The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 04, 2009
Filed:
Jun. 05, 2002
Chisato Kato, Aichi-ken, JP;
Yoshio Kiyokawa, Nagoya, JP;
Shiro Akiyama, Okazaki, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota-shi, JP;
Abstract
A seal structure of a fuel cell includes a first seal surface formed in a first separator disposed on one side of an electrolyte membrane and a second seal surface formed in a second separator disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and a sealant collecting structure formed in or outside at least one of the first and second seal surfaces. The sealant collecting structure is constructed of a stepped receding surface formed in at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a concave or groove formed in an inner portion and/or an outer portion of at least one of the first and second seal surfaces, a space formed outside at least one of the separators, or a stepped recess formed in at least one of the separators. The sealant collecting structure receives an extra sealant therein to ensure uniform seal pressure acting on the sealant and to prevent the extra sealant from being bulged out to gas passages and to a gas manifold.