# US 7,279,016 B2 · Fuel cell bipolar separator plate and current collector assembly and method of manufacture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,279,016 B2 - Document ID: US7279016B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/762,948 - Filed: 2004-01-22 - Published: 2004-08-05 - Granted: 2007-10-09 - Earliest claimed: 1999-11-16 - Assignees: GenCell Corporation - Inventors: Jeffrey P. Allen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7279016B2 ## CPC - H01M 8/026: characterised by grooves, e.g. their pitch or depth - B21D 13/02: by pressing - H01M 8/0202: Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors - H01M 8/0206: Metals or alloys - H01M 8/0228: in the form of layered or coated products - H01M 8/0247: characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) - H01M 8/0254: corrugated or undulated - H01M 8/0265: the reactant or coolant channels having varying cross sections - H01M 8/0267: having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels - H01M 8/0271: Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes - H01M 8/0276: Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence) - H01M 8/2457: with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised - H01M 8/2483: characterised by internal manifolds - H01M 8/2484: characterised by external manifolds - H01M 8/04074: {Heat exchange unit structures specially adapted for fuel cell} - H01M 8/0625: {in a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure} - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y10T 29/49108: Electric battery cell making - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A fuel cell bipolar separator plate of variable length is formed from a sheet having a fixed width. The sheet is passed through a tool a predetermined distance and a pattern of ribs is formed on a central portion of the sheet with the tool to define a segment along the length of the sheet. The ribs define a fuel flow path on a first side of the sheet and an oxidant flow path on an opposed second side of the sheet. The sheet is passed through a tool a predetermined distance and the steps of forming the pattern on the sheet and passing the sheet through the tool are repeated until the sheet possesses a desired length, at which point the sheet is cut to a desired length. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a segmented fuel cell bipolar separator plate, comprising the following steps: providing a sheet of material having a fixed width; passing the sheet through a tool a predetermined distance; forming a pattern on a central portion of the sheet with the tool to define a segment along the length of the sheet, the pattern including ribs defining a fuel flow path on a first side of the sheet and an oxidant flow path on an opposed second side of the sheet, the central portion positioned between a first outer portion and a second opposed outer portion, the first and second outer portions being free of ribs and positioned at opposed ends of the ribs; passing the sheet through a tool a predetermined distance; repeating the steps of forming the pattern on the sheet and passing the sheet through the tool until the sheet possesses a desired quantity of segments so as to form a segmented fuel cell bipolar separator plate; and positioning the segmented fuel cell bipolar separator plate in a fuel cell; wherein the pattern further includes a first mating pair of apertures in the first outer portion of each segment and a second mating pair of apertures in the opposed second outer portion of each segment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: folding the first outer portion over itself such that the first pair of apertures are aligned with one another to form an inlet for a reactant flow path; and folding the second outer portion over itself such that the second pair of apertures are aligned with one another to form an outlet for a reactant flow path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern further includes a plurality of dimples in the first and second outer portions such that when the first and second outer portions are folded over upon themselves a fluid flow path is formed within the folded over portions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern includes at least one additional mating pair of apertures in the first and second outer portions of each segment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of securing a seal member on the second side of the sheet proximate a first edge thereof to define an inlet for the reactant flow path; and securing a seal member on the second side of the sheet proximate an opposed second edge thereof to define an outlet for the reactant flow path, each seal member including an aperture aligned with a respective pair of apertures when the seal member is secured to the sheet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of eyeleting the aperture of each seal member to one aperture of the respective pair of apertures with which the seal member aperture is aligned. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the pattern further includes a plurality of dimples in the first and second outer portions such that when the seal members are secured to the sheet a fluid flow path is formed between the seal members and the plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the pattern includes a dividing rib between adjacent segments, the dividing rib defining a flow channel in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet of the reactant flow path.