Valve arrangement for high voltage fuse

Abstract

A valve arrangement for high voltage fuses permits the atmosphere to be vented into the interior of the fuse when the atmospheric pressure is greater than the interior pressure of the fuse, but restricts venting back out of the fuse when the interior pressure of the fuse is greater than atmospheric pressure thereby tending to maintain a greater than atmospheric pressure on the inside of the fuse to assist in preventing moisture from entering the fuse. The valve arrangement also enhances fuse operation. During the interruption of relatively low current, it functions as a check valve and tends to assist in increasing the internal pressure within the fuse thereby tending to accelerate contact separation. However, at higher current levels the valve arrangement ruptures, releasing the arc gases so that there is not an adverse effect on fuse operation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.