Fuse box

• US 6,934,164 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Higuchi, Eiji, Shimada, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuneo, Kamand
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S.
• Application Number:
  US10/615,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 361/833, 361/752, 361/797, 361/642, 439/621, 439/763, 439/522
• US Class Current: 361/833
• 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

Abstract

A fuse box includes a lower cover and an upper cover mounted on an intermediate case to form a box. A large-capacity fuse having an input terminal and an output terminal projecting in substantially opposite directions from one side surface of a body of the fuse is accommodated sidelong in the box within the lower cover and the upper cover to make a height of the fuse small. This makes the fuse box compact. The fuse box may be directly mounted on a battery by fixedly mounting it to an upwardly projecting batter post. An input-side bus bar to be accommodated in the box and the input terminal are fixed to each other with a screw, with one end of the input-side bus bar overlapping the input terminal. An output-side bus bar to be accommodated in the box and the output terminal are fixed to each other with a screw, with one end of the output-side bus bar overlapping the output terminal. A connection piece rigidly mounts the fuse box to the battery post.

Claims

1. A fuse box, comprising:

an intermediate case;

a lower case mounted on the intermediate case;

an upper case mounted on the intermediate case;

a large capacity fuse having an input terminal and an output terminal, the fuse also having long and short sides housed within the fuse box with the short sides being approximately perpendicular to the upper case and the lower case to reduce the overall height of the fuse box;

an input-side bus bar abutting and connected to the input terminal; and

an output-side bus bar abutting and connected to the output terminal.

2. The fuse box according to claim 1, wherein the fuse box is mountable on an upper surface of a battery having a battery post, the fuse box further comprising a battery terminal fittable on the battery post and connected to the input terminal through the input-side bus bar.

3. The fuse box according to claim 2, wherein the input terminal rigidly connects with the battery terminal and the battery post of the battery so as to fix the fuse box to the battery and also form an electrical connection.

4. The fuse box according to claim 1, wherein the input terminal and the output terminal project from a side surface of the fuse in substantially opposite directions substantially parallel with the upper case.

5. The fuse box according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower case lock with one another;

the upper case has a first and second half that are divided by a hinge, the first half forming a lid that releasably attaches to the lower case.

6. The fuse box according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate case is formed from a nylon-based resin and the upper case and the lower case are formed from polypropylene.

7. A battery fuse according to claim 1, wherein the battery terminal is accommodated in the fuse box and a circular arc portion of the battery terminal is exposed to the outside of the fuse box and fittable onto the battery post, the circular arc portion and the fastening pieces being tightenable by the bolt and nut to fix the fuse box onto the battery.

8. A battery fuse according to claim 1, wherein the battery fuse, the input side bus bar and the output side bus bar are fixedly accommodated on the intermediate case.