Bourns Announces Three New Komatsulite Series of Mini-Breaker Overtemperature/Overcurrent Protectors for Battery-Operated Electronics

Komatsulite™ Mini-breakers Innovatively Combine a Fuse with Bi-metal and PTC in a Single Package

RIVERSIDE, Calif., July 23, 2015 - Bourns, Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of electronic components, today announced that Komatsulite, a recently-acquired Bourns company, has released three new model series of mini-breaker overtemperature and overcurrent protectors. The Komatsulite™ Model LC Series, HC Series and NR Series A-Type mini-breakers are designed to control abnormal, excessive current virtually instantaneously to help prevent heat issues or fires in lithium polymer and prismatic cell-based batteries.  Offered in a wide range of temperature options, the mini-breakers are optimized protection solutions for a diverse variety of battery-operated consumer electronics including notebook PCs, tablets, digital cameras, smartphones and mobile phones.

“Komatsulite has a long, proven history of developing mini-breaker technology to meet the overtemperature and overcurrent protection needs of battery-powered applications. Our mini-breakers innovatively combine a bi-metal fuse and a polymeric positive temperature coefficient (PTC) device in one package, providing several advantages over either technology on its own,” said Yoichi Yoshimura, President at Komatsulite. “With multiple temperature options available and our thorough in-line inspection of trip temperature, reset temperature and impedance before shipping make the new Komatsulite™ mini-breaker series a source of highly reliable battery cell protection for overcurrent and overtemperature threats.” 

The Model LC Series, HC Series and NR Series A-Type mini-breakers are available now and are RoHS* compliant. The three new Komatsulite™ mini-breaker series complement Bourns’ extensive portfolio of PTC resettable fuses and TBU® high-speed protectors for overcurrent protection as well as its wide range of overvoltage protectors such as TVS diodes, TISP® thyristors, multilayer varistors and gas discharge tubes (GDTs).

About Komatsulite
Komatsulite is a Bourns company headquartered in Osaka, Japan.  The company is a leader in the field of safety devices for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Komatsulite’s innovative mini-breaker devices enable long battery life, high current draw and fast recharge, while providing an effective mechanism to protect against overtemperature and overcurrent conditions.

About Bourns
Bourns, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and supplier of position and speed sensors, circuit protection solutions, magnetic components, microelectronic modules, panel controls and resistive products. Headquartered in Riverside, California, USA, Bourns serves a broad range of markets, including automotive, industrial, consumer, communications, non-critical life support medical, audio and various other market segments. Additional company and product information is available at www.bourns.com.

*RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC Jan. 27, 2003 including annex and RoHS Recast 2011/65/EU June 8, 2011.
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