Battery fuse assembly
First Claim
1. A fuse, comprising:
- a housing defining an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface includes a first terminal and the lower surface includes a second terminal, and wherein the housing, the first terminal and the second terminal define a central opening extending between the upper and lower surfaces, the central opening configured to receive at least one of a terminal of a storage battery and a stud of a mounting plate associated with the storage battery; and
a fusible element having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being engaged to the first terminal and the lower portion being engaged to the second terminal;
the fusible element further comprising a fault element extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, the fault element configured to open an electrical circuit coupled to the storage battery in response to an over-current in the electrical circuit, wherein the fault element is encased within the housing; and
wherein the housing comprises an insulating material configured to contain an arc generated by the fault element in response to the over-current in the electrical circuit, shield the fusible element from ambient particles, and prevent the arc from mixing with such ambient particles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fuse includes a fusible element and a body member encased within a heat-resistant housing. The fusible element is configured to open an electrical circuit coupled to a storage battery in response to an over-current in the electrical circuit. The housing is configured to contain an arc generated by the fusible element in response to the over-current and to shield the arc and the fusible element from ambient particles. Thus, the fuse is ignition protected. The body member includes an insulating material configured to interrupt the arc. The housing includes an opening configured to receive a terminal of the storage battery or a terminal of a mounting plate. An insulating material disposed about a first end of the mounting plate terminal is configured to electrically isolate the fuse and a power supply cable in the electrical circuit from the mounting plate terminal.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A fuse, comprising:
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a housing defining an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface includes a first terminal and the lower surface includes a second terminal, and wherein the housing, the first terminal and the second terminal define a central opening extending between the upper and lower surfaces, the central opening configured to receive at least one of a terminal of a storage battery and a stud of a mounting plate associated with the storage battery; and a fusible element having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being engaged to the first terminal and the lower portion being engaged to the second terminal; the fusible element further comprising a fault element extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, the fault element configured to open an electrical circuit coupled to the storage battery in response to an over-current in the electrical circuit, wherein the fault element is encased within the housing; and wherein the housing comprises an insulating material configured to contain an arc generated by the fault element in response to the over-current in the electrical circuit, shield the fusible element from ambient particles, and prevent the arc from mixing with such ambient particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A fuse, comprising:
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a single piece housing defining a central opening configured to receive at least one of a terminal of a storage battery and a stud of a mounting plate associated with the storage battery, wherein the single piece housing defines an upper surface and a lower surface, and wherein the upper surface includes a first terminal and the lower surface includes a second terminal, the central opening extending through and between the first and second terminals; and a fusible element encased within the single piece housing and comprising a fault element configured to open an electrical circuit coupled to the storage battery in response to an over-current in the electrical circuit, the fault element comprising a layer of electrically non-conductive plastic. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification