SINTERED CAPACITOR ELECTRODE INCLUDING MULTIPLE THICKNESSES

• US 20110152960A1
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Daley, Jay E., Stemen, Eric, Byron, Mary M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,269,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3782 producing a voltage above the power source level
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/008 Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/012 specially adapted for solid capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/052 Sintered electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/06 Mounting in containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/08 Housing; Encapsulation

Abstract

An example includes a capacitor case sealed to retain electrolyte, at least one anode disposed in the capacitor case, the at least one anode comprising a sintered portion disposed on a substrate, an anode conductor coupled to the substrate in electrical communication with the sintered portion, the anode conductor sealingly extending through the capacitor case to an anode terminal disposed on the exterior of the capacitor case with the anode terminal in electrical communication with the sintered portion, a cathode disposed in the capacitor case, a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode and a cathode terminal disposed on an exterior of the capacitor case and in electrical communication with the cathode, with the anode terminal and the cathode terminal electrically isolated from one another.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a capacitor case sealed to retain electrolyte;

a first electrode disposed in the capacitor case;

a conductor coupled to the first electrode in electrical communication with the conductor, the conductor sealingly extending through the capacitor case to a terminal disposed on an exterior of the capacitor case, with the terminal in electrical communication with the first electrode;

a second electrode disposed in the capacitor case in a stack with the first electrode, the second electrode having a second electrode thickness;

a first separator disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and having a first separator thickness;

a third electrode disposed in the capacitor in the stack with the first electrode and the second electrode, the third electrode in electrical communication with the first electrode and including a first sintered portion of a first thickness, and a second portion of a second thickness other than the first thickness;

a second separator disposed between the third electrode and the second electrode and having a second separator thickness; and

a second terminal disposed on the exterior of the capacitor case and in electrical communication with the second electrode, with the terminal and the second terminal electrically isolated from one another,

wherein the second thickness of the third electrode is substantially equivalent to a thickness including the first thickness of the third electrode, the second electrode thickness, the first separator thickness and the second separator thickness.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of anodes, each including a sintered portion disposed on a respective substrate of a plurality of substrates, are stacked against one another and electrically interconnected to one another.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second portion includes a sintered portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sintered portion is disposed on a substrate that extends between the first portion and the second portion, with the first sintered portion and the second portion separated by a space.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the third electrode comprises a third electrode substrate, with the first sintered portion disposed on the third electrode substrate and the second portion disposed on the third electrode substrate, wherein the third electrode substrate is substantially planar.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stack includes a plurality of electrodes, each with a respective rivet disposed through a substrate, with one or more rivets defining the second thickness.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second portion includes a conductive epoxy.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second portion includes a sintered portion doped with the conductive epoxy.

9. A system, comprising:

a hermetically sealed device housing;

a battery disposed in the hermetically sealed device housing;

a capacitor disposed in the hermetically sealed device housing, the capacitor comprising;

a capacitor case sealed to retain electrolyte;

a first electrode disposed in the capacitor case;

a conductor coupled to the first electrode in electrical communication with the conductor, the conductor sealingly extending through the capacitor case to a terminal disposed on an exterior of the capacitor case, with the terminal in electrical communication with the first electrode;

a second electrode disposed in the capacitor case in a stack with the first electrode, the second electrode having a second electrode thickness;

a first separator disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and having a first separator thickness;

a third electrode disposed in the capacitor in the stack with the first electrode and the second electrode, the third electrode in electrical communication with the first electrode and including a first sintered portion of a first thickness, and a second portion of a second thickness other than the first thickness;

a second separator disposed between the third electrode and the second electrode and having a second separator thickness; and

a second terminal disposed on the exterior of the capacitor case and in electrical communication with the second electrode, with the terminal and the second terminal electrically isolated from one another,

wherein the second thickness of the third electrode is substantially equivalent to a thickness including the first thickness of the third electrode, the second electrode thickness, the first separator thickness and the second separator thickness, and

an electronic cardiac rhythm management circuit coupled to the battery and the capacitor and adapted to discharge the capacitor to provide a therapeutic defibrillation pulse.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the electronic cardiac rhythm management circuit comprises a defibrillator circuit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein first electrode is part of an anode and the second electrode is part of a cathode, and the defibrillator circuit is to discharge the anode and the cathode to provide a single therapeutically effective defibrillator pulse.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the anode and the cathode are sized and packaged to deliver a defibrillation pulse of approximately 50 joules.

13. A method, comprising:

sintering material into an electrode to define a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness; and

stacking electrodes into a stack, including stacking the electrode with additional electrodes, the stacking including abutting the second portion with a connection portion of a second electrode, with an electrically isolated electrode disposed between the electrode and the second electrode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein sintering material into an electrode includes sintering material onto a web, with one side of the web defining the first thickness and the second portion defining the second thickness, and excising the electrode from the web.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising forming the second portion of a conductive epoxy.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising forming the second portion by sintering a material and doping the material with a conductive epoxy.

17. The method of claim 13, comprising melting a sintered material into the second portion.

18. The method of claim 13, comprising melting a dopant into the second portion.

19. The method of claim 13, comprising selective laser sintering a material into the second portion.

20. The method of claim 13, comprising direct metal laser sintering a material into the second portion.