Ultracapacitor design having a honey comb structure
AssigneeBoundless Corp.
InventorPhilip C. Lyman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A capacitor assembled in the form of a lightweight structural panel and including isolated capacitor cells. Each of the cells includes a honeycomb structure wherein each film-like layer in the honeycomb structure is an electrode stack. Each of the electrode stacks includes an elongated cathode, an elongated separator, and an elongated anode. The separator is wetted with an electrolyte solution to enhance the dielectric properties of the separator. Alternatively, the capacitor cell could be composed of a foam-like cathode, foam-like separator, and a foam-like anode. With either embodiment, the invention achieves the storage of electrostatic energy in a structure with a multitude of voids defined therein so that the structure is relatively stiff, yet light weight.
Claims27
A capacitor for storing electrical energy, comprising:
- an elongated anode, including an electrode layer;
- an elongated cathode positioned adjacent and in spaced-apart relation to the anode, the cathode including an electrode layer;
- and
- a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode which serves as a dielectric by providing electrical insulation between the anode and the cathode yet permitting an electrostatic field to be developed between the anode and the cathode to increase the energy storable in the capacitor;
- wherein the anode, the separator, and the cathode form an elongated capacitor stack;
- and
- wherein a plurality of elongated capacitor stacks are connected together in a honeycomb structure, each of the plurality of elongated capacitor stacks being a layer of the honeycomb structure.
A method for assembling a capacitor, comprising the steps of:
- providing an elongated anode including an electrode;
- providing an elongated cathode including an electrode;
- providing an elongated, porous separator;
- bonding the anode and cathode to opposite sides of the separator to form an elongated capacitor stack;
- assembling a plurality of elongated capacitor stacks into a honeycomb structure, each of the plurality of elongated capacitor stacks being a layer of the honeycomb structure;
- and
- wetting the separator with an electrolyte.
A capacitor for storing electrical energy, comprising:
- an anode including an electrode, the electrode having a multitude of voids defined therein;
- a cathode positioned adjacent and in spaced-apart relation to the anode, the cathode having a multitude of voids defined therein, the cathode including an electrode;
- and
- a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode which selves as a dielectric by providing electrical insulation between the anode and the cathode yet permitting an electrostatic field to be developed between the anode and the cathode, to increase the energy storable in the capacitor, the separator having a multitude of voids defined therein;
- wherein the anode, the separator, and the cathode are sandwiched between a first face plate and a second face plate to form a structure which has a multitude of voids defined therein to provide a sturdy yet light-weight structural capacitor panel and said separator extends from said first face plate to said second face plate.
A capacitor formed as a structural panel assembly, comprising:
- a plurality of thin capacitive elements arranged and bonded together in a honeycomb configuration, wherein layers of the honeycomb configuration include the thin capacitive elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.