Accessory fuse connector

• US 5,154,640 A
• Filed: 04/09/1991
• Issued: 10/13/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George H. Chen, Steven R. Maheux
• Original Assignee: George H. Chen, Steven R. Maheux
• Inventors: Chen, George H., Maheux, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US07/683,445
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 439/621, 439/622, 337/187, 337/188, 337/255
• US Class Current: 439/620.29
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/206 being tappable, e.g. terminals on the fuse or base being arranged so as to permit an additional connector to be engaged therewith
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/205 Electric connections to contacts on the base
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/055 co-operating with sockets having a rectangular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/68 with built-in fuse

Abstract

An accessory fuse connector is provided that attaches to a fuse housing and provides electrical communication between the fuse and the original vehicle circuitry. Attachment legs secure the connector to the fuse housing and function to position an elongated contact arm over an exposed part of the fuse circuitry. The arm has an end tab and/or projection that contacts the exposed part so that current may be transmitted back through the arm and connector to an accessory connector tab. The desired accessory can then be operated by wiring it to the connector tab. When the connector is used in association with a blade or plastic sheathed fuse, a nonconductive spacer is attached to the connector body to enhance attachment and prevent a short circuit.

Claims

1. An accessory fuse connector for a fuse having an insulative housing securing a pair of contact elements connected by a fusible conductor with a fuse contact part in electrical communication with said contact elements, comprising:

a connector body with means for conducting electricity having an upper side and an underside and a front end and a back end;

means extending from said body for attaching the connector to said insulative housing;

a contact arm having electrical conductive means extending from said body to an extension means for making electrical contact with said fuse contact part when the connector is attached to said insulative housing, said extension means comprising a member or combination of members selected from the group consisting of a contact projection and an end tab;

a spacer means attached to said connector body, said spacer means comprising a nonconductive spacer body that extends below the underside of said connector body a predetermined distance, said spacer body and end tab being spaced-apart a distance less than the length of said housing; and

,

an accessory connector means for providing electrical communication with said connector body and an electrical accessory device.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein said insulative housing has a predetermined length and said contact arm extends outwardly from said front end to a distal end portion a distance less than said predetermined length.

3. The connector of claim 1 wherein said end tab extends downwardly from the terminus of said distal end portion a distance sufficient to engage said fuse contact part.

4. The connector of claim 3 wherein said end tab terminates at a bottom contact edge.

5. The connector of claim 1 wherein said contact projection comprises an indentation of said contact arm.

6. The connector of claim 1 wherein said spacer means is releasably secured to said connector body with a spacer attachment means.

7. The connector of claim 6 wherein said connector body includes a spacer attachment opening and said spacer means includes a tapered peg member that extends through said opening and forms a frictional engagement with said opening.

8. An electrical connector assembly for attachment to a vehicle fuse, said fuse having contact elements secured to an insulative housing which encloses a fusible conductor, said housing including an accessible fuse contact part in electrical communication with said contact elements, comprising:

a connector body having an integral contact arm extending axially from said body to an end tab for making electrical contact with said fuse contact part, said connector body, contact arm and end tab in electrical communication with each other;

a spacer means attached to said connector body, said spacer means comprising a nonconductive spacer body that extends below an underside of said connector body a predetermined distance, said spacer body and end tab being spaced-apart a distance less than the length of said housing;

an attachment leg extending downwardly from each opposing side of said body, each leg having oppositely facing clamping portions which coact to frictionally engage said insulative housing; and

,

accessory connector means extending from said connector body for providing electrical communication with said connector body and an electrical accessory device.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said connector body has a back edge and said accessory connector means comprises a male connector tab integral with said connector body and is bent upwardly from said back edge.

10. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said attachment legs are mirror images of each other and bow outwardly from said connector body to a crease line and then extend inwardly to a bottom bend from which each of said clamping portions incline inwardly.

11. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said insulative housing comprises a thin polygonal-shaped plastic wafer, said contact elements comprise two flat blades extending coextensively from a bottom end of the wafer and said fuse contact part comprises an upper part of either one or both of said blades which are exposed by respective openings in a top end of said wafer;

said end tab having a contact edge that enters one of said openings and electrically engages a respective said upper part when said clamping portions engage said wafer.

12. The assembly of claim 11 including an opening in said connector body;

said spacer means comprising a spacer body having an axially extending peg member forming a frictional engagement with said opening.

13. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said insulative housing comprises an elongated plastic body with a central groove containing said fusible conductor, said conductor interconnecting contact elements comprising contact tips which are located at opposing ends of said body, said fuse contact part comprising exposed portions of said fusible conductor adjacent an end of said body;

said end tab having a contact edge that engages said conductor when said clamping portions are in frictional engagement with said elongated plastic body.

14. An accessory fuse connector in combination with a fuse having a tubular glass housing of predetermined length which is enclosed at each end by a conductive end cap having an outer face, each of said end caps being interconnected by a fusible conductor, comprising:

a connector body having means extending from said body in frictional engagement with said glass housing for holding said body against said glass housing;

a contact arm extending axially from said body to a downturned end tab, said end tab abutting said outer face of one of the end caps, said connector body, contact arm and end tab in electrical communication with each other;

an electrically conductive contact projection extending downwardly into abutment with said one end cap from an underside of said arm adjacent said end tab; and

,

accessory connector means extending from said connector body for providing electrical communication with said connector body and an electrical accessory device.

15. The connector of claim 14 wherein said contact projection comprises an indentation of said arm.