Getting the right circuit protection

As connectors get smaller, their pin spacing gets tighter, increasing the opportunity for dirt, dust, water, and other debris to get in between the pins, causing an electrical fault. Such faults can generate high levels of heat which can damage charging cables and the devices being charged, as well as potentially injuring users.

That’s where the new PolySwitch LoRho series surface mount Polymeric Positive Temperature Coefficient (PPTC) devices from Littelfuse can help. They are specifically designed to protect charging cables and connectors from overheating.

Placing a LoRho series PPTC on the connectors Vbus line allows the device to sense the temperature rise and stop the charging process until the contamination is removed. Once the fault is removed, the PPTC automatically resets.

Only the LoRho PPTC combines ultra-low internal resistance, compact size, voltage level, overcurrent and over temperature protection, and resettability, in a single device.

Typical applications including protecting charging cables and connectors, such as micro USB and USB-C. This is important in fast charging applications with higher voltages and currents, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearable devices, cameras, VR head mount displays, and video games consoles.

LoRho PPTCs offer cables and connectors manufacturers some important advantages. The surface mount design is compatible with reflow soldering processes, allowing reduced assembly time and cost versus leaded and strapped devices.

Their compact packages save printed circuit board space and ensure the USB-C plug meets USB IF dimension specifications. They are also well suited for use in fast charging applications.

Find out more in this short video from Littelfuse.

Watch the video here.