Fuel cell with an electrolyte membrane and gas diffusion layers

US9559376B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-9559376-B2
Application numberUS-201113521639-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateJan 12, 2011
Priority dateJan 14, 2010
Publication dateJan 31, 2017
Grant dateJan 31, 2017

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

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  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

Disclosed is a fuel cell in which an electrolyte membrane-electrode structure is held between the first separator and a second separator. The electrolyte membrane-electrode structure comprises a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a cathode-side electrode and an anode-side electrode. An end portion of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane projects outwardly beyond end portions of gas diffusion layers, and the both surfaces of the end portion of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane are held between the first protective film and a second protective film. The thickness of the first protective film is set to be thinner than the thickness of the second protective film.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

The invention claimed is: 1. A fuel cell formed by stacking a membrane electrode assembly and separators, the membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a pair of gas diffusion layers provided on both sides of the electrolyte membrane, wherein, in the membrane electrode assembly, an end of the electrolyte membrane protrudes outward beyond ends of the gas diffusion layers; and both surfaces at the end of the electrolyte membrane are sandwiched between a first protection film and a second protection film, and the thickness of the first protection film is smaller than the thickness of the second protection film, wherein the second protection film is joined along an entire length of the protruded electrolyte membrane, wherein an outer end of the first protection film is positioned inside an outer end of the electrolyte membrane, and wherein one of the outer marginal surfaces of the electrolyte membrane is exposed, the fuel cell further including an inner seal member provided between the one of the outer marginal surfaces of the electrolyte membrane exposed outside the first protection film and one of the separators. 2. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , further comprising an outer seal member provided around the membrane electrode assembly, between a pair of the separators. 3. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the first protection film faces a buffer provided in the separator. 4. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein end surfaces of the pair of gas diffusion layers on both sides of the electrolyte membrane are shifted from each other in a stacking direction.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

  • Processes for forming seals · CPC title

  • H01M8/0273Primary

    with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame · CPC title

  • Fuel cells · CPC title

  • H01M8/242Primary

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

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Frequently asked questions

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What does patent US9559376B2 cover?
Disclosed is a fuel cell in which an electrolyte membrane-electrode structure is held between the first separator and a second separator. The electrolyte membrane-electrode structure comprises a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a cathode-side electrode and an anode-side electrode. An end portion of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane projects outwardly beyond end portions of gas diffusion…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Oda Masaru, Ohtani Teruyuki, Sugiura Seiji, and 3 more
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H01M8/0273. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Jan 31 2017 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 8 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).