Patent · US Expired

Circuit protection devices

US4352083A · kind A · utility

47Cited by
10References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 21, 1980
Grant dateSep 28, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 21, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01C7/027
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Circuit protection devices which comprise two columnar electrodes and a conductive polymer element, at least a part of which is a PTC element. The device is so constructed that if a hot zone forms in the PTC element when current is passed through the device, it forms at a location away from the electrodes, thus increasing the useful life of the device. In one preferred embodiment, the conductive polymer element has an intermediate portion of increased resistance, thus causing the hot zone to be located at or near the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion may be of reduced size and/or be composed of conductive polymer of relatively high resistivity.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.