Patents by Inventor Neil McLoughlin
Neil McLoughlin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8077008Abstract: A varistor has a disc of ceramic material having opposed faces with face edges. There is an electrode on each face with a gap between each electrode and the edge of the face. Glass passivation is on at least one face in the gap, the passivation not extending from one electrode to the other electrode around the surface of the disc. Because the passivation is only on the planar opposed disc faces, it may be applied in a simple operation such as screen printing. Indeed, the screen printing may be performed while the discs are in the same nest plates as are used for printing of electrode paste. Even though the passivation does not extend from one electrode to the other, it nevertheless breaks a potentially conductive path between the electrodes caused by interaction between the ceramic and encapsulant materials.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2009Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Littlefuse, Inc.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Publication number: 20100085143Abstract: A varistor has a disc of ceramic material having opposed faces with face edges. There is an electrode on each face with a gap between each electrode and the edge of the face. Glass passivation is on at least one face in the gap, the passivation not extending from one electrode to the other electrode around the surface of the disc. Because the passivation is only on the planar opposed disc faces, it may be applied in a simple operation such as screen printing. Indeed, the screen printing may be performed while the discs are in the same nest plates as are used for printing of electrode paste. Even though the passivation does not extend from one electrode to the other, it nevertheless breaks a potentially conductive path between the electrodes caused by interaction between the ceramic and encapsulant materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2009Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: LITTELFUSE, INC.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Patent number: 7505241Abstract: An integrated fuse device (1) includes a varistor stack (11), a thermal fuse (12), and a current fuse (13) within an enclosure (2) having device terminals (3). The varistor stack (11) is connected to the thermal fuse (12) by a Cu terminal (20) and is connected to the device terminal (3) by steel terminal (10) of smaller cross-sectional area. Being of Cu material and having a greater cross-sectional area, the terminal (20) connected to the thermal fuse (12) has greater thermal conductivity than the steel terminal (10) to the end cap (3). The thermal fuse (12) comprises a plurality of links having a melting point to melt with sustained overvoltage, the links having a diameter in the range of about 2 mm to about 3 mm. The links pass through an elastomer plug (15), which exerts physical pressure on them to assist with opening during sustained overvoltage. Hot melt (18) around solder (17) of the thermal fuse limits heat conduction to back-fill sand.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2007Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Littelfuse Ireland LimitedInventors: Neil McLoughlin, Michael O'Donovan, Thomas Novak, Nathan Siegwald, Brian Walaszczyk, John Kennedy, John Foster
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Publication number: 20070285865Abstract: An integrated fuse device (1) includes a varistor stack (11), a thermal fuse (12), and a current fuse (13) within an enclosure (2) having device terminals (3). The varistor stack (11) is connected to the thermal fuse (12) by a Cu terminal (20) and is connected to the device terminal (3) by steel terminal (10) of smaller cross-sectional area. Being of Cu material and having a greater cross-sectional area, the terminal (20) connected to the thermal fuse (12) has greater thermal conductivity than the steel terminal (10) to the end cap (3). The thermal fuse (12) comprises a plurality of links having a melting point to melt with sustained overvoltage, the links having a diameter in the range of about 2 mm to about 3 mm. The links pass through an elastomer plug (15), which exerts physical pressure on them to assist with opening during sustained overvoltage. Hot melt (18) around solder (17) of the thermal fuse limits heat conduction to back-fill sand.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2007Publication date: December 13, 2007Applicant: Littelfuse Ireland LimitedInventors: Neil McLoughlin, Michael O'Donovan, Tom Novak, Nathan Siegwald, Brian Walaszczyk, John Kennedy, John Foster
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Publication number: 20070128822Abstract: A varistor has a disc of ceramic material having opposed faces with face edges. There is an electrode on each face with a gap between each electrode and the edge of the face. Glass passivation is on at least one face in the gap, the passivation not extending from one electrode to the other electrode around the surface of the disc. Because the passivation is only on the planar opposed disc faces, it may be applied in a simple operation such as screen printing. Indeed, the screen printing may be performed while the discs are in the same nest plates as are used for printing of electrode paste. Even though the passivation does not extend from one electrode to the other, it nevertheless breaks a potentially conductive path between the electrodes caused by interaction between the ceramic and encapsulant materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Littlefuse, Inc.Inventors: Neil McLoughlin, Michael O'Donavan
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Patent number: 6700772Abstract: An IPD has a varistor of electrodes and a ZnO dielectric. A capacitor includes electrodes and a dielectric that has oxides of bismuth, magnesium, and niobium having a pyrochlore structure of type A2B2O7. The materials are applied as wet layers and are sintered for integrated production.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2001Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: Littlefuse Ireland Development Company LimitedInventors: Ramesh Raghavendra, Clive A. Randall, Amanda L. Baker, Neil McLoughlin
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Patent number: 6636403Abstract: A varistor has a thermal fuse between a lead and an electrode. The fuse includes a link extending between the surface of an insulator and the fused electrode. The electrical connection of the link and the electrode is maintained by a low temperature solder fillet. That part of the link between the electrode and the insulator is surrounded by hot melt electrically insulating material. Upon sustained over-voltage conditions, the link and the solder fillet melt, and an insulating gap is rapidly created by molten hot melt material.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2001Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: Littlefuse Ireland Development Company LimitedInventors: Neil A. McLoughlin, Michael O'Donovan
