Patent ID: 7858262

Claim:
A fuel cell comprising a porous support whereon a plurality of adjacent individual cells are arranged, each individual cell of the plurality of adjacent individual cells comprising: an assembly formed by a first electrode, an electrolytic membrane and a second electrode, a first current collector associated with the first electrode, the first current collector being arranged on the porous support and formed by a base thin film consisting of: a porous matrix consisting of an electrically insulating porous material, and an electrically conducting material dispersed within the porous matrix, and a second current collector associated with the second electrode, wherein the plurality of adjacent individual cells are connected in series by a plurality of connecting elements respectively arranged between two adjacent individual cells of the plurality of adjacent individual cells to connect the first current collector of one individual cell to the second current collector of an adjacent individual cell, wherein each connecting element of the plurality of connecting elements is formed by a branch comprised of the electrically conducting material, the branch perpendicularly extending the base thin film of the first current collector of a first individual cell of the two adjacent individual cells to form a connection with the second current collector of a second adjacent individual cell of the two adjacent individuals cells, wherein the branch contacts the electrolytic membranes of the two adjacent individual cells over a whole thickness of the electrolytic membranes, and wherein an insulating area is arranged on the porous support and separates the base thin films of the two adjacent individual cells, the insulating area consisting of an electrically insulating porous material that is identical to the electrically insulating porous material of the porous matrix of the base thin films.