Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) having an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes arranged on both sides of the electrolyte membrane in the thickness direction, a pair of frames having a frame shape and holding an outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane, a pair of gas diffusion layers arranged inside the pair of frames and on both sides of the MEA in the thickness direction, and a gasket covering at least a part of the pair of frames. The fuel cell further includes a first cross-linking adhesive member formed of rubber which includes a membrane accommodating portion having an indented shape for accommodating the outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane and a first intermediate portion interposed between the pair of frames and which is subjected to cross-linking adhesion with the outer periphery portion of the electrolyte membrane and the pair of frames.

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.

Abstract: A heat insulating member is sandwiched by a first separator and a second separator. The heat insulating member functions as a heat insulating layer to prevent the temperature decrease of electricity generating cells. A first impurity removal flow path is formed in the space enclosed by the grooves on the surface of the second separator and a partition plate. A second impurity removal flow path is formed in the space enclosed by the grooves on the surface of a third separator and the partition plate. The impurity removal flow paths function as filters to remove the impurities contained in the reaction gases. A terminal functions as a current collecting layer to collect the electricity generated in the electricity generating cells.

Abstract: In order to enable a fuel cell stack to be easily disassembled into a bundle of a plurality of cells and simultaneously to be handled while considering a unit cell as a unit, the fuel cell stack has a unit cell formed of an MEA and two facing separators which sandwich the MEA, and an adhesive layer for sealing a gap between the separators in the unit cell, and gaskets for sealing a gap between the unit cells, wherein each tacking force of the adhesive layer, and each gasket are different from each other depending on the position in a stacked direction of the unit cell.

Abstract: In a fuel cell having a separator in which main cooling water channels are formed, a separator for another unit cell stacked on the cooling water channel formation surface side of the separator, and a second sealing member interposed between the separators and to seal a cooling medium flowing in the main cooling water channels, an outer peripheral rib for regulating the flow of cooling water to the second sealing member side is provided inside relative to the second sealing member in the separator surface direction in order to improve the efficiency of cooling with the cooling medium.

Abstract: A fuel cell diagnostic apparatus that diagnoses a fuel cell in which a plurality of power generating cells are stacked together includes a voltage applying device that applies voltage from outside of the fuel cell; a magnetic field measuring device that measures a magnetic field in or around the fuel cell when external voltage is being applied; and a diagnostic device that diagnoses the state of the fuel cell from the measurement results of the magnetic field. By diagnosing an in-plane distribution of current in the power generating cells by measuring the magnetic field, the distribution of water in an electrolyte membrane after power is generated can be diagnosed based on the diagnostic results of that in-plane distribution of the current.

Abstract: A fuel cell module, wherein slopes of a same angle ? relative to a bottom face are formed on both side faces to form a recessed groove in a tapered shape. Since the angle ? is provided to the side faces of the recessed groove, the exhaustion of gases from the accumulation of gasses to the outside can be assisted by the side faces with the angle ? more than in a case where the side faces of the recessed groove are formed in right angled shapes even if the accumulation of gases is produced between an adhesive agent and the inner surfaces of the recessed groove when first and second separators are joined to each other for modularization by covering the first separator on the second separator. Thus, the accumulation of the gases can be prevented from occurring.

Abstract: In a fuel cell in which an electrode and a separator are stacked together, a rib which is provided on the separator and forms a reaction gas flow path is fixed to an electrode by a liquid sealant, and the porosity of a portion of the electrode which has been impregnated with the liquid sealant is lower than the porosity of another portion of the electrode. In order to store surplus liquid sealant, the separator may also have a liquid sealant storage portion that is depressed in the thickness direction from the top of the rib.

Abstract: A rubber gasket to be disposed in a compressed state between separators of a fuel cell includes a sealing portion having a sectional shape of a two-projection structure with a first projection having a curved slope of a first curvature radius (D), and a second projection provided on the first projection and having a second curvature radius (H). A pedestal portion extends in a horizontal direction with a predetermined thickness continuously from a foot portion of the curved slope of the first projection and has a flat bottom surface.

