Abstract: A safety device for preventing a trouble caused by an abnormal overheating of an electric circuit is provided, which includes: a circuit board; a first circuit pattern; a second circuit pattern; a first electrode connected to the first circuit pattern; a second electrode connected to the second circuit pattern, while enclosing the first electrode without a break, the second electrode being standoff-insulated from the first electrode; and a solder fuse portion made of a solder and formed over and inside the second electrode for bridging the first and second electrodes, wherein the solder fuse portion in a melted state separates onto the first and second electrodes by surface tension of the solder, whereby a circuit between the first and second circuit patterns is broken.

Abstract: An architecture of poly fuses includes a number of fuses, a dielectric layer, a sheet-like etching stop layer, and a passivation layer, wherein the sheet-like etching stop layer further includes a number of slices, and wherein each of the slices corresponds to one of the fuses underneath. The architecture of poly fuses according to the invention reduces the energy dispersion during the defective recovering process, and improves the recovery rate for defective memory cells.

Abstract: An insulation plate (20) is provided with a window or a slot (21). A fusible element or circuit (31) is laid on a surface of the insulation plate (20) across the window (21). When the circuit (31) is heated by current-conduction, a fusible path (33) of the circuit (31) spanned in air across the window (21) melts at a predetermined current level, since heat generated in the fusible path (31) is not absorbed in the insulation plate (20). It is possible to transform the plate fuse depending on the conditions of use, and its configuration is substantially flexible.

Abstract: A radiant-energy configurable fuse structure and array are provided in which the fuse body of the fuse is wider than the fuse connection terminals. The fuse body can be circular or polygonal to capture more of the radiant energy from a targeting beam, which reduces the energy required to blow the fuse. As a result, unrelated circuit elements and patterned lines can be placed closer together in a laser fuse array, thereby increasing the packing density of such arrays.

Abstract: A method of adjusting pre-arcing time-current characteristic for a fuse is performed in a manner that a fusible portion I serving in a dead short-circuit area and a fusible portion II serving in a rare short-circuit area are coupled in series to form a fuse element, and entire pre-arcing time-current characteristic for the fuse is adjusted by combining pre-arcing time-current characteristic of the respective fusible portions I and II. A fuse structure is formed by a fusible portion I serving in a dead short-circuit, and a fusible portion II serving in a rare short-circuit area coupled in series with the fusible portion I serving in a dead short-circuit area. The fusible portion II serving in a rare short-circuit area is formed by material which is different in conductivity and melting point from those of material forming the fusible portion I serving in a dead short-circuit area.

Abstract: An overcurrent protection device and a method for the production thereof is provided wherein a fusible link is bonded across a pair of electrodes. A composite layer envelops the fusible link and is formed from a gelatinous composition. The composite layer and the fusible link are further encased within a molded housing. The gelatinous composition includes a nonconductive inorganic powder and a synthetic resin. The inorganic powder has a melting temperature below a fusion temperature of the fusible link. In an embodiment, the inorganic powder includes lead glass powder and alumina powder, and the synthetic resin is a low viscosity silicone resin. The inorganic powder is mixed with the silicone resin in a three to one ratio. Heat treatment dries the composite layer. The composite layer includes air pockets between particles of the inorganic powder elastically bound together by the synthetic resin.

Abstract: A fuse element which has an enhanced durability against a rush current, and is suppressed in temperature rise. The fuse element includes a pair of terminals, a fusible element interconnecting the pair of terminals, and at least one load portion is formed on the fusible element. The fusible element and the load portion are made of the same material.

Abstract: An insulation plate (20) is provided with a window or a slot (21). A fusible element or circuit (31) with reinforced portion (22) is laid on a surface of the insulation plate (20) across the window (21). When the circuit (31) is heated by current-conduction, a fusible path (33) of the circuit (31) spanned in air across the window (21) melts at a predetermined current level, since heat generated in the fusible path (31) is not absorbed in the insulation plate (20). It is possible to transform the plate fuse depending on the conditions of use, and its configuration is substantially flexible.

Abstract: A high voltage current limiting fuse has improved low fault current interruption due to an end-sealed sleeve separating a fusible length from pulverulent sand in a casing of the fuse while permitting venting of gas and vaporized metal plasma due to melting and arcing at the fusible length. The fuse can have one or more fusible elements, of which at least one, preferably each one, is surrounded along at least a selected portion along its length by a polytetrafluoroethylene polymer, fluoroethylene polymer, or derivatives thereof, which can be heat shrinkable or not. The sleeve is sealed so as to allow escape of gases upon arcing from the sleeve but to prevent pulverulent materials from penetrating within the sleeve. The sleeve seals are either melted and crimped together with the fusible element, heat shrunk down onto the fusible element, or taped over the fusible element so as to leave a gap small enough to exclude the pulverulent material while venting gas and plasma.

