Abstract: The pressure reduction valve includes: a cylindrical portion, a piston and a spring. The cylindrical portion includes an inlet communicating with the primary side flow path and an outlet communicating with the secondary side flow path. The piston fitted into the cylindrical portion is slidable along an axis direction of the cylindrical portion within the cylindrical portion, and defines, within the cylindrical portion, a space communicating with the inlet and the outlet. The spring applies, to the piston, a force acting toward the space. The outlet is displaced in one direction from the center of the piston when seen in the axis direction. The force applied to the piston by the spring is distributed so as to deviate from the center of the piston to the side of the outlet.

Abstract: A seal body that is used for gas seal includes a seal main body in which a recessed groove is formed by arranging a pair of lips so that the lips face each other; an elastic body that is inserted in the recessed groove and expands the lips; and a rigid body that is installed in the elastic body, and restricts deformation of the elastic body, due to narrowing of the recessed groove, within an elastic deformation range.

Abstract: A safety valve includes: a valve element; a valve seat that has a gas release hole from which a gas is released and a protrusion that protrudes towards the valve element; and a meltable body that is made of a material capable of being melt at an abnormal high temperature. At a temperature other than the abnormal high temperature, the meltable body limits displacement of the valve element to thereby prevent inflow of the gas towards the gas release hole. At the abnormal high temperature, the meltable body is melt, thereby the valve element is displaced and the gas is released from the gas release hole.

Abstract: A connector includes a housing for holding connector terminals and a side fitting slot located at a side of the housing. The side fitting slot is defined by an arm provided on the housing and receives a mating part to which the connector terminals are connected when the mating part is inserted in the side fitting slot.

Abstract: The pressure reduction valve includes: a cylindrical portion, a piston and a spring. The cylindrical portion includes an inlet communicating with the primary side flow path and an outlet communicating with the secondary side flow path. The piston fitted into the cylindrical portion is slidable along an axis direction of the cylindrical portion within the cylindrical portion, and defines, within the cylindrical portion, a space communicating with the inlet and the outlet. The spring applies, to the piston, a force acting toward the space. The outlet is displaced in one direction from the center of the piston when seen in the axis direction. The force applied to the piston by the spring is distributed so as to deviate from the center of the piston to the side of the outlet.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a first reactive gas channel that is provided on a first surface side of the electrolyte membrane; a second reactive gas channel that is provided on a second surface side of the electrolyte membrane; and a coolant channel. The coolant channel is configured such that a flow direction of the first reactive gas flowing in the first reactive gas channel is opposite to a flow direction of the second reactive gas flowing in the second reactive gas channel, and a downstream portion of the flow of at least one of the first and second reactive gases, in a plane of the electrolyte membrane, is cooled from the central portion within the plane.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack is equipped with a stacked body constituted by stacking a plurality of power generating elements, which contain an electrolytic membrane and electrocatalytic layers arranged at both surfaces of the electrolytic membrane, via a separator for providing a flow path for supplying reaction gas to the electrocatalytic layer, and collector plates arranged at both ends of the stacked body, for collecting electricity generated by the stacked body and outputting it to the outside, wherein on the separator and the collector plate are formed at least one of an anode exhaust gas exhaust hole for exhausting anode exhaust gas, a cathode exhaust gas exhaust hole for exhausting cathode exhaust gas, and a medium supply hole for supplying into the stacked body a medium for maintaining the temperature of the stacked body at an approximately fixed level, and at the anode side collector plate arranged at the anode side end of the stacked body, an output terminal for outputting at least part of the collected elect

Abstract: A safety valve includes: a valve element; a valve seat that has a gas release hole from which a gas is released and a protrusion that protrudes towards the valve element; and a meltable body that is made of a material capable of being melt at an abnormal high temperature. At a temperature other than the abnormal high temperature, the meltable body limits displacement of the valve element to thereby prevent inflow of the gas towards the gas release hole. At the abnormal high temperature, the meltable body is melt, thereby the valve element is displaced and the gas is released from the gas release hole.

Abstract: Each separator of a fuel cell stacked alternately with the power generation bodies has a first surface facing the first electrode of the power generation body, a second surface facing the second electrode of another power generation body, a first reactant gas channel that supplies or discharges a first reactant gas to or from the first electrode and that extends in the separator and has an opening portion opened in the first surface, and a second reactant gas channel that supplies and discharges a second reactant gas to or from the second electrode facing the second surface and that extends in the separator and has an opening portion opened in the second surface. The opening portion of the first reactant gas channel and the opening portion of the second reactant gas channel are both disposed along a first portion of a peripheral border of a power generation region.

Abstract: A seal body that is used for gas seal includes a seal main body in which a recessed groove is formed by arranging a pair of lips so that the lips face each other; an elastic body that is inserted in the recessed groove and expands the lips; and a rigid body that is installed in the elastic body, and restricts deformation of the elastic body, due to narrowing of the recessed groove, within an elastic deformation range.

Abstract: The fuel cell of the invention includes an electrolyte assembly, and a separator having one face as a gas flow path-forming face with a gas flow path formed thereon to allow flow of a reactive gas and the other face, which is reverse to the one face, as a refrigerant flow path-forming face with a refrigerant flow path formed thereon to allow flow of a refrigerant. The gas flow path-forming face of the separator has multiple linear gas flow paths that are arranged in parallel to one another, and a gas flow path connection structure that divides the multiple linear gas flow paths into plural linear gas flow path groups and connects at least part of the plural linear gas flow path groups in series.

