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US 9,196,445 B2Granted
Electric fuse with torque restricting terminals
AssigneeCooper Technologies Company
InventorRobert Stephen Douglass
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electrical fuses include slip fit terminal elements coupled to the ends of a fuse element. The terminal elements may rotate relative to the fuse element ends as the fuses are bolted to circuit conductors and protect the fuse element from being damaged.
Claims35
An electrical fuse configured to be fastened to a circuit conductor with a bolt, the electrical fuse comprising:
- a housing;
- a fuse element secured within the housing and having an end provided with a first through hole;
- and
- a terminal element coupled to the fuse element at the end, the terminal element projecting from the housing and provided with a second through hole;
- wherein the first through hole and the second through hole are aligned with one another;
- and
- wherein the terminal element is rotatable relative to the end of the fuse element when the bolt is extended through the aligned first and second through holes, thereby mechanically isolating the end of the fuse element from torque applied to the bolt to fasten the fuse to the circuit conductor.
4 more elements
An electrical fuse comprising:
- a housing;
- a fuse element within the housing and having opposing first and second ends;
- and
- a first and second terminal element coupled to the fuse element at the respective first and second ends, the first and second terminal element projecting from the housing and each having freedom to move relative to the respective first and second ends and also freedom to move relative to the housing when the fuse element is secured within the housing;
- wherein when the first and second terminal elements are subjected to an applied torque to fasten the fuse to a circuit conductor, the first and second terminal elements are movable and thereby restrict a transmission of the applied torque on the first or second terminal element to the first or second ends of the fuse element;
- and
- wherein the first and second terminal elements each include a pair of notches, and wherein the housing defines a clearance adjacent the respective notches of the first and second terminal elements.
4 more elements
An electrical fuse comprising:
- a substantially rectangular housing comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, opposing side walls, and opposing end walls;
- a fuse element secured within the housing and having opposing first and second ends, each of the opposing first and second ends provided with a first through hole configured to be fastened to a circuit conductor;
- and
- a first and second terminal element coupled to the fuse element at the respective first and second ends, each of the first and second terminal elements provided with a second through hole and a pair of notches;
- wherein each end wall of the housing defines a clearance adjacent the respective notches of the first and second terminal elements and wherein the first through hole of each of the first and second ends of the fuse element is aligned with the second through hole of each of the first and second terminal element;
- and
- wherein each of the first and second terminal element respectively projects from one of the opposing end walls of the housing and has a degree of freedom to move within the clearance relative to each end wall of the housing and the respective first and second end of the fuse element, thereby restricting a transmission of an applied torque on the first or second terminal element to the first or second ends of the fuse element when a fastener is extended through the aligned first and second through holes and the fuse element is fastened to the circuit conductor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.