Patent ID: 7553399

Claim:
A hydrogen production apparatus, comprising: a solid polymer electrolyte membrane having elasticity; a pair of rigid power feeders, the power feeders provided opposed to each other on a cathode side and an anode side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane respectively; a separator stacked on each of the power feeders; pressing means for pressing each of the separators and each of the power feeders against the solid polymer electrolyte membrane; a pressure contact surface which is provided in a peripheral portion of each of the separators and is pressed against the solid polymer electrolyte membrane; a recess portion which is positioned inwardly of and surrounded by the pressure contact surface of each of the separators, and within which the power feeder is provided; and a fluid channel which is provided on each of the separators, and to which each of the power feeders is exposed, the apparatus providing hydrogen gas within the fluid channel of the cathode side separator by supplying water to the fluid channel of the anode side separator as well as applying a current to each of the power feeders, and then by electrolyzing water which has been supplied to the fluid channel of the anode side separator, wherein at least a surface of the power feeder provided within the recess portion of the cathode side separator is located inside the recess portion, and a gap is provided between the surface of the power feeder and the pressure contact surface of the separator to be in a range of less than 100% of a thickness of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the thickness being obtained before each of the power feeders and each of the separators are pressed against the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein the surface of the power feeder provided within the recess portion of the cathode side separator directly contacts the solid polymer electrolyte membrane when the pressing means is applied, and wherein the thickness of a portion of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane in direct contact with the separators is less than the thickness of a portion of the solid electrolyte membrane in direct contact with the surface of the power feeder provided within the recess portion of the cathode side separator without being compressed.