A fuel cell including: a diaphragm/electrodes assembly including a first electrode forming an anode, and a first reinforcement attached to a surface of the diaphragm and surrounding the first electrode; two bipolar plates, having the diaphragm/electrodes assembly placed therebetween and including at least one flow collector passing therethrough, a first surface of the diaphragm including an active area and a connection area and arranged between the flow collector and the active area; a conductor track rigidly connected to the first surface of the diaphragm and extending between the connection area and one edge of the diaphragm that projects beyond the first reinforcement; and a measurement electrode, positioned on the connection area of the first surface of the diaphragm and making electrical contact with the conductor track.

A manufacturing method of a unit cell of a fuel cell, includes: preparing a frame member made of resin, first adhesive bonds being provided on one surface of the frame member and being separated from each other and each having thermoplasticity; preparing a separator; and joining the frame member and the separator by heating and pressing the frame member and the separator in a state where the one surface of the frame member faces the separator through the first adhesive bonds, so as to melt the first adhesive bonds to be brought into contact with each other.

A manufacturing method of a separator for a fuel cell, including: preparing a first die including: a first convex surface and a first concave surface; and a first side surface connected between the first convex surface and the first concave surface; preparing a second die including: a second concave surface and a second convex surface respectively facing the first convex surface and the first concave surface; and a second side surface facing the first side surface and connected between the second concave surface and the second convex surface; preparing a metal plate having a flat plate shape, and two electro-conductive resin sheets; and forming a flow channel in the metal plate and the two electro-conductive resin sheets by hot pressing with the first and second dies.

A fuel cell stack assembly comprises fuel cells disposed in a stacked configuration, each cell substantially parallel to an x-y plane and including a tab extending laterally from an edge of a plate in the cell in the x-direction to form an array of tabs extending along a side face of the fuel cell stack in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-y plane. A connector engages with the tabs of the fuel cell stack. The connector comprises a support region and engagement regions, each engagement region bounded by the support region and configured to receive one of the array of tabs by engagement in the x-direction. The connector has flexible conductors, each of the flexible conductors laterally extending from the support region over at least a portion of one of the engagement regions and configured to be deflected away from the support region by a received tab.

A metallic conducting function member used for conducting electricity in a fuel cell stack comprises a conductive inorganic film on a surface of a metal base material. The inorganic film that is a thin film made of a conductive inorganic material includes a carbon-based conductive material dispersed at a weight ratio that is equal to or higher than 20%. Using this metallic conducting function member for a stack of fuel cells that is a stack of power generation cells each obtained by sandwiching an electrolyte membrane having proton conductivity with an anode electrode and a cathode electrode can lead to small contact resistance value and high corrosion resistance.

An air battery module includes a plurality of air battery cells connected in series. Each air battery cell includes a negative electrode current collector, a negative electrode plate, a separator, a positive electrode current collector supporting an air electrode, a water-repellent film, and a flow channel plate. The positive electrode current collector includes a conductive frame and two conductive connection parts formed integrally with the frame and extending in a direction away from the negative electrode current collector. The two connection parts are formed so as to face each other with the air electrode interposed therebetween. When the positive electrode side of a battery cell is connected to the negative electrode side of an adjacent battery cell, the connection part of the battery cell is contact with the negative electrode current collector of the adjacent battery cell and electrically connected thereto.

A fuel cell comprising at least two stacked fuel cell boards (22) which each comprise a membrane of substantially gas impervious electrolyte material and at least two electrode pairs wherein the anode and cathode of each said electrode pair are arranged on respective faces of said membrane. An electrode of each pair of electrodes is connected to an electrode of an adjacent pair of electrodes by a through-membrane connection (13) or by an external connection on a Printed Circuit Board, comprising an electrically conductive region of said electrolyte material. A method for forming the through-membrane electrical connections in the electrolyte membrane is also disclosed.

A fuel cell stack assembly has a plurality of cells in a stack configuration. Each cell comprises a membrane-electrode assembly disposed between an anode flow plate and a cathode flow plate. A current collector plate is disposed at each end of the stack and a compression assembly maintains the stack under compression. At least one of the current collector plates is formed as a printed circuit board having a first face disposed against a cathode flow plate or an anode flow plate of an outermost cell in the stack and a second face opposite the first face. The first face includes an electrically conductive layer disposed on a substrate of the printed circuit board to serve as a stack current collector electrode. Electrical components such as temperature sensors can be mounted on the printed circuit board such that they lie in or adjacent to a flow channel extending along an adjacent face of the anode or cathode flow plate. The printed circuit board can provide laterally extending connection tabs for electrical connection to the current collector electrode and to the electrical components.

A connector system is provided for facilitating electrically connecting to a fuel cell stack. The connector system includes a receptacle within the fuel cell stack, a circuit board, and a connector electrically connected to and extending from the circuit board. The receptacle is configured to facilitate electrically connecting to the fuel cell stack, and the connector is receivable within the receptacle for electrically connecting the circuit board to the fuel cell stack. The connector is elastically deformable to facilitate operative positioning of the connector within the receptacle, and to facilitate an interference fit of the connector within the receptacle against a surface defining, at least in part, the receptacle to secure the connector within the receptacle, with the connector electrically connected to a fuel cell plate of the fuel cell stack.

A fuel cell comprising at least two stacked fuel cell boards (22) which each comprise a membrane of substantially gas impervious electrolyte material and at least two electrode pairs wherein the anode and cathode of each said electrode pair are arranged on respective faces of said membrane. An electrode of each pair of electrodes is connected to an electrode of an adjacent pair of electrodes by a through-membrane connection (13) or by an external connection on a Printed Circuit Board, comprising an electrically conductive region of said electrolyte material. A method for forming the through-membrane electrical connections in the electrolyte membrane is also disclosed.