Patent ID: 7659023

Claim:
A fuel cell providing incremental voltage summation within the fuel cell comprising: a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a first reactant face and a second reactant face; a first separator plate, including a non-conductive substrate, having a first face adjacent said first reactant face with a first electrode pad formed across a first region of said first face with a first reactant gas flow field formed therein, and a second electrode pad formed across a second region of said first face with a second reactant gas flow field formed therein, wherein said first electrode pad is spaced apart from and electrically isolated from said second electrode pad by said non-conductive substrate; a second separator plate, including a non-conductive substrate, having a second face adjacent said second reactant face with a third electrode pad formed across a third region of said second face with a third reactant gas flow field formed therein, and a fourth electrode pad formed across a fourth region of said second face with a fourth reactant gas flow field formed therein, wherein said third electrode pad is spaced apart from and electrically coupled to said fourth electrode pad; and a third face formed on said first separator plate with a fifth electrode pad formed across a fifth region of said third face opposite said first region with a fifth reactant gas flow field formed therein and a sixth electrode pad formed across a sixth region of said third face opposite said second region with a sixth reactant gas flow field formed therein, wherein said first electrode pad is electrically coupled to said fifth electrode pad by a conductor extending through said first separator plate, said second electrode pad is spaced apart from and electrically isolated from said sixth electrode pad, and said fifth electrode pad is spaced apart from and electrically isolated from said sixth electrode pad by said non-conductive substrate, wherein a multiple-legged current flow path is established in the fuel cell through each of said electrode pads defined directly in said first and said second separator plates, including a first leg from said fifth electrode pad through said conductor to said first electrode pad such that the current flow path is established through an outer perimeter of the first substrate, said first leg continuing through said MEA to said third electrode pad and a second leg from said fourth electrode pad through said MEA to said second electrode pad.