FUSE ELEMENT

• US 20120013431A1
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schurter AG (Schurter Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Schurter AG (Schurter Holding AG)
• Inventors: Straub, Peter, Blattler, Hans-Peter, Ramos, Jose
• Granted Patent: US 10,755,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 337/297
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0275 Structural association with a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 69/022 of printed circuit fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/0241 Structural association of a fuse and another component or apparatus switches with built-in fuses H01H9/10, spark-gap arresters H01H85/44, transformers and inductances H01F27/402, capacitors H01G2/14, lamps H01K1/66, semiconductors H01L23/5256 or H01L23/62
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/046 Fuses formed as printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0293 Individual printed conductors which are adapted for modification, e.g. fusable or breakable conductors, printed switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0373 containing additives, e.g. fillers H05K1/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0209 Inorganic, non-metallic particles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10181 Fuse

Abstract

A fuse element (10), in particular suited for use in electric and/or electronic circuits constructed by multilayer technology, including a printed circuit board substrate material (11), which is usable particularly in the multilayer technology and is coated with a metal or metal alloy (15), from which metal or metal alloy the fuse (12) is generated by means of photolithographic and/or printing image-producing techniques and ensuing etching or engraving processes, is proposed. The fuse (10) is distinguished in that the printed circuit board substrate material (11), on which the fuse (12) can be provided, includes at least a high-temperature-stable, electrically insulating material, with a coefficient of thermal expansion that varies essentially analogously to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal or metal alloy (15) from which the fuse (12) is made.

Claims

1. A fuse element for use in electric and/or electronic circuits constructed by multilayer technology, comprising a printed circuit board material, coated with a metal or metal alloy defining a fuse and being formed by photolithographic and/or printing image-producing techniques and ensuing etching or engraving processes, wherein the printed circuit board substrate material, on which the fuse is provided, comprises at least a high-temperature-stable, electrically insulating material having a coefficient of thermal expansion that varies essentially corresponding with the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal or metal alloy from which the fuse is formed.

2. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, wherein the metal material or metal alloy defining the fuse comprises copper or a copper alloy.

3. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, wherein the metal material or the metal alloy defining the fuse comprises silver or a silver alloy.

4. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, wherein the fuse comprises a plurality of layers of metal or a metal alloy.

5. The fuse element as defined by claim 4, wherein an outer layer of the plurality of layers comprises silver or a silver alloy.

6. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board substrate material comprises at least one heat-hardened, glass-fiber-reinforced hydrocarbon/ceramic laminate.

7. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board substrate material comprises at least one ceramic-enriched, temperature-conducting epoxy resin laminate.

8. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, comprising a first printed circuit board substrate on which the fuse is provided and a second printed circuit board substrate disposed adjacent to the first printed circuit board substrate.

9. The fuse element as defined by claim 8, wherein in the vicinity of the location of the first printed circuit board substrate on which the fuse is provided, a void is provided in the second printed circuit board substrate, the void being in the form of a recess in the second printed circuit board substrate.

10. The fuse element as defined by claim 8, wherein in the vicinity of the location of a printed circuit board substrate on which the fuse is provided, one void each is provided both in the second printed circuit board substrate and in the vicinity of the location of the first printed circuit board substrate on which the fuse is provided, the voids being in the form of respective recesses.

11. The fuse element as defined by claim 9, wherein the void is closed off with a layer on a side facing away from the fuse.

12. The fuse element as defined by claim 11, wherein the layer is a membrane.

13. The fuse element as defined by claim 11, wherein the layer is a flexible layer.

14. The fuse element as defined by claim 11, wherein the layer is a foil-like structure.

15. The fuse element as defined by claim 11, wherein the layer comprises a metal layer.

16. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board substrate, at least in the vicinity of a meltable part of the fuse, has a plurality of through-holes.

17. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, wherein the metal or metal alloy defining melting part of the fuse has a plurality of through-holes.

18. The fuse element as defined by claim 9, wherein the void is at least partly filled with an insulating material.

19. The fuse element as defined by claim 11, wherein a face on which the layer is provided essentially determines a face of the body of the fuse.

20. The fuse element as defined by claim 11, wherein at least the thickness of two printed circuit board substrates resting on one another, plus the thickness of the conductor forming a melting part of the fuse element, determines the thickness of a body of the fuse element.

21. The fuse element as defined by claim 1, wherein opposing ends of a melting part of the fuse element are provided with connection contacts.

22. The fuse element as defined by claim 21, wherein, in a three-dimensional embodiment of a body forming the fuse element, the connection contacts are connected to ends of the melting part of the fuse by plated through-hole connections.