Delayed-fusion fuse

• US 5,546,066 A
• Filed: 08/25/1994
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Kudo, Toshiharu, Kondo, Hiroki, Hanazaki, Hisashi, Totsuka, Mitsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ryan, Stephen T.
• Application Number:
  US08/296,582
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 337/152, 337/160, 337/166, 337/163, 29/623
• US Class Current: 337/163
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/11 with applied local area of a metal which, on melting, forms a eutectic with the main material of the fusible member, i.e. M-effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49107 Fuse making

Abstract

The present invention provides a delayed-fusion fuse by which its predetermined durability can be reliably ensured, and its stable pre-arcing time-current characteristics can be obtained, even when a current exceeding the steady-state current such as a motor lock current frequently flows in the fuse. The delayed-fusion fuse includes a pair of electric connecting sections formed on both sides of a fusible section having a narrow fusing portion made of an electrically conductive metal. Also, the delayed-fusion fuse includes a metallic chip made of low fusing point metal for absorbing heat generated in the fusible section, and a covering and adhering section for holding the metallic chip on the fusible section. A thin metallic layer forms a solid solution with the low fusing point metal, where the solid solution requires an energy of formation which is higher than that of the formation of a solid solution made of the electrically conductive metal and the low fusing point metal. This thin metallic layer is interposed between a surface of the covering and adhering section and a surface of the low fusing point metallic chip. Specifically, the thin metallic layer is provided on a surface of the fusible section in the form of a plating layer.

Claims

1. A delayed-fusion fuse comprising:

a fusible section having a narrow fusion portion made of electrically conductive metal;

a pair of electric connecting sections provided on both sides of said fusible section;

a metallic chip made of low fusing point metal for absorbing heat generated in said fusible section;

a covering and adhering section for holding said metallic chip; and

a thin metallic layer, disposed between a surface of said covering and adhering section made of said electrically conductive metal and a surface of said metallic chip, for increasing the energy of formation of a solid solution, said thin metallic layer including a nickel-plating layer having a thickness between 1 and 10 μ

m,

wherein the energy of formation of a solid solution of said nickel-plating layer and said low fusing point metal of which said metallic chip is made is higher than the energy of formation of a solid solution of said low fusing point metal and said electrically conductive metal of which said fusible section is made.

2. The delayed-fusion fuse according to claim 1, wherein the energy of formation of said solid solution of said nickel-plating layer and said low fusing point metal from said metallic chip is 7 times as high as the energy of formation of said low fusing point metal and said solid solution of said electrically conductive metal of which said fusible section is made.

3. The delayed-fusion fuse according to claim 1, wherein said nickel-plating layer is a metal-plating layer formed on a surface of said covering and adhering section.

4. The delayed-fusion fuse according to claim 2, wherein said nickel-plating layer is a metal-plating layer formed on a surface of said covering and adhering section.

5. The delayed-fusion fuse according to claim 2, wherein said nickel-plating layer is a metal-plating layer formed on a surface of said metallic chip.