# US 7,608,355 B2 · Seal structure of a fuel cell > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,355 B2 - Document ID: US7608355B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/574,565 - Filed: 2004-09-28 - Published: 2007-05-31 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2003-10-09 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Tomokazu Hayashi; Mikio Wada; Iwao Myojin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608355B2 ## CPC - H01M 8/0271: Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes - H01M 8/0247: characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) - H01M 8/0254: corrugated or undulated - H01M 8/0258: characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant - H01M 8/0267: having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels - H01M 8/2483: characterised by internal manifolds - H01M 8/0273: with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame - 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 seal structure of a fuel cell includes an interrupted back-up disposed at least one of a connecting gas passage and a connecting coolant passage. The back-up located on one side of a separator and a portion of a seal line located on the other side of the separator are disposed such that the back-up and the portion of the seal line are overlapped with each other in a fuel cell stacking direction. The interrupted back-up may be formed in the seal or in the separator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A seal structure of a fuel cell, said fuel cell including an MEA, a separator made from metal, a gas passage formed in said separator, a gas manifold formed in said separator, a connecting gas passage formed in said separator and between said gas passage and said gas manifold, a coolant passage formed in said separator, a coolant manifold formed in said separator, a connecting coolant passage formed in said separator and between said coolant passage and said coolant manifold, and a seal including a gas seal line and a coolant seal line for preventing gas and/or coolant from leaking and defining a continuous seal line, said seal structure of a fuel cell, comprising: an interrupted back-up disposed at an at least one of said connecting gas passage and said connecting coolant passage, wherein said back-up is located on one side of said separator and a portion of the gas or coolant seal line located on the other side of said separator being disposed such that said back-up and said portion of said seal line are overlapped with each other in a fuel cell stacking direction, wherein said back-up is integrated within said separator and includes a rib having a convex and concave structure, and wherein the other of the gas or coolant seal line is located on the same side as said back-up and includes a straight line portion located on a same straight line as said back-up and wherein the gas seal line is made of adhesive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A seal structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said back-up is disposed at said connecting gas passage between said gas passage and said gas manifold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A seal structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said back-up is disposed at said connecting coolant passage between said coolant passage and said coolant manifold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A seal structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein though said gas manifold and said coolant manifold differ in width to each other, said interrupted back-up and a portion of said seal line positioned in an extension of said interrupted back-up are disposed on a same straight line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A seal structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said back-up is formed in said separator and includes a plurality of protrusions spaced from each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A seal structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said back-up includes a rib having a plurality of tunnels formed in said rib and spaced from each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A seal structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein an entire portion of said back-up located between adjacent separators is formed in one separator of the adjacent separators. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A seal structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said back-up located between adjacent separators is formed in one separator of the adjacent separators, and a remaining portion of said back-up located between adjacent separators is formed in the other separator of the adjacent separators. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A seal structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said back-up is formed in said separator and includes a rib having a plurality of tunnels formed in said rib, between the separator and a cover plate, and spaced from each other, and the cover plate contacts an adjacent separator. ### Claim 10 A seal structure of a fuel cell, said fuel cell including an MEA, a separator made from metal, a gas passage formed in said separator, a gas manifold formed in said separator, a connecting gas passage formed in said separator and between said gas passage and said gas manifold, a coolant passage formed in said separator, a coolant manifold formed in said separator, a connecting coolant passage formed in said separator and between said coolant passage and said coolant manifold, and a seal including a gas seal line and a coolant seal line for preventing gas and/or coolant from leaking and defining a continuous seal line, said seal structure of a fuel, comprising: an interrupted back-up disposed at an at least one of said connecting gas passage and said connecting coolant passage, wherein said back-up being located on one side of said separator and a portion of the gas or coolant seal line located on the other side of said separator being disposed such that said back-up and said portion of said seal line are overlapped with each other in a fuel cell stacking direction, wherein said back-up is integrated within said separator and includes a rib having a convex and concave structure, wherein the other of the gas or coolant seal line is located on the same side as said back-up and includes a straight line portion located on a same straight line as said back-up and the gas seal line is made from an adhesive, wherein said back-up is formed at the at least one of said connecting gas passage and said connecting coolant passage at a portion of said separator where the seal does not exist, and wherein said back-up is formed in said separator and includes a rib having a plurality of tunnels formed in said rib, between the separator and a cover plate, and spaced from each other, and the cover plate contacts an adjacent separator.