Chip fuse

• US 5,726,620 A
• Filed: 06/02/1995
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SOC Corporation (Oregon Tool Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SOC Corporation (Oregon Tool Incorporated)
• Inventors: Arikawa, Hiroo
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US08/459,770
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 337/186, 337/290, 337/297, 337/231, 337/234, 337/227
• US Class Current: 337/227
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/0418 with ferrule type end contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/157 Ferrule-end contacts

Abstract

A chip fuse is disclosed which includes a hollow insulating body and a fusible element extending through the body the respective ends thereof being engaged with end portions of the body. Two terminals are fitted onto the end portions of the body. Each terminal includes a projection for fixing the terminal to the end portion of the body. The body may include two grooves into which respective projections are fitted.

Claims

1. A chip fuse, comprising:

a body comprising a heat-resistant and insulating material, said body having a pair of spaced opposite quadrangular end surfaces, side surfaces extending from and between said pair of quadrangular end surfaces, a through-bore defined in and extending through said body between said pair of end surfaces, and at least two grooves, one of said at least two grooves being provided on one of said side surfaces adjacent to one of said end surfaces and extending in a direction substantially parallel to said end surfaces, and an other of said at least two grooves being provided on one of said side surfaces adjacent to the other of said end surfaces and extending in a direction substantially parallel to said end surfaces;

an elongated fusible element having a length greater than the length of said through-bore, said fusible element being disposed within and extending through said through-bore in said body, said fusible element having end portions that each extends along and in contact with one of said end surfaces and one of said side surfaces of said body; and

a pair of conductive terminal members fitted onto respective corresponding ones of said pair of end surfaces of said body so as to electrically connect to respective ones of said end portions of said fusible element, each one of said pair of terminal members comprising a quadrangular wall having an inner face that opposes the respective corresponding one of said pair of end surfaces of said body, side walls that extend at an angle from the periphery of said quadrangular wall of said terminal member and cover said side surfaces of said body adjacent to the corresponding one of said pair of end surfaces, and a projected member on only one of said side walls and fitted into a corresponding one of said at least two grooves of said body;

wherein said projected member comprises an extension of the only one of said side walls of each said conductive terminal member, said extension being bent inwardly into a U-shaped configuration.

2. The chip fuse of claim 1, wherein said extension having a U-shaped configuration includes portions forming legs of a U-shape and a central portion forming the base of a U-shape connected with the legs, thus forming a channel that faces outwardly and extends parallel to said quadrangular wall.

4. The chip fuse of claim 2, wherein said extension having a U-shaped configuration includes portions forming legs of a U-shape and a central portion forming the base of a U-shape connected with the legs, thus forming a channel that faces outwardly and extends parallel to said quadrangular wall.

3. A chip fuse, comprising:

a body comprising a heat-resistant and insulating material, said body having a pair of spaced opposite quadrangular end surfaces, side surfaces extending from and between said pair of quadrangular end surfaces, a through-bore defined in and extending through said body between said pair of end surfaces;

an elongated fusible element having a length greater than the length of said through-bore, said fusible element being disposed within and extending through said through-bore in said body, said fusible element having end portions that each extends along and in contact with one of said end surfaces and one of said side surfaces of said body; and

a pair of conductive terminal members fitted onto respective corresponding ones of said pair of end surfaces of said body so as to electrically connect to respective ones of said end portions of said fusible element, each one of said pair of terminal members comprising a quadrangular wall having an inner face that opposes the respective corresponding one of said pair of end surfaces of said body, side walls that extend at an angle from the periphery of said quadrangular wall of said terminal member and cover said side surfaces of said body adjacent to the corresponding one of said pair of end surfaces, and a projected member on only one of said side walls, said projected member frictionally contacting a corresponding one of said side surfaces of said body and fixing said conductive terminal member to said body;

wherein said projected member comprises an extension of the only one of said side walls of each said conductive terminal member, said extension being bent inwardly into a U-shaped configuration.