Pacesetter, Inc.

Kurt J Erickson

David R Bowen

Ralph Jason Hemphill

Thomas Flavian Strange

Peter J Fernstrom

Nicholas R Hamor

Russell Bruch

Justin King

John Moore

Jeffrey Armstrong

Christopher Hallmark

Jeffrey J Allison

Shichan Chiang

Peter Fernstrom

Michael Erickson

Philip Edward Poole

Nathan Messerich

A capacitor and methods of processing an anode metal foil are presented. The capacitor includes a housing, one or more anodes disposed within the housing, one or more cathodes disposed within the housing, one or more separators disposed between an adjacent anode and cathode, and an electrolyte disposed around the one or more anodes, one or more cathodes, and one or more separators within the housing. The one or more anodes each include a metal foil that includes a first plurality of tunnels through a thickness of the metal foil in a first ordered arrangement having a first diameter, and a second plurality of tunnels through the thickness of the metal foil having a second ordered arrangement and a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

Laser drilling of metal foils for assembly in an electrolytic capacitor

A capacitor and methods of processing an anode metal foil are presented. The capacitor includes a housing, one or more anodes disposed within the housing, one or more cathodes disposed within the housing, one or more separators disposed between an adjacent anode and cathode, and an electrolyte disposed around the one or more anodes, one or more cathodes, and one or more separators within the housing. The one or more anodes each include a metal foil that includes a first plurality of tunnels through a thickness of the metal foil in a first ordered arrangement, the first ordered arrangement being a close packed hexagonal array arrangement, and having a first diameter, and a second plurality of tunnels through the thickness of the metal foil having a second ordered arrangement and a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

A method of forming a brazed joint is described. The method includes pressing a non-molybdenum component, such as a cross pin of a battery case assembly, against a molybdenum component, such as a terminal pin of the battery case assembly, and applying one or more electrical pulses to form an interface liquid layer between the components that cools to form the brazed joint. At least one of the electrical pulses has a constant voltage over a pulse time. A contact resistance between the components can decrease during the pulse time, and thus, the constant voltage can cause an uncontrolled electrical current of the electrical pulse to increase. The increasing electrical current heats the components sufficiently to form the interface liquid layer having a predetermined thickness that provides a required bend strength. Removal of surface oxides provide consistent mechanical strength for this joint. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Method of forming a brazed joint having molybdenum material

Fabricating a capacitor includes performing an oxide formation operation on a sheet of material. The oxide formation operation forms an anode metal oxide on an anode metal. A thermal compression is performed on the sheet of material after the oxide formation operation is performed. The thermal compression applies thermal energy to the sheet of material while applying pressure to the sheet of material. After the thermal compression, the capacitor is assembled such that at least one electrode in the capacitor includes at least a portion of the sheet of material.

Laser cutting of electrodes in electrochemical devices

A resistance weld shielding control system includes a computer that is executed to control a fixture to receive and hold at least one part to be welded. The computer also controls one or more electrodes to apply electrical energy to the part for welding the at least one part, and controls a gas delivery system to direct an inert gas onto the part for shielding the part from the ambient atmosphere via a nozzle. The nozzle is configured in the fixture such that the fixture holds the nozzle in a fixed physical relationship to the part.

Weld shielding apparatus and method of use by controlling shielding gas timing relative to welding

A method of producing an electrode for use in the manufacture of electrolytic capacitors for implantable cardioverter defibrillators comprises first growing a hydrate layer and/or formed oxide layers of the foil, applying a laser beam to portions of the foil to ablate the aluminum oxide foil surface before etching in order to induce etching in the specific areas, and then, etching the foil. The laser marks the oxide layer in a pulsed spot pattern through the hydrate layer and/or formed oxide layer leaving a dimpled nascent aluminum surface. The oxide layer left behind is a mask and the fresh aluminum areas are the high etching activation sites. After marking the aluminum oxide foil surface, the foil may be electrochemically etched in an electrolyte containing chloride and/or various oxidative species.

Laser marking of raw anode foil to induce uniform pattering and etching with oxide passivation mask

The present invention is directed to a method of etching anode foil in a non-uniform manner which minimizes thermal oxidation during foil cutting. Having less oxide improves the ability to cut through aluminum anodes with lower energy rates. In aluminum foils, it has been found that a masking step before etching reduces conversion of boehmite aluminum oxide to alpha-phase corundum during laser cutting of anodes, which increases edge quality and productivity. Additionally, the non-etched anode frame allows for less surface area to form during the aging process. As a result, the leakage current is reduced by the proportion of edge to anode surface area, and the aging process will be faster, leading to higher productivity.

Use of etch resist masked anode frame for facilitation of laser cutting, particle and leakage current reduction

Weld shielding apparatus and method of use

Fabricating a capacitor includes obtaining a sheet of material having a first phase of an anode metal oxide on an anode metal. The anode metal oxide is an oxide of the anode metal. A portion of the first phase of the anode metal oxide is converted to a second phase of the anode metal oxide. At least a portion of the second phase of the anode metal oxide is removed from the sheet of material. In some instances, the first phase of the anode metal is converted to the second phase of the anode metal oxide as a result of the process used to extract a capacitor anode from the sheet of material.

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Anderson, SC, United States of America

Kurt J Erickson