Abstract: A capacitor of the type having a cathode and an anode and an electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode, the capacitor comprising an electrochemical cathode comprising an aluminum current collector coated with a finely divided material, an electrolytic anode comprising aluminum coated with aluminum oxide, an electrolyte in contact with the finely divided material on the cathode and the aluminum oxide on the anode.

Abstract: A capacitor having an-electrochemical cathode electrode, an electrolytic anode electrode, and a substantially non-aqueous electrolyte disposed between the cathode and anode electrodes. The cathode includes a metal and a finely divided material, i.e. a conducting material with a very high ratio of surface area to volume. The anode includes an oxide forming metal and a corresponding metal oxide. The substantially non-aqueous electrolyte is in contact with the finely divided material forming a double layer electrochemical cathode capacitor. The cathode provides the foundation for interleaving a plurality of anodes with a plurality of cathodes. Insulating layers separate the interleaved anodes from the cathodes.

Abstract: A capacitor having an electrochemical cathode electrode, an electrolytic anode electrode, and a substantially non-aqueous electrolyte disposed between the cathode and anode electrodes. The cathode includes a metal and a finely divided material, i.e. a conducting material with a very high ratio of surface area to volume. The anode includes an oxide forming metal and a corresponding metal oxide. The substantially non-aqueous electrolyte is in contact with the finely divided material forming a double layer electrochemical cathode capacitor. The cathode provides the foundation for interleaving a plurality of anodes with a plurality of cathodes. Insulating layers separate the interleaved anodes from the cathodes.

Abstract: A capacitor of the type having a cathode and an anode and an electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode, the capacitor comprising an electrochemical cathode comprising a metal current collector, at least one conductive adhesion layer deposited on the metal current collector, a finely divided material deposited on the adhesion layer, an electrolytic anode comprising an oxide forming metal and a corresponding insulating metal oxide, and an electrolyte in contact with the finely divided material on the cathode and the oxide on the anode.

Abstract: A capacitor of the type having a cathode and an anode and an electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode, the capacitor comprising an electrochemical cathode comprising an aluminum current collector coated with a finely divided material, an electrolytic anode comprising aluminum coated with aluminum oxide, an electrolyte in contact with the finely divided material on the cathode and the aluminum oxide on the anode.

Abstract: A capacitor of the type having a cathode and an anode and an electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode, the capacitor comprising a cathode, an electrolytic anode comprising a stack of metal sheets, the sheets being coated with a metal oxide, wherein the metal sheets are electrically connected in parallel by one or more electrically conductive elements in electrical contact with the sheets, and an electrolyte in contact with the cathode and the metal oxide on the sheets.

Abstract: A metallized capacitor has two layers of electrically insulating film wound as a roll, two metal electrodes vacuum deposited on respective ones of the two layers of film, and two end-sprays of electrically conductive material deposited on respective ends of the roll, each of the end-sprays being in electrical contact with one of the two vacuum-deposited metal electrodes. Each of the metal electrodes has a segmented metallization pattern having segments of relatively thick electrode material separated by periodic segments of relatively thin electrode material so as to define a repeating pattern of relatively thick and relatively thin segments along the length of the layer of electrically insulating film on which the metal electrode is deposited.

Abstract: A film capacitor in which the unmetallized margin is provided with a semiconductive layer. The layer provides a parallel resistive path within the capacitor, itself, obviating the need for an external resistor. It also grades the electric field across the margin, i.e., makes the field more uniform, thus allowing the margin to be made narrower without electrical breakdown, permitting a reduction in the physical size of the capacitor. A refractory, semiconductive layer is provided between the metal layer and the dielectric film. The refractory layer accelerates the self-clearing process, by insulating the underlying dielectric film from the heat generated by the vaporizing metal, thus hastening vaporization and reducing the tendency of the dielectric film to carbonize. As a result, faults are cleared with substantially less energy consumption. Preferably, the refractory layer is also semiconductive, to reduce field emission effects, and thereby decrease the frequency of faults in the dielectric film.

Abstract: The invention features a capacitive pulse forming network including at least one capacitor having a substantially linear discharge characteristic and at least another capacitor having a nonlinear discharge characteristic. The capacitive pulse forming network allows the duration and shape of pulses generated by the network to be accurately controlled.

