INTEGRATED THERMISTOR AND METALLIC ELEMENT DEVICE AND METHOD
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A circuit protection device comprising:
- an electrically insulating substrate;
a fuse element located on the substrate;
a positive temperature coefficient (“
PTC”
) thermistor layer connected to the substrate the fuse element having a lower resistance than the PTC thermistor layer, andfirst and second conductors connected electrically to the fuse element and the PTC thermistor layer in parallel, such that current (i) initially under normal operation flows through the fuse element and the PTC thermistor layer and (ii) after an opening of the fuse element flows under normal operation through the PTC thermistor layer.
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Abstract
A circuit protection device includes a fuse element placed in parallel with a PTC thermistor layer. The element and PTC thermistor layer are provided on one or more insulating substrate, such as an FR-4 or polyimide substrate. First and second conductors connect the fuse element and PTC thermistor layer electrically in parallel, such that current (i) initially under normal flows mainly through the fuse element and PTC thermistor layer at a lower drop in voltage and (ii) after an opening of the fuse element flows under normal operation through the PTC thermistor layer at a higher drop in voltage.
130 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A circuit protection device comprising:
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an electrically insulating substrate; a fuse element located on the substrate; a positive temperature coefficient (“
PTC”
) thermistor layer connected to the substrate the fuse element having a lower resistance than the PTC thermistor layer, andfirst and second conductors connected electrically to the fuse element and the PTC thermistor layer in parallel, such that current (i) initially under normal operation flows through the fuse element and the PTC thermistor layer and (ii) after an opening of the fuse element flows under normal operation through the PTC thermistor layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A circuit protection device comprising:
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a first electrically insulting substrate; a fuse element located on a first side of the first insulating substrate; a first positive temperature coefficient (“
PTC”
) thermistor layer having a first side contacting a second side of the first substrate;a second electrically insulating substrate having a first side contacting a second side of the first PTC thermistor layer; a second PTC thermistor layer contacting a second side of the second insulating substrate; and first and second conductors connected electrically in parallel to the fuse element and the first and second PTC thermistor layers. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A circuit protection device comprising:
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a ceramic positive temperature coefficient (“
CPTC”
) thermistor layer;a fuse element carried by the CPTC thermistor layer, the fuse element having a lower resistance than the CPTC thermistor layer; and first and second conductors connected electrically to the fuse element and CPTC thermistor layer in parallel, such that current (i) initially under normal operation flows through the fuse element and the CPTC thermistor layer and (ii) after an opening of the fuse element flows under normal operation through the CPTC thermistor layer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A circuit protection method comprising:
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protecting a first electrical pathway in a device with a non-resettable fusing apparatus having a relatively lower electrical resistance; and protecting a second electrical pathway in the device, and in parallel with the first electrical pathway, with a resettable fusing apparatus having a relatively higher electrical resistance, such that current (i) initially under normal operation flows through both the resettable and non-settable fusing apparatuses at a lower drop in voltage, and (ii) after an opening of the non-resettable fusing apparatus flows under normal operation through the resettable fusing apparatus at a higher drop in voltage. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification