Patent ID: 7344797
Filing Date: 2008-03-18
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. An electro-chemical fuel cell stack, the stack comprising: a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stacked configuration to form a fuel cell assembly, said fuel cell assembly having opposite first and second ends with a length therebetween, said first and second ends corresponding to major planar surfaces of said fuel cell assembly; first and second end plates, said first and second end plates being disposed respectively on said first and second ends of said fuel cell assembly with a major surface of each of said first and second end plates substantially parallel with said major planar surfaces of said fuel cell assembly, and each of said first and second end plates having a peripheral side wall that is substantially parallel to said length of said fuel cell assembly; and at least one side plate having opposite first and second ends that are attached respectively to said peripheral side wall of said first and second end plates, said attachment of said at least one side plate to said end plates providing continuous adjustability as to an overlap between said at least one side plate and at least one of said end plates, said at least one side plate holding said first and second end plates in a spaced relation so that at least a planar portion of said major surface of each of said first and second end plates imparts a compressive force on said fuel cell assembly.