A controllable circuit protector for power supplies with different voltages includes a first fuse and a second fuse connected in series to each other, a first heating unit, and at least one second heating unit in parallel to the first heating unit. A connected end of the first heating unit is electrically connected to a series-connected node between the first fuse and the second fuse, and a free end thereof forms a control terminal. When a load is irregular, the control terminal is connected to a ground terminal through a switch. For power supplies with different voltages, the effective resistance of the first heating unit and a part of the at least one second heating unit not melting is altered without causing drastic change arising from voltage variation to the total heating power, and the first fuse or the second fuse can duly melt down to protect the load.

A circuit protection device includes a metal oxide varistor (MOV), a spring terminal and a thermal disconnect coupling the spring terminal to the MOV. A gas discharge tube (GDT) is coupled to the MOV. The spring terminal is biased such that upon occurrence of an overvoltage condition, heat generated by the MOV melts the thermal disconnect and allows the spring terminal to be displaced away from the MOV, thereby creating an opening circuit.

A bypass avoiding only abnormal cells or abnormal electronic components in an electronic appliance having a plurality of battery cells or electronic components is formed to decrease resistance while keeping functionality.

In order to provide a method for isolating a circuit and a thermal link, wherein the link has a very low resistance and is suitable for high currents, in particular very high short load currents, and also has a high degree of reliability, in particular under difficult conditions, such as thermal and mechanical loading which lasts for a relatively long time, for example, the invention proposes that, during the phase transition of the material of the fusible element (10) from the solid to the liquid state, the volume of the fusible element (10) increases and the pressure increases and, owing to the increase in volume and the increase in pressure, the fusible element (10) is dislodged so as to break the electrical connection.

A fire protection device for small electrical devices provided with a housing. The fire protection device includes a bursting capsule featuring a hollow space that is completely enclosed and delimited by a vessel wall, wherein a liquid is disposed in the hollow space. The liquid breaks the vessel wall at a predetermined trigger temperature due to thermal expansion thereby causing the bursting capsule to rupture. When the vessel wall ruptures and releases the liquid it has a fire preventing effect and/or a fire extinguishing effect.

A control device suitable for use in a vehicle includes a housing, a circuit board having a circuit element disposed thereat, and a thermal fuse having a first contact soldered at the circuit board at a first solder joint and a second contact soldered at the circuit board at a second solder joint. The thermal fuse is biased by the housing of the control device to exert a force at the circuit board in a direction away from a surface of the circuit board. When a temperature at the circuit element exceeds a threshold temperature and when the first solder joint at the first contact sufficiently melts, the thermal fuse moves the first contact away from the circuit board to break the electrical connection at the first solder joint and between circuitry electrically connected to the first contact and circuitry electrically connected to the second contact.

The object of the present invention is to provide a protection device capable of sufficiently suppressing the occurrence of arc at the time of activation with large rated voltage and rated current, as well as capable of fully opening the circuit. The present invention provides a protection device comprising: (i) a protection component comprising a first thermal fuse and a resistive body, the resistive body being supplied with a current in an abnormal state to generate heat, the heat activating the first thermal fuse to cut off the current; (ii) a PTC component; and (iii) a second thermal fuse, the second thermal fuse being electrically connected in series to the PTC component, the first thermal fuse of the protection component being electrically connected in parallel to the PTC component and to the second thermal fuse, and the protection component being activated in the abnormal state so that the PTC component trips to generate heat, the heat blowing the second thermal fuse.

A fuse includes first, second, and third terminals disposed on a substrate. Respective ends of one or more primary conductors of the fuse are connected to one of the first and the second terminals. The primary conductors have a first conductivity and are configured to open when a primary current between the first and the second terminals exceeds a first predetermined threshold. One or more secondary conductors have an end connected to the third terminal. The secondary conductors are configured to ignite when a secondary current through the secondary conductors exceeds a second predetermined threshold. When ignited, the secondary conductors open the primary conductors to thereby stop the primary current.

A protective element includes: a rectangurarly shaped insulating substrate; a heat-generating element formed on the insulating substrate; first and second electrodes laminated on a surface of the insulating substrate; first and second connecting terminals provided on a back surface of the insulating substrate and being continuous with the first and second electrodes; a heat-generating element extracting electrode provided on a current path between the first and the second electrodes and electrically connected to the heat-generating element; and a meltable conductor laminated on a region extending from the heat-generating element extracting electrode to the first and second electrodes and to be melted by heat to interrupt the current path between the first electrode and the second electrodes; wherein at least one of the corner portions of the insulating substrate is chamfered.

An assembly (10) for potential equalization in potentially explosive areas is described, having an outer housing (20), a gas discharge arrester (22), a short-circuiting device (30) and a fault indicator (42). At least the gas discharge arrester (22) and the short-circuiting device (30) are accommodated in the outer housing (20). The short-circuiting device (30) comprises at least one spring (32) and an actuating element (34), which is preloaded into a short-circuit position by the spring (32). The gas discharge arrester (22) has a base body (24) which is filled with a gas and connected to a first connecting part (16) via a thermally detachable connection (38). The fault indicator (42) is set up to indicate a tripping event of the short-circuiting device (30).