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Method of providing a protective component with an adjusted time characteristic of the thermal transfer from a heating element to a fusible element

  • US 7,265,653 B2
  • Filed: 08/16/2002
  • Issued: 09/04/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of providing a protective component comprising a fusible element having terminals, and a heating element, which are applied in the form of layer components to the surface of a substrate,said fusible element being configured so that a current flow between its terminals is interrupted if the fusible element is heated, at least in a melting region, for a predetermined period of time above a predetermined temperature,said fusible element and said heating element being so arranged on the substrate that heat produced by said heating element is transported to said fusible element, and a current flow through said fusible element is interrupted when the current flow through said heating element exceeds a threshold value for a predetermined period of time,wherein, in order to produce connections to said heating element and said fusible element, a conductive layer is so applied to the substrate and structured that said heating element and said fusible element are connected in series,said heating element being arranged at a predetermined spacing beside said fusible element, and wherein, at least one predetermined location at said heating element and/or between said heating element and said fusible element, a predetermined local thermal capacity storing a portion of the heat propagating from said heating element to said fusible element is adjusted by adjusting at least one of:

  • (1) the layout, the thickness and the material of the layer of said heating element,(2) the layout, the thickness and the material of an additional thermal storage layer being arranged above or beneath said heating element, said additional thermal storage layer having a specific thermal capacity which is higher than that of said substrate,(3) the layout, the thickness and the material of an additional thermal storage layer being arranged between said heating element and said fusible element, said additional thermal storage layer having a specific thermal capacity which is higher than that of said substrate,whereby, at least approximately, a defined time behaviour of the thermal transfer from said heating element to said fusible element is provided;

    wherein said predetermined local thermal capacity at the location of said heating element is adjusted, with a predetermined dimensioning of said heating element, by applying said additional thermal storage layer above or below the layer of said heating element; and

    wherein said additional thermal storage layer is electrically conductive and an electrical insulator layer is applied between said thermal storage layer and the layer of said heating element.

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