Abstract: A fuel cell includes a plurality of fuel cell units. Each fuel cell unit includes an electrode assembly having electrodes and an electrolyte, a pair of separators, and gas sealing members. At least two of the fuel cell units include at least two electrode assemblies and at least three separators. In each of the separators, reaction gas communication ports are provided. In one of the separators of one of the stacked fuel cell units that is located at the end in a direction of stacking, through paths are formed. In one of the separators of one of the stacked fuel cell units that is located at the other end in the direction of stacking, reaction gas communication paths are formed. Both the through paths and the reaction gas communication paths are formed in all separators that are located between two fuel cell units that are located at the ends.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells, and an ejector for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel cell stack. A flow rectifier for rectifying the flow of the fuel gas is provided at a portion of an insulating plate of the fuel cell stack connecting the ejector and the fuel gas supply passage. The flow rectifier includes an opening having a laterally elongated shape in correspondence with the bottom of the fuel gas supply passage having a laterally elongated shape, and a plurality of holes provided above the opening.

Abstract: The present invention includes an illuminance adjustment step of setting an optimum illuminance of the illumination; and a defect inspection step of picking up the image of the substrate illuminated with the illumination at the optimum illuminance, wherein the illuminance adjustment step has: a first step of applying illuminations at different illuminances to a plurality of measurement regions on a front surface of the substrate and picking up an image of each of the measurement regions, while moving the substrate; a second step of making a luminance of the picked up image of each of the measurement regions into a histogram to find a reference luminance where an integral value from a maximum luminance side of the histogram is a predetermined value; and a third step of calculating a correlation between each of the reference luminances and the illuminance, and setting based on the correlation an illuminance at which the reference luminance coincides with a predetermined luminance, as the optimum illuminance.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells. A terminal, an insulating plate, and an end plate are provided at one end of the stack body, and a terminal, an insulating plate, and an end plate are provided at the other end of the stack body. Each of the terminals includes an electrically conductive plate member, and an electrically conductive rod terminal joined integrally with the electrically conductive plate member. A joint portion joining the electrically conductive plate member and the electrically conductive rod terminal is formed by friction stir welding.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator is provided which has in a peripheral part (30) gas passages (31, 31) for guiding reaction gases and reaction product passages (33) for guiding a reaction product. The separator (20) is made up of a central part (22) made of metal, a peripheral part (30) made of a resin material, and an elastic member (40) connecting the central part and the peripheral part together. As a result of the peripheral part being made of a resin material, the gas passages and product passages are resistant to corrosion.

Abstract: A first seal member is provided integrally on a surface of a first metal separator. The first seal member includes a base portion provided integrally on the first metal separator, a columnar portion protruding from the base portion, and a curved edge portion provided on the columnar portion. The curved edge portion has a predetermined radius of curvature.

Abstract: A first seal member is provided integrally on a surface of a first metal separator. The first seal member includes a base portion provided integrally on the first metal separator, a columnar portion protruding from the base portion, and a curved edge portion provided on the columnar portion. The curved edge portion has a predetermined radius of curvature.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a load receiver provided at an outer end of a fuel cell unit, a guide receiver provided in a box, and a pressure receiver provided in at least one corner in the box. The guide receiver abuts against the load receiver for receiving the external load. The pressure receiver protrudes toward the fuel cell unit. The pressure receiver abuts against a corner of the fuel cell unit for receiving the load. The pressure receiver has a resin receiver, and the resin receiver abuts against a curved portion of the fuel cell unit for supporting the fuel cell unit.

Abstract: In a fuel cell system, a humidifier is attached to an end plate. A pipe connector of a fluid pipe provided at the end plate such as an oxygen-containing gas inlet manifold and a pipe connector of a fluid pipe of the humidifier such as a humidified air supply pipe are connected through a substantially ring-shaped intermediate pipe. O-rings are attached to annular grooves in the outer circumferential portions of the intermediate pipe. One of the O-rings tightly contacts the inner circumferential surface of the pipe connector of the oxygen-containing gas inlet manifold, and the other of the O-rings tightly contacts the inner circumferential surface of the pipe connector of the humidified air supply pipe.

Abstract: A first seal structure includes a seal joint and seal members connected to the seal joint. An interior angle at the seal joint defined by central lines of the seal members is in a range of 40° to 90°. The seal joint includes a curved portion having a predetermined radius of curvature R for connecting the seal members.

