Method of forming powder compacts

Claim 2

In a method of forming a powder compact, comprising: a. enclosing a mass of powder within a container made of a first elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness less than about 40; b. mounting said container with said powder enclosed therein within a die cavity formed by rigid non-deformable walls, at least one of said walls being movable along other adjoining walls of said die cavity to form a sliding junction; c. inserting a sealing member of a second elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness of about 80 between said container and said movable wall so that said sealing member engages said movable and adjoining walls at said junction to provide a seal thereat for preventing extrusion of said first elastomeric material; d. applyinG pressure to said sealing member and said container to cause said container to transmit pressure substantially isostatically on said powder and compact and bond the particles of said powder in a unitary structure to form a powder compact, while causing said sealing member to press against said adjoining walls to seal said container within said die cavity and prevent extrusion of said first elastomeric material; e. releasing said pressure from said compact; and f. removing said compact from said die cavity.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein an additional one of said walls facing towards said one wall is movable and forms a second junction with said adjoining walls, and following step c): inserting a second sealing member of elastomeric material similar to that of said first mentioned sealing member between said container and said additional movable wall so that said second sealing member engages said second movable wall and said adjoining walls at said second junction to provide a second seal for preventing extrusion of said first elastomeric material when step d) is performed.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein following step f) said compact is sintered.

Claim 5

In a method of fabricating anodes for slug capacitors, comprising: a. providing a first member of a first elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness less than about 40 and having a plurality of cavities formed on a surface thereof, with each cavity conforming to the shape of an anode for a slug capacitor; b. providing a second member of said first elastomeric material having a plurality of narrow slots extending therein from a surface thereof mating with said surface of said first member, with each slot conforming to the shape of a wire lead for said anodes; c. filling each of said cavities with a mass of powdered anode material; d. embedding one end of a wire lead into each mass of said powdered anode material; e. placing said second member on said first member to bring said mating surfaces together with the slots in said second member accommodating the unembedded length of said wire leads and with said powder masses enclosed by said first elastomeric material; f. mounting said members with said powder masses and wires enclosed therein within a die cavity having rigid non-deformable walls, at least one of said walls being movable along other adjoining walls of said die cavity to form a sliding junction; g. inserting a sealing member of a second elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness of about 80 between said first elastomeric material and said movable wall so that said sealing member engages said movable and adjoining walls at said junction to provide a seal thereat for preventing extrusion of said first elastomeric material; h. applying pressure to said sealing member and said first elastomeric material so that the fluid properties of said first elastomeric material cause it to transmit pressure substantially isostatically on said powder masses to bond said powder masses and wires and squeeze them into bonded assemblies, while causing said sealing member to press against said adjoining walls to seal said first elastomeric material within said die cavity and prevent extrusion of said first elastomeric material; i. releasing said pressure from said assemblies; j. separating said first and second members to provide access to said assemblies; and k. removing said assemblies from said first member as said fabricated anodes.

Claim 6

In a method of fabricating anodes for slug capacitors, comprising: a. providing a first member of a first elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness less than about 40 and having a plurality of cavities formed on a surface thereof, with each cavity conforming to the shape of an anode for a slug capacitor; b. providing a second member of said first elastomeric material having a plurality of narrow slots extending therein from a surface thereof mating with said surface of said first member, with each slot conforming to the shape of a wire lead for said anodes; c. filling each of said cavities with a mass of powdered anode material; d. embedding one end of a wire lead into each mass of said powdered anode material; e. placing said second member on said first member to bring said mating surfaces together with the slots in said second member accommodating the unembedded length of said wire leads and with said powder masses enclosed by said first elastomeric material; f. mounting said members with said powder masses and wires enclosed therein within a die cavity having rigid non-deformable walls, at least one of said walls being movable along other adjoining walls of said die cavity to form a sliding junction; g. inserting a sealing member of a second elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness of about 80 between said first elastomeric material and said movable wall so that said sealing member engages said movable and adjoining walls at said junction to provide a seal thereat for preventing extrusion of said first elastomeric material; h. applying pressure to said sealing member and said first elastomeric material so that the fluid properties of said first elastomeric material cause it to transmit pressure substantially isostatically on said powder masses to bond said powder masses and wires and squeeze them into bonded assemblies, while causing said sealing member to press against said adjoining walls to seal said first elastomeric material within said die cavity and prevent extrusion of said first elastomeric material; i. releasing said pressure from said assemblies; j. separating said first and second members to provide access to said assemblies; and k. removing said assemblies from said first member as said fabricated anodes.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 wherein following step k), said assemblies are sintered.