Exothermically assisted arc limiting fuses

A fuse comprising:

• a housing;
• a current carrying strip of metal comprising a fuselink enclosed in said housing, each end of said strip of metal extends through the housing;
• at least one exothermic material that, upon ignition, severs said metal strip and causes at least one segment of said severed metal strip to be propelled;
• and
• an arc chute enclosed in said housing, said arc chute configured so that upon severance of said fuselink, a portion of said fuselink is located in proximity to said arc chute along a path of movement of said severed fuselink when said fuselink segment is propelled by said exothermic material.

A fuse comprising:

• a housing;
• a current carrying strip of metal comprising a fuselink enclosed in said housing, each end of which electrically extends through the housing as an electrical connection,
• at least one first section of said metal strip for severing upon predetermined fault conditions;
• at least one second section of said metal strip, distanced from said first section;
• at least one third section of said metal strip, said third section positioned between said first section and said second section, wherein said third section is more rigid than said second section;
• and
• at least one exothermic source that substantially upon severance of said metal strip at said first section is ignited and causes at least one segment of said severed metal strip to be propelled about said second section.