Device and process for forming membrane type capacitor devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing capacitor designs face inefficiencies in volumetric efficiency due to the volume occupied by encapsulants and leadframes, which hinder miniaturization and electrical performance while maintaining industry-standard terminal configurations, especially in surface mount capacitors.

Innovation Solution

The use of a layered structure with reinforced encapsulant layers and an overloaded prepreg comprising a membrane and excess resin, which allows for controlled encapsulant thickness and reduced volume occupation, enabling improved volumetric efficiency without compromising electrical performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional encapsulant and leadframe structures are used to ensure electrical separation and mechanical support, then reliability is maintained, but volumetric efficiency deteriorates due to excessive space occupation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical separationVSAvoidencapsulant volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs thin film encapsulants with controlled thickness (e.g., 5-50 micrometers) to provide electrical isolation between conductive elements while occupying minimal volume. The thin film structure maintains dielectric strength and electrical separation reliability while dramatically reducing the space consumed by encapsulant material compared to traditional thick encapsulants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite material structures combining multiple layers with different functions - conductive layers for electrical connection, dielectric layers for insulation, and thin encapsulant layers for protection. This multi-layer composite approach optimizes the balance between electrical performance, mechanical support, and volumetric efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If leadframe structures are used to provide mechanical support and electrical connection, then ease of manufacture is improved, but volumetric efficiency deteriorates due to leadframe space occupation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleadframe attachmentVSAvoidleadframe volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the leadframe function into separate terminal structures that are integrated directly with the capacitive elements. By removing the traditional bulk leadframe and replacing it with minimized terminal extensions and external mounting structures, the volume occupied by support and connection elements is dramatically reduced while manufacturing complexity remains manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from three-dimensional bulk leadframe structures to two-dimensional thin film traces and one-dimensional terminal extensions. This dimensional reduction allows electrical connections and mechanical support to be achieved with minimal volume occupation, moving from volumetric leadframes to planar and linear connection structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If separation distance between anode and cathode components is increased to prevent electrical arcing, then reliability is improved, but volumetric efficiency deteriorates due to increased non-contributing volume

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical arcing preventionVSAvoidseparation volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes thin dielectric films with controlled thickness and high dielectric strength to provide adequate electrical insulation between anode and cathode components. The thin film structure provides the necessary breakdown voltage and arcing prevention while maintaining minimal separation distance, thereby maximizing the volume available for capacitive elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the dielectric parameters of the separation layers - using materials with higher dielectric strength and optimizing thickness to achieve the minimum required separation distance. By adjusting dielectric constant, breakdown voltage, and thickness parameters, the patent achieves reliable arcing prevention with minimal separation volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11869727B2Device and process for forming membrane type capacitor devices

Publication Date: 2024.01.09 KEMET ELECTRONICS CORP

AI summary

An improved capacitor, and method of making the capacitor, is described. The capacitor comprises an upper reinforced encapsulant layer and a lower reinforced encapsulant layer witha capacitive element between the upper reinforced encapsulant layer and lower reinforced encapsulant layer. The capacitive element comprises an anode, a dielectric on the anode and a cathode on the dielectric. An internal reinforced encapsulant layer is between the upper reinforced encapsulant layer and lower reinforced encapsulant layer.