Appeal 2007-1687
Application 10/136,781
Appellant claims an electro-chemical fuel cell stack and a method for
the manufacture thereof. The fuel cell stack 20 comprises a plurality of fuel
cells 22 arranged in a stacked configuration to form a fuel cell assembly 24,
first and second end plates 45, 58 disposed on the first and second ends of
the fuel cell assembly, and at least one side plate 36 attached to the
peripheral sidewall of the end plates and holding the end plates in a spaced
relation such that the end plates impart a compressive force on the fuel cell
assembly (claim 1, figs. 1-2).
Representative claims 1, 17, and 32 are reproduced below.
1. An electro-chemical fuel cell stack, the stack comprising:
a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stacked configuration to
form a fuel cell assembly, said fuel cell assembly having opposite first and
second ends with a length therebetween, said first and second ends
corresponding to major planar surfaces of said fuel cell assembly;
first and second end plates, said first and second end plates
being disposed respectively on said first and second ends of said fuel cell
assembly with a major surface of each of said first and second end plates
substantially parallel with said major planar surfaces of said fuel cell
assembly, and each of said first and second end plates having a peripheral
side wall that is substantially parallel to said length of said fuel cell
assembly; and
at least one side plate having opposite first and second ends that
are attached respectively to said peripheral side wall of said first and second
end plates, said attachment of said at least one side plate to said end plates
providing continuous adjustability as to an overlap between said at least one
side plate and at least one of said end plates, said at least one side plate
holding said first and second end plates in a spaced relation so that at least a
planar portion of said major surface of each of said first and second end
plates imparts a compressive force on said fuel cell assembly.
2
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Last modified: September 9, 2013