Patent ID: 7079368

Claim:
An electrical resource device with overcurrent protection comprising: a semiconductor element for controlling a flow of current supplied by an electrical resource via wiring; a current detecting portion for detecting the current flowing in the wiring; and a current restriction portion for restricting the current to a level below a predetermined overcurrent restriction threshold while permitting the current to continue to flow by controlling the semiconductor element when the current detected by the current detecting portion exceeds the predetermined overcurrent restriction threshold; and a threshold determination portion for determining the overcurrent restriction threshold, the threshold determination portion including a threshold changing circuit for changing an overcurrent restriction threshold from a first threshold to a second threshold, and a delay circuit for outputting a delay signal to change the overcurrent restriction threshold from the first threshold to the second threshold, the threshold determination portion determining the first threshold as the overcurrent restriction threshold until the delay circuit outputs the delay signal to the threshold changing circuit when a second predetermined time (T 2 ) elapses after the electrical resource device is operative, the second threshold being lower than the first threshold and becoming the overcurrent restriction threshold after the second predetermined time elapses; wherein the predetermined overcurrent restriction threshold is defined based on a relationship between time and a destruction current amount by which the wiring may be destroyed, and is determined to be under the destruction current.