Patent ID: 7566512

Claim:
A fuel cell, comprising: an anode; a cathode; an electrolyte matrix or layer of electrolyte arranged between the anode and the cathode; a current collector installed at the anode and a current collector installed at the cathode so as to electrically contact the anode and the cathode and form gas flow channels for a fuel gas to the anode and a cathode gas to the cathode, the current collector on the anode side, together with the anode, form an anode half-cell, and the current collector on the cathode side, together with the cathode, form a cathode half-cell, the electrolyte matrix or layer of electrolyte being applied on one of the half cells; and a sealing element mounted on sides of the current collector on the anode side and a sealing element mounted on sides of the current collector on the cathode side, each of the sealing elements having a U-shaped cross section that opens toward an inside of the fuel cell so that the sealing elements laterally encompass and seal the current collector of the anode or cathode, an insulating layer being provided, which electrically insulates the sealing element of one of the half-cells from the other of the half-cells.