Electrical devices
First Claim
1. An electrical device which comprises (1) a first laminar electrode;
- (2) a second laminar electrode; and
(3) a laminar resistive element which exhibits PTC behavior, and which has a first face to which the first electrode is secured and an opposite second face to which the second electrode is secured;
the device comprising (a) a main portion which comprises (i) a main part of the first electrode, (ii) a main part of the second electrode, and (iii) a main part of the resistive element;
and (b) a first connection leg which extends away from the main portion and which comprises (i) a first leg part of the first electrode which is integral with the main part of the first electrode, and (ii) a first leg part of the resistive element which is integral with the main part of the resistive element.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical device which comprises first and second laminar electrodes and a laminar PTC resistive element sandwiched between them, the device comprising
(a) a main portion which comprises a main part of the first electrode, a main part of the second electrode, and a main part of the resistive element; and
(b) a first connection leg which extends away from the main portion and which comprises a first leg part of the first electrode which is integral with the main part of the first electrode, and a first leg part of the resistive element which is integral with the main part of the resistive element.
Such devices can be secured to circuit boards in a variety of ways, and to elastically deformed terminals. Preferably preferred devices contain two laminar electrodes, with a PTC element between them, and a cross-conductor which passes through the thickness of the device and contacts one only of the two electrodes. The cross-conductor permits connection to both electrodes from the same side of the device, and also makes it possible to carry out the steps for preparing such devices on an assembly which corresponds to a number of individual devices, with division of the assembly as the final step.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An electrical device which comprises
(1) a first laminar electrode; -
(2) a second laminar electrode; and
(3) a laminar resistive element which exhibits PTC behavior, and which has a first face to which the first electrode is secured and an opposite second face to which the second electrode is secured;
the device comprising (a) a main portion which comprises (i) a main part of the first electrode, (ii) a main part of the second electrode, and (iii) a main part of the resistive element;
and (b) a first connection leg which extends away from the main portion and which comprises (i) a first leg part of the first electrode which is integral with the main part of the first electrode, and (ii) a first leg part of the resistive element which is integral with the main part of the resistive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of making an electrical device which comprises
(1) a first laminar electrode; -
(2) a second laminar electrode; and
(3) a laminar resistive element which exhibits PTC behavior has a first face to which the first electrode is secured and an opposite second face to which the second electrode is secured;
the device comprising (a) a main portion which comprises (i) a main part of the first electrode, (ii) a main part of the second electrode, and (iii) a main part of the resistive element;
(b) a first connection leg which extends away from the main portion and which comprises (i) a first leg part of the first electrode which is integral with the main part of the first electrode, and (ii) a first leg part of the resistive element which is integral with the main part of the resistive element; and
(c) a second connection leg which extends away from the main portion, which is spaced away from the first connection leg, and which comprises (i) a second leg part of the second electrode which is integral with the main part of the second electrode, and (ii) a second leg part of the resistive element which is integral with the main part of the resistive element;
which method comprises (A) providing a planar laminate which comprises (1) a first laminar metal member;
(2) a second laminar metal member, and;
(3) a laminar resistive member which (i) lies between the first and second members, (ii) exhibits PTC behavior, and (iii) is composed of conductive polymer;
and (B) cutting a plurality of said electrical devices from the planar laminate.
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16. An electrical assembly which comprises
(A) an insulating substrate having a first aperture therein; -
(B) a first metal conductor secured to the insulating substrate and leading to the first aperture; and
(C) an electrical device which comprises (1) a first laminar electrode;
(2) a second laminar electrode; and
(3) a laminar resistive element which exhibits PTC behavior and which has a first face to which the first electrode is secured and an opposite second face to which the second electrode is secured;
the device comprising (a) a main portion which comprises (i) a main part of the first electrode, (ii) a main part of the second electrode, and (iii) a main part of the resistive element;
and (b) a first connection leg which extends away from the main portion, which comprises (i) a first leg part of the first electrode which is integral with the main part of the first electrode, and (ii) a first leg part of the resistive element which is integral with the main part of the resistive element, and which has a first distal sub-portion spaced away from the main portion of the device and a first stand-off sub-portion between the first distal sub-portion and the main portion;
the first distal sub-portion including a first distal sub-part of the first electrode and lying within the first aperture of the substrate;
the first stand-off sub-portion lying between the substrate and the main portion of the device;
the first metal conductor being physically and electrically connected to the first distal sub-part of the first electrode; and
all of the electrical current between the first metal conductor and the second electrode of the device passing through the first electrode and the resistive element. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. An electrical assembly which comprises
(A) a planar insulating substrate; -
(B) a first metal conductor secured to the insulating substrate;
(C) a second metal conductor secured to the insulating substrate; and
(D) an electrical device which comprises (1) a first metal foil electrode;
