# US 2019/0245219 A1 · Separator, and fuel cell stack comprising the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0245219 A1 - Document ID: US20190245219A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/320,156 - Filed: 2017-07-24 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25 - Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd. - Applicants: LG Chem, Ltd. - Inventors: Hye Mi JUNG; Jae Choon YANG; Kyung Mun KANG; Sueng Hoon HAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190245219A1 ## CPC - H01M 8/0254: corrugated or undulated - H01M 4/8807: {Gas diffusion layers} - H01M 8/0256: Vias, i.e. connectors passing through the separator material - H01M 8/0258: characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant - H01M 8/10: Fuel cells with solid electrolytes - H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) - H01M 8/1018: Polymeric electrolyte materials - H01M 8/2457: with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised - H01M 8/023: Porous and characterised by the material - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A separator and a fuel cell stack, the separator including a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions which are sequentially provided along a first direction, the convex portions having first openings on top surfaces at predetermined intervals along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the first openings of two adjacent convex portions are each provided so as not to be positioned coaxially based on a virtual first line parallel to the first direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A separator comprising a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions which are sequentially provided along a first direction, wherein first openings are each provided on a top surface of the respective convex portion, the first openings are provided at predetermined intervals along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, wherein the first openings of two adjacent convex portions are each provided so as not to be positioned coaxially based on a virtual first line parallel to the first direction, wherein each first opening is formed to have a length along the first direction larger than a width along the second direction, and wherein each first opening is formed over the respective top surface and a partial area of a partition of the respective convex portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein the partition of at least one convex portion is connected to an adjacent concave portion, wherein the at least one convex portion comprises a top surface connected to the respective partition, and wherein the top surface of the at least one convex portion is formed as a flat surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein two first openings of the first openings in three adjacent convex portions are provided to be positioned coaxially based on the virtual first line parallel to the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein second openings are each provided on a bottom surface of the respective concave portion at predetermined intervals along the second direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The separator according to claim 4, wherein the second openings of two adjacent concave portions are provided so as not to be positioned coaxially based on the virtual first line parallel to the first direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The separator according to claim 4, wherein at least one concave portion comprises a partition connected to an adjacent convex portion, wherein the bottom surface of the at least one concave portion is connected to the partition of the at least one concave portion, and wherein the bottom surface is formed as a flat plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The separator according to claim 4, wherein each second opening is formed to have a length along the first direction larger than a width along the second direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The separator according to claim 4, wherein each second opening is formed over the bottom surface of the respective concave portion and a partial area of a partition of the concave portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The separator according to claim 4, wherein two second openings of the second openings in three adjacent concave portions are provided to be positioned coaxially based on the virtual first line parallel to the first direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The separator according to claim 4, wherein the first openings of the convex portions and the second openings of the concave portions are adjacent to each other and are provided so as not to be positioned coaxially based on the virtual first line parallel to the first direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The separator according to claim 6, wherein the partition of the at least one concave portion is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom surface of the at least one concave portion, and wherein the partition of the at least one concave portion is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the top surface of the respective convex portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The separator according to claim 11, wherein the bottom surface of the at least one concave portion and the top surface of the respective convex portion are provided in parallel. ### Claim 13 A separator comprising a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions which are sequentially provided along a first direction, wherein first openings are each provided on a top surface of the respective convex portion, the first openings are provided at predetermined intervals along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, at least one convex portion comprises a partition connected to an adjacent concave portion and a top surface connected to the partition, at least one concave portion comprises a partition connected to an adjacent convex portion and a bottom surface connected to the partition, the top surface and the bottom surface are each inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the partitions, the first openings of two adjacent convex portions are each provided so as not to be positioned coaxially based on a virtual first line parallel to the first direction, each first opening is formed to have a length along the first direction larger than a width along the second direction, and the respective first opening is formed over the top surface of the at least one convex portion and a partial area of the partition of the at least one convex portion. ### Claim 14 A fuel cell stack comprising: a membrane-electrode assembly; a gas diffusion layer provided on one side of the membrane-electrode assembly; and a separator disposed so that at least some regions of the separator are in contact with the gas diffusion layer, wherein the separator comprises a plurality of convex portions in contact with the gas diffusion layer and a plurality of concave portions which are not in contact with the gas diffusion layer, wherein the convex portions and the concave portions are successively provided along a first direction in sequence, wherein first openings are each provided on a respective top surface of a respective convex portion, the first openings are provided at predetermined intervals along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, wherein the first openings of two adjacent convex portions are each provided so as not to be positioned coaxially based on a virtual first line parallel to the first direction, wherein each first opening is formed to have a length along the first direction larger than a width along the second direction, and wherein each first opening is formed over the respective top surface of the respective convex portion and a partial area of a respective partition of the convex portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The fuel cell stack according to claim 14, wherein the fuel cell stack is provided so that a reaction gas is supplied to the separator along the first direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The fuel cell stack according to claim 14, wherein the fuel cell stack is provided so that the convex portions are inclined toward the first direction.