Fuse and method of forming a fuse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10290458-B2
Application number	US-201615245999-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2016
Priority date	Aug 24, 2016
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments of the fuse include a fuse body having a first end and a second end. A fuse element is disposed within a cavity of the fuse body, an end of the fuse element extending beyond an edge of the fuse body. An arc disc is disposed on the edge of the fuse body, and includes a notch such that the end of the fuse element extends to an outer surface of the arc disc. The end of the fuse element is configured to be folded over the outer surface of the arc disc. An end cap is disposed over the end of the fuse body and the arc disc, and the end cap includes a hole at a top surface. Solder deposited within the hole provides an electrical connection between the arc disc, the fuse element, and the end cap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuse, comprising:
a fuse body having a first end and a second end, and defining a cavity;
a fuse element disposed within the cavity, a first end of the fuse element extending beyond a first edge of the first end of the fuse body;
a first arc disc formed as a flat disc and disposed directly on the first edge of the fuse body, the first arc disc including a notch cut providing a pass-through area for the first end of the fuse element extending beyond the first edge of the first end of the fuse body, wherein the first end of the fuse element is foldable over an outer surface of the first arc disc;
a first end cap disposed over the first end of the fuse body, the first arc disc, and the first end of the fuse element, the first end cap having a hole at a top surface and positioned to expose at least a portion of the first arc disc and the first end of the fuse element such that the first arc disc and the first end of the fuse element are visible under the first end cap; and
a first plug disposed within the cavity at the first edge of the fuse body, wherein the first arc disc is directly disposed on the first plug to cover the first plug and the first edge of the fuse body;
wherein solder deposited within the hole covers the at least the portion of the first arc disc and the first end of the fuse element to provide an electrical connection between the first arc disc, the fuse element, and the first end cap.

2. The fuse of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second end of the fuse element extending beyond a second edge of the second end of the fuse body;
a second arc disc formed as a flat disc and disposed directly on the second edge of the fuse body, the second arc disc including a notch cut providing a pass-through area for the second end of the fuse element extending beyond the second edge of the second end of the fuse body to an outer surface of the second arc disc, wherein the second end of the fuse element is foldable over the outer surface of the second arc disc; and
a second end cap disposed over the second end of the fuse body, the second arc disc, and the second end of the fuse element, the second end cap having a hole at a top surface and positioned to expose at least a portion of the second arc disc and the second end of the fuse element, such that the second arc disc and the second end of the fuse element are visible under the second end cap;
wherein solder deposited within the hole covers the at least the portion of the second arc disc and the second end of the fuse element to provide an electrical connection between the second arc disc, the fuse element, and the second end cap.

3. The fuse of claim 2 , further comprising a second plug disposed within the cavity at the second edge of the fuse body, wherein the second arc disc is directly disposed on the second plug to cover the first plug and the first edge of the fuse body, such that the first and second plugs seal the fuse element in the cavity of the fuse body.

4. The fuse of claim 2 , wherein the outer surface of the first arc disc is coverable by the first end of the fuse element, and the outer surface of the second arc disc is coverable by the second end of the fuse element, to create contact between the fuse element and the first and second arc discs.

5. The fuse of claim 2 , wherein the first and second arc discs are made of a copper material.

6. The fuse of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the fuse element is folded at a substantially 90° angle such that the first end of the fuse element lays substantially flat across the outer surface of the first arc disc.

7. The fuse of claim 1 , wherein the fuse body is made of an insulating material.

8. A fuse, comprising:
a hollow fuse tube;
a fuse element disposed within the hollow fuse tube, ends of the fuse element extending beyond edges of ends of the hollow fuse tube;
plugs disposed within the ends and at the edges of the hollow fuse tube, wherein the plugs secure the fuse element at each end within the hollow fuse tube;
arc discs directly disposed on the edges of the hollow fuse tube and covering the plugs, the arc discs having a notch cut providing a pass-through area for the ends of the fuse element extending beyond the edges of the hollow fuse tube, wherein the ends of the fuse element are foldable across an outer surface of the respective arc disc, and wherein the arc discs are directly disposed on the respective plugs to cover the plugs and the edges of the hollow fuse tube;
end caps covering the respective ends of the hollow fuse tube, plugs, arc discs, and folded ends of the fuse element, the end caps having a hole in a top surface to expose the arc disc and folded end of the fuse element such that the respective arc discs and the folded ends of the fuse element are visible under the end caps; and
solder deposited within the hole of the end caps to cover the respective arc discs and the folded ends of the fuse element such that the respective end caps, arc discs, and folded ends of the fuse element are electrically connected.

9. The fuse of claim 8 , wherein the ends of the fuse element are folded at a substantially 90° angle such that the ends of the fuse element lay substantially flat across the outer surface of the arc discs.

10. The fuse of claim 8 , wherein the respective outer surface of the arc discs are coverable by the respective ends of the fuse element to create contact between the fuse element and the arc discs.

11. The fuse of claim 8 , wherein the hollow fuse tube is made of an insulating material.

12. The fuse of claim 8 , wherein the arc discs are made of a copper material.

13. A method for forming a fuse, comprising:
inserting a fuse element in a cavity of a fuse body, ends of the fuse element extending beyond edges of the respective ends of the fuse body;
assembling arc discs directly on the edges of the fuse body, the arc discs having a notch cut providing a pass-through area for the ends of the fuse element extending beyond the edges of the fuse body;
forming the ends of the fuse element over an outer surface of each arc disc;
attaching end caps over the respective ends of the fuse body and the arc discs, the end caps having a hole at a top surface of the end cap, the hole being positioned to expose at least a portion of the respective arc disc and the formed ends of the fuse element when attached such that the respective arc discs and the formed ends of the fuse element are visible under the end caps;
inserting plugs within the cavity at the respective edges of the fuse body, wherein the respective arc discs are directly disposed on the respective plugs to cover plugs and the edges of the fuse body;
depositing solder in the hole of the end cap to cover the at least the portion of the respective arc discs and the formed ends of the fuse element, such that the end cap, the arc disc, and the formed end of the fuse element at each end of the fuse body are electrically connected.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ends of the fuse element are foldable at a substantially 90° angle such that the ends of the fuse element lay flat across the respective outer surface of the arc disc.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the respective outer surface of the arc discs are coverable by the respective ends of the fuse element to create contact between the fuse element and the arc discs.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the fuse body is made of an insulating material.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the arc discs are made of a copper material.

18. The fuse of claim 6 , wherein th

Assignees

• Littelfuse Inc

Inventors

• Schlaak Michael
• Chennakesavelu Ganesh
• Gonzalez William

Classifications

• H01H85/175

  characterised by the casing shape or form · CPC title

• H01H85/47

  Means for cooling · CPC title

• H01H85/0458

  with ferrule type end contacts · CPC title

• H01H85/38 Primary

  Means for extinguishing or suppressing arc (by powder filling H01H85/18; by mechanical tension applied to fusible member H01H85/36) · CPC title

• H01H69/02

  Manufacture of fuses · CPC title