Electrolytic capacitor and method of manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a cathode foil which has one end;
• preparing an anode foil which has one end;
• preparing four terminals as first and second cathode lead terminals and first and second anode lead terminals, respectively, each of said four terminals having a connection portion and a lead portion, each of said connection portion and said lead portion extending in a lead direction, at least any of said four terminals having such a construction that said lead portion is shifted with respect to said connection portion in a shift direction orthogonal to said lead direction;
• attaching said four terminals, said connection portion of each of said first and second cathode lead terminals being attached to said cathode foil, said connection portion of each of said first and second anode lead terminals being attached to said anode foil, said first cathode lead terminal being arranged closer to said one end of said cathode foil than said second cathode lead terminal and said first anode lead terminal being arranged closer to said one end of said anode foil than said second anode lead terminal;
• preparing a core which has a core axis, said core having, in a cross-section perpendicular to said core axis, a first length along a first straight line which passes through said core axis and a second length along a second straight line which passes through said core axis and is orthogonal to said first straight line, said first length being smaller than said second length;
• forming a capacitor element which has an element axis located in correspondence with said core axis by winding said cathode foil and said anode foil together around said core from said one end of each of said cathode foil and said anode foil after said step of attaching said four terminals, said step of forming a capacitor element being performed such that, in said cross-section, said first straight line lies between said first cathode lead terminal and said first anode lead terminal and said second straight line lies between said second cathode lead terminal and said second anode lead terminal;
• removing said core after said step of forming a capacitor element;
• and
• sealing said cathode foil and said anode foil while exposing said lead portion of each of said four terminals, after said step of removing said core,
• said sealing step including the steps of
• preparing a case which has an opening portion,
• accommodating said cathode foil and said anode foil in said case through said opening portion such that said lead portion of each of said four terminals protrudes through said opening portion, and
• fixing said case by causing said opening portion to contract toward said element axis.

An electrolytic capacitor, comprising:

• a capacitor element which includes four terminals and a cathode foil and an anode foil, each of said cathode foil and said anode foil having one end, said cathode foil and said anode foil being wound together around an element axis from said one end of each of said cathode foil and said anode foil, said capacitor element having, in a cross-section perpendicular to said element axis, a first length along a first straight line which passes through said element axis and a second length along a second straight line which passes through said element axis and is orthogonal to said first straight line, said first length being smaller than said second length, each of said four terminals having a connection portion and a lead portion, each of said connection portion and said lead portion extending in a lead direction, said four terminals consisting of first and second cathode lead terminals and first and second anode lead terminals, said connection portion of each of said first and second cathode lead terminals being attached to said cathode foil, said connection portion of each of said first and second anode lead terminals being attached to said anode foil, said first cathode lead terminal being arranged closer to said one end of said cathode foil than said second cathode lead terminal, said first anode lead terminal being arranged closer to said one end of said anode foil than said second anode lead terminal, said second straight line lying between said first cathode lead terminal and said first anode lead terminal and said first straight line lying between said second cathode lead terminal and said second anode lead terminal in said cross-section, at least any of said second cathode lead terminal and said second anode lead terminal having such a construction that said lead portion is shifted with respect to said connection portion in a shift direction orthogonal to said lead direction, said shift direction of at least any of said second cathode lead terminal and said second anode lead terminal having a component toward said element axis;
• and
• a sealing portion which seals said cathode foil and said anode foil while exposing said lead portion of each of said four terminals, said sealing portion including a case which has an opening portion, said cathode foil and said anode foil being accommodated in said case, said lead portion of each of said four terminals protruding through said opening portion, and said case being fixed by causing said opening portion to contract toward said element axis.

An electrolytic capacitor, comprising:

• a capacitor element which includes four terminals and a cathode foil and an anode foil, each of said cathode foil and said anode foil having one end, said cathode foil and said anode foil being wound together around an element axis from said one end of each of said cathode foil and said anode foil, said capacitor element having, in a cross-section perpendicular to said element axis, a first length along a first straight line which passes through said element axis and a second length along a second straight line which passes through said element axis and is orthogonal to said first straight line, said first length being smaller than said second length, each of said four terminals having a connection portion and a lead portion, each of said connection portion and said lead portion extending in a lead direction, said four terminals consisting of first and second cathode lead terminals and first and second anode lead terminals, said connection portion of each of said first and second cathode lead terminals being attached to said cathode foil, said connection portion of each of said first and second anode lead terminals being attached to said anode foil, said first cathode lead terminal being arranged closer to said one end of said cathode foil than said second cathode lead terminal, said first anode lead terminal being arranged closer to said one end of said anode foil than said second anode lead terminal, said first straight line lying between said first cathode lead terminal and said first anode lead terminal and said second straight line lying between said second cathode lead terminal and said second anode lead terminal in said cross-section, at least any of said four terminals having such a construction that said lead portion is shifted with respect to said connection portion in a shift direction orthogonal to said lead direction;
• and
• a sealing portion which seals said cathode foil and said anode foil while exposing said lead portion of each of said four terminals, said sealing portion including a case which has an opening portion, said cathode foil and said anode foil being accommodated in said case, said lead portion of each of said four terminals protruding through said opening portion, and said case being fixed by causing said opening portion to contract toward said element axis.