Touch safe fuse module and holder

• US 5,841,337 A
• Filed: 01/17/1997
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Douglass, Robert Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US08/784,389
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 337/186, 337/198, 337/197, 337/260, 337/264, 337/255, 337/227, 337/268, 337/269, 337/271, 337/290, 337/295, 337/262, 337/241, 337/251, 337/216, 337/208, 337/163, 337/265, 337/168, 337/179, 337/192, 337/206, 337/211, 337/213, 337/222, 361/104, 361/833-835
• US Class Current: 337/198
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/0452 with parallel side contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/203 for fuses with blade type terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/2045 Mounting means or insulating parts of the base, e.g. covers, casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/30 Means for indicating condition of fuse structurally associated with the fuse

Abstract

A safety fuse system includes a safety fuse including a fuse casing having a bottom surface and opposing end surfaces at each end of the bottom surface; a fuse element inside the fuse casing; a pair of electrical contacts connected to the fuse element, the electrical contacts extending through openings in the bottom surface of the fuse casing to an exterior of the fuse casing; the openings being located at a distance from the opposing end surfaces so that the electrical contacts are remote from the opposing ends; a fuse holder including a fuse holder casing having a top surface, the top surface including apertures for receiving the electrical contacts of the safety fuse, the apertures being in alignment with the safety fuse openings when the safety fuse is engaged with the fuse holder; metal contacts within the fuse holder casing for receiving the electrical contacts.

Claims

1. A safety fuse comprising:

a casing having a bottom surface and opposing end surfaces at each longitudinal end of the bottom surface;

a fuse element extending longitudinally inside the casing, the fuse element having its respective ends adjacent the opposing end surfaces of the casing;

a pair of electrical contacts connected to the fuse element, the electrical contacts extending through openings in the bottom surface of the casing to an exterior of the casing;

the openings being located at a distance from the opposing end surfaces so that the electrical contacts are remote from the opposing end surfaces; and

electrical connectors that extend longitudinally within the fuse casing and which connect the respective ends of the fuse element to the electrical contacts.

2. The safety fuse of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts and the fuse element are electrically isolated from the fuse casing.

3. The safety fuse of claim 1, wherein the end surfaces include gripping elements.

4. The safety fuse of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are blade contacts.

7. The safety fuse of claim 1, wherein the fuse element includes a short circuit interruption element and an overload current interruption mechanism arranged in series.

8. The safety fuse of claim 1, wherein the fuse casing is substantially rectangular.

9. The safety fuse of claim 1, further comprising a light tube extending through the casing into an interior portion of the fuse and having an end at a location adjacent the fuse element, and a heat sensitive material fixed to the end, wherein the heat sensitive material turns a different color when exposed to a predetermined temperature.

5. A safety fuse comprising:

a casing having a bottom surface and opposing end surfaces at each longitudinal end of the bottom surface;

a fuse element extending longitudinally inside the casing, the fuse element having its respective ends adjacent the opposing end surfaces of the casing;

a pair of electrical contacts connected to the fuse element, the electrical contacts extending through openings in the bottom surface of the casing to an exterior of the casing;

the openings being located at a distance from the opposing end surfaces so that the electrical contacts are remote from the opposing end surfaces; and

electrical connectors within the fuse casing that connect the respective ends of the fuse element to the electrical contacts;

wherein the electrical contacts extend substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface and the electrical connectors extend substantially parallel to the bottom surface.

6. The safety fuse of claim 5, wherein the openings and the electrical contacts are in a center portion of the bottom surface of the container.

10. A safety fuse system comprising:

a safety fuse including a fuse casing having a bottom surface and opposing end surfaces at each longitudinal end of the bottom surface;

a fuse element extending longitudinally inside the fuse casing;

a pair of electrical contacts connected to the fuse element, the electrical contacts extending through openings in the bottom surface of the fuse casing to an exterior of the fuse casing;

the openings being located at a distance from the opposing end surfaces so that the electrical contacts are remote from the opposing ends; and

electrical connectors that extend longitudinally within the fuse casing and that connect the fuse element to the electrical contacts;

a fuse holder including a fuse holder casing having a top surface, the top surface including apertures for receiving the electrical contacts of the safety fuse, the apertures being in alignment with the safety fuse openings when the safety fuse is engaged with the fuse holder;

metal contacts within the fuse holder casing for receiving the electrical contacts.

11. The safety fuse system of claim 10, wherein the fuse casing and the fuse holder casing are substantially rectangular.

12. The safety fuse system of claim 10, wherein the electrical contacts and the fuse element are electrically isolated from the fuse casing.

13. The safety fuse system of claim 10, further comprising dovetail slots on the fuse holder casing for interconnecting a plurality of fuse holder casings.

14. The safety fuse system of claim 10, further comprising a din rail connector on the fuse holder casing for attaching the fuse holder casing to a DIN rail.

15. The safety fuse system of claim 10, wherein the end surfaces include gripping elements.

16. The safety fuse system of claim 10, wherein the electrical contacts are blade contacts.

17. The safety fuse system of claim 10, the fuse element having its respective ends adjacent the opposing end surfaces of the casing, and further comprising electrical connectors within the fuse casing that connect the respective ends of the fuse element to the electrical contacts.

19. The safety fuse system of claim 10, wherein the fuse element includes a short circuit interruption element and an overload current interruption mechanism arranged in series.

20. The safety fuse system of claim 10, further comprising a light tube extending through the casing into an interior portion of the fuse and having an end at a location adjacent the fuse element, and a heat sensitive material fixed to the end, wherein the heat sensitive material turns a different color when exposed to a predetermined temperature.

18. A safety fuse system comprising:

a safety fuse including a fuse casing having a bottom surface and opposing end surfaces at each longitudinal end of the bottom surface;

a fuse element extending longitudinally inside the fuse casing;

a pair of electrical contacts connected to the fuse element, the electrical contacts extending through openings in the bottom surface of the fuse casing to an exterior of the fuse casing;

the openings being located at a distance from the opposing end surfaces so that the electrical contacts are remote from the opposing ends; and

electrical connectors that connect the fuse element to the electrical contacts;

a fuse holder including a fuse holder casing having a top surface, the top surface including apertures for receiving the electrical contacts of the safety fuse, the apertures being in alignment with the safety fuse openings when the safety fuse is engaged with the fuse holder;

metal contacts within the fuse holder casing for receiving the electrical contacts;

wherein the openings and the electrical contacts are in a center portion of the bottom surface of the container.

21. A safety fuse system comprising:

a safety fuse including a fuse casing having a bottom surface and opposing end surfaces at each longitudinal end of the bottom surface;

a fuse element having a first and a second ends, and extending longitudinally inside the fuse casing;

a pair of electrical contacts connected to the fuse element, the electrical contacts extending substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface through openings in the bottom surface of the fuse casing to an exterior of the fuse casing;

the openings being located at a distance from the opposing end surfaces so that the electrical contacts are remote from the opposing ends; and

electrical connectors that extend substantially parallel to the bottom surface and that connect the fuse element to the electrical contacts so that the first and the second ends of the fuse element are closer to the opposing end surfaces of the fuse casing than the electrical contacts;

a fuse holder including a fuse holder casing having a top surface, the top surface including apertures for receiving the electrical contacts of the safety fuse, the apertures being in alignment with the safety fuse openings when the safety fuse is engaged with the fuse holder;

metal contacts within the fuse holder casing for receiving the electrical contacts.

22. The safety fuse system of claim 21, wherein the electrical contacts are in a center portion of the bottom surface of the fuse casing.