An electronic circuit includes an electronic switch having a control terminal and a load path and also includes a monitoring circuit comprising a switched-capacitor circuit with at least one capacitive storage element. The switched-capacitor circuit coupled to the load path of the electronic switch. The circuit can be operated by using the monitoring circuit to evaluate a load voltage of the electronic switch and to generate a failure signal dependent on the evaluation and providing a drive signal at the control terminal of the electronic switch dependent on the failure signal.

A novel temperature-triggered fuse device is configured to be activated at a designer-specified ambient temperature by utilizing wetting force among a pair of wetting material bays and a solder bridge or a solder ball. The solder bridge or the solder ball is typically positioned on top of the pair of wetting material bays separated by an electrically-insulated gap. Preferably, the wetting material bays are at least partly made of gold, nickel, or other elements suitable for generating an increased wetting force to the solder bridge or the solder ball upon increases in ambient temperature. The novel temperature-triggered fuse device can be integrated into various types of integrated circuits (IC's), or can function as a discrete fuse connected to one or more electronic components for robust protection from power surges and/or thermal runaway-related device malfunctions, meltdowns, or explosions. Various methods of producing the temperature-triggered fuse device are also disclosed herein.

A fuse device including a fuse component, a first electrode, disposed on a first side of the fuse component, a second electrode, disposed on a second side of the fuse component, and a phase change component, disposed in thermal contact with the fuse component. The fuse component may comprise a fuse temperature, wherein the phase change component exhibits a phase change temperature, the phase change temperature marking a phase transition of the phase change component, and wherein the phase change temperature is less than the fuse temperature.

A novel temperature-triggered fuse device is configured to be activated at a designer-specified ambient temperature by utilizing wetting force among a pair of wetting material bays and a solder bridge or a solder ball. The solder bridge or the solder ball is typically positioned on top of the pair of wetting material bays separated by an electrically-insulated gap. Preferably, the wetting material bays are at least partly made of gold, nickel, or other elements suitable for generating an increased wetting force to the solder bridge or the solder ball upon increases in ambient temperature. The novel temperature-triggered fuse device can be integrated into various types of integrated circuits (IC's), or can function as a discrete fuse connected to one or more electronic components for robust protection from power surges and/or thermal runaway-related device malfunctions, meltdowns, or explosions. Various methods of producing the temperature-triggered fuse device are also disclosed herein.

An electronic circuit includes an electronic switch having a control terminal and a load path and also includes a monitoring circuit comprising a switched-capacitor circuit with at least one capacitive storage element. The switched-capacitor circuit coupled to the load path of the electronic switch. The circuit can be operated by using the monitoring circuit to evaluate a load voltage of the electronic switch and to generate a failure signal dependent on the evaluation and providing a drive signal at the control terminal of the electronic switch dependent on the failure signal.

A method is for making an electronic device including forming a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein, the multilayer circuit board including at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The method also includes filling the membrane switch recess with air, and positioning at least one biasing member in the membrane switch recess.

A method of assembling a switching rocker arm assembly having an inner arm, an outer arm and a latch. The method includes indenting an outer arm surface on the outer arm, the outer arm surface defining an arcuate aperture. An inner arm surface can be indented on the inner arm at an inner arm latch shelf. A latch can be positioned relative to the inner and outer arms.

Tools and methods for indenting and assembling a switching rocker arm assembly having an inner arm, an outer arm and a latch. The tools and methods are directed to eliminating requirements for matched sets of components of rocker arm assemblies so that the assembled indented parts have desired latch lash tolerances. The tools used include fixtures and clamps for indenting kidney-bean shaped passages in an outer arm that mount a pivot axle of the outer arm. The tools used may also include a fixture and clamps for indenting a latch shelf of the inner arm. Indenting the inner arm and outer arm using these methods and fixtures results in switching rocker arm assemblies that fit together, and when assembled into a valve, have a desired latch lash.

Fuses having a melamine-coated-steatite foam filler are described. In particular, melamine-coated-steatite foam filler for use in a fuse comprising steatite coated in a melamine compound (e.g., plasticized melamine resin) and then heated to form crystalline foam filler are described. The foam filler may comprise steatite of substantially 3 times the melamine compound by weight and may be heated and then cooled to form the foam filler.

A fuse including a first housing part and a second housing part that are joined together to define a cavity, a fuse element disposed within the cavity, a first terminal extending from a first end of the fuse element and out of the housing, and a second terminal extending from a second end of the fuse element and out of the housing, the housing having a vent channel extending from an outer surface of the housing to the cavity for allowing vapor to escape from the cavity.