Electrical fuse component and method of using same

An electrical connection of an electrical article and an electrical fuse component for protecting electrical circuit paths of said article, comprising:

• an electrical article having .eta. electrical circuit paths where .eta. is an integer greater than one, each of said paths having a design in-service electrical current-carrying capability and each of said paths having a spaced pair of path contact means adjacent a respective path discontinuity, said pairs of path contact means being arranged proximate such other;
• and
• an electrical fuse component including a housing means and 2.eta. contacts secured therein arranged in .eta. pairs associated with said .eta. circuit paths of said article, each pair having opposed spaced contact sections electrically bridged by a respective fuse element and extending into cavity means of said housing means and spaced from surfaces thereof, each of said .eta. pairs of contacts having a pair of outer contact means extending outwardly of said housing means and electrically engaged with an associated said pair of path contact means whereby said pair of fuse-bridged contacts completes the circuit of the associated said circuit path;
• each said fuse element having characteristics selected to provice a design in-service current-carrying capability and to melt upon receipt of an excessive electrical current whereby each said fuse element completes the electrical circuit of the associated said circuit path during normal in-service use, and breaks said electrical circuit by opening upon the occurrence of an excessive electrical current, thus protecting said circuit paths;
• and
• at least one of said electrical circuit paths has a different selected current-carrying capability from at least another of said electrical circuit paths, and a corresponding at least one said fuse element has characteristics different from at least another said fuse element associated with said at least another electrical circuit path, enabling melting due to different levels or durations of excessive electrical currents, or both.

An electrical component mountable to an electrical article to complete a plurality of circuit paths thereof, and removable therefrom, comprising:

• a plurality of pairs of opposing contact means, each pair associated with a circuit path of said article, each of said contact means having an outer contact section matable to a corresponding contact means on said article and further having an inner contact section spaced from the inner contact section of the other of said contact means;
• a fuse element associated with each said pair of contact means mechanically and electrically secured to and between said inner contact sections thereof;
• and
• housing means secured to said plurality of pairs of contact means and including dielectric means at least adjoining said contact means, said housing means having cavity means such that said inner contact sections of said pairs of contact means extend thereinto spaced from surface portions of said housing means.

A method of making an electrical component mountable to an electrical article to complete a plurality of circuit paths thereof comprising the steps of:

• selecting a plurality of contact means having inner and outer contact sections in an arrangement of opposing pairs where the inner contact sections of each pair of contact means are spaced and proximate each other;
• molding a dielectric housing to said plurality of contact means with said inner contact sections extending into cavity means of the housing and said outer contact means extend outwardly from said housing;
• and
• securing a fuse element to respective said inner contact sections of each said pair of contact means.