Patent ID: 7569298

Claim:
A seal structure of a fuel cell where an outer periphery of an electrolyte membrane is encased by a sealant and held between a first separator and a second separator located on opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane so that said fuel cell is sealed between said first and second separators and between said electrolyte membrane and each of said first and second separators, said seal structure comprising: a first seal surface formed in said first separator, and a second seal surface formed in said second separator, said first seal surface and said second seal surface opposing each other; and first and second stepped recesses formed respectively in outer end portions of said first and second separators, said first stepped recess extending between said first seal surface and an outside surface of said first separator, said second stepped recess extending between said second seal surface and an outside surface of said second separator, wherein a distance between a surface of the first stepped recess and a surface of the second stepped recess is greater than a distance between the first and second seal surfaces.