Systems and methods to connect sintered aluminum electrodes of an energy storage device

• US 9,424,997 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• 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: Sherwood, Gregory J., Root, Michael J., Daley, Jay E., Stemen, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): FERGUSON, DION
• Application Number:
  US14/521,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20150043130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 361/502, 361/503, 361/522, 361/541, 361/306.1, 361/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• 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 9/008 Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/012 specially adapted for solid capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/02 Diaphragms; Separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/052 Sintered 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/15 Solid electrolytic capacitors H01G11/00 takes precedence

Abstract

This document provides an apparatus including a sintered electrode, a second electrode and a separator material arranged in a capacitive stack. A conductive interconnect couples the sintered electrode and the second electrode. Embodiments include a clip interconnect. In some embodiments, the interconnect includes a comb-shaped connector. In some embodiments, the interconnect includes a wire snaked between adjacent sintered substrates.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a case;

an electrode located within the case, the electrode including a sintered material deposited on a conductive substrate, the conductive substrate having a substrate flexibility greater than a material flexibility of the sintered material, the substrate including a first tab extending from a first location along a perimeter of the substrate;

a separator disposed in a capacitor stack in alignment with the electrode;

a second electrode disposed in the capacitor stack in alignment, the second electrode including a second tab extending from the first location along a perimeter of the second substrate; and

a conductive interconnect physically and electrically coupling the first tab and the second tab within the case, the first tab and the second tab each adapted to deform to accommodate displacement of the electrode with respect to the second electrode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interconnect includes a clip.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, including a case, wherein the clip is coupled to the case.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, including a feedthrough, wherein the clip is coupled to the feedthrough.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first tab and the second tab are adapted to elastically deform in response to movement of the conductive interconnect with respect to the material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive interconnect comprises a crimp crimped onto each of the substrate connection portion and the connection portion of the second electrode.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a case;

an electrode located within the case;

a separator stacked in alignment with the electrode;

a first electrode assembly disposed in a stack with the electrode and the separator, the separator disposed between the electrode and the first electrode assembly to physically separate the electrode and the first electrode assembly,

wherein the first electrode assembly includes;

a first layer including a first conductive material deposited on a first substrate, the first substrate having a first substrate flexibility greater than a first material flexibility of the first conductive material, wherein the first layer includes a first tab extending from a first location along a perimeter of the first layer; and

a second layer stacked with the first layer, the second layer including a second conductive material deposited on a second substrate, the second substrate having a second substrate flexibility greater than a second material flexibility of the second conductive material, wherein the second layer includes a second tab extending from the first location along a perimeter of the second layer, and wherein the first tab is coupled to the second tab using the interconnect; and

an interconnect coupled to the first substrate and the second substrate to physically and electrically couple the first layer and the second layer of the stack within the case.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, including a weld to couple the first tab with the second tab.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the interconnect includes a clip.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, including a case, wherein the clip is coupled to the case.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, including a feedthrough, wherein the clip is coupled to the feedthrough.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first and second tabs are continuous portions of their respective substrates.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first substrate of the first layer and the second substrate of the second layer are proximate each other and between the first material and the second material.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first material and the second material includes sintered material, and

wherein the first substrate and the second substrate include sintered material on only one major surface of each respective substrate.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the interconnect includes a conductive element disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are substantially sinter-free along a path of the conductive element.