Abstract: To obtain a protective device that can prevent overvoltage and at the same time has an excellent safety and also to make chip type protective devices smaller in size, this invention provides a protective device comprising a substrate, a heating element provided on the substrate, an insulating layer that covers the surface of the heating element, and a low-melting metal piece provided on the insulating layer. Particularly preferably the substrate and the heating element are each formed of an inorganic material. This protective device may be used in combination with a voltage detecting means making use of a zener diode, in such a way that the heating element of the protective device is electrically excited to generate heat when the voltage detecting means detects a voltage exceeding the rated voltage, whereby an overvoltage protector can be set up.

Abstract: A fusible link assembly including a pair of link members arranged in overlying relation and a thermally sensitive bonding material interposed between the link members with the bonding material being solid below a predetermined temperature to form a bond between the link members and liquid at and above the predetermined temperatures such that the link member separates. Each of the link members includes a projection and a slot corresponding to the projection. The slot is spaced relative to the projection on the link member such that the projection of one of the link members is received in the slot of the other link member. Each of the link members also includes an opening with each opening on each of the link members being aligned to define a passage through the fusible link.

Abstract: A pair of metallic electrodes gripping a fusible wire are attached to opposite ends of a box-like shaped body into which is pressed a lid portion to an extent to be slightly sunken relative to an upper surface of the body. Then adhesive is applied to the lid portion to fix the lid portion to the body to seal the interior of the body. The fusible wire is extended in the interior of the body in a floating condition. Such a construction allows easy manufacture, enables variation of pre-arcing time-current characteristic to be kept to minimum, and brings about a high degree of reliability.

Abstract: A self-configuring photoelectric control circuit for controlling operation of a load based on ambient light. The photocontrol circuit comprises a photocell responsive to ambient light, a heating resistor connected to the photocell, a bimetallic element in proximity to the heating resistor and movable in response to generation of heat from the heating resistor. A switch is operated by the bimetallic element and is connected between an input connected to a power source and an output connected to the load. A series resistor is connected to the heating resistor and a shunt is connected across the series resistor to provide a current bypass around the series resistor for operation with a low voltage power source, for instance 120 volts. The shunt is maintained in a flexed condition to form the bypass and a connection of the shunt across the series resistor is formed of a meltable material.

Abstract: A safety device for a combustion apparatus comprises a continuous, linear temperature-sensing element formed of a material which is electrically conductive and melts, or breaks, at a relatively low temperature and located along at least one side of a combustion chamber of a combustion apparatus and one side of a heat exchanger thereof. The temperature-sensing element is electrically connected to a combustion control circuit such that, if and when the combustion chamber or the heat exchanger has reached an extremely high temperature, the temperature-sensing element melts, or breaks to cause said combustion control circuit to stop a combustion in said combustion chamber. Lead, tin, or an alloy of lead and tin may be employed as the material of the temperature-sensing element.

Abstract: A car-borne electric cigar lighter includes a receptacle having a spring contact for receiving the heater element of the lighter for energization. A pair of spaced electrially conductive connecting plates form part of the electrical circuit to the spring contact. A circuit breakable electrically conductive spacer including a heat resistant, form-retaining resilient plate of an electrically insulating rubber, e.g., silicone rubber, penetrated between opposite surfaces with a thermally fusible, electrically conductive portion made from a low melting point metal, e.g., tin foils, to be in contact with the two connecting plates on both sides of the spacer forms an electrical connection between the plates through the tin foils. In case of overheating, the tin foils are melted down to open the electric circuit to the spring contact without losing the mechanical integrity of the spacer to serve as an insulator between the connecting plates.

Abstract: Gold, copper, silver, palladium or aluminum and their alloys, but preferably gold or gold alloy, which may be in the form a wire, has deposited thereon or contained within the wire, a material such as metals or metal alloys which diffuse into the gold or into the other listed metals. With the passage of time and exposure to temperature the deposited metal or metal alloy continues to diffuse into the gold forming intermetallics with the gold and thereby causing the resistivity of the gold to increase and causing the gold to become progressively more brittle until such time as the gold wire ruptures at a stress point. At a given temperature the elapsed time until rupture takes place depends upon the metal or metal alloys deposited on or contained within the gold. Lead, indium, gallium, tin, bismuth and aluminum and the alloys of these metals diffuse into and form intermetallics with the gold.

