Patents Assigned to Sprague Electric Company
  • Integrated circuit including test portion and method for making
    Patent number: 4413271
    Abstract: A test circuit, including a vertical NPN, a lateral PNP and a vertical PNP transistor plus a diffused resistor and a thin film resistor, is formed by altogether simultaneous steps with corresponding components of each principal integrated circuit. Four dedicated test pads in each integrated circuit lead to all bases, collectors, emitters and resistor extremities so as to permit substantially unshunted measurements of all basic transistor and resistor electrical parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventors: Walter S. Gontowski, Jr., James F. Mayrand
  • Capacitor cover-terminal assembly
    Patent number: 4408818
    Abstract: A terminal-cover assembly for a multisection capacitor has three terminal-bushing assemblies mounted in a round metal cover so as to meet the minimum spacing requirements between terminals and between the terminals and the edge of the cover. The terminal-bushing assemblies are mounted in the cover in a triangular array, and the bushings have an irregular pentagonal shape. A four-bladed terminal in the shape of an irregular octagon is provided for the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Paul M. Markarian
  • Offset lead configuration for solid electrolyte capacitor
    Patent number: 4409642
    Abstract: A portion of the anode lead of a solid electrolyte capacitor is offset so that the remaining portion of the anode lead is coaxial with the anode riser, and these and the cathode lead are coplanar. The offset portion of the anode lead is bent transversely, and the riser is connected to this transverse. Preferably, the anode lead and the cathode lead are of different diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Douglas M. Edson
  • Accelerated aging-impregnation of electrolytic capacitors
    Patent number: 4403393
    Abstract: A process for the accelerated aging and impregnation of electrolytic capacitors having formed anodes is carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the capacitors are loaded into a centrifuge, a voltage less than final aging voltage is applied, the pressure within the centrifuge is reduced, the centrifuge is started, and then electrolyte is admitted to impregnate the capacitors. When the capacitors are fully impregnated, the aging voltage is increased to the desired final value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Giacomo Giacomello
  • Method for solid tantalum capacitor with clean riser
    Patent number: 4401877
    Abstract: The anode riser of a solid tantalum capacitor is cleaned by means of a laser beam which removes all coatings from the riser in the area of the weld between the riser and an external lead so as to leave no conducting path from the riser to the cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventors: Dean A. Webber, Peter S. Bosse
  • Interrupter for multisection AC capacitors
    Patent number: 4398782
    Abstract: An interrupter for a multisection AC capacitor is a molded disc of polyphenylene sulfide. The disc has three holes in it in an equilateral triangular array, and one side of the disc is flanged around its periphery. The other side of the disc has three main ribs extending outwardly from the center and dividing the disc into three equal sections, each containing one of the holes. Lateral ribs extend from each side of the main ribs at 60.degree. to the main rib and approximately 25% of the length of the main rib from the center of the disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Paul M. Markarian
  • High temperature electrolytic capacitor
    Patent number: 4399489
    Abstract: An aluminum electrolytic capacitor for high temperature operation contains a wound aluminum foil capacitor section in contact with an electrolyte capable of operating as high as 150.degree. C., the electrolyte comprising a mixed solvent system of N-methylpyrrolidinone and up to 5 wt % ethylene glycol and a mixed solute system of dimethylammonium or diisopropylammonium boro-di-catecholate and diisopropylammonium pentaborate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Sidney D. Ross
  • Method for making a ceramic intergranular barrier-layer capacitor
    Patent number: 4397886
    Abstract: A donor modified strontium titanate formulated to become conductive when sintered in air, is further modified with a minute quantity of manganese and sintered to maturity in a nitrogen atmosphere. A paste including silver particles, and oxides of bismuth and copper is applied to two major portions of the body. The coated body is heated at about 920.degree. C. to oxidize the grain boundaries and to form silver electrodes tightly adhered to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen M. Neirman, Ian Burn
  • Low inductance electrolytic capacitor
    Patent number: 4395747
    Abstract: A low inductance electrolytic capacitor utilizes a stripline on which the capacitor section is wound in extended foil fashion. Each piece of the metal stripline has a projection spaced from one end. The pieces are assembled with an insulating strip between them with the projections at opposite ends and opposite sides of the stripline. The foil extensions are welded directly to the stripline and the stripline to the capacitor terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Jack D. White
  • Chemical etching of aluminum capacitor foil
    Patent number: 4395305
    Abstract: Aluminum capacitor foil is chemically etched to produce a fine etch structure by passing the foil through an etch bath containing sodium chloride and at least an equal amount of sulfuric acid, preferably 11 to about 22 wt %. Etching is carried out at 90.degree. to 105.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Alfred Whitman
  • I.C. Alarm signal generator
    Patent number: 4389638
    Abstract: A yelping alarm signal generator has a current controlled audio oscillator with a feedback loop around it that produces a control current that is a direct function of the oscillation frequency so that only one capacitor external to the integrated circuits is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Walter S. Gontowski, Jr.
  • Signal limiting integrated circuit
    Patent number: 4388632
    Abstract: A simple silicon integrated circuit consists of two identical Schottky diodes formed in epitaxial pockets that are defined by P-N junction isolation walls. Metallization is provided to connect the diodes back-to-back in parallel and to provide terminal pads at the two nodes of the parallel circuit. Another metal film makes contact with the isolation wall and has an enlarged termination pad portion. This component may be connected across the input of an A/D converter to limit input signals to a small value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: William E. Richardson
  • Flat electrolytic capacitor
    Patent number: 4385342
    Abstract: A wound and flattened extended-foil section containing an electrolyte is encased within a frame of insulating material that is closed on the top and bottom by metallic members electrically insulated and spaced from each other by the frame. One electrode of the section is electrically connected within the frame to one of the metallic members, and the other electrode is electrically connected within the frame to the second metallic member. The metallic members may serve as terminals for the capacitor, or leads may be attached to their external surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventors: Henry F. Puppolo, Phyllis M. Schmidt
  • DC Etching of aluminum electrolytic capacitor foil
    Patent number: 4381231
    Abstract: Aluminum electrolytic capacitor foil is etched by passing the foil through an electrolyte bath containing 2.5 moles/liter of sodium chloride and 0.08 to 0.48 moles/liter of boric acid or 0.05 to 0.07 moles/liter of a citrate ion source under the influence of direct current and at a temperature of 90.degree. to 95.degree. C. The foil thus etched has a central metallic core which results in improved mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Mulk R. Arora
  • Low voltage electrolytic capacitor
    Patent number: 4381536
    Abstract: An aluminum electrolytic capacitor suitable for low-voltage use contains as electrolyte ammonium difluoroacetate dissolved in either ethylene glycol or an ethylene glycol-butyrolactone mixture both containing water. The electrolyte has a room-temperature resistivity of 150 ohm-cm or less and a -40.degree. C. resistivity of less than 11,000 ohm-cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventors: Sidney D. Ross, Manuel Finkelstein
  • Alternately low and high input-impedance detector for use in a GFI
    Patent number: 4378579
    Abstract: A ground fault interrupter employs a single differential transformer that is made of a ferrite toroid with an eleven turn secondary winding. The transistorized fault detector circuit is for the most part formed on a silicon integrated chip. The hot-wire-to-ground-fault detector portion is an impedance-transforming circuit that when energized presents a low impedance, i.e. virtually a short circuit, to the secondary winding. A multiplexing circuit periodically de-energizes the hot-wire-to-ground-fault detector causing it to present a high input impedance during periods when neutral-wire-to-ground faults are sensed via the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Edward C. Hudson, Jr.
  • Method for encapsulating a radial leaded electrical component
    Patent number: 4377548
    Abstract: A large multi-cavity mold is loaded with a plurality of horizontal radially leaded capacitors. The closed mold grips the leads. A top knock-out pin pushes each component body downward a predetermined degree so that all the bodies are left in about the same position within the corresponding mold cavity. A bottom knock-out pin then pushes each component body upward only slightly above the cavity center so that upon its withdrawal, the programmed lead wire stresses cause the bodies to spring back just to the mold cavity center position. Molding resin is then introduced into the cavities. The incidence of show-throughs is greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Ralph E. Pierpont
  • Anomalous salts of dibasic acids
    Patent number: 4377692
    Abstract: Anomalous substituted-amine or quaternary ammonium salts of dibasic acids have two dibasic acid molecules per cation of three per two cations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventors: John E. Barry, Manuel Finkelstein, Sidney D. Ross
  • AC Etching of aluminum capacitor foil
    Patent number: 4376686
    Abstract: Aluminum capacitor foil is etched using AC current and an etchant bath comprising 0.8 to 1.5 M hydrochloric acid, 0.4 to 0.5 M aluminum chloride, 0.04 to 0.3 M nitric acid, and 0.05 to 0.2 M tartaric acid. The frequency of the alternating current is 12 to 20 Hz, and the bath temperature is 30.degree. to 40.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Mulk R. Arora
  • AC Electrolytic capacitor electrolyte
    Patent number: 4376713
    Abstract: An electrolyte for an AC motor-start electrolytic capacitor consists essentially of 10 to 40 wt % mono(diethylammonium) or mono(triethylammonium) adipate as solute in ethylene glycol as solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1983
    Assignee: Sprague Electric Company
    Inventor: Franz S. Dunkl