High-voltage high-breaking-capacity fuse

• US 5,880,664 A
• Filed: 02/25/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fritz Driescher KG Spezialfabrik Fur Elektrizitatswerksbedarf GmbH & Co.
• Original Assignee: Fritz Driescher KG Spezialfabrik Fur Elektrizitatswerksbedarf GmbH & Co.
• Inventors: Hollmann, Fritz, Kluth, Ilona, Grote, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US08/806,277
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 337/158-165, 337/168-181, 337/3-6, 337/229, 337/274, 337/292, 337/293, 337/148-151, 337/244, 337/267, 337/144, 337/154, 337/162, 337/401, 361/104, 361/103
• US Class Current: 337/159
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2201/12 Shape memory
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0004 making use of shape-memory material
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0258 Structural association of a fuse or a fuse holder with a bimetallic element
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/042 General constructions or structure of high voltage fuses, i.e. above 1000 V
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/36 Means for applying mechanical tension to fusible member
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/38 Means for extinguishing or suppressing arc by powder filling H01H85/18; by mechanical tension applied to fusible member H01H85/36

Abstract

A quick-break fuse including at least one fuse link formed as a fusible eent, a mechanical actuator operatively connected with the fuse link for disconnecting the same, an energy accumulator for actuating the mechanical actuator, a tripping wire for actuating the energy accumulator and which melts through as a result of transfer of current thereto caused by a voltage drop at a first melting within the fuse link-forming fusible element, and a meltable element connected with the energy accumulator for actuating the same upon being melted by heat generated in response to an excessive current which flows therethrough.

Claims

1. A quick-break fuse for use in a medium-voltage range and a low-voltage range, comprising:

at least one fuse link formed as a fusible element;

mechanically operating means for disconnecting the fuse link and including a mechanical actuator operatively connected with the fuse link for disconnecting the same, and an energy accumulator for actuating the mechanical actuator;

electrically operating means for disconnecting the fuse link in the medium-voltage range and including a tripping wire for actuating the energy accumulator upon being melted through, the tripping wire melting through as a result of transfer of current thereto caused by a voltage drop at a first melting are within the fuse link-forming fusible element; and

thermally operating means for disconnecting the at least one fuse link in the low-voltage range and including a meltable element connected with the energy accumulator for actuating the same upon being melted by heat generated in response to an excess current which flows therethrough, wherein the tripping wire is formed as a resistance-indicator wire connected substantially in parallel with the fusible element.

2. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fusible element is provided with a plurality of seriesly connected constriction.

3. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fusible element is wound on an insulating member.

4. A fuse as claimed in claim 3, wherein the insulating member has a form of a star-shaped carrier for the fusible element and is provided with grooved webs.

5. A fuse as claimed in claim 4, comprising a plurality of fusible elements wound in parallel and lying in the grooves.

6. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fusible element is embedded in silica sand.

7. A fuse as claimed in claim 2, wherein the constrictions are formed as holes.

8. A fuse as claimed in claim 2, wherein the constrictions are formed as notches.

9. A fuse as claimed in claim 2, wherein disconnection of the fusible element takes place in parallel and simultaneously at at least some of the constrictions.

10. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy accumulator comprises a preloaded spring, and the meltable element comprises a retaining wire which releases the preloaded spring for actuating the mechanical actuator.

11. A fuse as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retaining wire is formed as one of a resistance wire and an indicator wires.

12. A fuse as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retaining wire is wound parallel to the fusible element.

13. A fuse as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retaining wire runs through an internal channel in a star-shaped fusible element carrier.

15. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy accumulator comprises a spring.

24. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the melting element is formed as a selective solder joint.

25. A fuse as claimed in claim 24, wherein the solder joint consists of an eutectic alloy.

26. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuse has opposite contact caps, and the energy accumulator is located in at least one of the contact caps.

27. A fuse as claimed in claim 26, further comprising a blocking mechanism located in at least one of the contact caps.

28. A fuse as claimed in claim 26, wherein the mechanical actuator comprises at least one of a pull rod and a push rod.

29. A fuse as claimed in any one of claim 26, wherein the mechanical actuator comprises a cylindrical rod.

30. A fuse as claimed in claim 28, wherein the at least one of the pull rod and the push rod has slits through which the at least one fusible element extends.

