Abstract: Method for making a capacitive structure. In a first mode, one coil of the interleaved webs is made from a laminate comprising a carrier tape, and two metallized, dielectric films, which may be ultra thin. One such web is wound into a coil. The other web and the carrier tape are twisted, by one half-turn, and wound over such one web and the carrier tape is peeled away so that the webs are interleaved. In a second mode, two coils of the interleaved webs are made from two laminates, each as described. One such web from one such laminate and one such web from the other laminate are wound into each coil so that the webs are interleaved. Techniques for providing each web with demetallized lanes and for slitting the webs into ribbons are disclosed. The carrier tape can be optionally omitted in some instances.

Abstract: A capacitive structure, in which thermal stresses tending to delaminate its capacitive layers tend to be substantially relieved before such layers delaminate. The capacitive structure is divided into an upper substructure and a lower substructure, each comprising a plurality of capacitive layers, a separating layer being sandwiched between such substructures. The upper substructure comprises an underlying layer of dielectric material. The lower substructure comprises an overlying layer of dielectric material. The separating layer is provided by spraying a colloidal suspension of polytetrafluoroethylene in a liquid carrier containing a suitable binder onto one surface of one of such overlying and underlying layers. The separating layer bonds less aggressively to at least one of the substructures than the substructures would bond to each other if the separating layer were omitted.

Abstract: Improvements in a capacitive structure comprising a plurality of capacitive layers in stacked relation to one another with indentations along their edges. Similar upper and lower dielectric covers with beveled portions along their edges cover the uppermost and lowermost capacitive layers. Along each edge, a mass of conductive material provides electrical connections and covers the beveled portions of the respective covers as well as the edges of the respective covers and of the capacitive layers, so as to lock the respective covers onto the capacitive layers. The respective covers are provided with parallel grooves, which may be washed or flushed, as by means of pressurized air, so as to remove contaminants.

Abstract: An improved capacity structure of the type comprising a group of capacitive layers of equal width, each including a dielectric substrate and a metallic area, which covers a major portion of an upper surface of the dielectric substrate and which extends to one edge of the dielectric substrate, a mass of conductive material covering each edge of such layer so as to provide electrical connections to and between the metallic areas extending to such edge. The metallized areas on alternate layers extend to opposite edges. A group of at least three dielectric layers of equal width, in stacked relation to each other, covers the group of capacitive layers at its top surface. A group of at least three dielectric layers of equal width, in stacked relation to each other, covers the group of capacitive layers at its bottom surface.

Abstract: A method for processing a layered structure incorporating alternating plastic film and electrically conductive layers to enhance thermal and capacitive stability of the structure, which plastic film has molecular bonds oriented in a first axis and a second axis, the method comprising the steps of applying compressive force to the structure in a third axis, which third axis is substantially perpendicular to the first and second axes; and raising the structure from an ambient temperature to a processing temperature while maintaining the compressive force on the structure, the processing temperature being sufficiently high to randomize the molecular bonds; and maintaining the structure at the processing temperature and under the compressive force for a processing time sufficient to effect randomization of substantially all of the molecular bonds in the structure; and allowing the structure to substantially cool to ambient temperature before removing the compressive force from the structure.

Abstract: An improved metallized film capacitor configured for surface mounting to a substrate, which capacitor has a capacitive structure electrically terminated at a first end by a first electrical termination and electrically terminated at a second end by a second electrical termination and has at least one lateral face intermediate the first and second ends. The improvement comprises extension of each of the first and second electrical terminations from their respective ends onto the at least one lateral face of the capacitor and in that extension providing sufficient thickness to the electrical termination extensions to establish a gap between the at least one lateral face and a substrate when the capacitor is surface mounted to the substrate by the electrical terminations, the gap being sufficient to facilitate cleaning contaminants from between the lateral face of the capacitor and the substrate after the capacitor is mounted to the substrate.

Abstract: A capacitive device having first and second electrical contacts and being configured for leadless attachment within electrical circuitry. The capacitive device has at least one layer of electrically and thermally insulative material covering all sides of the device; a plurality of access passages for accommodating electrical access to the first and second electrical contacts of the capacitive device through the at least one layer of thermally insulative material, each of which access passages is configured to limit thermal communication to the first and second electrical contacts; and contact pads associated with the first and second electrical contacts of the capacitor for effecting electrical contact through the access passages, which contact pads fill and extend a distance beyond the limits of each of the access passages to increase electrical contact area for the first and second electrical contacts accessible from without the at least one layer of thermally insulative material.

