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US 7,582,378 B2Granted
Fuel cell seal and plate features
AssigneeFreudenberg-NOK General Partnership
InventorsJoseph J. Heystek, Ryan A. Vanderbilt, Christian F Fau
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one aspect, a fuel cell assembly comprises a separator plate having a surface with a surface feature; and a seal comprising a resilient member defining a bead and a cooperating feature for engagement with the surface feature of the plate. The surface feature of the separator plate and the cooperating feature of the seal provide for engagement and preferably releasable engagement with one another during at least an assembly operation.
Claims20
A fuel cell component, comprising:
- a seal having a body of resilient material with a patterned edge, and
- a separator member comprising a surface having a cooperating pattern for engagement with said patterned edge of said seal,
- wherein the cooperating pattern comprises one or more recesses and the patterned edge comprises a tab that has a dimension greater than the dimension of the recess.
A fuel cell component, comprising:
- a seal having a body of resilient material with a patterned edge, and
- a separator member comprising a surface having a cooperating pattern for engagement with said patterned edge of said seal,
- wherein the cooperating pattern comprises a groove and the patterned edge comprises a tab that has a dimension greater than the dimension of the groove.
A fuel cell component, comprising:
- a seal having a body of resilient material with a patterned edge, and
- a separator member comprising a surface having a cooperating pattern for engagement with said patterned edge of said seal,
- wherein the cooperating pattern comprises one or more raised portions at the surface of said separator member for engagement with said seal, and
- wherein the patterned edge comprises a tab that extends from an edge of the resilient material, and the tab includes an opening which engages with said raised portion.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.