(2) a second metal foil electrode; and
(3) a laminar resistive element which exhibits PTC behavior, which is composed of conductive polymer, and which has a first face to which the first electrode is secured and an opposite second face to which the second electrode is secured;
the device comprising (a) a main portion which comprises (i) a main part of the first electrode, (ii) a main part of the second electrode, and (iii) a main part of the resistive element;
and (b) a first connection leg which extends away from the main portion, which comprises (i) a first leg part of the first electrode which is integral with the main part of the first electrode, (ii) a first leg part of the resistive element which is integral with the main part of the resistive element, (iii) a first distal sub-portion which is spaced away from the main portion of the device, comprises a first distal sub-part of the first leg part of the first electrode, and comprises a first electrical connector which contacts the first distal sub-part of the first electrode and extends beyond the second face of the laminar resistive element;
and (iv) a first bridge sub-portion which lies between the first distal sub-portion and the main portion of the device, extends across the width of the first connection leg, and does not include any part of the second electrode;
the device being placed generally parallel to the planar insulating substrate with the second electrode being closer to the substrate than the first electrode, the first electrical connector being connected to the first metal conductor; and
the second conductor being connected to the second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. An assembly which comprises
(1) a PTC resistive element which (a) is composed of a resistive material which exhibits PTC behavior, (b) has a first face and a second face, and (c) defines an aperture which runs between the first and second faces; -
(2) a transverse conductive member which (a) lies within the aperture defined by the PTC element, (b) runs between the first and second faces of the PTC element, and (c) is secured to the PTC element; and
(3) a first laminar conductive member which (a) is secured to the first face of the PTC element and (b) is physically and electrically connected to the transverse conductive member.
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22. A circuit protection device which has a resistance of less than 15 ohm and which comprises
(1) a laminar PTC resistive element which (a) is composed of a conductive polymer which has a resistivity at 25° - C. of less than 50 ohm-cm and which exhibits PTC behavior, and
(b) has a fit face and second face;
(2) a first metal foil electrode which contacts the first face of the PTC element;
(3) a second metal foil electrode which contacts the second face of the PTC element; and
(4) an additional metal foil conductive member which contacts the second face of the PTC element and is spaced apart from the second electrode;
the PTC element, the first electrode and the additional conductive member defining an aperture which runs between the first electrode and the additional conductive member, through the PTC element;
and (5) a transverse conductive member which (a) is composed of metal, (b) lies within the aperture, and (c) is physically and electrically connected to the first electrode and the additional conductive member.
- C. of less than 50 ohm-cm and which exhibits PTC behavior, and
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23. An electrical assembly which comprises
(A) a printed circuit board including first and second conductive traces on a surface thereof, and (B) an electrical device which comprises (1) a laminar FTC resistive element which (a) is composed of a resistive material which exhibits PTC behavior, and (b) has a first face and a second face; -
(2) a first laminar electrode which is secured to the first face of the PTC element;
(3) a second laminar electrode which is secured to the second face of the PTC element;
(4) an additional laminar conductive member which (a) is secured to the second face of the PTC element and (b) is spaced apart from the second electrode;
the PTC element, the first electrode and the additional laminar conductive member defining an aperture which runs between the first electrode and the additional conductive member, through the PTC element; and
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24. A method of making an electrical device which comprises
(A) providing an assembly which comprises (1) a laminar PTC resistive element which (i) is composed of a resistive material exhibiting PTC behavior, and (ii) has a first face and a second face, (2) a first laminar conductive member which is secured to the first face of the PTC element, and (3) a second laminar conductive member which is secured to the second face of the PTC element; -
(B) making a plurality of apertures through the thickness of the assembly provided in step (A), the apertures being arranged in a regular pattern;
(C) simultaneously with step (B), or after step (B), placing a plurality of transverse conductive members within the apertures, in electrical contact with the first laminar conductive member;
(D) removing predetermined portions of at least one of the first and second conductive members; and
(E) after steps (A) to (D), dividing the assembly into a plurality of electrical devices, each device comprising (1) a part of the PTC resistive element, (2) a part of the first laminar conductive member, said part providing a first electrode in some of the devices and a second electrode in the other devices, (3) a part of the second laminar conductive member, said part providing a second electrode in some of the devices and a first electrode in the other devices, (4) a residual part of the second laminar conductive member, and (5) at least one transverse conductive member which electrically connects the residual part and the first electrode.
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25. An assembly which comprises
(1) a laminar PTC resistive element which (i) is composed of a conductive polymer exhibiting PTC behavior, and (ii) has a first face and a second face, (2) a first laminar conductive member which is secured to the first face of the PTC element, and (3) a second laminar conductive member which is secured to the second face of the PTC element; the PTC element and the first and second laminar conductive members defining a plurality of apertures which pass through the thickness of the assembly, and the apertures being arranged in a regular pattern.
Specification