Abstract: A fuel-cell stack is provided wherein an insulating resin layer having good electrical insulation characteristics is inserted between a terminal and end plate, so that an insulating plate is discarded so as to make the same more lightweight and downsized. It comprises a battery-cell group wherein a plurality of battery cells and separators are arranged; and terminal plates 1 and end plates 3 that are arranged on each end portion of the battery-cell group. The end plates 3 are formed as metal plate members having surfaces 31 opposing to the terminal plates 1. A polyimide film 35 is formed as an insulating resin layer at least on the opposing surface 31 of the end plate 3 for electrically insulating between the end plate 3 and terminal plate 1 by an electro-deposition coating method.

Abstract: A feedback compensating apparatus for adjusting the working condition of a working machine of a working system adapted to process working portions of successive workpieces under control of a machine controller, which determines the working condition from an extraneous signal. The apparatus is used with the controller and a measuring device for measuring the dimensions of the processed working portions of the workpieces, and includes a device for obtaining dimensional data based on outputs of the measuring device during and/or after a working operation of the machine on each workpiece. The dimensional data include a dimensional error of the processed working portions, and a variable indicative of a tendency of change in the dimensional error. The apparatus further includes a device for determining the extraneous signal based on the dimensional data, and applying the signal to the machine controller to adjust the working condition of the machine.

Abstract: In a fuel cell according to an aspect of the invention, a fuel cell stack is formed by stacking several cells in which pressure loss is small as compared with normal cells, in the vicinity of an end portion of the stack, which is far from a fuel gas supply port and an oxidizing gas supply port.

Abstract: The invention relates to a seal structure of a fuel cell unit which permits easier rebuilding (reassembling) and recycling of the fuel cell unit, and a manufacturing method of the same structure. The seal structure includes a plurality of components of the fuel cell unit, which are stacked; a sealant which is made of a material selected from a gel material, high viscosity material and pressure-sensitive adhesive material, and which maintains an initial material state thereof even under an environment where the fuel cell unit is used; and a retaining portion formed at the components which sandwiches the sealant with another component, so as to prevent the sealant from moving. Also, the process of hardening the sealant is performed as a process, which is different from and precedes the process of stacking the components.

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.

Abstract: A feedback compensating apparatus for adjusting the working condition of a working machine of a working system adapted to process working portions of successive workpieces under control of a machine controller, which determines the working condition from an extraneous signal. The apparatus is used with the controller and a measuring device for measuring the dimensions of the processed working portions of the workpieces, and includes a device for obtaining dimensional data based on outputs of the measuring device during and/or after a working operation of the machine on each workpiece. The dimensional data include a dimensional error of the processed working portions, and a variable indicative of a tendency of change in the dimensional error. The apparatus further includes a device for determining the extraneous signal based on the dimensional data, and applying the signal to the machine controller to adjust the working condition of the machine.

Abstract: A feedback compensating apparatus for adjusting the working condition of a working machine of a working system adapted to process working portions of successive workpieces under control of a machine controller, which determines the working condition from an extraneous signal. The apparatus is used with the controller and a measuring device for measuring the dimensions of the processed working portions of the workpieces, and includes a device for obtaining dimensional data based on outputs of the measuring device during and/or after a working operation of the machine on each workpiece. The dimensional data include a dimensional error of the processed working portions, and a variable indicative of a tendency of change in the dimensional error. The apparatus further includes a device for determining the extraneous signal based on the dimensional data, and applying the signal to the machine controller to adjust the working condition of the machine.

Abstract: An apparatus for feedback adjusting the working condition of a working machine on the basis of measured dimensions of processed workpieces, including a determining device for determining automatic and manual compensating values, and an applying device for applying the automatic and manual compensating values (Ui, U') to a machine controller for adjusting the machine working condition. The determining device determines the automatic compensating value on the basis of first or second estimated dimensional values of the workpieces obtained in an automatic compensating cycle. Each first estimated dimensional value is a sum of an actually measured dimension (X) of the workpiece and a last compensating value (U'), while each second estimated dimensional value is a sum of the actually measured dimension, the last compensating value and a previous compensating value (Ui-2, Ui-1) preceding the last compensating value. Also disclosed is a method of feedback adjusting the machine working condition.