Thermistor

Abstract

An insulating glass layer covers the surface of a thermistor element except at the two end surfaces. The insulating glass layer is partially or fully composed of crystallized glass. A terminal electrode is integrally formed on both end surfaces. The terminal electrodes include a baked-on electrode layer formed from a conductive paste. Layers of nickel and tin or lead/tin are plated onto the baked-on electrode. The insulating glass layer enhances shape-maintainability of the insulating glass layer and the baked-on electrodes, provides a smoother glass surface, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing thermistor, prevents resistance variance due to plating of the baked-on electrodes and provides a strong anti-breaking strength thermistor. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass layer is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the thermistor element. This difference in coefficients of thermal expansion tends to help the thermistor element resist stress breakage.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.