Fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10164268-B2
Application number	US-201415024434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A fuel cell includes a power generating body that includes an electrolyte membrane; a separator provided along the power generating body; a flow path through which a fluid to be supplied to the fuel cell flows; a first seal portion that surrounds the flow path in a surface of the separator, and inhibits the fluid from flowing out of the fuel cell; and an electrolytic corrosion inhibiting portion provided between the flow path and the first seal portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel cell comprising:
a power generating body that includes an electrolyte membrane;
a separator provided along the power generating body;
a flow path through which a fluid to be supplied to the fuel cell flows;
a first seal portion that surrounds the flow path in a surface of the separator, and inhibits the fluid from flowing out of the fuel cell; and
an electrolytic corrosion inhibiting portion provided between the flow path and the first seal portion; wherein:
the flow path includes a manifold; and
the electrolytic corrosion inhibiting portion includes a second seal portion provided on only a portion around the manifold, the second seal portion forming a continuous seal along at least three peripheral sides around the manifold including a lower side in a gravitational direction of the manifold, the gravitational direction being perpendicular to a stacking direction of the power generating body and the separator, wherein the second seal portion terminates at a portion corresponding to an upper side in the gravitational direction of the manifold.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the manifold is formed passing through the surface of the separator, through which a hydrogen-containing gas flows; and
the power generating body and the separator are stacked in a direction perpendicular to the gravitational direction when the fuel cell is installed.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the manifold passes through the surface of the separator;
the second seal portion is provided between the manifold and the first seal portion; and
the electrolytic corrosion inhibiting portion includes an extended portion of which at least a portion is provided in a different position than the second seal portion, and in which a portion of the separator that forms an outer edge of the manifold extends toward an inside of the manifold.

4. The fuel cell according to claim 3 , wherein
the extended portion is formed on one separator, from among a pair of separators that sandwich the power generating body.

5. The fuel cell according to claim 2 , wherein
a height of the second seal portion is lower than a height of the first seal portion.

6. The fuel cell according to claim 3 , wherein a height of the second seal portion is lower than a height of the first seal portion.

7. The fuel cell according to claim 4 , wherein a height of the second seal portion is lower than a height of the first seal portion.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Okabe Hiroki
• Sato Kenji
• Kurihara Takuya

Classifications

• H01M8/0267

  having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels · CPC title

• H01M8/2483

  characterised by internal manifolds · CPC title

• H01M8/242

  comprising framed electrodes or intermediary frame-like gaskets (H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/0276 Primary

  Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/2457

  with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised · CPC title