fiber sheet which is obtained by using short fibers to make paper and which contains uncured resin, using an apparatus adapted for such manufacture comprising: conveyance means for conveying a long uncured fiber sheet which contains uncured resin; resin curing means for curing the uncured resin of the uncured fiber sheet, the resin curing means including a continuously heating and pressuring device having an inner space thereof; a burning furnace for carbonizing a resin-impregnated cured sheet whose resin is cured by using the resin curing means; and a winding device for winding up the carbonized sheet which is carbonized in the burning furnace; the conveyance means including one upper and lower rotation belt set each comprising a drive roll, a follower roll, and an endless belt which is put on and around the drive roll and follower roll, the winding device including a trimming cutter for trimming both side edges of the carbonized sheet, a press roll for retaining a winding face pressure, and a winding shaft that are arranged in order along a running path of the carbonized sheet; said method including steps of: positioning a portion of the upper endless belt above the uncured fiber sheet and positioning a portion of the lower endless belt below the uncured fiber sheet such that the sheet is disposed between the positions of the upper and lower endless belts; advancing the portions of the endless belts and the uncured fiber sheet disposed therebetween into the inner space of the continuous heating and pressurization device; curing the uncured fiber sheet by heating and compressing the uncured fiber sheet through the endless belts to produce a cured fiber sheet, said heating being at a temperature of about 350 degrees Celsius or less and at a pressure between about 1.5×10 continuously producing a long cured fiber sheet by curing the uncured resin of the long uncured fiber sheet; producing a long porous electrode substrate for a fuel cell by supplying the cured fiber sheet whose uncured resin is cured into the burning furnace and continuously carbonizing the cured fiber sheet; and continuously winding up the porous electrode substrate for a fuel cell about the axis of the winding shaft of the winding device.