Reinforced ceramic capacitor and method of making the same

Claim 2

The capacitor of claim 1 in which the outer layers have less shrinkage during sintering than the central layer so that the outer layers are placed under compression to increase the mechanical strength of the capacitor.

Claim 3

The capacitor of claim 1 made by the method which consists of stacking the ceramic layers of the laminate in the green state with the central layer painted with the electrodes prior to stacking and with the perforations in the outer layers opposite the electrodes and subjecting the laminate of stacked layers to ceramic firing and thereafter applying to the surfaces of the outer layers of the fired laminate remote from the central layer the terminal layers providing surfaces to which solder connections may be made.

Claim 4

The capacitor of claim 4 in which the capacity of the unit is adjusted by removal of a portion of the electrode area of one of the electrodes accessible through one of said perforations and in capacity relation to the other electrode after removal of the portion of the metal terminal layer overlying said portion of the electrode area.

Claim 5

A ceramic capacitor unit consisting essentially of a sinter united laminate having a central ceramic layer sandwiched between two outer ceramic layers of a ceramic compatible with the central layer, the central layer being imperforate and having a thickness too thin to be handled if separately fired, a pair of metal paint electrodes sintered respectively to opposite faces of the central layer, said electrodes being in capacity relation to each other through the thickness of the central layer and spaced from the periphery of the central layer to provide a margin of ceramic surrounding each of the electrodes, said outer layers each having a thickness of 3 mils. or more and respectively having one face overlying and in contact with one and the other of the electrodes and its margin of ceramic, the outer layers having perforations opposite and occupying a minor portion of the area of said electrodes and spaced from the periphery of said layers and extending in the thickness direction through each outer layer but not through the electrode with which it is in contact, the perforations on opposite sides of the central ceramic layer being out of register with each other, the layers and electrodes being a unitary sintered ceramic structure with each of the margins of the central layer fused to the outer layer with which it is in contact to seal the edges of the central ceramic layer in ceramic to prevent voltage breakdown over the edge of the central layer and to prevent penetration of moisture, metal paint terminal layers on the faces of each outer layer remote from the central layer, said terminal layers providing surfaces to which solder connections may be made and extending into the perforations and into contact with the electrodes.

Claim 6

The capacitor of claim 6 in which there is more than one perforation in one of the outer layers and at least one perforation in the other outer layer.