Protective cover and fuse box

• US 6,576,838 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2002
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumura, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Hung V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US10/091,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20020134572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 174/66, 174/67, 174/50, 174/138.F, 174/135, 439/522, 439/621, 439/763, 439/521, 439/202, 439/904, 429/65, 162/60, 162/61, 162/66, 220/241, 220/242, 220/3.2, 220/4.02
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/025 Structural association with a binding post of a storage battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/044 General constructions or structure of low voltage fuses, i.e. below 1000 V, or of fuses where the applicable voltage is not specified H01H85/046 - H01H85/048 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/2045 Mounting means or insulating parts of the base, e.g. covers, casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/284 comprising means for preventing corrosion, e.g. covers, enclosures filled with gel

Abstract

A side wall 58 of a fuse unit 52 is provided with a guide groove 59 positioned close to a rotating portion 31 and a concave portion 60 positioned apart from the rotating portion 31. The guide groove is constituted by a wide portion 59a having an inclined guide face 59c and a narrow portion 59b extended in a closing direction successively to the wide portion. A groove wall surface linking the wide portion and the narrow portion is set to be a position regulating face 59d for a guide rib 25. Internal surfaces of side walls 22b and 22c of a second cover 21 constituting a protective cover 10 are provided with the guide rib to enter the guide groove and a locking convex portion 26 to be engaged with the concave portion, and an internal surface of an upper wall 22a of the second cover is provided with a position regulating rib 27 to abut on the upper part of the fuse unit. The locking convex portion and the position regulating rib are provided in the same plane which is orthogonal to both side walls of the second cover.

Claims

1. A fuse box comprising:

a fuse element having a plurality of fuses formed therein;

a fuse unit including a resin body having the fuse element provided therein;

a protective cover comprising a first cover for covering the fuse unit and a second cover linked to the first cover through a rotating portion, the second cover being openable by setting the rotating portion to be a center of rotation;

a guide groove provided in the fuse unit and positioned close to the rotating portion when the cover and fuse unit are attached;

a concave portion, the guide groove and the concave portion being provided within a side wall of the fuse unit; and

a guide rib for entering the guide groove and a locking convex portion to be engaged with the concave portion, said guide rib and said locking convex portion being provided on an internal surface of a side wall of the second cover.

2. The fuse box according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position regulating rib to abut on an upper part of the fuse unit being protruded from an internal surface of an upper wall of the second cover.

3. The fuse box according to claim 1, wherein the guide groove is defined by a wide portion having an inclined guide face and a narrow portion extended in a closing direction successively to the wide portion.

4. The fuse box according to claim 2, wherein the locking convex portion and the position regulating rib lie in the same plane which is orthogonal to both side walls of the second cover.

5. The fuse box according to claim 3, further comprising:

a groove wall surface linking the wide portion to the narrow portion corresponding to a position regulating face for the guide rib.

7. The protective cover according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position regulating rib to abut on an upper part of the fuse unit protruded from an internal surface of an upper wall of the second cover.

6. A protective cover comprising:

a first cover for covering a fuse unit connected to a battery post;

a second cover linked to the first cover through a rotating portion, the second cover being openable by setting the rotating portion to be a center of rotation;

a guide rib provided on an internal surface of a side wall of the second cover and receivable in a guide groove of a side wall of the fuse unit; and

a locking convex portion receivable in a concave portion of the side wall of the fuse unit, the locking convex portion being provided on the internal surface of the side wall of the second cover.

8. A protective cover comprising:

a first cover for covering an upper portion of a fuse unit connected to a battery post;

a second cover linked to the first cover through a hinge portion, the second cover being openable by setting the hinge portion to be a center of rotation;

a connecting portion provided successively to the hinge portion, and the hinge portion and the connecting portion provided in lower positions than an upper wall of the first cover and an upper wall of the second cover.

9. The protective cover according to claim 8, wherein the connecting portion is connected integrally with the second cover.

10. The protective cover according to claim 8, wherein the hinge portion is formed in a lower position than an upper surface of a bulged portion provided around the battery post.

11. The protective cover according to claim 8, further comprising:

a first inclined wall provided between the hinge portion and the first cover;

a second inclined wall provided between the connecting portion and the second cover, and both of the inclined walls abutting to regulate an opening angle of the second cover.

12. The protective cover according to claim 11, wherein the first inclined wall and the connecting portion form an obtuse angle.

13. The protective cover according to claim 8, wherein the hinge portion is formed to have a smaller thickness than that of the connecting portion.

14. The protective cover according to claim 8, wherein the hinge portion is provided between two parallel stud bolts of the fuse unit.