Patent ID: 7897288

Claim:
A fuel cell comprising an electrolyte membrane, a pair of electrodes that engage the electrolyte membrane therebetween, and a sealing member that surrounds an edge portion of the electrolyte membrane, wherein the sealing member comprises a pair of belts that engage the edge portion of the electrolyte membrane therebetween in a thickness direction of the belts, wherein each belt comprises a non-gas transmitting layer comprising aluminum and a first thermoplastic resin layer stacked on the non-gas transmitting layer, wherein the belts are disposed such that the first thermoplastic resin layers of the belts face each other, and wherein the edge portion of the electrolyte membrane is held between inner edge portions of the pair of the belts, wherein an outer edge portion of one belt of the pair of belts protrudes farther than an outer edge portion of the other belt of the pair of belts to provide an exposed peripheral portion that does not contact the other belt of the pair of belts and wherein outer edge portions of the first thermoplastic resin layers of the belts are thermally bonded to each other, except at the exposed peripheral portion.