Corner-mounted battery fuse

• US 7,663,466 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Jetton, James Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Bradley H
• Application Number:
  US11/902,374
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 337/191, 337/295, 337/283, 337/227, 337/186, 337/187, 361/883, 361/837, 439/620.26, 439/620.27, 439/893
• US Class Current: 337/191
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/025 Structural association with a binding post of a storage battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0555 Input terminal connected to a plurality of output terminals, e.g. multielectrode
• 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: H01R 11/287 Intermediate parts between battery post and cable end piece
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/68 with built-in fuse

Abstract

A fuse device for fitting over and around a corner of a battery housing has a top wall and two side walls extending downward from the top wall. The side walls are joined at a corner. A battery terminal for mechanical and electrical attachment to a battery post is provided in the top wall. Electrical connectors for connection to terminals on the ends of electrical cables are mounted on the side walls of the fuse device. The electrical connectors are linked through the walls to the battery terminal by fuses. Ribs extending down the side walls from the top wall pass close by each electrical connector to strengthen the structure of the fuse device and prevent rotation of the terminals on the ends of the cables as they are secured to the fuse device. Recessed strengthening ribs in the top wall extend radially outward from the battery terminal.

Claims

1. A fuse device for mechanically and electrically attaching electrical cables to a voltage source, the fuse device comprising:

a top wall for fitting against a first top surface of the voltage source;

means mounted to the top wall for electrically connecting the fuse device to the voltage source;

a first side wall arranged to press against a second side surface of the voltage source;

a second side wall arranged to press against a third side surface of the voltage source;

each of the side walls having means on the side wall extending outward from the side wall for making a mechanical and electrical connection with an electrical cable; and

fuses routed within the top wall and each of the side walls of the device electrically linking the means for making a mechanical and electrical connection with an electrical cable to the means for electrically connecting the fuse device with the voltage source.

2. The fuse device of claim 1 wherein the means for making a mechanical and electrical connection with the electrical cable includes at least one threaded stud.

3. The fuse device of claim 1 wherein the means for making a mechanical and electrical connection with the electrical cable includes at least one terminal blade for mating with a connector attached to an end of the electrical cable.

4. The fuse device of claim 1 wherein the voltage source is a battery and the means for electrically connecting the fuse device to the battery is a battery terminal that mounts on a positive battery terminal post of the battery.

5. The fuse device of claim 1 wherein the first side wall is joined to a first edge of the top wall and the second side wall is joined to a second edge of the top wall extending at an angle from the first edge.

6. The fuse device of claim 5 wherein each side wall has a length between the top wall edge and an opposite edge, with ribs extending along the length past the means for making mechanical and electrical connection with the electrical cable.

7. The fuse device of claim 6 further comprising shorter ribs on the side walls directly between the top wall edge and the means for making mechanical and electrical connection with the electrical cable.

8. The fuse device of claim 5 wherein the top wall is surrounded by an outer rim.

9. The fuse device of claim 8 further comprising recessed ribs extending between the means for electrically connecting the fuse device to the voltage source and the outer rim.

10. The fuse device of claim 5 wherein each side wall has a length between the top wall edge and an opposite edge, and the first side wall and the second side wall are joined at a corner along their lengths.

11. A fuse device for mounting on a battery housing, the fuse device comprising:

a top wall;

an attachment means within the top wall for electrically and mechanically securing the fuse device to a battery post;

two side walls extending at a right angle from the top wall, the two side walls being joined together at a single corner, the two side walls and the top wall being sized and configured such that when the top wall rests on a top surface of the battery housing with the attachment means secured to the battery post the two side walls fit against adjacent side surfaces of the battery housing;

at least one fastener protruding outward from each side wall, the at least one fastener being linked by a fusible portion routed through the side walls and top wall to the attachment means, whereby torque from a first electrical cable attachment to the fasteners is distributed to the battery housing; and

a projection on at least one of the side walls, and at least one terminal located within the projection and linked by a fusible portion routed through at least one of the two side walls and top wall to the battery post attachment means, the at least one terminal being positioned for mating with an electrical connector on the end of a second electrical cable inserted into the projection.

12. The fuse device of claim 11 wherein there are multiple fasteners protruding outward from each side wall.

13. The fuse device of claim 12 wherein the multiple fasteners include threaded studs.

14. The fuse device of claim 13 wherein each threaded stud passes through a base contact for the first electrical cable mounted on a surface of the side wall.

15. The fuse device of claim 11 further comprising latch means on the projection for securing the electrical connector within the projection.

16. The fuse device of claim 11 wherein the side walls include ribs extending past the fasteners.

17. The fuse device of claim 11 further comprising an inner channel on each side wall immediately below the top wall for receiving a ledge on the top surface of the battery housing.