Abstract: A replacement for the conventional pyrotechnic separation device for large structural elements such as payload fairings on large missile systems is a sequence of nitinol wires or foil strips which, because of their high strength, will hold the structures together but, when heated electrically in sequence, will fuse in milliseconds to allow the structures to separate. The technique for fusing the wires sequentially is to provide wires of sequentially increasing lengths which will cause the shorter length, lower resistance wires to fuse first and the successively longer wires to fuse in sequence until all wires are fused.

Abstract: A tubular electric resistance heater includes a tubular sheath enclosing an electric heater coil. As protective overheat safety device is provided at an end of the sheath and includes an electrically conductive tube disposed in a cavity in the end of the sheath and having a closed end electrically connected to the heater coil. A rod-shaped member made of a thermally deformable material extends through the tube from the closed and projects out of the other end of the tube into activating engagement with a normally closed switch located externally of the tubular sheath and electrically connected in series with the tube and thereby the heater coil. Excessive heater coil temperatures cause the rod-shaped member to deform and actuate the switch to its open position to deenergize the heater coil. The rod-shaped member may be made to a memory-alloy or a plastic which changes its structure, e.g., shrinks, or melts at a certain temperature.

Abstract: Methods and pressure transducers for measuring strain as a result of stress applied to a sample are disclosed. These pressure transducers include polymeric elements comprising a piezoresistive blend of a doped acetylene polymer and an elastomer.

Abstract: An electrical fuse adaptable for a wide range of current rating and response times. The fuse comprises a conductive element and an explosive charge, the latter shearing the conductive element at a predetermined temperature. In the disclosed embodiments, the explosive charge can be heated to the detonation temperature using a variety of auxiliary heat sources.

Abstract: In an electrical fuse which serves for temperature limitation, which comprises a closed housing (1) and in which a spring mechanism (2,3,4) interrupts an electrical contact as soon as a fuse body (6) serving as a support for the spring mechanism liquefies and relieves the spring mechanism, the fuse body mainly consists of a saturated dicarboxylic acid containing 4 to 14 carbon atoms.

Abstract: In an incandescent lamp having a glass envelope joined to a base member and a filament mounted within the envelope, an improved fuse wire comprises a portion of one or both of the lead-in wires connecting the filament to the base member. The fuse wire is made of an Aluchrom alloy containing Chromium, Nickel and Iron, or is made of a Cronifer alloy containing Chromium, Iron and Aluminum. The Aluchrom or Cronifer fuse wire, upon lamp failure and fuse burnout, exhibits reduced arcing melt-through of the lamp base compared with lamps having prior art fuse wires, for improved safety thereof.Further the Aluchrom or Chronifer fuse wires have an I.sup.2 t energy rating which permits the use of larger diameter fuse wires which can more readily be processed by lamp production machinery than the smaller diameter lamp fuse wires of prior art materials.

Abstract: An overtemperature detection cable for use with a fire alarm system, a fire extinguishing system or the like comprises a coaxial assembly of an inner spring wire conductor in a core of thermoplastic dielectric material within an electrically conductive outer sheath. In one embodiment, the spring wire is initially coiled in a three-dimensional helical configuration, is thereafter uncoiled to approximate a straight wire, and is then disposed within the outer sheath to reside in the thermoplastic dielectric core. In a second embodiment, a straight inner spring wire and its surrounding thermoplastic dielectric core reside within an outer sheath, and the assembled sheath, wire, and thermoplastic dielectric material are then bent or crimped to assume a two-dimensional sinusoidal configuration.

Abstract: An electrical safety connector 10 provides a thermal linkage 12 between two female connectors 11. If a high resistance contact occurs at either connector 11, thermal linkage 12 melts and the molten material, of which thermal linkage 12 was comprised, flows under the influence of gravity to an expansion void 14 in an insulation sheath 13, thus interrupting current flow through connectors 11 and preventing the re-initiation of such current flow. Any potential fire hazard from the localized temperature rise at said high resistance contact is thereby eliminated. An alternate embodiment provides a male pigtail wire 17 for utilizing safety connector 10 in updating the wiring of early wired residences and other structures.

