Subminiature fuse
AssigneeCooper Industries, Inc.
InventorsLeon Gurevich, Vernon Spaunhorst
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A subminiature fuse is disclosed comprising two terminals, a substrate, a fusible conductor, and a unitary housing. The unitary housing is sealed and provides increased mechanical strength, thus reducing the risk of a catastrophic failure of the fuse. The upper portion of the fuse terminals are shaped into finger like projections adaptable to mechanically fastening the fusible conductor and the substrate thereto thus facilitating the manufacturing process. In one embodiment the fusible conductor and adjacent portions of the terminals and substrate are coated with a ceramic coating or adhesive. The housing is sealed by ultrasonic welding or preferably in an insert molded plastic enclosure which is substantially devoid of air.
Claims26
An electrical circuit protector which is adapted to be inserted into a printed circuit board, comprising:
- (a) a first terminal and a second terminal each having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- (b) insulating means having two ends for electrically and thermally insulating said first terminal from said second terminal and for holding said first terminal and said second terminal in substantially parallel relationship and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said top portions of said first terminal and said second terminal being disposed intermediate the ends of said insulating means;
- (c) a fusible conductor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal and supported on said insulating means, the combination of said insulating means, said fusible conductor, and the portions of said first terminal and said second terminal defining an assembly;
- (d) an electrically insulative material coating said assembly;
- and
- (e) unitary one piece enclosure means for housing said assembly.
A method of manufacturing a subminature fuse, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning two blade type terminals generally parallel to one another, each of said terminals having an upper portion and a lower portion with said upper portions having a pair of fingers;
- (b) assembling a ceramic substrate between said two fingers on an upper portion of each of said blade type terminals such that the blade type terminals are oppositely disposed along an edge of said ceramic substrate;
- (c) connecting a fuse conductor between said blade type terminals so as to form an assembly;
- and
- (d) enclosing said assembly in a one piece housing.
An electrical circuit protector which is adapted to be inserted into a printed circuit board, comprising:
- (a) a first terminal and a second terminal each having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- (b) insulating means having two ends for electrically and thermally insulating said first terminal from said second terminal and for holding said first terminal and said second terminal in substantially parallel relationship and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said top portions of said first terminal and said second terminal being disposed intermediate the ends of said insulating means, wherein said top portion of said first terminal comprises a plurality of fingers which are disposed in a fork-like configuration and which are adapted to receive said insulating means and to position said first terminal with respect to said insulating means;
- (c) a fusible conductor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal and supported on said insulating means, the combination of said insulating means, said fusible conductor, and the portions of said first terminal and said second terminal defining an assembly;
- and
- (d) unitary one piece enclosure means for housing said assembly.
An electrical circuit protector which is adapted to be inserted into a printed circuit board, comprising:
- (a) a first terminal and a second terminal each having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- (b) insulating means having two ends for electrically and thermally insulating said first terminal from said second terminal and for holding said first terminal and said second terminal in substantially parallel relationship and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said top portions of said first terminal and said second terminal being disposed intermediate the ends of said insulating means;
- (c) a fusible conductor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal and supported on said insulating means, the combination of said insulating means, said fusible conductor, and the portions of said first terminal and said second terminal defining an assembly;
- (d) unitary one piece enclosure means for housing said assembly wherein said unitary enclosure means is in the form of a box-like structure comprising two oppositely disposed pair of faces, defining a generally rectangular opening, said two pair of faces, one of said pair of faces having V-shaped notches which are oppositely disposed to each other, said opening defining two lips which are oppositely disposed from each other and which are disposed adjacent to each other for sealing said opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.