Patent ID: 8003273
Filing Date: 2011-08-23
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a membrane electrode assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane having a hydrogen ion conductivity, and an anode and a cathode that sandwich said polymer electrolyte membrane; an anode-side separator plate having a gas channel for supplying a fuel gas to said anode, and a cathode-side separator plate having a gas channel for supplying an oxidant gas to said cathode; an anode-side sealing member for maintaining air-tightness of an anode-side gap enclosed by an end face of said anode, said anode-side separator plate, said polymer electrolyte membrane and an inner surface of sail anode-side sealing member, said anode-side sealing member being disposed between said anode-side separator and said polymer electrolyte membrane and between an outer periphery of said membrane electrode assembly and the end face of said anode; and a cathode-side sealing member for maintaining air-tightness of a cathode-side gap enclosed by an end face of said cathode, said cathode-side separator plate, said polymer electrolyte membrane and an inner surface of said cathode-side sealing member, said cathode-side sealing member being disposed between said cathode-side separator and said polymer electrolyte membrane and between the outer periphery of said membrane electrode assembly and the end face of said cathode, wherein at least one of said anode-side sealing member and said cathode-side sealing member comprises: an annular body disposed along said outer periphery of said membrane electrode assembly; and at least one deformable protruding portion provided on an inner surface of said annular body, and wherein said protruding portion is located in one of said anode-side gap and said cathode-side gap and provided on said inner surface of said annular body such that a protruding direction of said protruding portion and a direction along said inner surface of said annular body intersect with each other, and a length of said protruding portion along said protruding direction is greater than a distance between the inner surface of the annular body and the end face of one of said anode and said cathode.