Abstract: A connector includes a housing for holding connector terminals and a side fitting slot located at a side of the housing. The side fitting slot is defined by an arm provided on the housing and receives a mating part to which the connector terminals are connected when the mating part is inserted in the side fitting slot.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack is equipped with a stacked body constituted by stacking a plurality of power generating elements, which contain an electrolytic membrane and electrocatalytic layers arranged at both surfaces of the electrolytic membrane, via a separator for providing a flow path for supplying reaction gas to the electrocatalytic layer, and collector plates arranged at both ends of the stacked body, for collecting electricity generated by the stacked body and outputting it to the outside, wherein on the separator and the collector plate are formed at least one of an anode exhaust gas exhaust hole for exhausting anode exhaust gas, a cathode exhaust gas exhaust hole for exhausting cathode exhaust gas, and a medium supply hole for supplying into the stacked body a medium for maintaining the temperature of the stacked body at an approximately fixed level, and at the anode side collector plate arranged at the anode side end of the stacked body, an output terminal for outputting at least part of the collected elect

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; a first reactive gas channel that is provided on a first surface side of the electrolyte membrane; a second reactive gas channel that is provided on a second surface side of the electrolyte membrane; and a coolant channel. The coolant channel is configured such that a flow direction of the first reactive gas flowing in the first reactive gas channel is opposite to a flow direction of the second reactive gas flowing in the second reactive gas channel, and a downstream portion of the flow of at least one of the first and second reactive gases, in a plane of the electrolyte membrane, is cooled from the central portion within the plane.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: an anode-forming layer that is provided on an outer side of one surface of an electrolyte membrane and that includes an anode; a cathode provided on an outer side of another surface of the electrolyte membrane; a partition wall portion that is formed in the anode-forming layer in the thickness direction thereof, and that divides at least a surface of the anode-forming layer remote from the electrolyte membrane into blocks, and that restrains movement of a gas between adjacent blocks; and a gas introduction portion which has a gas passage portion that allows the fuel gas to pass through and which introduces the fuel gas, via the gas passage portion, into the blocks divided by the partition wall portion.

Abstract: An anode gas channel member in which a first porous channel layer and a shower plate having penetrated holes are laminated is disposed on an anode side in a fuel cell. The shower plate is disposed at the anode side, and a water-repellent layer is provided on a side of the shower plate that is closer to the anode. The water-repellent layer restrains the water moving from the cathode side to the anode side from entering the interior of the anode gas channel member, and reduces the possibility of the flow of the reactant gas being inhibited by water.

Abstract: Each separator of a fuel cell stacked alternately with the power generation bodies has a first surface facing the first electrode of the power generation body, a second surface facing the second electrode of another power generation body, a first reactant gas channel that supplies or discharges a first reactant gas to or from the first electrode and that extends in the separator and has an opening portion opened in the first surface, and a second reactant gas channel that supplies and discharges a second reactant gas to or from the second electrode facing the second surface and that extends in the separator and has an opening portion opened in the second surface. The opening portion of the first reactant gas channel and the opening portion of the second reactant gas channel are both disposed along a first portion of a peripheral border of a power generation region.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane-electrode assembly that has an electrolyte membrane and electrodes, a seal portion formed integrally with an outer peripheral portion of the membrane-electrode assembly, gas separators sandwiching the seal portion from both sides, and gas channel-forming portions each made of a porous body which are disposed between the membrane-electrode assembly and the gas separators. The seal portion includes, as projections that are provided on at least one of the two sides thereof and that contact an adjacent gas separator, a first linear projection surrounding the gas channel-forming portions, and a gas stopper projection which is provided at such a position between the first linear projection and the outer periphery of the gas channel-forming portions as to inhibit the gas flow that passes around the gas channel-forming portions, and which is lower in height than the first linear projection.

Abstract: The fuel cell of the invention includes an electrolyte assembly, and a separator having one face as a gas flow path-forming face with a gas flow path formed thereon to allow flow of a reactive gas and the other face, which is reverse to the one face, as a refrigerant flow path-forming face with a refrigerant flow path formed thereon to allow flow of a refrigerant. The gas flow path-forming face of the separator has multiple linear gas flow paths that are arranged in parallel to one another, and a gas flow path connection structure that divides the multiple linear gas flow paths into plural linear gas flow path groups and connects at least part of the plural linear gas flow path groups in series.

Abstract: A fuel cell enhancing the utility rate of supplied gas includes a separator having a plurality of holes extending therethrough and a plurality of ribs communicating between mutually confronting holes. Oxidizing gas supplied into the fuel cell passes through a first oxidizing gas feed manifold formed by a first hole, is distributed into a first unit cell inside oxidizing gas passage formed by a first rib, and is merged in an oxidizing gas exhaust manifold formed by a second hole. This oxidizing gas is guided into a return plate disposed at the end of the fuel cell, is further led into a second oxidizing gas feed manifold, and is distributed into a second unit cell inside gas passage. The oxidizing gas sequentially passes through plural unit cell inside oxidizing gas passages.