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:
Nov. 15, 2016
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2013
Commissariat À L'énergie Atomique ET Aux Énergies Alternatives, Paris, FR;
Rémi Vincent, Grenoble, FR;
Benoît Barthe, Chindrieux, FR;
Denis Tremblay, Pommiers-la-Placette, FR;
Abstract
A fuel cell stack includes first and second membrane electrode assemblies and a metal bipolar plate interposed between the first and second membrane electrode assemblies. The bipolar plate comprises first and second metal sheets facing the first and second membrane electrode assemblies and is securely fastened by welds. There is a gas diffusion layer interposed and compressed between the first membrane electrode assembly and the bipolar plate. In the absence of compression on the gas diffusion layer, regions of the gas diffusion layer surrounding the welds have a thickness smaller by at least 5 μm relative to the average thickness of the gas diffusion layer. This is done so that the contact pressure of the gas diffusion layer with the bipolar plate in the area of the welds is lower than its average contact pressure with the bipolar plate.