Thin film fuse

• US 10,141,149 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Elias-Palacios, Sergio A., Sullaj, Blendi, Poirier, James, Schaffer, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US15/419,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20180218869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 337297
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/046 Fuses formed as printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/055 Fusible members
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/08 characterised by the shape or form of the fusible member
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10181 Fuse

Abstract

A thin film fuse is formed by two substantially planar conductors, separated from each other by a thin gap. The conductors and gap are over-coated with a thin, conductive material having a surface tension when melted, great enough to pull the conductive material out of the gap.

Claims

1. A thin film fuse comprising:

a non-conductive substrate having a surface;

first and second substantially planar conductors, each conductor having a corresponding thickness and a peripheral edge, the planar conductors being disposed on the substrate'"'"'s surface, the first conductor having a substantially rectangular-shaped first portion from which extends a substantially key-hole shaped second portion, the second conductor being substantially oarlock-shaped and partially surrounding the substantially key-hole shaped second portion of the first substantially planar conductor, the substantially oarlock-shaped portion having a break through which extends a part of the substantially rectangular-shaped first portion of the first conductor, the peripheral edges of the substantially key-hole shaped second portion and the substantially oarlock-shaped second conductor being separated from each other by a substantially C-shaped gap having a predetermined substantially uniform-width, the gap being located between the key-hole shaped portion and the oarlock-shaped portion, the gap also having a predetermined gap length;

a thin metallic film disposed on the top of the substantially key-hole shaped second portion and the substantially oarlock-shaped second conductor and extending across the substantially uniform width gap.

2. The thin film fuse of claim 1, wherein the peripheral edges are portions of concentric circles.

3. The thin film fuse of claim 1, wherein the gap has the predetermined width of about two hundred micrometers and wherein at least one of the planar conductors has a thickness of about thirty-five micrometers and where the thin metallic film predetermined thickness is about one-hundred micrometers.

4. The thin film fuse of claim 1, wherein the thin metallic film is an electroplated film.

5. The thin film fuse of claim 1, wherein the thin metallic film is a vapor deposition film.