Short-circuit element and a circuit using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015340186-A1
Application number	US-201514818862-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 5, 2015
Priority date	Feb 5, 2013
Publication date	Nov 26, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A bypass avoiding only abnormal cells or abnormal electronic components in an electronic appliance having a plurality of battery cells or electronic components is formed to decrease resistance while keeping functionality.

First claim

1 . A short-circuit element comprising:
an insulating substrate; a first and a second heat-generating resistors formed on the insulating substrate; a first and a second electrodes arranged adjacently to each other on the insulating substrate; a third electrode arranged adjacently to the first electrode on the insulating substrate and electrically connected to the first heat-generating resistor; a fourth electrode arranged adjacently to the second electrode on the insulating substrate and electrically connected to the second heat-generating resistor; a fifth electrode arranged adjacently to the fourth electrode; a first meltable conductor arranged between the first and third electrodes to constitute a current path capable of being blown by a heat generated by the first heat-generating resistor; and a second meltable conductor arranged between the second and fifth electrodes through the fourth electrode to constitute a current path, in which the current path between the second and fourth electrodes and between the fourth and fifth electrodes are capable of being blown by a heat generated by the second heat-generating resistor, wherein the first and second meltable conductors are melted by the heat from the first and second heat-generating resistors and gather on the first and second electrodes to short-circuit the first and second electrodes.

2 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 , wherein the second meltable conductor is blown prior to the first meltable conductor.

3 . The short-circuit element according to claim 2 , wherein the second meltable conductor is narrower than the first meltable conductor.

4 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 further comprising an insulating layer laminated on the insulating substrate,
wherein the first to fifth electrodes are arranged on the insulating layer; and
wherein the first and second heat-generating resistors are disposed within the insulating layer or between the insulating layer and the insulating substrate.

5 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second heat-generating resistors are disposed within the insulating substrate.

6 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second heat-generating resistors are disposed on a surface of the insulating substrate opposite to an electrode-forming surface.

7 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second heat-generating resistors are disposed on an electrode-forming surface of the insulating substrate.

8 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 , wherein surfaces of the first electrode and the second electrode are coated with one of Ni/Au plating, Ni/Pd plating and Ni/Pd/Au plating.

9 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode has an area wider than that of the third electrode, and the second electrode has an area wider than those of the fourth and fifth electrodes.

10 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 further comprising:
a covering member arranged on the insulating substrate for internal protection; and
a covering member electrode arranged on an inner surface of the covering member,
wherein the covering member electrode is arranged at a position which overlaps the first electrode and the second electrode.

11 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 further comprising a protective resistor arranged on the insulating substrate and connected to one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

12 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second meltable conductors are a Pb free solder consisting essentially of Sn.

13 . The short-circuit element according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the first and second meltable conductors contains a low melting point metal and a high melting point metal, and wherein the low melting point metal is melted by a heat generated by the heat-generating resistor and erodes the high melting point metal.

14 . The short-circuit element according to claim 13 ,
wherein the low melting point metal is a solder, and
wherein the high melting point metal is Ag, Cu or an alloy consisting essentially of Ag or Cu.

15 . The short-circuit element according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second meltable conductors has a coated structure in which the low melting point metal constitutes an inner layer and the high melting point metal constitutes an outer layer.

16 . The short-circuit element according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second meltable conductors has a coated structure in which the high melting point metal constitutes an inner layer and the low melting point metal constitutes an outer layer.

17 . The short-circuit element according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second meltable conductors has a laminated structure in which the low melting point metal and the high melting point metal are laminated.

18 . The short-circuit element according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second meltable conductor has a multi-layered structure having four or more layers in which the low melting point metal and the high melting point metal are alternately laminated.

19 . The short-circuit element according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second meltable conductors has a stripe-shaped structure in which the high melting point metal partially overlaps a surface of the low melting point metal.

20 . The short-circuit element according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second meltable conductors is constituted of a high melting point metal having a plurality of openings and a low melting point metal inserted in the openings.

21 . The short-circuit element according to claim 13 , wherein, in at least one of the first and second meltable conductors, the volume of the low melting point metal is larger than that of the high melting point metal.

22 . A short-circuit element circuit comprising:
a switch; a first fuse connected to one end of the switch; a first heat-generating resistor connected to an open end of the first fuse; a second and a third fuses serially connected to an open end of the switch; and a second heat-generating resistor connected to a connecting point of the second and the third fuses, wherein the second and the third fuses are blown by a heat generated by the second heat-generating resistor, and wherein the first fuse is blown by a heat generated by the first heat-generating resistor, and the switch is short-circuited by meltable conductor of the first fuse.

23 . A compensation circuit comprising:
a short-circuit element comprising a switch, a first fuse connected to one end of the switch, a first heat-generating resistor connected to an open end of the first fuse, a second and a third fuses serially connected to an open end of the switch, and a second heat-generating resistor connected to a connecting point of the second and the third fuses, wherein the second and the third fuses are blown by a heat generated by the second heat-generating resistor, and the first fuse is blown by a heat generated by the first heat-generating resistor, and the switch is short-circuited by meltable conductor of the first fuse; an electronic component; a protective component which detects an abnormality of the electronic component and outputs an abnormal signal;

Assignees

• Dexerials Corp

Inventors

• Yoneda Yoshihiro

Classifications

• H01M10/482

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H01M2/348

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01H85/0056 Primary

  Heat conducting or heat absorbing means associated with the fusible member, e.g. for providing time delay · CPC title

• H01H2231/026

  Car · CPC title

• H01H85/0241

  Structural association of a fuse and another component or apparatus (switches with built-in fuses H01H9/10, spark-gap arresters H01H85/44, transformers and inductances H01F27/402, capacitors H01G2/14, lamps H01K1/66, semiconductors H10W20/493 or H10W42/80) · CPC title