The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 27, 1988
Filed:
Mar. 05, 1984
Jerry Herrin, Santa Ana, CA (US);
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention generally provides a thermally-activated, shorting-diode switch whose composite diode structure possesses a non-operationally-alterable junction path, and whose diode shorting is effectuated by temperature-sensitive companion elements. The diode structure includes a semiconductor diode element to which associated first and second lead substructures are both unalterably connected. When activated by the increased temperatures experienced by the diode structure upon conduction, the shorting elements establish a direct, diode-bypass connection between the lead substructures. In a first more-specific embodiment, the shorting mechanism encompasses a solder preform which melts and flows over the diode structure when conduction-interval temperatures are generated. A second more-specific embodiment alternatively employs a temperature-responsive deformation mechanism which upon activation deflects a cantilevered segment of the first lead into diode-bridging contact with a companion segment of the second lead.