Patent ID: 7776464

Claim:
A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a plate-shaped electrode structure ( 7 ); and first and second separators ( 8 , 9 ) that sandwich the electrode structure ( 7 ); the electrode structure ( 7 ) comprising a solid polymer electrolyte membrane ( 10 ); first and second electrode layers ( 11 , 12 ) that sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte membrane ( 10 ); and first and second diffusion layers ( 13 , 14 ) that are disposed outside the corresponding electrode layers ( 11 , 12 ); the first separator ( 8 ) forming, in cooperation with a face on the first diffusion layer ( 13 ) side of the electrode structure ( 7 ), a first gas passage (P H ), one type of gas (H) among a fuel gas (H) and an oxidizing gas (A) flowing through the first gas passage (P H ); and the second separator ( 9 ) forming, in cooperation with a face on the second diffusion layer ( 14 ) side of the electrode structure ( 7 ), a second gas passage (P A ), the other type of gas (A) among the fuel gas (H) and the oxidizing gas (A) flowing through the second gas passage (P A ); characterized in that the solid polymer electrolyte membrane ( 10 ) is formed so as to have a first jutting-out portion ( 15 ) that juts out from peripheries of the first diffusion layer ( 13 ) and the first and second electrode layers ( 11 , 12 ), the second diffusion layer ( 14 ) is formed so as to have a second jutting-out portion ( 16 ) that juts out from a periphery of the second electrode layer ( 12 ) and faces the first jutting-out portion ( 15 ), the first and second jutting-out portions ( 15 , 16 ) each having a periphery and being joined together over the entirety of their peripheries via a cured adhesive layer ( 17 ), the second jutting-out portion ( 16 ) is in a state in which it is impregnated by cured adhesive, part of the surface of the first jutting-out portion ( 15 ) is set as an inlet area (a 3 ) and an outlet area (a 4 ) for said one type of gas (H), a seal ( 27 ) of the first separator ( 8 ) is in intimate contact with the surface of the first jutting-out portion ( 15 ) apart from the inlet area (a 3 ) and the outlet area (a 4 ) so as to form the first gas passage (P H ), part of the surface of the second jutting-out portion ( 16 ) is set as an inlet area (a 1 ) and an outlet area (a 2 ) for said other type of gas (A), a seal ( 21 ) of the second separator ( 9 ) is in intimate contact with the surface of the second jutting-out portion ( 16 ) apart from the inlet area (a 1 ) and the outlet area (a 2 ) so as to form the second gas passage (P A ), the second electrode layer ( 12 ) surrounded by the cured adhesive layer ( 17 ) is separated from the cured adhesive layer ( 17 ), and an outer edge of the second electrode layer ( 12 ) is staggered relative to an outer edge of the first electrode layer ( 11 ) with the solid polymer electrolyte membrane ( 10 ) interposed therebetween.