Molded polymeric cradle for containing an anode in an electrolytic capacitor from high shock and vibration conditions

[0001] The present application claims priority based upon provisional application Ser. Nos. 60/548,954, filed Mar. 1, 2004 and 60/563,328, filed Apr. 19, 2004.

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a capacitor and, more particularly, to a capacitor capable of being subjected to high shock and vibration forces without failing.

[0003] Capacitors are used frequently in applications where high shock and vibration levels are experienced. A notable example is in the oil and gas industry where “measurement while drilling” applications can cause severe stress forces to a capacitor. Under high shock and vibration conditions, capacitors without adequate stabilization are capable of failing due to movement of the electrodes within the case, for example the anode pellet in an electrolytic capacitor. This movement can result in mechanical failure of the anode pellet lead rendering the capacitor inoperative. In that respect, mechanical stabilization of the anode pellet inside the casing is important to improving the reliability and safety of capacitors subjected to high shock and vibration conditions.

[0004] The capacitor of the present invention provides such mechanical stabilization through a surrounding polymeric cradle that contacts between the casing sidewall and the anode pellet sidewall to lock the anode in place. Alternatively, the polymeric cradle contacts between a welding strap surrounding the butt seam between mating “clam shell” casing portions and the anode pellet sidewall. This structure prevents the anode pellet from moving along both an x- and y-axes. Having the cathode active material contacting the opposed major casing sidewalls being in a closely spaced relationship with the anode pellet through an intermediate separator prevents movement along the z-axis.

[0005] These and other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description and to the appended drawings.

[0019] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a capacitor 10 according to the present invention. The capacitor 10 comprises an anode 12 (FIG. 2) of an anode active material and a cathode of a cathode active material 14 (FIG. 8) housed inside a hermetically sealed casing 16. The capacitor electrodes are operatively associated with each other by a working electrolyte (not shown) contained inside the casing, as will be described in detail hereinafter. The capacitor 10 is of an electrolyte type with the cathode comprising a conductive substrate having capacitive properties.

[0020] As particularly shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 to 10, the casing 16 is of a metal material comprising first and second casing portions 18 and 20. Casing portion 18 comprises a surrounding sidewall 22 extending to a face wall 24. Similarly, casing portion 20 comprises a surrounding sidewall 26 extending to a face wall 28. Sidewall 26 is sized so that sidewall 22 is in an overlapping relationship therewith. Then, the casing portions 18, 20 are hermetically sealed together by welding the overlapping sidewalls 22, 26 where they contact. The weld 30 is provided by any conventional means; however, a preferred method is by laser welding.

[0021] The mating casing portions 18, 20 are preferably selected from the group consisting of tantalum, titanium, nickel, molybdenum, niobium, cobalt, stainless steel, tungsten, platinum, palladium, gold, silver, copper, chromium, vanadium, aluminum, zirconium, hafnium, zinc, iron, and mixtures and alloys thereof. Preferably, the face and sidewalls of the casing portions have a thickness of about 0.005 to about 0.015 inches.

[0022] The active material of the anode 12 is typically of a metal selected from the group consisting of tantalum, aluminum, titanium, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, silicon, germanium, and mixtures thereof in the form of a pellet. As is well known by those skilled in the art, the anode metal in powdered form, for example tantalum powder, is compressed into a pellet having a notch 32 from which an embedded anode wire 34 (FIGS. 2, 4 to 7 and 9) extends. The anode wire 34 preferably comprises the same material as the anode active material. The anode pellet is sintered under a vacuum at high temperatures and then anodized in a suitable electrolyte. The anodizing electrolyte fills the pores of the pressed powder body and a continuous dielectric oxide is formed thereon. In that manner, the anode 12 and extending wire 34 are provided with a dielectric oxide layer formed to a desired working voltage. The anode can also be of an etched aluminum, niobium, or titanium foil.

