Recyclable fuse capable of reuse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10957508-B2
Application number	US-201716307822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2017
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A recyclable fuse includes a first contact and a second contact, and a current control unit allowing current to flow by electrically connecting the first contact and the second contact with each other when a temperature of the current control unit is less than a predetermined first temperature and preventing the current from flowing by electrically interrupting the first contact and the second contact from each other when the temperature of the current control unit is equal to or more than the predetermined first temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A recyclable fuse comprising:
a first contact and a second contact, wherein current flows through the first contact and the second contact when the first contact and the second contact are electrically connected with each other;
a current control unit configured to:
control the flow of the current by electrically connecting the first contact and the second contact with each other when a temperature of the current control unit is less than a predetermined first temperature,
prevent the current from flowing by electrically interrupting the first contact and the second contact from each other when the temperature of the current control unit is equal to or more than the predetermined first temperature, and
electrically connect the first contact and the second contact to each other again when the temperature of the current control unit is recovered to a temperature less than the predetermined first temperature; and
a bonding portion provided at a contact point between the first contact and the current control unit,
wherein the bonding portion is in a solidified state to maintain the contact between the first contact and the second contact when the temperature of the current control unit is less than a predetermined second temperature, and
wherein the bonding portion is in a softened state when the temperature of the current control unit is equal to or more than the predetermined second temperature, and is re-solidified when the temperature of the current control unit is recovered to a temperature less than the predetermined second temperature after the bonding portion is in the softened state.

2. The recyclable fuse of claim 1 , wherein the current control unit comprises two or more metals having different thermal expansion coefficients, and
wherein the current control unit is configured to be bent toward a metal of the two or more metals having a lower thermal expansion coefficient than another metal of the two or more metals when the temperature of the current control unit is equal to or more than the predetermined first temperature to separate contact between the first contact and the current control unit and to electrically interrupt the first contact and the second contact.

3. The recyclable fuse of claim 1 , wherein the bonding portion includes a material having electrical conductivity.

4. The recyclable fuse of claim 1 , wherein the bonding portion includes a vinyl acetate-based adhesive.

5. The recyclable fuse of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined first temperature is higher than the predetermined second temperature.

6. The recyclable fuse of claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulating unit provided between the first contact and the second contact.

7. The recyclable fuse of claim 1 , wherein the current control unit is formed in a part of the first contact.

8. The recyclable fuse of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of current control units is provided.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Oh Kyuhwan
• Choi Yeonsoon
• Yun Sunwoo
• Hwang Young Ho

Classifications

• H01H37/52 Primary

  actuated due to deflection of bimetallic element · CPC title

• H01H37/002

  combined with protective means · CPC title

• H01H85/36

  Means for applying mechanical tension to fusible member · CPC title

• H01H37/761

  with a fusible element forming part of the switched circuit (H01H37/767 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H85/20

  Bases for supporting the fuse; Separate parts thereof · CPC title