James Arthur Colby

US Patent:

7035072, Apr 25, 2006

Filed:

Jul 10, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/192314

Inventors:

James A. Colby - Lombard IL, US

Assignee:

Littlefuse, Inc. - Des Plaines IL

International Classification:

H01C 7/10
H01C 7/12
H01C 7/13
H02H 1/04

US Classification:

361118, 361111, 361119, 361127, 338 20

Abstract:

The present invention provides an ESD apparatus that includes an electrical overstress suppression device in series with a capacitor. The ESD apparatus is ideally suited for use with network communication devices, but any electronic device requiring overvoltage protection and isolation may employ the ESD apparatus of the present invention. In one embodiment, the ESD apparatus includes a capacitor and an electrical overstress protection device that electrically communicates in series with the capacitor. In another embodiment, the ESD apparatus includes an electrical overstress protection device having a voltage variable material and a capacitor that electrically communicates in series with the overstress protection device. The capacitor is sized so that the overstress device can withstand an application of a predetermined steady state voltage.

US Patent:

7183891, Feb 27, 2007

Filed:

Oct 5, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/958442

Inventors:

Edwin James Harris - Oak Park IL, US
Tushar Vyas - Streamwood IL, US
Timothy Pachla - Berwyn IL, US
James A. Colby - Lombard IL, US

Assignee:

Littelfuse, Inc. - Des Plaines IL

International Classification:

H01C 7/10

US Classification:

338 21, 338 22 SD, 338204, 338314

Abstract:

A voltage variable material (“VVM”) including an insulative binder that is formulated to intrinsically adhere to conductive and non-conductive surfaces is provided. The binder and thus the VVM is self-curable and applicable in a spreadable form that dries before use. The binder eliminates the need to place the VVM in a separate device or to provide separate printed circuit board pads on which to electrically connect the VVM. The binder and thus the VVM can be directly applied to many different types of substrates, such as a rigid FR-4 laminate, a polyimide, a polymer or a multilayer PCB via a process such as screen or stencil printing. In one embodiment, the VVM includes two types of conductive particles, one with a core and one without a core. The VVM can also have core-shell type semiconductive particles.

US Patent:

20090027821, Jan 29, 2009

Filed:

Jul 26, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/828844

Inventors:

James A. Colby - Lombard IL, US
Stephen Whitney - Lake Zurich IL, US
Du Yaosheng - Chaoyang District Beijing, CN

Assignee:

LITTELFUSE, INC. - Des Plaines IL

International Classification:

H02H 5/04

US Classification:

361104

Abstract:

A circuit protection device includes a fuse element placed in parallel with a PTC thermistor layer. The element and PTC thermistor layer are provided on one or more insulating substrate, such as an FR-4 or polyimide substrate. First and second conductors connect the fuse element and PTC thermistor layer electrically in parallel, such that current (i) initially under normal flows mainly through the fuse element and PTC thermistor layer at a lower drop in voltage and (ii) after an opening of the fuse element flows under normal operation through the PTC thermistor layer at a higher drop in voltage.