Appeal 2006-0249 Application 10/315,401 INTRODUCTION The claims are directed to an elastic sealing element (e.g., Fig. 1 at 17) that encloses the cell separator plates and membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell. The sealing element includes a peripheral sealing band (e.g., Fig. 1 at 28) and a peripheral sealing strip (e.g., Fig. 1 at 20). Claim 1 is illustrative: 1. A sealing arrangement for fuel cells having including at least one composite formed of two cell separator plates with a deformable membrane electrode assembly placed therebetween, the deformable membrane electrode assembly being composed of two porous, gas-permeable plates or layers and an ion-exchange membrane placed therebetween, the membrane electrode assembly having lateral surfaces set back with respect to lateral surfaces of the cell separator plates to leave a sealing gap, the sealing arrangement comprising: an elastic sealing element having a sealing band peripherally enclosing the composite and having a peripheral sealing strip extending into the sealing gap to seal the sealing gap in a gas-tight manner by compression between the cell separator plates. The Examiner relies on the following prior art references to show unpatentability: Kühl US 3,746,176 Nov. 5, 1974 Singelyn US 4,774,154 Sep. 27, 1988 Schmid US 6,080,503 Jun. 27, 2000 Inoue US 2002/0055027 A1 May 9, 2002 Wozniczka GB 2 368 968 A May 15, 2002 Osenar US 2002/0068212 A1 Jun. 6, 2002 2Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007