The invention relates to a production plant for producing a membrane electrode assembly or a membrane electrode frame assembly having multiple work stations in which successive production steps take place. The production plant according to the invention is characterized in that a main line and at least one secondary line are provided, wherein the at least one secondary line branches off from the main line after a central work station and, after at least one decentralized work station in the respective secondary line, reenters the main line before the central work station, wherein the central work station comprises at least one work section for an adhesive application, and wherein at least some of the decentralized work stations are designed at least for joining and/or positioning other materials and/or layers. The invention also comprises a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly or membrane electrode frame assembly using such a production plant.

A hybrid bipolar plate assembly for a fuel cell includes a formed cathode half plate and a stamped metal anode half plate. The stamped metal anode half plate is nested with and affixed to the formed cathode half plate. Each of the half plates has a reactant side and a coolant side, a feed region, and a header with a plurality of header apertures. The coolant side of the formed cathode half plate has support features that can be different from and need not correspond with cathode flow channels formed on the opposite reactant side. The coolant side of the stamped metal anode half plate has lands corresponding with anode channels formed on the opposite oxidant side. The lands define a plurality of coolant channels on the coolant side of the stamped metal anode half plate and abut the coolant side of the formed cathode half plate.

A hybrid bipolar plate assembly for a fuel cell includes a formed cathode half plate and a stamped metal anode half plate. The stamped metal anode half plate is nested with and affixed to the formed cathode half plate. Each of the half plates has a reactant side and a coolant side, a feed region, and a header with a plurality of header apertures. The coolant side of the formed cathode half plate has support features that can be different from and need not correspond with cathode flow channels formed on the opposite reactant side. The coolant side of the stamped metal anode half plate has lands corresponding with anode channels formed on the opposite oxidant side. The lands define a plurality of coolant channels on the coolant side of the stamped metal anode half plate and abut the coolant side of the formed cathode half plate.

A fuel cell is provided to include a cell stack in which unit cells are stacked in a first direction, an end plate disposed at the end of the cell stack, and a current-collecting plate disposed between the end plate and the end of the cell stack. The current-collecting plate includes a conductive area having a conductive surface, which is in electrically conductive surface contact with a reaction surface of the end of the cell stack, and configured to collect power generated by the cell stack, and an airtight area having an airtight surface, which is in airtight surface contact with a non-reaction surface of the end of the cell stack, and surrounding the conductive area. The degree to which the conductive surface protrudes toward the end of the cell stack is different from the degree to which the airtight surface protrudes toward the end of the cell stack.

A fuel cell including at least one membrane, at least one anode electrode layer, at least one cathode electrode layer, at least two gas diffusion layers and at least two flow field structures. The at least one membrane is arranged between one anode electrode layer and one cathode electrode layer, forming a membrane electrode assembly and defining an active area. One gas diffusion layer is arranged adjacent to each electrode layer. One flow field structure is arranged adjacent to each gas diffusion layer. Each flow field structure includes at least three fuel manifolds, at least three oxidant manifolds and at least three coolant manifolds. The fuel cell includes at least two active areas and in that at least one fuel manifold, at least one oxidant manifold and at least one coolant manifold is arranged between the at least two active areas.

A fuel cell including at least one membrane, at least one anode electrode layer, at least one cathode electrode layer, at least two gas diffusion layers and at least two flow field structures. The at least one membrane is arranged between one anode electrode layer and one cathode electrode layer, forming a membrane electrode assembly and defining an active area. One gas diffusion layer is arranged adjacent to each electrode layer. One flow field structure is arranged adjacent to each gas diffusion layer. Each flow field structure includes at least three fuel manifolds, at least three oxidant manifolds and at least three coolant manifolds. The fuel cell includes at least two active areas and in that at least one fuel manifold, at least one oxidant manifold and at least one coolant manifold is arranged between the at least two active areas.

A gasket is arranged between a fastening portion of an end plate arranged at an end in a cell stacking direction of a cell stack of a fuel cell and a case covering a periphery of the cell stack. The gasket is configured to seal a gap between the fastening portion and the gasket and a gap between the case and the gasket. The gasket includes a base plate and an elastic material layer. The base plate has a slope section that connects an inner peripheral section and an outer peripheral section to each other. The inner peripheral section and the outer peripheral section are located at different positions in a thickness direction of the base plate. The slope section is inclined with respect to the inner peripheral section and the outer peripheral section.

There is provided a fuel cell comprising a cell stacked body and a case configured to surround at least stacked body side faces of the cell stacked body. The case comprises a first case configured to include a first case side wall and a pair of first opposed side walls that are arranged to rise from a circumference of the first case side wall such as to have a draft angle; and a second case configured to include a second case side wall and a pair of second opposed side walls that are arranged to rise from a circumference of the second case side wall such as to have a draft angle. A first edge of each of the first opposed side walls is joined with a second edge of each of the second opposed side walls. This configuration suppresses size expansion of the fuel cell.

A fuel cell structure has a membrane electrode assembly , a polar plate mounted in a stacking direction for supplying a reactant to a surface of the membrane electrode assembly, the polar plate comprising a media port as the inlet for the reactant and a media port as the outlet for the reactant as well as a flow field which fluidically connects the two media ports, and an active area being provided in which the electrochemical fuel cell reaction occurs during operation, and a means for producing a region with a reduced reactant flow, which is provided on the inlet side of the flow field . The means is located within the active area at the edge, or extends into the active area at the edge. A fuel cell stack and a motor vehicle including the aforementioned fuel cell structure is also provided.

A fuel cell structure has a membrane electrode assembly , a polar plate mounted in a stacking direction for supplying a reactant to a surface of the membrane electrode assembly, the polar plate comprising a media port as the inlet for the reactant and a media port as the outlet for the reactant as well as a flow field which fluidically connects the two media ports, and an active area being provided in which the electrochemical fuel cell reaction occurs during operation, and a means for producing a region with a reduced reactant flow, which is provided on the inlet side of the flow field . The means is located within the active area at the edge, or extends into the active area at the edge. A fuel cell stack and a motor vehicle including the aforementioned fuel cell structure is also provided.