Surface mount electrical devices and methods
AssigneeBourns, Inc.
InventorKelly C. Casey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical device can include a body having a shape and including one or more components, and first and second electrodes implemented at respective locations of the body and configured to provide first and second engagements with a mounting surface and to allow a settling motion when the electrical device is positioned on the mounting surface. The electrical device can further include a third electrode implemented at a respective location of the body and configured to allow a limited range of the settling motion such that at an end of the limited range of the settling motion, the third electrode provides a third engagement with the mounting surface.
Claims16
An electrical device comprising:
- a body having a longitudinal axis and including one or more components;
- first and second electrodes each having a circular perimeter with a radius with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body, the first and second electrodes configured to allow a rolling motion of the body when the electrical device is positioned on a mounting surface;
- and
- a third electrode with a side between two corners, such that the smallest dimension between the longitudinal axis of the body and the side is less than the radius of each of the first and second electrodes, each of the two corners spaced from the longitudinal axis of the body by a dimension greater than the radius of each of the first and second electrodes, such that the third electrode allows a limited rolling motion of the body when the side of the third electrode is positioned over the mounting surface and one of the two corners of the third electrode provides a third engagement with the mounting surface at a respective end of the limited rolling motion.
A method for manufacturing an electrical device, the method comprising:
- providing or forming one or more components;
- packaging the one or more components to provide a body having a longitudinal axis;
- implementing first and second electrodes each having a circular perimeter with a radius with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body, such that the first and second electrodes allow a rolling motion of the body when the electrical device is positioned on a mounting surface;
- and
- implementing a third electrode with a side between two corners, such that the smallest dimension between the longitudinal axis of the body and the side is less than the radius of each of the first and second electrodes, and each of the two corners being spaced from the longitudinal axis of the body by a dimension greater than the radius of each of the first and second electrodes, such that the third electrode allows a limited rolling motion of the body when the side of the third electrode is positioned over the mounting surface and one of the two corners of the third electrode provides a third engagement with the mounting surface at a respective end of the limited rolling motion.
A surface-mountable circuit protection device comprising:
- a first component implemented between a first end electrode and a middle electrode;
- and
- a second component implemented between the middle electrode and a second end electrode, such that the first and second components define a body having a longitudinal axis, two of the first end, middle and second end electrodes configured such that each has a circular perimeter with a radius with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body, and such that the two electrodes allow a rolling motion of the body when the protection device is positioned on a mounting surface, the remaining electrode including a side between two corners, such that the smallest dimension between the longitudinal axis of the body and the side is less than the radius of each of the two electrodes, each of the two corners spaced from the longitudinal axis of the body by a dimension greater than the radius of each of the two electrodes, such that the remaining electrode allows a limited rolling motion of the body when the side of the remaining electrode is positioned over the mounting surface and one of the two corners of the remaining electrode provides a third engagement with the mounting surface at a respective end of the limited rolling motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.