Surface-mountable device for protection against electrostatic damage to electronic components
DCFirst Claim
1. An electrical circuit protection device comprising:
- an electrically insulating substrate having a first surface;
first and second electrodes disposed on said first surface of said electrically insulating substrate, said electrodes being spaced apart from one another to form a gap region;
a portion of said substrate being removed to form a cavity in said gap region; and
a voltage variable material disposed in said cavity of said gap region, said material connecting said first electrode to said second electrode.
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Abstract
The thin film, electrical device is an subminiature overvoltage circuit protection device in a surface mountable configuration for use in printed circuit board or thick film hybrid circuit technology. The surface mountable device (SMD) is designed to protect against electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage to electronic components. The circuit protection device comprises three material subassemblies. The first subassembly generally includes a substrate carrier, electrodes, and terminal pads for connecting the protection device 60 to a PC board. The second subassembly includes a voltage variable polymer material with nonlinear resistance characteristics, and the third subassembly includes a cover coat for protecting other elements of the circuit protection device. The devices of the present invention employ various electrode configurations and profiles to control the electrical field created between the electrodes and increase the active area of the electrodes in contact with the voltage variable material to enhance the electrical characteristics of the device.
240 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An electrical circuit protection device comprising:
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an electrically insulating substrate having a first surface;
first and second electrodes disposed on said first surface of said electrically insulating substrate, said electrodes being spaced apart from one another to form a gap region;
a portion of said substrate being removed to form a cavity in said gap region; and
a voltage variable material disposed in said cavity of said gap region, said material connecting said first electrode to said second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An electrical circuit protection device comprising:
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a substrate;
first and second electrodes disposed on said substrate and having electrode peripheries, said electrodes being spaced apart from one another to form a gap region;
a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate in said gap region, said voltage variable material connecting said first electrode to said second electrode; and
said electrode peripheries in said gap region being curvilinear. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electrical circuit protection device comprising:
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a substrate;
a first electrode disposed on said substrate and having a first electrode periphery;
a second electrode disposed on said substrate and having a second electrode periphery;
a portion of said first electrode periphery confronting a portion of said second electrode periphery to define an active electrode area, said confronting electrode peripheries having a periphery path distance, Dc;
said first and second electrode peripheries having non-confronting portions, said non-confronting portions of said peripheries having a periphery path distance, Dnc;
Dc being greater than Dnc; and
a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate in said active electrode area, said voltage variable material connecting said first electrode to said second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electrical circuit protection device for protecting a plurality of electrical circuits, said device comprising:
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an electrically insulating substrate;
a first common electrode disposed on said substrate;
a plurality of second electrodes disposed on said substrate and spaced apart and confronting said first common electrode to form a plurality of gap regions; and
a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate in at least one of said plurality of gap regions and connecting said first common electrode to at least one of said plurality of second electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An electrical circuit protection device comprising:
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a substrate;
first and second electrodes disposed on said substrate and having electrode peripheries, said electrodes being spaced apart from one another to form a gap region;
each said electrode having a generally sloped profile in said gap region;
a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate and said sloped profile of said electrodes in said gap region, said voltage variable material electrically connecting said first electrode to said second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. An electrical circuit protection device comprising:
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a substrate;
first and second electrodes disposed on said substrate and having electrode peripheries, said electrodes being spaced apart from one another to form a gap region;
each said electrode having a stepped profile in said gap region;
a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate and said stepped profile of said electrodes in said gap region, said voltage variable material electrically connecting said first electrode to said second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification