Solid Electrolytic Capacitor Secondary Electrical Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solid electrolytic capacitors face challenges in minimizing inductance and resistance due to large electrical path lengths, which increase manufacturing costs and compromise physical reliability, and existing methods either raise production costs or result in non-standard terminations.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a secondary electrical connection through the encapsulant between the terminal and internal electrical components of the capacitor, reducing the primary electrical path length and eliminating the need for a substrate, while maintaining industry-standard footprints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a substrate is manufactured with conductive terminals in place and the capacitor element is attached to the conductive terminals, then the inductance and resistance are reduced, but the manufacturing cost increases and physical reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the substrate from the capacitor structure, retaining only the necessary leadframe terminals. This removes the problematic substrate-capacitor interface that compromised package integrity while maintaining the electrical connection benefits. The capacitor element is directly mounted on the leadframe without requiring a separate substrate, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while improving physical reliability.
2Reliability
If the leadframe is exposed from the bottom of the encapsulating resin, then the inductance is reduced, but the production cost increases and package integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the leadframe structure with the encapsulating resin by having the resin fully encase the leadframe, including the terminals. This integration eliminates the need for separate substrate structures while maintaining standard termination configurations. The encapsulating resin provides both mechanical support and electrical insulation, combining multiple functions into a single component that improves package integrity without increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If the electrical path length is reduced, then the inductance and resistance decrease, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the electrical path by utilizing three-dimensional spatial arrangement within the encapsulated structure. The leadframe terminals are positioned to minimize current loop area in the vertical dimension, and the capacitor element is oriented to create the shortest possible electrical path between terminals. This dimensional optimization reduces inductance and resistance without requiring complex manufacturing processes, as the benefits are achieved through geometric arrangement rather than additional structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved capacitor is provided with at least one anode having a dielectric on the anode and an anode lead extending from the anode. A conductive cathode layer is on the dielectric. An anode leadframe is electrically connected to the anode and a cathode leadframe is electrically connected to the cathode. An encapsulant encases the anode, a portion of the anode leadframe and a portion of the cathode leadframe such that the anode leadframe extends from the encapsulant to form an external anode leadframe and the cathode leadframe extends from the encapsulant to form an external cathode leadframe. At least one secondary electrical connection is provided wherein the secondary electrical connection is in electrical contact with the cathode and extends through the encapsulant to the external cathode leadframe or the secondary electrical contact is in electrical contact with the anode and extends through the encapsulant to the external anode leadframe.