Implantable medical device having flat electrolytic capacitor fabricated with laser welded anode sheets
First Claim
1. An electrode stack assembly of an electrolytic capacitor comprising:
- an anode layer comprising;
a first anode sheet fabricated of a valve metal having first and second sheet sides bounded by a sheet edge;
at least one second anode sheet fabricated of a valve metal having first and second sheet sides bounded by a sheet edge, the second anode sheet and first anode sheet fitted side-by-side whereby at least a portion of the first and second anode sheet edges are substantially aligned to comprise an anode layer edge; and
a laser weld bead extending across the anode layer edge that electrically and mechanically couples the first and second anode sheets together;
a cathode layer; and
a separator interposed between the anode layer and the cathode layer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Implantable medical devices (IMDs) and components, including flat electrolytic capacitors and methods of making and using same, particularly an improved electrolytic capacitor fabricated of an electrode stack assembly comprising a plurality of capacitor layers stacked in registration upon one another. Each capacitor layer comprises a valve metal cathode layer having a cathode tab, a valve metal anode layer having an anode tab, and a separator layer located between the cathode layers. The anode layer is assembled from a plurality of valve metal anode sheets that are etched and anodized, stacked side-by-side, and electrically and mechanically joined together by laser weld beads. A valve metal anode tab having a thickness equal to one or more anode sheet is inserted into a tab notch in one or more stacked anode sheet and joined to the anode sheet stack by laser welding the tab and sheet edges together.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An electrode stack assembly of an electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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an anode layer comprising;
a first anode sheet fabricated of a valve metal having first and second sheet sides bounded by a sheet edge;
at least one second anode sheet fabricated of a valve metal having first and second sheet sides bounded by a sheet edge, the second anode sheet and first anode sheet fitted side-by-side whereby at least a portion of the first and second anode sheet edges are substantially aligned to comprise an anode layer edge; and
a laser weld bead extending across the anode layer edge that electrically and mechanically couples the first and second anode sheets together;
a cathode layer; and
a separator interposed between the anode layer and the cathode layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An electrode stack assembly of an electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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an anode layer comprising;
a plurality of N anode sheets fabricated of a valve metal having first and second sheet sides that bounded by a sheet edge, the N anode sheets sheet fitted side-by-side whereby N−
2 first and second sheet sides of the plurality of anode sheets are in mutual contact and at least a portion of the first and second anode sheet edges are substantially aligned to comprise an anode layer edge; and
a plurality of laser weld beads extend across the anode layer edge at a plurality of locations along the anode layer edge that electrically and mechanically couples the N anode sheets together;
a cathode layer; and
a separator between the anode layer and the cathode layer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of fabricating an electrode stack assembly of an electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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fabricating an anode layer by;
fabricating a first anode sheet of a valve metal having first and second sheet sides that bounded by a sheet edge;
fabricating at least one second anode sheet of a valve metal having first and second sheet sides that bounded by a sheet edge, fitting the second anode sheet and first anode sheet side-by-side whereby at least a portion of the first and second anode sheet edges are substantially aligned to comprise an anode layer edge; and
laser welding a laser weld bead extending across the anode layer edge that electrically and mechanically couples the first and second anode sheets together;
fabricating a cathode layer; and
interposing a separator between the anode layer and the cathode layer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of fabricating an electrode stack assembly of an electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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fabricating an anode layer by;
fabricating a plurality of N anode sheets of a valve metal having first and second sheet sides that bounded by a sheet edge;
fitting the N anode sheets sheet side-by-side whereby N−
2 first and second sheet sides of the plurality of anode sheets are in mutual contact and at least a portion of the first and second anode sheet edges are substantially aligned to comprise an anode layer edge; and
laser welding at least one laser weld bead across the anode layer edge at a location along the anode layer edge that electrically and mechanically couples the N anode sheets together;
fabricating a cathode layer; and
interposing a separator between the anode layer and the cathode layer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification