Method of making capacitors with free-standing electrodes

Claim 1

The method of making a capacitor, said method comprising the steps of: winding a four-layer laminate into a tight spiral with the mutually adjacent turns thereof in firm engagement with one another, said laminate including at least first and second conductive layers and a third and fourth spacing layers, said first and second layers having turns disposed on opposite sides of said third layer, said first and second layers also having alternate turns disposed on opposite sides of said fourth layer; and bonding the spirally wound edges of the turns of said first layer at one end of the spiral in fixed positions relative to each other while maintaining all of said layers wound tightly together, the turns of said first conductive layer being of a construction which is made rigid and free-standing.

Claim 2

The method of making a capacitor, said method comprising the steps of: winding a four-layer laminate into a tight spiral with the mutually adjacent turns thereof in firm engagement with one another, said laminate including at least first and second conductive layers and a third and fourth spacing layers, said first and second layers having turns disposed on opposite sides of said third layer, said first and second layers also having alternate turns disposed on opposite sides of said fourth layer; and bonding the spirally wound edges of the turns of said first layer at one end of the spiral in fixed positions relative to each other while maintaining all of said layers wound tightly together, the turns of said first conductive layer being of a construction which is made rigid and free-standing.

Claim 8

The method of making a vacuum capacitor, said method comprising the steps of: fixing one end of first, second, third and fourth layers of solid sheet material to a cylindrical mandrel, said first and second layers being rigid and free-standing and being made of a conductive material; turning said mandrel while maintaining said layers in tension to wrap a tight four-layer spiral on said mandrel, said third and fourth layers having turns in between and separating turns of said first and second layers from themselves and from each other, said third and fourth layers being narrower than said first and second layers, said first and second layers being made of a conductive material, said first layer having one spiral edge projecting beyond said second layer at one end of the spiral, said second layer having one spiral edge projecting beyond said first layer at the other end of the spiral; removing said spiral from said mandrel while keeping all of said layers wrapped tightly in said spiral; pressing the said projecting edges toward each other between two flat plates while maintaining said layers wrapped tightly in said spiral to cause all portions of one of said edges to lie in a first single plane and all portions of the other of said edges to lie in a second single plane parallel to said first plane; brazing a flat, conductive plate to each of said edges while maintaining said layers wrapped tightly in said spiral; removing said third and fourth layers from in between the turns of said first and second layers; brazing a ceramic cylinder between said plates in a position to hold the turns of said first and second layers midway between each other with the unsupported edges thereof spaced from said plates, said first and second layers having the same thickness, said third and fourth layers also having the same thickness, said plates and said cylinder forming an envelope for said first and second layers, said envelope having an opening therethrough, said envelope being hermetically sealed except for said opening; heating and evacuating said envelope simultaneously to provide a vacuum capacitor; and closing off said opening with a hermetic seal while said envelope is evacuated, said third and fourth layers being made of a material which will not decompose or melt at the brazing temperature.

Claim 9

The method of making a vacuum capacitor, said method comprising the steps of: fixing one end of first, second, third and fourth layers of solid sheet material to a cylindrical mandrel, said first and second layers being rigid and free-standing and being made of a conductive material; turning said mandrel while maintaining said layers in tension to wrap a tight four-layer spiral on said mandrel, said third and fourth layers having turns in between and separating turns of said first and second layers from themselves and from each other, said third and fourth layers being narrower than said first and second layers, said first and second layers being made of a conductive material, said first layer having one spiral edge projecting beyond said second layer at one end of the spiral, said second layer having one spiral edge projecting beyond said first layer at the other end of the spiral; removing said spiral from said mandrel while keeping all of said layers wrapped tightly in said spiral; pressing the said projecting edges toward each other between two flat plates while maintaining said layers wrapped tightly in said spiral to cause all portions of one of said edges to lie in a first single plane and all portions of the other of said edges to lie in a second single plane parallel to said first plane; brazing a flat, conductive plate to each of said edges while maintaining said layers wrapped tightly in said spiral; removing said third and fourth layers from in between the turns of said first and second layers; brazing a ceramic cylinder between said plates in a position to hold the turns of said first and second layers midway between each other with the unsupported edges thereof spaced from said plates, said first and second layers having the same thickness, said third and fourth layers also having the same thickness, said plates and said cylinder forming an envelope for said first and second layers, said envelope having an opening therethrough, said envelope being hermetically sealed except for said opening; heating and evacuating said envelope simultaneously to provide a vacuum capacitor; and closing off said opening with a hermetic seal while said envelope is evacuated, said third and fourth layers being made of a material which will not decompose or melt at the brazing temperature.

Claim 10

The method of making a vacuum capacitor, said method comprising the steps of: depositing a wet lacquer layer on a first conductive strip; dropping particles of molybdenum trioxide on top of said wet lacquer layer; drying said lacquer layer in a manner to cause the same to bond said particles to said first strip; passing said strip with said bonded particles between two rollers to even the thickness of the particles thereon; preparing a second strip identical to said first strip by all of the same steps aforeSaid; attaching one end of each strip to a mandrel in a position such that the particles on one strip contact the bare surface on the other strip and vice versa when said mandrel is rotated; rotating said mandrel to wind said strips tightly together in a spiral on said mandrel, said first strip having one spiral edge projecting beyond said second strip at one end of the spiral and said second strip having one spiral edge projecting beyond said first strip at the other end of said spiral; removing said spiral from said mandrel while keeping the turns thereof wrapped tightly together; pressing said edges toward each other between two flat plates to cause all portions of said first strip edge to lie in a first single plane, and to cause all portions of said second strip edge to lie in a second single plane parallel to said first plane; brazing a conductive plate to each said edge; brazing a ceramic cylinder to said plates to form an envelope for said strips, said envelope having an opening thereinto, said envelope being hermetically sealed except for said opening; introducing a solvent into said envelope to dissolve said lacquer; removing said solvent from said envelope; heating and evacuating said envelope simultaneously in a manner to cause said particles to sublime and their vapor to be evacuated; and closing off said opening in a manner to provide a hermetic seal there at while said envelope is evacuated, said brazing step being performed at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature at which the vapor pressure of said molybdenum trioxide is moderately low.

Claim 11

The method of making a vacuum capacitor, said method comprising the steps of: depositing a wet lacquer layer on a first conductive strip; dropping particles of molybdenum trioxide on top of said wet lacquer layer; drying said lacquer layer in a manner to cause the same to bond said particles to said first strip; passing said strip with said bonded particles between two rollers to even the thickness of the particles thereon; preparing a second strip identical to said first strip by all of the same steps aforeSaid; attaching one end of each strip to a mandrel in a position such that the particles on one strip contact the bare surface on the other strip and vice versa when said mandrel is rotated; rotating said mandrel to wind said strips tightly together in a spiral on said mandrel, said first strip having one spiral edge projecting beyond said second strip at one end of the spiral and said second strip having one spiral edge projecting beyond said first strip at the other end of said spiral; removing said spiral from said mandrel while keeping the turns thereof wrapped tightly together; pressing said edges toward each other between two flat plates to cause all portions of said first strip edge to lie in a first single plane, and to cause all portions of said second strip edge to lie in a second single plane parallel to said first plane; brazing a conductive plate to each said edge; brazing a ceramic cylinder to said plates to form an envelope for said strips, said envelope having an opening thereinto, said envelope being hermetically sealed except for said opening; introducing a solvent into said envelope to dissolve said lacquer; removing said solvent from said envelope; heating and evacuating said envelope simultaneously in a manner to cause said particles to sublime and their vapor to be evacuated; and closing off said opening in a manner to provide a hermetic seal there at while said envelope is evacuated, said brazing step being performed at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature at which the vapor pressure of said molybdenum trioxide is moderately low.

Claim 13

The method of making a vacuum capacitor, said method comprising: the steps of: spraying a lacquer on one side of first and second conductive strips; sprinkling sodium chloride crystals onto said lacquer while it is wet; drying said lacquer to cause the same to bond said crystals to said strips; passing said strips in succession between a pair of rollers to size said crystals; winding said strips onto a mandrel to form a tight spiral with said crystals located in between the turns of each strip and in between said strips; removing said spiral from said mandrel; pressing the ends of said spiral between flat, parallel plates to even the spiral edges of said strips, said strips being wound in a manner such that the spiral edge of said first strip projects beyond that of said second strip at one end of the spiral, and the spiral edge of said second strip projects beyond that of said first strip at the other end of the spiral; bonding a flat conductive plate to each said projecting spiral edge while said strips are wrapped tightly in said spiral and at a temperature below the melting point of said crystals; brazing a ceramic cylinder between said plates to form an envelope, said envelope being hermetically sealed except for a small opening thereinto; introducing a solvent into said envelope to dissolve at least a portion of said lacquer; removing said solvent from said envelope; washing said crystals out of said envelope with water; simultaneously heating and evacuating said envelope; and sealing off said opening while said envelope is evacuated.

Claim 14

The method of making a vacuum capacitor, said method comprising: the steps of: spraying a lacquer on one side of first and second conductive strips; sprinkling sodium chloride crystals onto said lacquer while it is wet; drying said lacquer to cause the same to bond said crystals to said strips; passing said strips in succession between a pair of rollers to size said crystals; winding said strips onto a mandrel to form a tight spiral with said crystals located in between the turns of each strip and in between said strips; removing said spiral from said mandrel; pressing the ends of said spiral between flat, parallel plates to even the spiral edges of said strips, said strips being wound in a manner such that the spiral edge of said first strip projects beyond that of said second strip at one end of the spiral, and the spiral edge of said second strip projects beyond that of said first strip at the other end of the spiral; bonding a flat conductive plate to each said projecting spiral edge while said strips are wrapped tightly in said spiral and at a temperature below the melting point of said crystals; brazing a ceramic cylinder between said plates to form an envelope, said envelope being hermetically sealed except for a small opening thereinto; introducing a solvent into said envelope to dissolve at least a portion of said lacquer; removing said solvent from said envelope; washing said crystals out of said envelope with water; simultaneously heating and evacuating said envelope; and sealing off said opening while said envelope is evacuated.

Claim 15

The method of making a capacitor, said method comprising the steps of: placing spacers contiguously between relatively stiff electrodes; and bonding said electrodes in fixed positions relative to each other while said spacers remain between said electrodes.

Claim 16

The method of making a capacitor, said method comprising the steps of: placing spacers contiguously between relatively stiff electrodes; and bonding said electrodes in fixed positions relative to each other while said spacers remain between said electrodes.