US 6,157,528 AGranted

Polymer fuse and filter apparatus

AssigneeX2Y Attenuators, LLC

InventorAnthony A. Anthony

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a polymer fuse apparatus that provides bypass fuse protection. A polymer bypass fuse is comprised of an electrical conductor wherein a portion of the conductor is surrounded by an internal electrode, which is then surrounded by a layer of polymeric positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material, which is then surrounded by a conductive material similar to that of the internal electrode. Various hybrid combinations are also contemplated where in-line and/or bypass fuses are combined with other circuit components. One example is, a plurality of in-line and bypass fuses combined with a differential and common mode filter, which itself consists of a plurality of common ground conductive plates maintaining first and second electrode plates between the various conductive plates, all of which are surrounded by a material having predetermined electrical characteristics to provide fail safe filter and circuit protection.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A line conditioning device comprising:

a line-to-line filter having predetermined electrical characteristics;
and
a plurality of polymer bypass fuses electrically coupled to said line-to-line filter. wherein each of said polymer bypass fuses include:
a conductor for receiving and conducting electric current;
an internal electrode electrically coupled to said conductor wherein said internal electrode surrounds at least a portion of said conductor;
a polymeric material surrounding at least a portion of said internal electrode;
a contact electrode surrounding at least a portion of said polymeric material;
wherein said polymeric materials of said polymer bypass fuses allows normal levels of electric current conduction from said conductors, through said internal electrodes to said contact electrodes and said line-to-line filter;
said polymeric materials of said polymer bypass fuses prevent abnormally high levels of electric current conduction from said conductors, through said internal electrodes to said contact electrodes and said line-to-line filter;
and
conduction of electric current through said conductors is unaffected by failure of said line-to-line filter.

8 more elements

An electronic line conditioning device comprising:

a differential and common mode filter having predetermined electrical characteristics;
and
a plurality of polymer in-line and bypass fuses integrated with and electrically coupled to said differential and common mode filter;
wherein said plurality of polymer bypass fuses allow normal levels of electric current conduction to pass through and be drawn by said differential and common mode filter;
and
said plurality of polymer bypass fuses prevent abnormally high levels of electric current conduction to pass through and be drawn by said differential and common mode filter.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.