Abstract:
A feed-through filter capacitor assembly using an electrically conductive adhesive modified with a filler of low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) to provide a conductive relation between the conductive pin and the electrode plates of the ceramic capacitor. The conductive adhesive contains an organic polymer-based adhesive component that has a CTE greater than the CTE of the capacitor ceramic body and a conductive metal filler having a CTE lower than the adhesive component. The conductive adhesive is further provided with a CTE-lowering filler that has a CTE lower than the CTE of the conductive metal filler, thereby lowering the overall CTE of the adhesive to a value closer to the CTE of the capacitor ceramic body.
Abstract:
A capacitor including at least one interior metallization plane or plate and a multiplicity of vias for forming multiple redundant electrical connections within the capacitor. Series capacitors are provided having at least two interior plates redundantly electrically connected to at least two respective exterior plates. R-C devices are provided having multiple redundant vias filled with resistor material and/or conductor material to provide a resistor either in series with or parallel to a capacitor. Capacitors and R-C devices are provided having end terminations for applying voltage differential. Further, a method for making single capacitors, multiple parallel array capacitors, series capacitors and R-C devices is provided in which the chips are formed from the bottom up.
Abstract:
A capacitor including at least one interior metallization plane or plate and a multiplicity of vias for forming multiple redundant electrical connections within the capacitor. Series capacitors are provided having at least two interior plates redundantly electrically connected to at least two respective exterior plates. R-C devices are provided having multiple redundant vias filled with resistor material and/or conductor material to provide a resistor either in series with or parallel to a capacitor. Capacitors and R-C devices are provided having end terminations for applying voltage differential. Further, a method for making single capacitors, multiple parallel array capacitors, series capacitors and R-C devices is provided in which the chips are formed from the bottom up.
Abstract:
An ear canal device holder for devices other than speaker/microphone amplification systems that am to be inserted into the canal of the human ear. The device holder is made of a flexible silicone material comprising a body and structural support element(s) such that the device is held within the body of the holder and the body and device are secured in the ear by the structural element(s). In addition the device holder minimizes the attenuation of sound waves that pass through the ear canal to the tempanic membrane, while maximizing comfort and secure fit.
Abstract:
The invention provides solid oxide fuel cell devices and systems, each including an elongate substrate having an active end region for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and a non-active end region that remains at a low temperature below the operating reaction temperature when the active end region is heated. An electrolyte is disposed between anodes and cathodes in the active end region, and the anodes and cathodes each have an electrical pathway extending to an exterior surface in the non-active end region for electrical connection at low temperature. The system further includes the devices positioned with their active end regions in a hot zone chamber and their non-active end regions extending outside the chamber. A heat source is coupled to the chamber to heat the active end regions to the operating reaction temperature, and fuel and air supplies are coupled to the substrates in the non-active end regions.
Abstract:
A fuel cell device is prepared by dispensing and drying electrode and ceramic pastes around two pluralities of removable physical structures to form electrode layers having constant width and a shape that conforms lengthwise to a curvature of the physical structures. An electrolyte ceramic layer is positioned between electrode layers, forming an active cell portion where anode is in opposing relation to cathode with electrolyte therebetween, and passive cell portions where ceramic is adjacent the active cell portion. The layers are laminated, the physical structures pulled out, and the lamination sintered to form an active cell with active passages in anodes and cathodes and passive support structure with passive passages in ceramic. End portions of at least one of the two pluralities of physical structures are curved away from the same end portion of the other of the two pluralities resulting in a split end in the fuel cell device.
Abstract:
Fuel cell devices and fuel cell systems are provided. The fuel cell devices may include one or more active layers containing active cells that are connected electrically in series. The active cells include anodes and cathodes spaced apart along the length, with each including a porous portion and a non-porous conductor portion. The active cells reside between opposing porous anode and cathode portions. The electrical series connections between active cells are made between the non-porous conductor portions. In certain embodiments, the electrical series connections are made by direct contact between the non-porous conductor portions. In certain embodiments, the electrical series connections are made by non-porous conductive vias or elements that extend through an intervening support structure that separates the non-porous anode conductor portions from the non-porous cathode conductor portions.
Abstract:
Fuel cell devices and systems are provided. In certain embodiments, the devices include a ceramic support structure having a length, a width, and a thickness with the length direction being the dominant direction of thermal expansion. A reaction zone having at least one active layer therein is spaced from the first end and includes first and second opposing electrodes, associated active first and second gas passages, and electrolyte. The active first gas passage includes sub-passages extending in the y direction and spaced apart in the x direction. An artery flow passage extends from the first end along the length and into the reaction zone and is fluidicly coupled to the sub-passages of the active first gas passage. The thickness of the artery flow passage is greater than the thickness of the sub-passages. In other embodiments, fuel cell devices include second sub-passages for the active second gas passage and a second artery flow passage coupled thereto, and extending from either the first end or the second end into the reaction zone. In yet other embodiments, one or both electrodes of a fuel cell device are segmented.
Abstract:
The invention provides tubular solid oxide fuel cell devices and a fuel cell system incorporating a plurality of the fuel devices, each device including an elongate tube having a reaction zone for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone that remains at a low temperature below the operating reaction temperature when the reaction zone is heated. An electrolyte is disposed between anodes and cathodes in the reaction zone, and the anode and cathode each have an electrical pathway extending to an exterior surface in a cold zone for electrical connection at low temperature. In one embodiment, the tubular device is a spiral rolled structure, and in another embodiment, the tubular device is a concentrically arranged device. The system further includes the devices positioned with their reaction zones in a hot zone chamber and their cold zones extending outside the hot zone chamber. A heat source is coupled to the hot zone chamber to heat the reaction zones to the operating reaction temperature, and fuel and air supplies are coupled to the tubes in the cold zones.
Abstract:
Two active cell structures are prepared each comprising anode/electrolyte/cathode layers, each anode and cathode layer having embedded spaced-apart physical structures therein. Two interconnect sublayers are prepared, each comprising a layer of non-conductive material with holes formed therein and a conductor layer formed on one surface. The sublayers are placed together with the conductor layers in contact and with the holes offset to form an interconnect layer, which is then stacked between the two active cell structures. The multi-layer stack is laminated together and the anode layer of one active cell structure and the cathode layer of the other active cell structure fill the adjacent holes in the interconnect layer. The physical structures are pulled out to reveal embedded gas passages, and the multi-layer stack is sintered to form two active cells connected in series by the interconnect layer.