Patent ID: 7112384

Claim:
A fuel cell assembly having a plurality of fuel cell component elements extending under compressive pressure between a pair of endplates to form a cell stack assembly, and having a reactant gas manifold, said elements having mutually uneven surfaces at ends thereof to which said manifold is to be sealed, and having a first seal part comprising at least one type of elastomer applied to said mutually uneven surfaces; characterized by the improvement comprising: a groove disposed within a contact surface of said manifold for receiving an elastomer gasket; a notch extending from a surface of each of said endplates for receiving an end portion of a rigid strip coplanar with said end plate surface to form a sealing surface of said stack assembly coextensive with and facing said manifold contact surface; a second seal part comprising an elastomer gasket disposed within said groove of said manifold; and a third seal part comprising a rigid dielectric strip interposed between said first seal part and said second seal part.