Electricity: electrothermally or thermally actuated switches – Electrothermally actuated switches – Fusible element actuated
Patent
1998-11-11
1999-10-05
Picard, Leo P.
Electricity: electrothermally or thermally actuated switches
Electrothermally actuated switches
Fusible element actuated
337167, 337180, 337251, 337 14, 252511, 252512, 338 22R, H01H 7120, H01B 106, H01B 120, H01B 122
Patent
active
059631210
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to compositions for use in forming resettable electronic circuit protection devices or fuses, methods of forming resettable fuses using the compositions, and resettable fuses formed from the compositions. Resettable fuse compositions according to the present invention include a mixture of the reaction product of polyethylene glycol and a diepoxide having a molecular weight of at least 18,000, solvent, conductive particles, and optional solvent volatility adjusters. In a preferred embodiment, resettable fuses according to the present invention are formed by screen printing the compositions directly onto printed electric circuits to form fuses. During current overload conditions, the temperature of the resettable fuse material rapidly increases due to resistive heating generated by excessive current flow through the conductive particle chains or pathways. In such current overload conditions, resettable fuses according to the present invention rapidly convert from a low resistance solid state to a high resistance liquidus state wherein the chains of conductive particles become highly separated thus causing the flow of electric current through the fuse to become completely cut off. After the overload condition has been cleared, resettable fuses according to the present invention self cool, re-solidify, and return to their prior low resistance solid state without exhibiting any change in resistance or switching temperature due to changes in the degree of crystallinity of the heat cured reaction product.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4545926 (1985-10-01), Fouts, Jr. et al.
patent: 4629584 (1986-12-01), Yasuda
patent: 4845838 (1989-07-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 4924074 (1990-05-01), Fang et al.
patent: 4935156 (1990-06-01), Van Konynenburg et al.
patent: 4954696 (1990-09-01), Ishii et al.
patent: 4955267 (1990-09-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 4967176 (1990-10-01), Horsma et al.
patent: 5039844 (1991-08-01), Nagahori
patent: 5093036 (1992-03-01), Shafe et al.
patent: 5106538 (1992-04-01), Barma et al.
patent: 5122641 (1992-06-01), DeChurch
patent: 5140297 (1992-08-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 5195013 (1993-03-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 5227946 (1993-07-01), Jacobs et
patent: 5268424 (1993-12-01), Lawson
patent: 5280263 (1994-01-01), Sugaya
patent: 5344591 (1994-09-01), Smuckler
patent: 5374379 (1994-12-01), Tsubokawa et al.
patent: 5382938 (1995-01-01), Hansson et al.
patent: 5451921 (1995-09-01), Crawford et al.
patent: 5614881 (1997-03-01), Duggal et al.
patent: 5663702 (1997-09-01), Shaw, Jr. et al.
patent: 5677662 (1997-10-01), Bresolin et al.
patent: 5691689 (1997-11-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5714096 (1998-02-01), Dorfman
patent: 5742223 (1998-04-01), Simendiner, III et al.
Ekis John J.
Osuna Jesus E.
Pointer Brian T.
Stygar Vernon E.
Ferro Corporation
Picard Leo P.
Vortman Anatoly
LandOfFree
Resettable fuse does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Resettable fuse, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Resettable fuse will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1176253