Surface-mountable device for protection against electrostatic damage to electronic components

An electrical circuit protection device comprising:

• a substrate;
• first and second electrodes disposed on said substrate and having electrode peripheries, said electrodes being spaced apart from one another to form a gap region;
• a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate in said gap region, said voltage variable material connecting said first electrode to said second electrode;
• and
• said electrode peripheries in said gap region being curvilinear.

An electrical circuit protection device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first electrode disposed on said substrate and having a first electrode periphery;
• a second electrode disposed on said substrate and having a second electrode periphery;
• a portion of said first electrode periphery confronting a portion of said second electrode periphery to define an active electrode area, said confronting electrode peripheries having a periphery path distance, Dc;
• said first and second electrode peripheries having non-confronting portions, said non-confronting portions of said peripheries having a periphery path distance, Dnc;
• Dc being greater than Dnc;
• and
• a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate in said active electrode area, said voltage variable material connecting said first electrode to said second electrode.

An electrical circuit protection device for protecting a plurality of electrical circuits, said device comprising:

• an electrically insulating substrate;
• a first common electrode disposed on said substrate;
• a plurality of second electrodes disposed on said substrate and spaced apart and confronting said first common electrode to form a plurality of gap regions;
• and
• a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate in at least one of said plurality of gap regions and connecting said first common electrode to at least one of said plurality of second electrodes.

An electrical circuit protection device comprising:

• a substrate;
• first and second electrodes disposed on said substrate and having electrode peripheries, said electrodes being spaced apart from one another to form a gap region;
• each said electrode having a generally sloped profile in said gap region;
• a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate and said sloped profile of said electrodes in said gap region, said voltage variable material electrically connecting said first electrode to said second electrode.

An electrical circuit protection device comprising:

• a substrate;
• first and second electrodes disposed on said substrate and having electrode peripheries, said electrodes being spaced apart from one another to form a gap region;
• each said electrode having a stepped profile in said gap region;
• a voltage variable material disposed on said substrate and said stepped profile of said electrodes in said gap region, said voltage variable material electrically connecting said first electrode to said second electrode.