Method and apparatus for capacitor interconnection using a metal spray

• US 7,120,008 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Sherwood, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ha, Nguyen T.
• Application Number:
  US11/124,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20060023396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 361508-509, 361/516, 361528-529, 361531-532, 361/301.4, 361/329, 361/303, 361523-525, 29/250.3, 29/254.1, 29/254.2, 607/5, 607/9
• US Class Current: 361/301.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3956 Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/008 Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/055 Etched foil electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/08 Housing; Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/14 Structural combinations or circuits for modifying, or compensating for, electric characteristics of electrolytic capacitors

Abstract

The present subject matter includes a capacitor stack having a first element having at least one first anode and at least one first cathode and a second element having at least one second anode and at least one second cathode. The capacitor stack is formed by the process of aligning the first element and the second element so that a first anode edge face of the first anode and a second anode edge face of the second anode form an anode connection surface for electrical connection of the first anode and the second anode. Additionally, the capacitor stack is formed by spraying metal on the anode connection surface to electrically connect the first anode and the second anode.

Claims

1. A capacitor stack, including a first element having at least one first anode and at least one first cathode and a second element having at least one second anode and at least one second cathode, the capacitor stack formed by the process comprising:

aligning the first element and the second element so that a first anode edge face of the first anode and a second anode edge face of the second anode form an anode connection surface for electrical connection of the first anode and the second anode; and

spraying metal on the anode connection surface to electrically connect the first anode and the second anode.

2. The capacitor stack of claim 1, additionally comprising:

aligning the first element and second element so that a first cathode edge face of the first cathode and a second cathode edge face of the second cathode form a cathode connection surface for electrical connection of the first cathode and the second cathode; and

spraying metal on the cathode connection surface to electrically connect the first cathode and the second cathode.

3. The capacitor stack of claim 1, wherein spraying metal includes atomizing the metal with an oxy-acetylene heat source, and blowing the metal toward the anode connection surface.

4. The capacitor stack of claim 1, wherein spraying metal includes atomizing the metal with an pulsed-arc heat source, and blowing the metal toward the anode connection surface.

5. The capacitor stack of claim 1, wherein spraying metal includes atomizing the metal with a direct current arc heat source, and blowing the heated metal toward the anode connection surface.

6. The capacitor stack of claim 3, 4, or 5, wherein spraying metal includes depositing a weld onto the anode connection surface, the weld having heat insufficient to melt the anode connection surface.

7. The capacitor stack of claim 1, wherein each element includes at least one cathode, at least one anode, and a separator disposed between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode.

8. The capacitor stack of claim 7, wherein each element is aligned with an anode connection member extending away from the element and a cathode connection member extending away from the element.

9. The capacitor stack of claim 8, wherein the first element and the second element are in alignment, a first anode connection member of the first element in alignment with a second anode connection member of the second element.

10. The capacitor stack of claim 1, wherein spraying metal deposits a weld, the weld having a thickness from about 0.000001 meters to about 0.0005 meters.

11. The capacitor stack of claim 10, wherein spraying metal deposits a weld, the weld having a thickness from about 0.0001 meters to about 0.0002 meters.

12. The capacitor stack of claim 1, wherein the capacitor stack is adapted to deliver from about 5.3 joules per cubic centimeter of capacitor stack volume to about 6.3 joules per cubic centimeter of capacitor stack volume, at a voltage of approximately 465 volts to approximately 620 volts.

13. The capacitor stack of claim 1, wherein the capacitor stack includes from about 16 cathodes to about 22 cathodes, and from about 52 anodes to about 64 anode.

14. The capacitor stack of claim 13, wherein the capacitor stack includes approximately 20 cathodes, and approximately 58 anodes.

15. A method, comprising:

forming a first element by stacking a first anode and a first cathode, the first element having a first anode edge face;

forming a second element by stacking the second anode and the second cathode, the second element having a second anode edge face for electrical connection to the first anode edge face;

stacking the first element and the second element;

aligning the first anode edge face with the second anode edge face, the alignment defining an anode connection surface; and

spraying metal onto the anode connection surface to form a weld, the weld connecting the first anode and the second anode and forming a capacitor stack.

16. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising:

connecting an anode conductor to the capacitor stack;

disposing the capacitor stack in a case with a first aperture and a second aperture, the anode conductor stack sealingly extending through the second aperture and conforming to the material defining the second aperture; and

sealingly connecting a lid to the first aperture, the lid conforming to the material defining the first aperture.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the capacitor is disposed in an implantable medical device including programmable pulse generation electronics.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first anode and the second anode include a metallic substrate partially covered with the oxide, wherein the first anode edge face of the first anode includes a first exposed substrate, and the second anode edge face of the second anode include a second exposed substrate;

and wherein spraying metal includes depositing metal on the first exposed substrate and the second exposed substrate.

19. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising aging the capacitor stack and a weld, the weld formed by spraying metal onto the anode connection surface.

20. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising:

aligning the first element and second element so that a first cathode edge face of the first cathode and a second cathode edge face of the second cathode form a cathode connection surface for electrical connection of the first cathode and the second cathode; and

spraying metal on the cathode connection surface to electrically connect the first cathode and the second cathode.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein spraying metal includes atomizing the metal with an oxy-acetylene heat source, and blowing the metal toward the anode connection surface.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein spraying metal includes atomizing the metal with a pulsed-arc heat source, and blowing the metal toward the anode connection surface.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein spraying metal includes atomizing the metal with a direct current arc heat source, and blowing the heated metal toward the anode connection surface.

24. The method of claim 21, 22, or 23, wherein spraying metal includes depositing a weld onto the anode connection surface, the weld having heat insufficient to melt the anode connection surface.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein etching a first sheet includes applying an etchant resistant mask to the first anode and the second anode, the etchant resistant mask defining a first connection member and a second connection member, etching the first anode and the second anode, and removing the etchant resistant mask from the first anode and the second anode;

and wherein aligning the first anode edge face with the second anode edge face includes aligning the first connection member and the second connection member such that the first connection member and the second connection member form the anode connection surface.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein spraying metal deposits a weld, the weld having a thickness from about 0.000001 meters to about 0.0005 meters.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein spraying metal deposits a weld, the weld having a thickness from about 0.0001 meters to about 0.0002 meters.