1. A fuel cell stack, comprising:
a first membrane electrode assembly (\u201cMEA\u201d);
a second MEA;
a stamped metal separator positioned between the first MEA and the second MEA, and
a gasket disposed between peripheries of the stamped metal separator and the first MEA;
wherein the stamped metal separator comprises a first surface facing the first MEA and a second surface facing the second MEA,
wherein the first MEA and the first surface of the stamped metal separator contact each other and form a first channel therebetween,
wherein the first channel has two ends, each of which is connected to a first manifold through which reactants or resultants from a fuel cell reaction may flow,
wherein the gasket forms a first passage interposed between the one of the two ends of the first channel and the first manifold,
wherein the first passage comprises a groove formed on the gasket,
wherein the second MEA and the second surface of the stamped metal separator contact each other and form a second channel therebetween,
wherein the second channel has two ends, each of which is connected to a second manifold through which reactants or resultants from the fuel cell reaction may flow,
wherein a first imaginary straight line passing through the two ends of the first channel does not intersect a second imaginary straight line passing through the two ends of the second channel when viewed in a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of the MEA contacting the first surface,
wherein the first MEA comprises an electrolyte membrane, a cathode formed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane except at a periphery of the electrolyte membrane, and an anode formed on another surface of the electrolyte membrane except at the periphery,
wherein the first MEA and the first surface form another first channel therebetween,
wherein the another first channel has two ends, each of which is connected to another first manifold through which reactants or resultants of a fuel cell reaction are configured to flow, and
wherein a third imaginary straight line passing through the two ends of the another first channel does not intersect the second imaginary straight line when viewed in the direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the MEA contacting the first surface.
2. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second surfaces comprises protrusions and depressions.
3. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the stamped metal separator comprises a plurality of stamped corrugations.
4. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second channels is formed in a serpentine shape.
5. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second manifolds comprises a hole formed on the stamped metal separator.
6. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein both ends of each of the first and second channels are closed in the separators.
7. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the first channel and the first manifold are separately formed on the stamped metal separator, and wherein the second channel and the second manifold are separately formed on the stamped metal separator.
8. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the first channel is configured to supply an oxidizing gas to the first MEA.
9. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the second channel is configured to supply a fuel to the second MEA.
10. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the stamped metal separator comprises only a single stamped recess on the second surface which is configured to form the second channel.
11. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the stamped metal separator comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, iron, nickel, and cobalt.
12. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the stamped metal separator comprises a bipolar plate.
13. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the gasket contacts the electrolyte membrane and the first surface of the stamped metal separator to form a seal between the peripheries of the first MEA and the stamped metal separator.
14. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the gasket is formed of silicon rubber.
15. The fuel cell stack of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional stamped metal separators, wherein the stamped metal separators and the first and the second MEAs are arranged alternately.
16. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell stack comprises a direct oxidation fuel cell.
17. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the first surface comprises a stamped recess configured to form the first channel.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A computer-implemented method of providing multiple private e-mail networks, the method comprising:
providing a first private e-mail network comprising a first configuration;
providing a second private e-mail network comprising a second configuration;
receiving, at a server system, an e-mail message addressed to a recipient from a sender, the sender being a member of the first private e-mail network and the second private e-mail network, the e-mail message being associated with either the first private e-mail network or the second private e-mail network selected on a per message basis by the sender;
storing the e-mail message in an encrypted form on the server system, the encrypted form defined by the configuration of the selected private e-mail network;
if the recipient is a member of the selected private e-mail network, providing the e-mail message to the recipient; and
if the recipient is not a member of the selected private e-mail network, providing the e-mail message to the recipient after the recipient has registered with the selected private e-mail network.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration and the second configuration each respectively comprises security, encryption, and storage options.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein an e-mail address of the sender is associated with both the first private e-mail network and the second private e-mail network.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first e-mail address of the sender is associated with the first private e-mail network, and wherein a second e-mail address of the sender is associated with the second private e-mail network.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the recipient is not a member of the selected private e-mail network, transmitting, or causing the transmission of, a substitute message to the recipient, the substitute message lacking at least some message content of the e-mail message, and including a link to a component that provides functionality for the recipient to securely retrieve the e-mail message from the server system.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein either the first private e-mail network or the second private e-mail network is selected via a toolbar of an e-mail client plug-in.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein either the first private e-mail network or the second private e-mail network is selected via an e-mail client user interface.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the e-mail client user interface comprises a web-based e-mail interface.
9. A secure e-mail server system, comprising:
a logic subsystem; and
a data-holding subsystem comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the logic subsystem to:
provide a first private e-mail network comprising a first configuration;
provide a second private e-mail network comprising a second configuration;
receive from a remote client an e-mail message addressed to a recipient from a sender, the sender being a member of the first private e-mail network and the second private e-mail network, the e-mail message being associated with either the first private e-mail network or the second private e-mail network selected on a per message basis by the sender;
store the e-mail message in an encrypted form defined by the configuration of the selected private e-mail network;
if the recipient is a member of the selected private e-mail network, provide the e-mail message to the recipient; and
if the recipient is not a member of the selected private e-mail network, provide the e-mail message to the recipient after the recipient has registered with the selected private e-mail network.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first configuration and the second configuration each respectively comprises security, encryption, and storage options.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein an e-mail address of the sender is associated with both the first private e-mail network and the second private e-mail network.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein a first e-mail address of the sender is associated with the first private e-mail network, and wherein a second e-mail address of the sender is associated with the second private e-mail network.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising, if the recipient is not a member of the selected private e-mail network, transmitting, or causing the transmission of, a substitute message to the recipient, the substitute message lacking at least some message content of the e-mail message, and including a link to a component that provides functionality for the recipient to securely retrieve the e-mail message from the server system.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein either the first private e-mail network or the second private e-mail network is selected via a toolbar of an e-mail client plug-in.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein either the first private e-mail network or the second private e-mail network is selected via an e-mail client user interface.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the e-mail client user interface comprises a web-based e-mail interface.
17. A computer-implemented method of securely communicating e-mail messages, comprising:
receiving, at a client device of a recipient, an e-mail message from a sender via a server system providing a secure e-mail service;
receiving a user input to either forward or reply to the e-mail message;
if the user input comprises a request to forward or reply to the e-mail message via the secure e-mail service, forwarding or replying via the secure e-mail service; and
if the user input comprises a request to forward or replay to the e-mail message via an unsecured e-mail service, preventing forwarding or replying via the unsecured e-mail service.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the secure e-mail service comprises a private e-mail network.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein preventing forwarding or replying via the unsecured e-mail service comprises automatically forwarding or replying via the secure e-mail service.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein preventing forwarding or replying via the unsecured e-mail service further comprises selecting a graphical user interface element representing the secured e-mail service, and further comprises preventing user selection of a graphical user interface element representing the unsecured e-mail service.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein both the graphical user interface element representing the secured e-mail service and the graphical user interface element representing the unsecured e-mail service comprise a checkbox.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein preventing forwarding or replying via the unsecured e-mail service further comprises, upon receiving a user input to deselect the graphical user interface element representing the secured e-mail service, providing a message to the user indicating the user input is not allowed.