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

• Current Assignee: Wickmann-Werke GmbH (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wickmann-Werke GmbH (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baus, Andreas, Rupalla, Manfred, Hell, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman; Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US10/488,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20050062577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 337/159, 337182-185, 296/23
• US Class Current: 337/185
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0414 Surface mounted fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/466 with remote controlled forced fusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/0052 Fusible element and series heating means or series heat dams
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/0056 Heat conducting or heat absorbing means associated with the fusible member, e.g. for providing time delay
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/046 Fuses formed as printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/048 Fuse resistors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49107 Fuse making

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a protective component, for example a fuse component or a fusing resistor, including a fusible element and a heating element, which are attached as stacking components to the surface of a substrate. The fusible element is configured in such a way that a current flow between its connections is interrupted, if the fusible component is heated, at least in one fusible region, for a predetermined time period to above a predetermined temperature. The fusible element and the heating element are arranged on the substrate in such a way, that heat created by the heating element is transported to the fusible element and the current flow through the heating element exceeds a threshold value for a predetermined time period. During production, the heating element is positioned next to the fusible element, at a predetermined distance from it. A predetermined, local thermal capacitance is set, at least approximately, at the location of the heating element and is coupled to the latter. Alternatively, a predetermined, local thermal capacitance is set at least at one predetermined location between the heating element and the fusible element. The capacitance accumulates part of the heat that is dissipated from the heating element to the fusible element. This produces, at least approximately, a defined time response of the thermal transmission from the heating element to the fusible element.

Claims

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.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined local thermal capacity at the location of said heating element is adjusted, with predetermined layer material and predetermined layer thickness of said heating element, by adjusting the area of said heating element.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a rectangular heating element is formed and the area of said heating element is adjusted by increasing or reducing the length and the width of said heating element by the same factor.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a rectangular heating element is formed and the area of said heating element is adjusted by altering only its length, whereby a constant cross-sectional area is provided for the current flow.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined local thermal capacity at the location of said heating element is adjusted, with predetermined area of said heating element, by adjusting the layer thickness of said heating element and/or altering the material of the layer of said heating element.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, with constant area of said heating element, the ratio of its length to its width is altered.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, in order to produce said heating element, a plurality of different resistive layers are applied above one another, the thicknesses and materials of which are so selected that a predetermined local thermal capacity is produced.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said additional thermal storage layer is applied over the entire area of said substrate.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined local thermal capacity is adjusted by applying said additional thermal storage layer at least at one predetermined location between said heating element and said fusible element.

10. The method as claimed in claims 1, wherein said fusible element is produced by firstly applying an electrically conductive layer and applying, over at least a portion of the area of the electrically conductive layer, a low melting point metal layer, wherein, when it melts, the low melting point metal can form an alloy with the material of the electrically conductive layer so that it is melted, at least in the melting region, so that a current flow through the electrically conductive layer is interrupted.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protective component is a fuse component and the substrate of a material of low thermal conductivity is used, said substrate having a high specific thermal capacity, at least in the region beneath and between said heating element and said fusible element.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a glass ceramic is used as the substrate material.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said fuse component is constructed in the form of an SMD component.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protective component is a safety resistor (RCP), the substrate of a good thermally conducting material is provided and the heating element is so dimensioned that it has a predetermined electrical resistance between its connections.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the layer of said heating element and the layer of said fusible element are so constructed that the electrical resistance of said heating element is substantially larger than that of said fusible element, and said heating element and said fusible element are electrically connected in series so that the electrical properties of the safety resistor are substantially determined by those of said heating element.