[0023] After the anode 12 and extending wire 34 are anodized to the desired formation voltage, the dielectric oxide is removed from the wire and there connected to an anode lead 36 supported in an insulative glass-to-metal seal 38 (GTMS). The weld and lead are then re-anodized. The glass-to-metal seal 38 comprises a ferrule 40 defining an internal cylindrical through bore or passage 42 of constant inside diameter. An insulative glass 44 provides a hermetic seal between the bore 42 and the anode lead 36 passing there through. The anode lead 36 has a J-shaped proximal portion 36A that is subsequently connected to a crook in the anode wire 34 such as by laser welding to secure them together. The glass 44 is, for example, ELAN® type 88 or MANSOL™ type 88. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, in the final capacitor assembly the GTMS 38 electrically insulates the anode lead 36 connected to the anode wire 34 from the metal casing 18.

[0024] A separator 46 of electrically insulative material in the shape of a bag completely surrounds and envelops the anode 12 except the extending wire 34. The separator 46 prevents an internal electrical short circuit between the anode 12 and cathode active materials 14 in the assembled capacitor and has a degree of porosity sufficient to allow flow there through of the working electrolyte during the electrochemical reaction of the capacitor 10. Illustrative separator materials include woven and non-woven fabrics of polyolefinic fibers including polypropylene and polyethylene or fluoropolymeric fibers including polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethylenetetrafluoroethylene, and polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene laminated or superposed with a polyolefinic or fluoropolymeric microporous film, non-woven glass, glass fiber materials and ceramic materials. Suitable microporous films include a polyethylene membrane commercially available under the designation SOLUPOR® (DMS Solutech), a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane commercially available under the designation ZITEX® (Chemplast Inc.), a polypropylene membrane commercially available under the designation CELGARD® (Celanese Plastic Company, Inc.), and a membrane commercially available under the designation DEXIGLAS® (C. H. Dexter, Div., Dexter Corp.). Cellulose based separators also typically used in capacitors are contemplated by the scope of the present invention. Depending on the electrolyte used, the separator can be treated to improve its wettability, as is well known by those skilled in the art.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 5, the anode 12 connected to the anode lead 36 supported in the GTMS 38 is then positioned inside a mold portion 48. A metal welding strap 50 is also positioned in the mold portion 48 in a generally enclosing, but spaced relationship with the anode 12 and GTMS 38. The welding strap 50 is discontinuous at 52 to provide a space for the GTMS 38. As will be described in detail hereinafter, the metal strap 50 serves as a backing to protect the anode 12 and separator 46 from the laser welding light when the casing portions 18 and 20 are welded to each other during final capacitor assembly.

[0026] Once the anode 12 and GTMS 38 enclosed by the welding strap 50 are properly positioned in the mold portion 48, a plurality of spacers 54A to 54J are positioned about the periphery of the anode. The spacers are shaped to conform to the peripheral contour of the anode sidewall portion that they contact. However, the spacers 54A to 54J are spaced from each other as well as from the welding strap 50.

[0027] After the mold is closed, a nozzle 56 is hooked up to the mold. The nozzle 56 is used to inject a polymer material into the void between the welding strap 50 and the spacers 54A to 54J and the uncovered peripheral portions of the anode side wall. If desired, there can be more than one nozzle positioned at spaced locations about the periphery of the mold. The polymeric material is preferably of a fast curing type including a polyolefin, a fluoropolymer, a hot melt adhesive, or a UV curable adhesive. A relatively slow curing silastic material is also useful. This forms a polymeric cradle around the sidewall perimeter of the anode 12. Specifically, the cradle comprises a surrounding web 58 of the polymeric material supporting integral protrusions 58A to 58I formed between the spacers 54A to 54J. The surrounding web 58 contacts the welding strap 50 while the protrusions 58A to 58I contact the separator 46 along the anode sidewall. A rather large protrusion 58J is formed between spacers 54A and 54J to completely encase the GTMS 38 including the insulated anode lead 36 connected to the anode wire 34. The anode 12 held in position inside the weld strap 50 by the polymeric cradle comprising the web 58 and integral protrusions 58A to 58J is then removed from the mold 48 as an assembly (FIG. 7).

[0028] The cathode active material 14 preferably coats the face walls 24, 28, spaced from the respective sidewalls 22, 26. The pad printing process described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/920,942, filed Aug. 18, 2004, is preferred for making such a coating. Ultrasonically generated aerosol as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,894,403; 5,920,455; 6,224,985; and 6,468,605, all to Shah et al., are also suitable deposition methods. These patents and patent application are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 8, casing portion 20 is provided with the cathode active material 14 coated on its face wall 28 in a pattern that generally mirrors the shape of the anode 12. The cathode active material 14 has a thickness of about a few hundred Angstroms to about 0.1 millimeters and is either directly coated on the inner surface of the face wall 28 or it is coated on a conductive substrate (not shown) in electrical contact with the inner surface of the face wall. The other casing portion 18 has the cathode active material 14 similarly coated on its face wall 24 or on a conductive substrate secured to the inner surface of the face wall in electrical contact therewith. In that respect, the face walls 24, 28 may be of an anodized-etched conductive material, have a sintered active material with or without oxide contacted thereto, be contacted with a double layer capacitive material, for example a finely divided carbonaceous material such as graphite or carbon or platinum black, a redox, pseudocapacitive or an under potential material, or be an electroactive conducting polymer such as polyaniline, polypyrole, polythiophene, polyacetylene, and mixtures thereof.

[0030] According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, the redox or cathode active material 14 includes an oxide of a first metal, the nitride of the first metal, the carbon nitride of the first metal, and/or the carbide of the first metal, the oxide, nitride, carbon nitride and carbide having pseudocapacitive properties. The first metal is preferably selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, iron, niobium, iridium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, rhodium, vanadium, osmium, palladium, platinum, nickel, and lead.

[0031] The cathode active material 14 may also include a second or more metals. The second metal is in the form of an oxide, a nitride, a carbon nitride or carbide, and is not essential to the intended use of the conductive face walls 24, 28 as a capacitor electrode. The second metal is different than the first metal and is selected from one or more of the group consisting of tantalum, titanium, nickel, iridium, platinum, palladium, gold, silver, cobalt, molybdenum, ruthenium, manganese, tungsten, iron, zirconium, hafnium, rhodium, vanadium, osmium, and niobium. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cathode active material 14 includes an oxide of ruthenium or oxides of ruthenium and tantalum.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 9, the anode 12 surrounded by the polymeric cradle and the welding strap 50 as an assembly is then nested in the casing portion 20 with the GTMS 38 received in an opening 60 (FIG. 8) in the casing sidewall 26. The ferrule 40 of the GTMS has a distal step 40A (FIG. 3) that fits into the casing opening 60 in a tight fitting relationship. The welding strap 50 is likewise sized to fit inside the perimeter of the casing sidewall 26 in a closely spaced relationship. The ferrule 40 is then secured to the casing sidewall 26 such as by laser welding. This provides the anode 12 secured inside the casing portion 20 held in position by the polymeric cradle comprising the web 58 and integral protrusions 58A to 58J and the welding strap 50. In this position, the anode major face wall 12 (FIG. 10) is resting on the casing sidewall 26. However, the intermediate separator 46 prevents direct contact between the anode 12 and the cathode active material 14.

[0033] The other casing portion 18 is then mated to the casing portion 20 with their respective sidewalls 22 and 26 overlapping each other. The continuous weldment 30 provided about the perimeter of the casing sidewalls 22 and 26, such as by laser welding, secures the casing portions 18 and 20 to each other. The welding strap 50, however, prevents the laser light from penetrating into the interior of the capacitor to damage the anode 12 and separator 46 among other heat sensitive components.

[0034] A working electrolyte (not shown) is then provided in the capacitor through an opening in one of the casing portions 18, 20. A suitable working electrolyte for the capacitor 10 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,222 to Shah et al., which includes a mixed solvent of water and ethylene glycol having an ammonium salt dissolved therein. U.S. Pub. Nos. 2003/0090857 and 2003/0142464 describe other working electrolytes for the present capacitors. The working electrolyte of the former publication comprises water, a water-soluble inorganic and/or organic acid and/or salt, and a water-soluble nitro-aromatic compound while the latter relates to an electrolyte having de-ionized water, an organic solvent, isobutyric acid and a concentrated ammonium salt. These publications and patent are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. The electrolyte fill opening is then closed by a hermetic closure (not shown), as is well known by those skilled in the art.

[0035] The spaces formed between the protrusions 58A to 58J of the polymeric cradle provide for the electrolyte to thoroughly wet the anode 12 including the enveloping separator 46 and the cathode active materials 14 to provide the capacitor 10 in a functional state. The welding strap 50 encloses and contacts the polymeric web 58 including protrusions 58A to 58J that, in turn, contact the separator 46 at the anode sidewall and encase the GTMS 38. This prevents any movement of these components should the capacitor be subject to high shock and vibration conditions.

[0036] FIG. 10A shows an alternate embodiment of a casing for the present capacitor. The casing comprises portion 20A having a surrounding sidewall 26A extending to a face wall 28A supporting the cathode active material 14. The sidewall 26A has a step at its upper end that received a plate 24A serving as a second face wall for supporting the cathode active material 14. The plate 24A is nested therein. A weld 30 secures the plate 24A to the sidewall 26A at the step with the upper surface of the plate being coplanar with the upper end of the sidewall 26A. The remaining structure for this capacitor is as previously described.

[0037] FIG. 10B shows another embodiment of a casing for the present capacitor. The casing comprises portion 20B having a surrounding sidewall 26B extending to a face wall 28B supporting the cathode active material 14. A plate 24A rests on the upper edge of the sidewall 26B and serves as a second face wall for supporting the cathode active material 14. Plate 24A extends a short distance out beyond the sidewall 26B. A weld 30 then secures the plate 24A to the sidewall 26B where the plate overhangs or extends past the sidewall. Also, in this embodiment, the weld strap has been eliminated from the mold shown in FIG. 5 and the height of the polymeric web is shortened from that shown in the other embodiments. Elimination of the welding strap is possible with the laser beam being aimed at the corner where the plate 24A extends past the sidewall 26B. The remaining structure for this capacitor is as previously described.

[0038] FIGS. 11 and 12 show an alternate embodiment for providing a polymeric cradle according to the present invention. The anode 12 connected to the anode lead 36 supported in the GTMS 38 is first positioned inside a mold portion 100. The metal welding strap 50 is also positioned in the mold portion 100 in a generally enclosing, but spaced relationship with the anode 12 and GTMS 38. Once the anode 12 and GTMS 38 enclosed by the welding strap 50 are properly positioned in the mold portion 100, a plurality of spacer pegs 102A to 102M are positioned about the periphery of the anode. The pegs 102A to 102L are cylindrically shaped with a diameter to contact both the welding strap 50 and the perimeter of the anode sidewall. A relatively large cylindrically shaped peg 102M is positioned in a corner of the welding strap 50, but it is not in contact with the anode sidewall. This peg is for the purpose of maintaining the position of the welding strap. The pegs 102A to 102L are spaced from each other.

[0039] After the mold is closed, the nozzle 56 is hooked up to it. As before, the nozzle 56 is used to inject a polymer material into the spaces or gaps between the pegs 102A to 102L and the uncontacted peripheral portions of the anode sidewall. The polymeric material is similar to that used in the previous embodiment and forms a polymeric cradle 104 around the sidewall perimeter of the anode 12. In this case, the cradle 104 comprises the surrounding polymeric material contacting between the welding strap 50 and the anode sidewall. The anode 12 held in position inside the weld strap 50 by the polymeric cradle 104 is then removed from the mold 48 as an assembly for further processing into a functional capacitor as previously described with respect to the first embodiment of the present invention continuing with FIG. 9.

[0040] The casing 16, including the portions 18, 20, being of a conductive metal serves as the negative terminal for making electrical connection between the capacitor 10 and its load. A pin (not shown) is welded to one of the casing portions 18, 20 to provide this. The anode lead 36 extending outside the capacitor 10 is hermetically sealed from the interior of the capacitor and insulated from the mating casing portions 18, 20 by the GTMS 38 to serve as the positive terminal for the capacitor 10.

[0041] While all of the embodiments described herein show the polymeric cradle used with a single anode pellet, that should not be construed as limiting. It is contemplate by the scope of the present invention that the polymeric cradle can be used with two or more side-by-side anodes provided in one of the previously described casings. Such a multiple anode design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,850,405 to Mileham et al. This patent is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.

[0042] It is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts described herein may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.