Tdk Corporation

Shichiro Adachi

Sho Kotani

A soldering iron is heated by electric resistance heating elements comprising barium titanate PTC thermistors. The soldering iron has an elongated copper bit with a cone shaped bit tip and an elongated back body having a generally rectangular cross section coupled to the bit tip. A pair of flat PTC thermistor heater assemblies sandwich the back body of the bit and are in thermal contact therewith. The heater assemblies are pressed against the back body of the bit with spring contact. A hand-grip is coupled with the bit. The total contact area S.sub.1 between the PTC thermistor heater assemblies and the back body is in the range from 1.0 cm.sup.2 to 25 cm.sup.2 and the transverse cross sectional area S.sub.2 of the back body is in the range from 0.1 cm.sup.2 to 3.0 cm.sup.2.

Electric soldering iron having a PTC heating element

A soldering iron is heated by an electric resistance heating element comprising a PTC thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient. The soldering iron has an elongated bit of copper with a cone shaped bit tip and a cylindrical back portion coupled with said bit tip. The back portion has a pair of arms and a slit between the arms for accepting the heating element with spring contact whereby the arms operate not only to transfer the heat to the tip, but also to fix the heating element in the slit tightly. The PTC thermistor is made mainly of Barium-titanate and has the additive of a small amount of calcium for improving the withstand voltage of the thermistor so that a commercial power supply can supply the power directly to the soldering iron. The total contact area S.sub.1 between the PTC thermistor and the back body being from 1.0 cm.sup.2 to 25 cm.sup.2 and the transverse cross sectional area S.sub.2 of the back body which contacts the thermistor being from 0.1 cm.sup.2 to 3.0 cm.sup.2.

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Tokyo, Japan

Shichiro Adachi