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Patent number: 6507268Abstract: A low profile mount for a disc varistor. A thermally sensitive switch is provided both for single and multiple electrode embodiments. The switch may be placed in a shorting circuit and include a spring biased conductor prevented from closure by a heat sensitive element which softens in responsive to excessive heat. The varistor may be fused to prevent excessive current from a short circuited but not open circuited varistor. Methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2001Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: Littlefuse, Inc.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Patent number: 6388555Abstract: A low profile mount for a disc varistor. A thermally sensitive switch is provided both for single and multiple electrode embodiments. The switch may be placed in a shorting circuit and include a spring biased conductor prevented from closure by a heat sensitive element which softens in responsive to excessive heat. The varistor may be fused to prevent excessive current from a short circuited but not open circuited varistor. Methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2001Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: Harris Ireland Development Company Ltd.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Publication number: 20020050911Abstract: A method of providing nickel barrier end terminations for a zinc oxide semiconductor device with exposed body surfaces and end terminal regions, in which the device is controllably reacted with a nickel plating solution only on an exposed end terminal region and thereafter provided with a final tin or tin-lead termination.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2000Publication date: May 2, 2002Applicant: Harris Ireland Development Company, Ltd.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Publication number: 20020043698Abstract: An IPD has a varistor of electrodes and a ZnO dielectric. A capacitor includes electrodes and a dielectric that has oxides of bismuth, magnesium, and niobium having a pyrochlore structure of type A2B2O7. The materials are applied as wet layers and are sintered for integrated production.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2001Publication date: April 18, 2002Inventors: Ramesh Raghavendra, Clive A. Randall, Amanda L. Baker, Neil McLoughlin
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Publication number: 20010055187Abstract: A varistor has a thermal fuse between a lead and an electrode. The fuse includes a link extending between the surface of an insulator and the fused electrode. The electrical connection of the link and the electrode is maintained by a low temperature solder fillet. That part of the link between the electrode and the insulator is surrounded by hot melt electrically insulating material. Upon sustained over-voltage conditions, the link and the solder fillet melt, and an insulating gap is rapidly created by molten hot melt material.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2001Publication date: December 27, 2001Inventors: Neil A. McLoughlin, Michael O'Donovan
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Patent number: 6307462Abstract: A low profile mount for a disc varistor. A thermally sensitive switch is provided both for single and multiple electrode embodiments. The switch may be placed in a shorting circuit and include a spring biased conductor prevented from closure by a heat sensitive element which softens in responsive to excessive heat. The varistor may be fused to prevent excessive current from a short circuited but not open circuited varistor. Methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2001Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: Harris Ireland Development Company Ltd.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Patent number: 6304166Abstract: A low profile mount for a disc varistor. A thermally sensitive switch is provided both for single and multiple electrode embodiments. The switch may be placed in a shorting circuit and include a spring biased conductor prevented from closure by a heat sensitive element which softens in responsive to excessive heat. The varistor may be fused to prevent excessive current from a short circuited but not open circuited varistor. Methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1999Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: Harris Ireland Development Company, Ltd.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Publication number: 20010015685Abstract: A low profile mount for a disc varistor. A thermally sensitive switch is provided both for single and multiple electrode embodiments. The switch may be placed in a shorting circuit and include a spring biased conductor prevented from closure by a heat sensitive element which softens in responsive to excessive heat. The varistor may be fused to prevent excessive current from a short circuited but not open circuited varistor. Methods are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2001Publication date: August 23, 2001Applicant: Harris Ireland Development Company Ltd.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Publication number: 20010015687Abstract: A low profile mount for a disc varistor. A thermally sensitive switch is provided both for single and multiple electrode embodiments. The switch may be placed in a shorting circuit and include a spring biased conductor prevented from closure by a heat sensitive element which softens in responsive to excessive heat. The varistor may be fused to prevent excessive current from a short circuited but not open circuited varistor. Methods are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2001Publication date: August 23, 2001Applicant: Harris Ireland Development Company Ltd.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Publication number: 20010015686Abstract: A low profile mount for a disc varistor. A thermally sensitive switch is provided both for single and multiple electrode embodiments. The switch may be placed in a shorting circuit and include a spring biased conductor prevented from closure by a heat sensitive element which softens in responsive to excessive heat. The varistor may be fused to prevent excessive current from a short circuited but not open circuited varistor. Methods are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2001Publication date: August 23, 2001Applicant: Harris Ireland Development Company Ltd.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin
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Patent number: 6232144Abstract: A method of providing nickel barrier end terminations for a zinc oxide semiconductor device with exposed body surfaces and end terminal regions, in which the device is controllably reacted with a nickel plating solution only on an exposed end terminal region and thereafter provided with a final tin or tin-lead termination.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1997Date of Patent: May 15, 2001Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.Inventor: Neil McLoughlin