Flat capacitor for an implantable medical device

• US 8,744,575 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Phelan, Michael J., Schmidt, Brian L., Poplett, James M., Tong, Robert R., Kavanagh, Richard J., Iyer, Rajesh, Barr, Alexander Gordon, Christenson, Luke J., Waytashek, Brian V., Schenk, Brian D., Sherwood, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinga, Roland
• Application Number:
  US11/277,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,988 Days
• Field of Search: 361500-541
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3782 producing a voltage above the power source level
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/00 Electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices, light-sensitive or temperature-sensitive devices; Processes of their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/008 Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/02 Diaphragms; Separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/035 Liquid electrolytes, e.g. impregnating materials H01G11/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/045 based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/055 Etched foil electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/06 Mounting in containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/07 Dielectric layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/08 Housing; Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/10 Sealing, e.g. of lead-in wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/145 Liquid electrolytic capacitors H01G11/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/28 Structural combinations of electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices with other electric components not covered by this subclass

Abstract

One aspect provides a capacitor feedthrough assembly having an electrically conductive member dimensioned to extend at least partially through a feedthrough hole of a case of the capacitor, the conductive member having a passage therethrough.

Claims

1. A capacitor comprising:

a flat capacitor case having a curved interior surface;

a capacitor stack including first, second, and third capacitor elements layered in the capacitor stack, the first, second, and third capacitor elements having respective first, second, and third edge faces that confront the curved interior surface of the case, with the third edge face set back from the second edge face and the second edge face set back from the first edge face to define a side profile of the capacitor stack generally congruent to a side profile of the curved interior surface; and

means for preventing development of excessive pressure within the capacitor case, wherein said means includes a semi-permeable membrane adjacent a hole in the case, the semi-permeable membrane being permeable to hydrogen to allow hydrogen gas to flow through the semi-permeable membrane to relieve the excessive pressure.

2. The capacitor of claim 1, wherein the semi-permeable membrane includes a PTFE membrane.

3. A capacitor comprising:

a capacitor case having a curved interior surface and including a hole;

a capacitor stack including first, second, and third capacitor elements layered in the capacitor stack, the first, second, and third capacitor elements having respective first, second, and third edge faces that confront the curved interior surface of the case, with the third edge face set back from the second edge face and the second edge face set back from the first edge face to define a side profile of the capacitor stack generally congruent to a side profile of the curved interior surface; and

an expandable bladder adjacent the hole to receive fluids passing through the hole, wherein when the bladder is expanded, the bladder has an approximate spherical shape.

4. The capacitor of claim 3, further comprising a bung within the hole, the bung having an axial passage coupled to an interior volume of the bladder and an interior volume of the capacitor case.

5. The capacitor of claim 3, wherein the case is cylindrical.

6. The capacitor of claim 3, wherein the case is flat.

7. The capacitor of claim 3, wherein the capacitor case comprises a conductive metal.

8. A capacitor comprising:

a capacitor case having a curved interior surface and including a vent aperture;

a capacitor stack including first, second, and third capacitor elements layered in the capacitor stack, the first, second, and third capacitor elements having respective first, second, and third edge faces that confront the curved interior surface of the case, with the third edge face set back from the second edge face and the second edge face set back from the first edge face to define a side profile of the capacitor stack generally congruent to a side profile of the curved interior surface; and

gas-exchange means for permitting gas molecules to pass through the vent aperture and restricting passage of liquid molecules.

9. The capacitor of claim 8, wherein the gas-exchange means includes a semi-permeable membrane adjacent the vent aperture.

10. The capacitor of claim 9, wherein the semi-permeable membrane includes a PTFE membrane.