Patent ID: 7294427

Claim:
An assembly comprising: a gasket for sealing a manifold to a fuel cell stack, said gasket having first and second opposing outer surfaces, and a material promotive of slipping disposed on at least a portion of at least one of said first and second outer surfaces, wherein said gasket includes a fibrous ceramic layer, and said material comprises a ceramic cloth, and wherein said gasket is adapted to be disposed between the face of the fuel cell stack and a dielectric insulator, said dielectric insulator being disposed between the manifold and stack face; wherein the stack face comprises opposing first and second periphery portions formed by portions of the end faces of the end plates of the fuel cell stack, and opposing third and fourth periphery portions formed by portions of the end faces of the bipolar separator plates in the fuel cells of the fuel cell stack; wherein said dielectric insulator comprises opposing first and second frame portions adapted to be disposed adjacent to said first and second periphery portions of said stack face, and opposing third and fourth frame portions adapted to be disposed adjacent to said third and fourth periphery portions of said stack face; and wherein said first outer surface of said gasket is adapted to face said frame portions of said dielectric insulator and said second outer surface of said gasket is adapted to face said periphery portions of said stack face.