Laminated-type varistor

A laminated-type varistor comprising:

• a laminated structure in which a plurality of effective sintered body layers each exhibiting varistor characteristics and a plurality of internal electrodes each having thermal conductivity higher than that of said effective sintered body layer are layered in a lamination direction;
• and
• a pair of external electrodes disposed on a surface of said laminated structure, wherein
• of said plurality of internal electrodes, at least two of said internal electrodes connected to a corresponding one said external electrode and disposed apart from each other in said lamination direction so as to define a multilayer electrode structure with an ineffective sintered body layer not contributing to varistor characteristics disposed between said at least two internal electrodes;
• wherein one said internal electrode connected to one said external electrode and one said internal electrode connected to the other said external electrode are disposed in a plane such that unconnected ends thereof face each other with a predetermined spacing;
• a floating internal electrode not connected to said external electrodes is disposed apart from said internal electrodes connected to said external electrodes, via said effective sintered body layer, thus forming a multistage varistor;
• and said floating internal electrode is an unexposed electrode, which is not exposed on end surfaces of said laminated structure.

A laminated-type varistor comprising:

• a laminated structure in which a plurality of effective sintered body layers each exhibiting varistor characteristics and a plurality of internal electrodes each having thermal conductivity higher than that of said effective sintered body layer are layered in a lamination direction;
• and
• a pair of external electrodes disposed on a surface of said laminated structure, wherein
• of said plurality of internal electrodes, at least two of said internal electrodes connected to a corresponding one said external electrode and disposed apart from each other in said lamination direction so as to define a multilayer electrode structure with an ineffective sintered body layer not contributing to varistor characteristics disposed between said at least two internal electrodes;
• wherein of said plurality of internal electrodes, a top internal electrode and a bottom internal electrode each have a single-layer electrode structure;
• wherein one said internal electrode connected to one said external electrode and one said internal electrode connected to the other said external electrode are disposed in a plane such that unconnected ends thereof face each other with a predetermined spacing;
• a floating internal electrode not connected to said external electrodes is disposed apart from said internal electrodes connected to said external electrodes, via said effective sintered body layer, thus forming a multistage varistor;
• and said floating internal electrode is an unexposed electrode, which is not exposed on end surfaces of said laminated structure.