Cell voltage monitoring (cvm) pick-up assembly for a fuel cell stack

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a cell voltage monitoring (CVM) pick-up assembly for a fuel cell stack. The assembly includes a tab and a contact wire having two ends. A loop is located between the two ends to mount the wire on the tab to resiliently urge one end towards a fuel cell to provide electrical contact with it. Also disclosed is a fuel cell stack that includes a plurality of assemblies.

1 . A cell voltage monitoring (CVM) pick-up assembly for a fuel cell stack, the assembly comprising:
 a) a tab;   b) a contact wire having a first end and a second end; and   c) a loop located between the first and second ends to mount the wire on the tab to resiliently urge the first end towards a fuel cell so as to provide electrical contact therewith.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the second end of the contact wire is held away from the fuel cell. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the tab includes first and second spaced apart tab openings for receiving therein first and second rods. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly, according to  claim 3 , in which the contact wire further includes a contact area located between the loop and the second end for contacting the second rod to hold the second end away from the fuel cell. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly, according to  claim 4 , in which the loop is mounted on the first rod such that the first end of the contact wire is urged against the fuel cell. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the tab extends away from the fuel cell. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the contact wire is a torsion spring. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly, according to  claim 7 , in which the torsion spring is made from gold plated music wire. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the tab is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) gasket which extends away from the fuel cell. 
     
     
         10 . A fuel cell stack comprising:
 a) a plurality of stacked fuel cells;   b) a plurality of gaskets located between each fuel cell;   c) a plurality of cell voltage monitoring (CVM) pick-up assemblies, as claimed in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         11 . The fuel cell stack, according to  claim 10  in which two elongate non-conductive rods interconnect each pick-up assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The fuel cell stack, according to  claim 10 , in which the second end of each contact wire extends away from the fuel cell to permit contact with an electronic device.