Implantable heart monitors having capacitors with endcap headers
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Accused Products
Abstract
Implantable heart-monitoring devices, such as defibrillators, pacemakers, and cardioverters, detect abnormal heart rhythms and automatically apply corrective electrical therapy, specifically one or more bursts of electric charge, to abnormally beating hearts. Critical parts in these devices include the capacitors that store and deliver the bursts of electric charge. Some devices use cylindrical aluminum electrolytic capacitors which include terminals that extend from one end of the case, making the capacitor longer and generally necessitating use of larger device housings. Accordingly, the inventors devised capacitor connection structures that allow size reduction. One exemplary capacitor includes two conductive endcaps at opposite ends of its capacitive element, instead of two upright terminals at one end, thereby allowing reduction in the height or volume of the capacitor and/or increases in the dimensions of other components, such as aluminum foils. Other aspects of the invention include heart-monitoring devices that incorporate these capacitors.
135 Citations
45 Claims
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1-8. -8. (Canceled)
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9. A wet electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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a rolled capacitive element having first and second ends and including at least first and second metallic foils and at least one electrolyte impregnated separator between the foils;
a first conductive endcap electrically coupled to the first metallic foil and having a generally concave surface at least partially enclosing the first end of the rolled capacitive element; and
a second conductive endcap electrically coupled to the second metallic foil and having a generally concave surface at least partially enclosing the second end of the rolled capacitive element. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A wet electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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a rolled capacitive element having first and second ends and including at least first and second metallic foils and at least one electrolyte impregnated separator between the foils;
a first conductive endcap having a generally concave surface at least partially enclosing the first end of the rolled capacitive element; and
a second conductive endcap having a generally concave surface at least partially enclosing the second end of the rolled capacitive element, with the second conductive endcap electrically isolated from the first conductive endcap. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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20. A wet electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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a rolled capacitive element, the capacitive element including at least first and second metallic foils and at least one electrolyte impregnated separator between the foils; and
first and second means for at least partially enclosing respective end portions of the rolled capacitive element. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A wet electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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a rolled capacitive element, the capacitive element including at least first and second metallic foils and at least one electrolyte impregnated separator between the foils; and
first and second conductive endcaps, with each endcap having a concave surface confronting a respective end of the rolled capacitive element. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A wet electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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a capacitive element including at least first and second metallic foils and at least one electrolyte impregnated separator between the foils;
first and second conductive means for at least partially enclosing respective end portions of the rolled capacitive element; and
insulation means for enclosing a respective central portion of the rolled capacitive element, with the central portion being between the respective end portions. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A wet electrolytic capacitor comprising:
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a capacitive element having one or more metallic foils, with an anode tab electrically coupled to one or more of the metallic foils, and a cathode tab electrically coupled to one or more of the metallic foils;
a tubular housing portion surrounding at least a central portion of the capacitive element;
first and second endcaps, with the first endcap engaged with a first end portion of the tubular housing portion to contain a corresponding end portion of the capacitive element and the second end cap engaged with a second end portion of the tubular housing portion to contain a corresponding end portion of the capacitive element. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification