PTC circuit protection device comprising mechanical stress riser

摘要

A circuit protection device in which a PTC element made from a PTC composition includes or has at a boundary thereof a mechanical stress riser. The device will be tripped by, and provide reversible protection against, a first set of fault conditions, and will also provide protection at least one time against a second, more severe, set of fault conditions which cause physical disruption of the device and which cause the device to have a substantially infinite resistance. Devices of the invention are useful in protecting against relatively high voltages.