Electrical resistors and methods of making same
AssigneeVishay Intertechnology, Inc.
InventorsMichel Rochette, Paul R. Simon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical resistor which is fabricated from traces of resistive material on a substrate of insulating material. The traces are interconnected electrically in series by first links and in parallel by second alternating links, which are connected to different terminals on the substrate. The second links are cut, preferably by laser trimming, so as to select the value of resistance of the resistor by reducing the number of traces connected in parallel and increasing the number of traces connected in series. Where the resistance of each trace is "R", the value of the resistance is adjustable by severing the second links from R/n to nR, where n is the number of traces.
Claims16
A resistor comprising an insulative substrate, first and second conductive terminals on the substrate, a multiplicity (n) of resistance units connected in series, by interconnecting first links joining alternate ones of said units at opposite ends thereof, second links providing selectively removable connections which are shorter than said units, and join said first links to said first and second terminals alternately, so that with all the second links intact the collective resistance of the units is the sum of all the units connected in parallel (R/n) and with all the second links removed, leaving only the first links, the collective resistance is the sum of all the lengths in series (nR), which collective resistance is adjustable in steps.
A method for providing a resistor of precise resistance of selectable value including the steps of:
- providing an insulative substrate,
- forming first and second electrical terminals on the substrate,
- forming a multiplicity of resistances on the substrate which are joined in series,
- forming a plurality of selectably removable connections interconnecting adjacent ones of the multiplicity of resistances in parallel between the first and second electrical terminals;
- and
- selectively removing selected ones of the connections to provide a desired resistance between the first and second electrical terminals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.