Bourns’ Innovative FLAT™ Gas Discharge Tube Technology Provides Robust Circuit Protection for Smaller, Sensitive Electronics Designs

RIVERSIDE, Calif., December 1, 2014 - Bourns, Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of electronic components, today introduced its innovative FLAT™ Gas Discharge Tube (GDT) technology.  Designed as a robust circuit protection solution to meet the challenging requirements of today’s smaller and more sensitive electronics equipment, Bourns’ new FLAT™ GDT technology reduces height and overall volume while maintaining its isolation and current-handling capabilities.  The new compact, space-saving design offers superior surge current ratings, low leakage and insertion loss with constant capacitance regardless of voltage.  The new series features a wide voltage range (90-600 V) and voltage-limiting performance ideally suited to sensitive equipment with minimal impact on signal or system operation.

GDT devices are popular as overvoltage protection solutions due to their extremely low capacitance and low leakage characteristics, along with their high surge current- handling capabilities. These characteristics make GDT devices ideal for use in a wide variety of telecommunications, industrial and non-critical medical equipment designs requiring robust overvoltage protection. Key to a conventional GDT’s ability to handle surge energy and maintain electrical isolation is its overall diameter and length.  Solving the issues of space-constrained applications, the Bourns® FLAT™ GDT technology utilizes a unique isolation pathway design that allows the GDT to be “squeezed” in the axial direction resulting in significantly reduced height and volume as compared to similarly-rated conventional GDTs. 

“While conventional GDT devices provide effective overvoltage protection, they do so at the cost of valuable printed circuit board space.  Bourns’ FLAT™ GDT technology provides the key features and benefits of conventional GDT technology in an innovative volume and space-saving design,” said Kurt Wattelet, product manager at Bourns, Inc. “When compared to a surface mount 8 mm Bourns® GDT, the horizontal mount Bourns® FLAT™ GDT design is reduced in volume by an impressive 75 percent while maintaining the performance of the standard device.”

Pricing and Availability
The Bourns® Model 2015 is available now in flexible mounting options that include horizontal, vertical and bottom side PCB.  As a pricing reference, Model 2015-xx is priced at $.42 each in 1,000 piece quantities. For more information, please see Bourns’ FLAT™ GDT product page.  

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

Bourns® and the Bourns logo are registered trademarks of Bourns, Inc. and may be used only with the permission of Bourns and proper acknowledgement. Other listed names and brands are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.