31. A fuse as claimed in claim 29, wherein the cylindrical rod has slits through which the at least one fusible element extends.

32. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanical actuator comprises a rod directed parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuse.

33. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanical actuator comprises a rod acted on, directly or indirectly by the energy accumulator.

34. A fuse as claimed in claim 27, wherein the blocking mechanism comprises a lever linkage which is held in a blocking position by a retaining wire.

35. A fuse as claimed in claim 34, wherein the retaining wire is connected at one end to the tripping wire and at its opposite end to the meltable element which is formed as a selective solder joint.

36. A fuse as claimed in claim 34 wherein the mechanical actuator comprises a rod which cooperates with the lever linkage.

37. A fuse as claim in claim 34, wherein the retaining wire holds the lever linkage in a working position against a prestress of the energy accumulator.

38. A fuse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy accumulator comprises at least one compression spring.

39. A fuse as claimed in claim 34, wherein the lever linkage comprises two levers which are pivotally mounted at respective one ends thereof and which have opposite ends thereof connected with each other.

40. A fuse as claimed in claim 39, wherein the levers are of unequal lengths.

41. A fuse as claimed in claim 39, wherein the energy accumulator comprises a rod ( which engages a longer lever and the retaining wire engages a shorter lever.

42. A fuse as claimed in claim 41, wherein the rod engages the longer lever nearer to a mounting end thereof than to a free end thereof, and the retaining wire engages free end of the shorter lever.

43. A fuse as claimed in claim 27, wherein the mechanical actuator comprises a rod having one of its opposite ends connected to the blocking mechanism, and another of its opposite ends connected to a pivotally mounted mounting plate acted upon by the energy accumulator.

44. A fuse as claimed in claim 43, wherein the energy accumulator and the mounting plate are accommodated in one of the contact caps and the blocking mechanism is accommodated in another of the contact caps.

45. A fuse as claimed in claim 43, wherein the energy accumulator and the blocking mechanism are accommodated in the same contact cap.

46. A fuse as claimed in claim 45, wherein the blocking mechanism has only one lever pivotally mounted at one end thereof.

47. A fuse as claimed in claim 46, wherein a retaining wire engages a free end of the lever for holding the lever in a blocking position.

48. A fuse as claimed in claim 47, wherein the energy accumulator engages the lever between the retaining wire and the rod linked to the lever.

49. A fuse as claimed in claim 48, wherein the lever is formed as a mounting plate.

50. A fuse as claimed in claim 34, wherein at least some of pivotable parts of the linkage are mounted on a wall of the cap.

51. A fuse as claimed in claim 34, wherein the retaining wire is looped around an end of a lever of the lever linkage.

52. A fuse as claimed in claim 51, wherein the retaining wire is secured to the lever by one of a partial turn, at least one round turn, a loop, and an eyelet.

14. A fuse as claimed in 1, wherein the energy accumulator is located at an end of a star-shaped fusible element carrier.

16. A fuse as claimed in claim 14, wherein the mechanical actuator is formed as a rod extending substantially parallel to the webs of the star-shaped fusible element carrier which engages with points on the at least one fusible element which are substantially aligned along a length of the fusible element carrier.

17. A fuse as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rod is formed a shearing rod.

18. A fuse as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rod is formed a torsion rod.

19. A fuse as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rod is one of mounted on a web and replacing a web of the star-shaped fusible element carrier.

20. A fuse as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rod is mounted between two webs of the star-shaped fusible element carrier.

21. A fuse as claimed claim 16, wherein the rod is mounted in an axis of the star-shaped fusible element carrier.

22. A fuse as claimed in claim 18, wherein the torsion rod has one of holes and slits (11) through which the at least one wound fusible element extends.

23. A fuse as claimed in claim 18, wherein the torsion rod is formed as a longitudinally divided torsion rod which receives aligned points of the at least one fusible element between its parts.