Abstract: A seal member is formed integrally on surfaces of a metal separator of a fuel cell. The seal members include an outer seal provided near the outer edge of the separator, and an inner seal spaced inwardly from the outer seal by a predetermined distance. When a load is applied to the outer seal and the inner seal in a stacking direction, the outer seal and the inner seal are deformed substantially equally in the stacking direction to the same extent.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and first and second metal separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly. A first cell voltage terminal for detecting a voltage generated in the membrane electrode assembly is formed integrally with an outer region of the first metal separator. The first cell voltage terminal extends outwardly from the first metal separator. A first seal member covers the outer region of the first metal separator, and includes a first extension seal which covers the first cell voltage terminal to a position near a tip end of the first cell voltage terminal.

Abstract: In order to provide an membrane electrode assembly having an electrolyte membrane in which bending and warping of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane are prevented so as to facilitate the handling ability, in the membrane electrode assembly having an electrolyte membrane comprising a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and a pair of gas diffusion electrodes which are disposed on both sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a flat surface having the same size as the solid polymer electrolyte membrane is formed by disposing a frame-shaped seal member on an outer surface of the gas diffusion electrode, and the flat surface closely contacts to the solid polymer electrolyte membrane so as to be able to cover and support the solid polymer electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: In order to provide a membrane electrode assembly and a fuel cell in which the thickness of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane is thin by enhancing self-protection of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly comprises a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and a pair of gas diffusion electrode layer having catalyst layers and gas diffusion layers. The catalyst layers of the gas diffusion electrode layer sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, one surface of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane is covered by the gas diffusion electrode layer and the other surface of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane extends over the gas diffusion electrode layer, and ends of the catalyst layer of one gas diffusion electrode layer are disposed to be offset to ends of the catalyst layer of the other gas diffusion electrode layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack capable of giving improved impact resistance and vibration resistance without causing the space occupied by the fuel cell stack to be increased. In a fuel cell stack for mounting in a vehicle in which a plurality of fuel cell units, each of which is formed by interposing a solid polymer electrolyte membrane between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, are stacked in a horizontal direction with separators placed between each, mounting members used for installation are provided at backup plates that are outside fastening structure portions that are provided at both ends along the direction in which the fuel cell units are stacked, and an intermediate supporting member used for installation is additionally provided at an intermediate portion along the direction in which the fuel cell units are stacked.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a membrane electrode assembly that can increase durability by increasing the strength of an extending part of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and can also reduce cost by minimizing the volume of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane used. In the present invention, an anode electrode is provided on one side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and a cathode electrode is provided on the other side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane is formed such that its outer peripheral portion extends the anode electrode and the cathode electrode on both sides thereof. A framc-shaped first sealing member is closely contacted with the outer peripheral edge face of the anode electrode or the cathode electrode. The frame-shaped first sealing member coats and supports one face of the extending part of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells in a stacking direction. At one end of the stack body, first and second dummy cells are provided. At the other of the stack body, third and fourth dummy cells are provided. Each of the first to fourth dummy cells includes a first metal separator and a second metal separator. The first metal separator and a first metal separator of the power generation cell have substantially the same shape. The second metal separator and a second metal separator of the power generation cell have substantially the same shape.

Abstract: An injection-molding method including preparing a first die, a second die and a third die, sandwiching a separator proper with the first die and the second die, molding a front side molded layer by injecting silicone rubber into the front side cavity through a gate, a step of replacing the second die with a third die while the front side molded layer is still soft, and molding a rear side molded layer by piercing the front side molded layer with an injection pressure injecting the silicone rubber through the gate and filling a rear side cavity with silicone rubber through the through hole.

Abstract: A terminal plate, an insulating plate, and an end plate are stacked together. A rectangular recess is formed at the center of the insulating plate. The terminal plate is placed in the recess. An oxygen-containing gas supply passage, a coolant supply passage, a fuel gas discharge passage, a fuel gas supply passage, a coolant discharge passage, and an oxygen-containing gas discharge passage as fluid passages extend through the insulating plate. These fluid passages do not extend through the terminal plate.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a plurality of fuel cell units. Each fuel cell unit includes an electrode assembly having electrodes and an electrolyte, a pair of separators, and gas sealing members. At least two of the fuel cell units include at least two electrode assemblies and at least three separators. In each of the separators, reaction gas communication ports are provided. In one of the separators of one of the stacked fuel cell units that is located at the end in a direction of stacking, through paths are formed. In one of the separators of one of the stacked fuel cell units that is located at the other end in the direction of stacking, reaction gas communication paths are formed. Both the through paths and the reaction gas communication paths are formed in all separators that are located between two fuel cell units that are located at the ends.