High-energy capacitors for implantable defibrillators

An implantable defibrillation or cardioversion device comprising:

• one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient or for applying electrical energy to the patient;
• a monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads;
• and
• a therapy circuit for delivering electrical energy through one or more of the leads to a heart of the patient, wherein the therapy circuit includes one or more capacitors, with each capacitor including at least one foil that comprises:
• first and second opposing sides each having one or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• and
• three or more perforations through the foil, wherein the average cross-sectional area of the perforations is about 2 to 100 times larger than the average cross-sectional area of the cavities.

An implantable defibrillation or cardioversion device comprising:

• an electrical circuit including one or more capacitors, with each capacitor including at least one foil that comprises:
• first and second opposing sides each having one or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• and
• two or more perforations through the foil, wherein the average cross-sectional area of the perforations is about 2 to 100 times larger than the average cross-sectional area of the cavities.

A method comprising:

• providing at least a portion of defibrillation or cardioversion device;
• and
• installing at least one capacitor in at least the portion of the defibrillator or cardioversion device, with the capacitor including one or more metal foils that comprise:
• first and second opposing sides each having two or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• and
• two or more perforations through the foil, wherein the average cross-sectional area of the perforations is about 2 to 100 times larger than the average cross-sectional area of the cavities.

A defibrillation or cardioversion device comprising:

• one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient or for applying electrical energy to the patient;
• a monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads;
• and
• a therapy circuit for delivering electrical energy through one or more of the leads to a heart of the patient, wherein the therapy circuit includes one or more capacitors which include a foil that comprises:
• first and second opposing surfaces which define a foil thickness, with the first opposing surface having one or more cavities each having a maximum depth less than the foil thickness and the second opposing surface having one or more cavities each having a maximum depth less than the foil thickness;
• and
• one or more perforations through the foil, wherein the one or more perforations include at least three perforations and each of the perforations has an associated average maximum cross-sectional area between 500 square-microns and 32 square-millimeters, inclusive.

An implantable defibrillation or cardioversion device comprising:

• one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient or for applying electrical energy to the patient;
• a monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads;
• and
• a therapy circuit for delivering electrical energy through one or more of the leads to a heart of the patient, wherein the therapy circuit includes one or more capacitors, with each capacitor including at least one foil that comprises:
• first and second opposing sides each having one or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• and
• three or more perforations through the foil, wherein the one or more perforations include at least three perforations and each of the perforations has an associated average maximum cross-sectional area between 500 square-microns and 32 square-millimeters, inclusive.

An implantable defibrillation or cardioversion device comprising:

• an electrical circuit including one or more capacitors, with each capacitor including at least one foil that comprises:
• first and second opposing sides each having one or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• and
• two or more perforations through the foil, wherein the one or more perforations include at least three perforations and each of the perforations has an associated average maximum cross-sectional area between 500 square-microns and 32 square-millimeters, inclusive.

A method comprising:

• providing at least a portion of defibrillation or cardioversion device;
• and
• installing at least one capacitor in at least the portion of the defibrillator or cardioversion device, with the capacitor including one or more metal foils that comprise:
• first and second opposing sides each having two or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• and
• two or more perforations through the foil, wherein the two or more perforations include at least three perforations and each of the perforations has an associated average maximum cross-sectional area between 500 square-microns and 32 square-millimeters, inclusive.

An implantable cardiac rhythm management system comprising:

• one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient or for applying electrical energy to the patient;
• a monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads;
• and
• a therapy circuit for delivering electrical energy through one or more of the leads to a heart of the patient, wherein the therapy circuit includes one or more capacitors, with each capacitor including:
• one or more foil members comprising
• first and second opposing sides each having one or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• and
• means, including one or more perforations, for allowing flow of a liquid through the foil, with at least one of the perforations having no mounting member extending through it.

An implantable cardiac rhythm management system comprising:

• one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient or for applying electrical energy to the patient;
• a monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads;
• and
• a therapy circuit for delivering electrical energy through one or more of the leads to a heart of the patient, wherein the therapy circuit includes one or more capacitors, with each capacitor including:
• one or more foil members comprising
• first and second opposing sides each having one or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• and
• three or more perforations adapted for allowing flow of liquid through the foil.

An implantable cardiac rhythm management system comprising:

• one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient or for applying electrical energy to the patient;
• a monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads;
• and
• a therapy circuit for delivering electrical energy through one or more of the leads to a heart of the patient, wherein the therapy circuit includes one or more capacitors, with each capacitor including:
• one or more foil members comprising
• first and second opposing sides each having one or more of cavities having an average depth less than one-half the foil thickness;
• means, including three or more perforations, for allowing flow of a liquid through the foil, with at least one of the perforations having no mounting member extending through it;
• and
• means between the first and second surfaces for enhancing durability.

An implantable cardiac rhythm management system comprising:

• one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient or for applying electrical energy to the patient;
• a monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads;
• and
• a therapy circuit for delivering electrical energy through one or more of the leads to a heart of the patient, wherein the therapy circuit includes one or more capacitors, which include a foil that comprises:
• first and second opposing surfaces which define a foil thickness, with the first opposing surface having one or more first cavities having a first average maximum depth less than the foil thickness and the second opposing surface having one or more second cavities having a second average maximum depth less than the foil thickness, with one or more of the first cavities intersecting one or more of the second cavities to define one or more perforations through the foil.