Abstract: An improved solid state radiant energy switch device is described for operation with a plurality of flash lamps fired individually and in sequence and which is activated by radiant energy generated during flashing of the lamps to convert from a high electrical resistance ("off" condition) to a low electrical resistance or conductive state ("on" condition). Said switches are prepared from an improved material composition which undergoes chemical conversion comprising a carbon-containing silver salt admixed with a humidity-resistant organic polymer binder in ratios wherein said polymer binder does not exceed more than about three percent by weight in said admixture.

Abstract: A disc type thermistor has a low melting point metal rod disposed between the thermistor and a metal spring. The spring places the rod in compressive contact with one surface of the thermistor. When the thermistor overheats, the rod melts and opens the circuit.

Abstract: A tungsten heating filament is connected in series with a safety filament having a low melting temperature. The filaments are connected to and between terminals of a small terminal board. A quickly-igniting, combustible mixture is applied to the terminal board between terminals, and over and around the heating filament and under the safety filament. The terminal board and its attachments are enclosed in a plastic case with a transparent face. Leads are connected internally to the terminals and externally in parallel circuit across a safety switch operable to open and close by means of a malfunction sensing element, the switch and element comprising an automated safety control, with the switch being connected in series with the electrically energized apparatus.

Abstract: A pair of substantially flat rectangular fusible links is constructed from progressive dies by partially cutting them from sheet metal stock as blanks, flanging edges on the parts and including the forming of triangular camming surfaces on such flanges, and then shearing the parts from the stock. Thereafter, the links are fluxed and soldered together and are held in internested complementary relation. It is characteristic of the links that there are no voids or discontinuities in the joined surfaces and into which flux will not flow; the interfacing triangular cam surfaces insure a clean breaking apart of the links once the eutectic temperature is reached because any longitudinal sliding movement of the links biases them laterally apart under the camming action to insure a complete break-away of the confronting soldered surfaces.

Abstract: A condition-responsive, spring driven actuator characterized by a housing having disposed therein an actuator shaft supported for axial reciprocation, a helical compression spring seated in the housing and connected with the shaft for urging the shaft in displacement in a first direction along an axial path, a displaceable lever arm supported near its midportion by a fulcrum and having one end attached to the shaft for restraining the shaft against axial displacement, and a frangible bar disposed in transverse engagement with the arm securing the arm against pivotal motion, and means for separating the bar including, alternatively or concurrently, a pendulous mass concentrically related to the bar, a fusible link interposed in interconnecting relation between the opposite end portions of the bar and a pyrotechnic charge embedded in the bar and connected with an electrical circuit.

Abstract: A safety device for preventing deleterious overheating of an electrical lighter such as used in motor vehicles provides a short circuit in the electrical power supply circuit to the lighter upon occurrence of a dangerous overheating condition so that a circuit breaker in the circuit is actuated to deenergize the lighter. The safety device includes a pair of electrical contacts on the lighter socket separated by a thermoplastic insulating member in heat exchange relationship with the socket and being composed of a material which has a softening point above the normal operating temperature of the lighter but below the temperature at which thermal damage may occur in the vicinity of the lighter when overheating occurs. One of the contacts is spring biased toward the other and the softening of the insulating member allows the contacts to electrically engage under the force of the spring bias to establish a short circuit for actuating the circuit breaker.

Abstract: A photoflash unit is designed to have a plurality of lamps fired individually and in sequence and includes a plurality of switching devices capable of being easily activated by radiant energy generated during flashing of the lamps. Initially, the switches have a high resistance ("off" condition) and after being activated by radiation, they undergo a chemical change to a conductive state ("on" condition). The switches are prepared from compositions which impart improved shelf life to the switches under conditions of high relative humidity.

Abstract: A heat detecting conductor embodied in a flat tape wherein conductive strips in an open circuit are separated, at acceptable temperatures, by thermoplastic insulating material which is adapted to melt at predetermined elevated temperatures and to permit the conductive strips to come into contact with each other, thereby closing the electric circuit and actuating an audible and/or visual alarm. The heat detecting conductor may be associated with a cable carrying one or more service lines or with a cable connected to one or more heat detecting devices, as a back-up therefor, or may be used alone.

Abstract: An electropyrotechnic link having one or more connectors crimped or bonded into longitudinal indentations in a closed end tubular member containing a pyrotechnic pressure generator. When the pyrotechnic charge within the tubular member is activated the tubular member is expanded into cylindrical form opening the crimp, peeling any bonding material and releasing the connector or connectors. If the bonding material is of low melting point the release can be made to function upon reaching the melting point of the bonding material or upon command by an electrical signal.