Electrolytic capacitors with multiple anodes and anode lead configurations thereof

A capacitor, which comprises:

• a) a casing having a cylindrical casing sidewall extending to closed first and second end walls;
• b) an anode assembly comprising a first anode, a second anode, and a third anode, each anode comprising an anode sidewall extending to first and second anode end walls and a conductive anode lead extending therefrom, wherein the anodes are in a side-by-side relationship having their respective sidewalls aligned parallel to each other;
• c) an anode terminal pin comprising a terminal pin sidewall having a distal pin end located outside the casing for connection to a load and extending along a length to a proximal pin end;
• d) a glass-to-metal seal hermetically sealing between and against an opening in the casing and the terminal pin sidewall at a location intermediate the distal and proximal pin ends, wherein the proximal pin end is physically connected to at least one of the anode leads electrically connected to each other by a hoop enclosing the proximal pin end and the anode leads to thereby form a bonding junction inside the casing spaced from the glass-to-metal seal;
• e) a cathode comprised of a first conductive substrate including first and second major faces supporting cathode active material opposing the sidewalls of the first and second anodes;
• f) a separator positioned between the side-by-side anodes and the cathode to prevent them from contacting each other;
• and
• g) a working electrolyte contained inside the casing and contacting the anode and the cathode.

A method for making a capacitor, which comprises:

• a) providing a casing having a casing sidewall extending to an open end;
• b) providing at least a first anode and a second anode, each anode comprising an anode sidewall and a conductive anode lead extending therefrom;
• c) providing an anode terminal pin comprising a terminal pin sidewall having a length extending from a distal pin end to a proximal pin end;
• d) providing a cathode comprising a conductive substrate supporting a cathode active material facing the first and second anodes but prevented from contact therewith by an intermediate separator to thereby form an electrode assembly;
• e) forming a glass-to-metal seal hermetically sealing between and against an opening in a casing lid and the terminal pin sidewall at a location intermediate the distal and proximal pin ends;
• f) physically connecting the proximal pin end to at least one of the anode leads being electrically connected to each other by a hoop enclosing the proximal pin end and the anode leads to thereby form a bonding junction spaced from the glass-to-metal seal;
• g) moving the electrode assembly into the casing through the open end thereof and then sealing the lid to the casing sidewall to form a closed casing housing the electrode assembly;
• and
• h) filling a working electrolyte inside the casing through a fill port to contact the first and second anodes and the cathode comprising the electrode assembly, and sealing the fill port.

A method for making a capacitor, which comprises:

• a) providing a casing having a cylindrical casing sidewall extending to an open end;
• b) providing a first anode, a second anode and a third anode, each anode comprising an anode sidewall extending to first and second anode end walls and a conductive anode lead extending therefrom, wherein the anodes are in a side-by-side relationship having their respective sidewalls parallel to each other;
• c) providing an anode terminal pin comprising a terminal pin sidewall having a length extending from a distal pin end to a proximal pin end;
• d) providing a cathode comprising a first conductive substrate including first and second major faces supporting cathode active material, the first conductive substrate positioned with respect to the first and second anodes such that the sidewalls of the first and second anodes are opposed by cathode active material but prevented from contact therewith by an intermediate separator to thereby form an electrode assembly;
• e) forming a glass-to-metal seal hermetically sealing between and against an opening in a casing lid and the terminal pin sidewall at a location intermediate the distal and proximal pin ends;
• f) physically connecting the proximal pin end to at least one of the anode leads being electrically connected to each other by a hoop enclosing the proximal pin end and the anode leads to thereby form a bonding junction spaced from the glass-to-metal seal;
• g) moving the electrode assembly into the casing through the open end thereof and then sealing the lid to the open casing end to thereby close the casing housing the electrode assembly;
• and
• h) filling a working electrolyte into the casing through a fill port, and sealing the fill port.