Patent ID: 7964321

Claim:
Bipolar plate for a fuel cell, comprising: a cathode bipolar half-plate and an anode bipolar half-plate which are secured to each other, each of said bipolar half-plates having an inner face facing toward the other of said bipolar half-plates and an outer face facing away from the other of said bipolar half-plates, each of said bipolar half-plates being constituted by a respective plate which comprises, in a central portion thereof, an active zone and, in a peripheral portion thereof, at least six cut-outs which are intended to constitute at least two oxidant units, at least two fuel units and at least two heat-exchange fluid units, respectively, at least one of the bipolar half-plates comprising at least one connection rib between one of the cut-outs and the active zone, wherein each of said cut-outs of each of said bipolar half-plates is surrounded by a respective fluid unit sealing rib for sealing the respective fluid unit, wherein the fluid unit sealing rib protrudes over the outer face of the bipolar half-plate, wherein each of said bipolar half-plates comprises, in the peripheral portion thereof, an active zone sealing rib for sealing the active zone, wherein the active zone sealing rib protrudes over the outer face of the bipolar half-plate, continuously connects the sealing ribs of the heat-exchange fluid units, and surrounds the sealing ribs for sealing the oxidant and fuel units at an outer side thereof, wherein said active zone sealing rib comprises at least two rib segments, wherein each of said rib segments continuously connects two of the sealing ribs for sealing the heat-exchange fluid units, respectively, wherein each of said rib segments forms a channel on the inner face of the bipolar half-plate, and wherein each of said channels is blocked by a channel blocking means.