Selective potting for controlled failure and electronic devices employing the same

A selectively protected electrical system, comprising:

• a power source;
• a load;
• a power driver circuit for controllably transferring power from the power source to the load, the power driver circuit being encapsulated;
• and
• a controller for enabling and disabling the power driver circuit, the controller being un-encapsulated, such that a contaminant that may be in the system is more likely to induce an electrical fault and disable the un-encapsulated controller and is inhibited from inducing the electrical fault in the encapsulated power driver circuit.

A power delivery system for safely providing power from a power source to energize a load, the system comprising:

• a control portion comprising a controller for controlling a power driver circuit;
• a power driver portion comprising the power driver circuit responsive to the controller for controllably transferring power from the power source to the load;
• and
• a potting material selectively covering the power driver portion such that the power driver circuit is encapsulated by the potting material and such that the control portion remains un-encapsulated by the potting material, and such that contaminants that may be in the system are more likely to induce an electrical fault and disable the un-encapsulated control portion and are inhibited from inducing the electrical fault in the encapsulated power driver circuit.

In an electrical system subject to contaminant exposure, a method for reducing the likelihood of a contamination induced electrical fault in a selected portion of the electrical system, the method comprising:

• providing a critical portion of the electrical system for performing a critical operation;
• providing a non-critical portion of the electrical system for enabling the critical portion to perform the critical operation;
• and
• encapsulating the critical portion to provide a barrier between the critical portion and a contaminant such that the non-critical portion is un-encapsulated and such that a contaminant that may be in the system is more likely to induce an electrical fault in the un-encapsulated non-critical portion such that the non-critical portion disables the critical portion and such that the contaminant is inhibited from inducing the electrical fault in the encapsulated critical portion.

In an electrical system subject to contaminant exposure, a method for reducing the likelihood of a contamination induced electrical fault in a selected portion of the electrical system, the method comprising:

• providing a critical portion of the electrical system for performing a critical operation;
• providing at least one circuit element operative to disable the electrical system when exposed to a contaminant;
• and
• encapsulating the critical portion such that the at least one circuit element remains un-encapsulated and such that if the electrical system is exposed to the contaminant, the contaminant is more likely to contact the at least one un-encapsulated circuit element and disable the electrical system, and is inhibited from contacting the encapsulated critical portion.

A selectively protected electrical system, comprising:

• a power source for providing power to an electrical circuit;
• a power driver circuit for controllably transferring power from the power source to the electrical circuit, the power driver circuit being encapsulated;
• and
• a controller for enabling and disabling the power driver circuit;
• wherein the power source being un-encapsulated, such that contaminants in the protected electrical system are more likely to induce an electrical fault and disable the un-encapsulated power source and are substantially inhibited from inducing an electrical fault in the encapsulated power driver circuit.

A selectively protected electrical system, comprising:

• a power source for providing power to an electrical circuit;
• a power driver circuit for controllably transferring power from the power source to the electrical circuit;
• and
• a controller for enabling and disabling the power driver circuit, the controller being encapsulated;
• wherein the power source being un-encapsulated, such that contaminants in the protected electrical system are more likely to induce an electrical fault and disable the un-encapsulated power source and are substantially inhibited from inducing an electrical fault in the encapsulated controller.

A selectively protected electrical system, comprising:

• a critical portion of the electrical system for performing a critical operation;
• a non-critical portion of the electrical system for enabling the critical portion to perform the critical operation;
• and
• wherein the critical portion is encapsulated to provide a barrier between the critical portion and a contaminant,
• wherein the non-critical portion is un-encapsulated,
• wherein a contaminant in the system is more likely to induce an electrical fault in the un-encapsulated non-critical portion such that the non-critical portion disables the critical portion and the contaminant is substantially inhibited from inducing the electrical fault in the encapsulated critical portion.