Abstract: A capacitive device of the parallel plate type capacitor is disclosed with an improved system for packaging such devices. The devices disclosed have a plurality of strata of capacitive structures formed by alternating layers of dielectric material carrying metallic material thereon with successive layers of metallic material separated by dielectric material. Each layer of metallic material is electrically continuous substantially from the first end to a second end, a first group of the metallic layers is electrically continuous substantially from a first edge to a first continuity displaced from a second edge and a second group of metallic layers is electrically continuous substantially from a second edge to a second discontinuity displaced from the first edge; the first group alternates with the second group in the capacitive structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying optical energy to selectively remove material carried upon a substrate, preferably in substantially parallel lanes of material-free areas, which apparatus comprises an optical generator for generating optical energy in a primary beam, partitioning devices for dividing the primary beam into a plurality of derivative beams, reflective devices for reflecting each of the derivative beams to form a plurality of working beams which impact the substrate, focusing lenses for focusing each of the plurality of working beams upon the substrate, and transport means for transporting the substrate in a direction transverse of the plurality of working beams to effect continuous removal of material in substantially parallel lanes from the substrate by the working beams.

Abstract: A method of making capacitive structures whereby first and second webs are provided, each of which webs has a dielectric substrate, a metallic film coating and narrow parallel longitudinal metal-free zones. The webs are slit along parallel lines offset from the metal-free zones to form ribbons, each ribbon having a narrow marginal metal film band extending inwardly from one longitudinal edge of the ribbon to a metal-free zone. The ribbons from the two webs are wound alternately on a drum and, in winding, the ribbons of one web are offset from the ribbons of the other web to form on the drum a plurality of interleaved rings of capacitive structure, each structure having alternately disposed metal and dielectric layers and the ribbons of each web respectively projecting outwardly from the marginal film bands of the ribbons of the other web.

Abstract: An apparatus for making capaticive structures, which apparatus provides a plurality of supplies of webs, each web having a dielectric substrate with a metallic film upon one side of that substrate. The apparatus further provides a rotatable drum spaced from the supplies of webs, a plurality of rollers associated with each web supply with each web being strained and tensioned over its respective plurality of rollers, and a means for slitting the webs into ribbons prior to winding the ribbons on the drum to provide alternate layers of metallic and dielectric materials. The rollers and slitting means are positioned with respect to each other and with respect to the drum to support the ribbons over substantially their full length prior to winding on the drum.

Abstract: A capacitive structure, which structure is a length of a plurality of layers, each layer having opposed edges and comprising a dielectric substrate and a metallic film. The metallic film extends from one edge toward the other edge. Each layer includes a zone free of metallic film, which zone is spaced from the other edge and defines a narrow marginal metal film band at the other edge which is spaced from the remainder of the metallic film by the metal free zones. The layers are disposed with the metallic film of each layer being separated by dielectric material from the metallic film of the adjacent layer; the layers are offset such that first edges of a first group of layers lie outwardly beyond second edges of a second group of layers at one side of the structure, and first edges of the second group of layers lie outwardly beyond the second edge of the first group of layers at the other side of the structure, the layers of the first group alternating with the layers of the second group.

Abstract: A cash replacement system including an encoded plastic card and a card acceptor mechanism is provided by punching a number of specially shaped apertures with predetermined orientations into the card. The acceptor mechanism which receives the card has a sensor pin aligned with each of the punched apertures of the plastic card. The sensor pins have a probe section at one end which is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the punched apertures of the plastic card so that when they are in alignment with the apertures the probe sections will fit in the apertures as the sensor pins are depressed toward the card. The sensor pin also has a surface area adjacent the probe section which engages the card so that when the probe section extends through the aperture it insures that the aperture is of the correct shape and orientation. The sensor pins are lowered toward the card by a drive mechanism which is linked to a handle or other control device.

Abstract: A cash replacement system including an encoded plastic card and a card acceptor mechanism is provided by punching a number of specially shaped apertures with predetermined orientations into a card. The acceptor mechanism which receives the card has a sensor pin aligned with each of the punched apertures of the plastic card. The sensor pins have a probe section at one end which is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the punched apertures of the plastic card so that when they are in alignment with the apertures the probe sections will fit in the apertures as the sensor pins are depressed toward the card. The sensor pin also has a surface area adjacent the probe section which engages the card so that when the probe section extends through the aperture it insures that the aperture is of the correct shape and orientation. The sensor pins are lowered toward the card by a drive mechanism which is linked to a handle or other control device.

Abstract: A machine and a method are disclosed for forming pleated and wound electrical capacitors having a metallized dielectric which is metallized on both sides to form electrodes thereon. The metallized dielectric material is fed from supply rollers and it is pulled tightly over one or more rotatable discs so that it is locked firmly onto the periphery thereof. In one embodiment, three rotatable discs are employed and the center disc projects beyond the other two discs which are aligned at acute angles with respect to the center disc. After the dielectric material leaves these discs, it passes through a low pressure air stream which smooths out the wrinkles in the material. It is then fed under tension around a substantial portion of the periphery of a relatively large winding wheel.

Abstract: An electrical capacitor is formed which relies on a thin dielectric layer which is metallized on both sides to provide electrode areas to provide the major part of the capacitance of the capacitor. An unmetallized margin area runs along one side of the dielectric layer along one longitudinal edge of the dielectric layer and an unmetallized margin area runs along the other side of the dielectric layer along the opposite longitudinal edge dimension of the dielectric layer. A pleated capacitor section is formed by pleating, or folding, the dielectric layer along its longitudinal dimension. This pleated capacitor segment is incorporated into an initial portion of the capacitor formed of two metal foil electrodes and a separating dielectric layer which are wound about the leads of the capacitor.

Abstract: An electrical capacitor is formed utilizing a thin dielectric layer which is metallized on both sides to provide electrode areas. The capacitor is formed by pleating, or folding, the dielectric layer along its longitudinal dimension an odd number of times. The pleats are not creased but are allowed to form smoothly curved edges in which the radius of such bend is at least equal to the thickness of the film. In addition the edges of the pleats are progressively staggered so that the centers of the bend of one pleat edge is removed a distance of at least four film thicknesses from its neighboring centers. This configuration prevents the end of the capacitor from forming a "bar-bell" shape and in addition minimizes mechanical damage to the film and alteration of the electric field.

Abstract: An electrical capacitor is formed utilizing a thin dielectric layer which is metallized on both sides to provide electrode areas. An unmetallized margin area is provided on one side of the dielectric layer along one longitudinal edge of the dielectric layer and an unmetallized margin area is provided on the other side of the dielectric area along the opposite longitudinal edge dimension of the dielectric layer. The capacitor is formed by pleating, or folding, the dielectric layer along its longitudinal dimension an even number of times so that the unmetallized margin areas extend outwardly beyond the pleats adjacent the same longitudinal edge. The dielectric layer may next be wound to form a wound capacitor segment and then a metallic spray may be directed against the ends of the wound capacitor segment so that leads may be attached to complete the capacitor.

Abstract: An electrical capacitor is formed utilizing a thin dielectric layer which is metallized on both sides to provide electrode areas. Unmetallized margin areas are provided on one side of the dielectric layer along the longitudinal edges of the layer, an unmetallized strip is provided in the center of the other side of the dielectric area which extends along the longitudinal dimension of the layer. The capacitor is formed by pleating, or folding, the dielectric layer along its longitudinal dimension an odd number of times, but with at least five pleat lines being formed and with one of the pleat lines being along the center of the dielectric layer so that the unmetallized strip is on the inside of the center pleat. The center pleat extends beyond the ends of the other pleats on one longitudinal edge of the capacitor while the ends of the metallized dielectric layer which contain the unmetallized margin areas extend beyond the ends of the pleats on the other longitudinal edge of the capacitor.

Abstract: An electrical capacitor is formed utilizing a thin dielectric layer which is metallized on both sides to provide electrode areas. Unmetallized margin areas are provided on one side of the dielectric layer along the longitudinal edges of the layer, an unmetallized strip is provided in the center of the other side of the dielectric area which extends along the longitudinal dimension of the layer. The capacitor is formed by pleating, or folding, the dielectric layer once along its longitudinal dimension in the unmetallized central strip area slightly off of the center line of the dielectric layer, so that the unmetallized strip is on the inside of the pleat. The ends of the metallized dielectric layer which contain the unmetallized margin areas are thus staggered so that one end extends beyond the other.