Abstract: A polymer-encased capacitor with a pressure sensitive interruption (PSI) system includes a polymer cover attached to a polymer case, the polymer cover having a skirt-less outer portion ultrasonically sealed to an open end portion of the polymer case. The polymer cover does not include flanged or lipped members extending from the outer edge of the cover (i e., "skirt-less") so that application of ultrasonic energy to the cover does not excite modes of vibration in which vibration nodes occur at intervals around the periphery of the cover, thereby providing a more leak-tight and rupture-proof bond between the capacitor case and cover.

Abstract: An electrical film capacitor in which a pair of metal film electrodes and a porous layer are wound into an assembly, and in which the porous layer serves to wick a liquid dielectric into the wound assembly. The liquid dielectric is an adipic acid ester such as di-isononyl adipate. Mono-isopropyl biphenyl can be added as well.

Abstract: A polymer-encased capacitor with a nicked-wire interruption system has a capacitor element assembled onto a longitudinally-telescoping support member and installed in a polymer case so that one longitudinal end of the assembly rests on a surface of the case and the other longitudinal end is adjacent a retainer disk spaced at a predetermined longitudinal dimension between a point on the case and the cover of the case. A nicked-wire is attached to the capacitor element, protrudes through the retainer disk and is attached to an electrical terminal on a movable portion of the cover responsive to overpressure conditions in the case.

Abstract: A capacitor in which the interruption mechanism includes an actuator that moves in response to a predetermined physical condition to cause electrical disconnection of the capacitive element, and in which the actuator has a range of motion through a limited number of stable positions and is mechanically pre-biased to move toward one of the stable positions when not already in one of the stable positions. In another aspect the capacitor housing includes an integral rim around the terminals that is filled with dielectric resin to insulate the terminals from the space surrounding the capacitor housing.

Abstract: An electrical device includes an electrical element; a container housing the electrical element; a rigid electrical terminal extending through a hole in a wall of the container; a bridge between the wall and the element, the bridge having an opening offset from an axis lying normal to the wall at the hole and the opening being aligned with a portion of the terminal; and an electrical connection made between the element and the terminal via the bridge opening, the connection being configured so that bulging of the wall causes the connection to break. Preferably, the container is a capacitor, and the electrical connection between the element and the terminal includes multiple separation points.

Abstract: A device which enables a self-healing capacitor with more than one group of sections in series to undergo repetitive clearing without generating the resulting potential differences between the series sections which causes additional failures. In one embodiment, the device to conduct charge is a diode and resistor connected across each group of parallel sections so as to be nonconducting when the capacitor is charged but to become conducting when a clearing event occurs. An additional aspect of the device is a method for charging such a capacitor so that no section is overcharged.

Abstract: An electrical capacitor having two capacitively coupled electrode structures, each electrode structure having first and second generally planar conductive portions respectively having higher and lower current-carrying capacity, the electrode structures having configurations and relative orientations such that a line normal to the first conductive portion of one electrode structure does not intersect the first conductive portion of the other electrode structure.

Abstract: A capacitor in which the capacitive element is impregnated and encapsulated by a composition having a softening point above the normal operating temperature of the capacitor and below the temperature that would occur following a failure of the capacitive element (or in another aspect below the temperature at which the polypropylene film of a polypropylene film capacitor shrinks). In other aspects the composition is a blend of polybutene and polyethylene; and a method of impregnating a capacitor is provided.

Abstract: A capacitor is electrically disabled to limit internal pressure buildup by attaching its electrical terminals to a first wall portion that bulges in a predetermined direction under internal pressure, providing electrical connections between the terminals and the capacitive element, and associating with a second wall portion (that does not move in the predetermined direction under internal pressure) a disconnect means such that when the first wall portion bulges, the terminals exert a force in the predetermined direction on the connections, which are then severed by a resisting force exerted by the disconnect means.In another aspect, reconnection is prevented by having each electrical terminal connected by a conductor via a predefined pathway to the capacitive element, and providing means for blocking the pathway following disconnection.

Abstract: A capacitor in which at least one of two dielectrically-insulated metal layers is interrupted along its length by a plurality of transverse non-conductive gaps extending partway across the layer, thereby dividing the layer into a series of conductive sections each conductive section being connected to an adjacent section by a narrow metallized region that extends between the associated gap and one edge of the layer; the narrow metallized regions is adapted to act as a fuse for the section during periods of excessive current flow to the section.

Abstract: An electrical capacitor having a rolled metallized thermoplastic strip and a liquid dielectric containing polybutene of average molecular weight of at least 800.