Blade fuse

• US 8,077,007 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Littlefuse Incorporated
• Inventors: Urrea, Julio, Beckert, James J., Bold, Gary M., Oh, Seibang, Scheele, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US12/013,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 337/161, 337/187, 337/292, 337/293, 337/198, D13158-184
• US Class Current: 337/161
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0555 Input terminal connected to a plurality of output terminals, e.g. multielectrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/206 being tappable, e.g. terminals on the fuse or base being arranged so as to permit an additional connector to be engaged therewith
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/0417 with parallel side contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/08 characterised by the shape or form of the fusible member
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/147 Parallel-side contacts

Abstract

A blade fuse includes a first terminal includes an outer edge and an inner edge, the inner edge includes a first portion notched away from the inner edge beneath the first portion; a second terminal includes an outer edge and an inner edge, the inner edge include a second portion notched away from the inner edge beneath the second portion; an element extending from the first portion of the inner edge of the first terminal to the second portion of the inner edge of the second terminal; and a housing covering the element.

Claims

1. A blade fuse comprising:

a first terminal including an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion having a width w₁;

a second terminal including an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion having a width w₂, said upper portion of said second terminal spaced apart from the upper portion of the first terminal to define a first gap G therebetween and the lower portion of the second terminal being spaced apart from the lower portion of the first terminal to define a second gap g, said second gap g being less than the width w₁ of said lower portion of said first terminal, said second gap g being less than the width w₂ of said lower portion of said second terminal;

a fusible element disposed within the gap G between the first and second terminals; and

a projection extending from said lower portion of said first terminal toward said second terminal a distance into the gaps G and g, said projection having a polygonal shape.

2. The blade fuse of claim 1, wherein the width of the first terminal w₁ is narrowed at least 30 percent from the lower portion to the upper portion and the width of the second terminal w₂ is narrowed at least 30 percent from the lower portion to the upper portion to define the gap distance G.

3. The blade fuse of claim 1, wherein the element is at least one of:

(i) curved;

(ii) u-shaped;

(iii) v-shaped; and

(iv) serpentine.

4. The blade fuse of claim 1 wherein the fusible element is disposed completely within the second gap.

5. The blade fuse of claim 1 wherein at least one of said lower portions of said first or second terminals includes a jog that narrows said first or second lower portions to position said housing onto said first and second terminals.

6. The blade fuse of claim 5 wherein said first terminal has an outer edge that extends from said lower portion to said upper portion and said second terminal has an outer edge that extends from said lower portion to said upper portion, said outer edge of said lower portions of said first and second terminals defining a largest width W of said blade fuse wherein the second gap G being at least about 50 percent of the largest nominal width W.

7. The blade fuse of claim 1 wherein the projection is a first projection, said blade fuse comprising a second projection extending from said lower portion of said second terminal a distance toward said first terminal into the second gap.

8. The blade fuse of claim 7 wherein the second projection has a polygonal shape.

9. A blade fuse comprising:

a first terminal including an upper portion having a first width and a lower portion having a second width, said first width being less than said second width;

a second terminal including an upper portion having a first width and a lower portion having a second width, said first width being less than said second width, the lower portion of the second terminal being spaced apart from the lower portion of the first terminal to define a first gap, said first gap being less than the second width of said lower portion of said first terminal, said first gap being less than the second width of said lower portion of said second terminal;

a fusible element connecting the first and second terminals and extending from said upper portion of said first terminal to said upper portion of said second terminal wherein a second gap is defined between the upper portions of the first and second terminals;

a housing covering the element; and

a projection extending from at least one of the lower portions of the first and second terminals a distance into said second gap, said projection having a polygonal shape with a first wall extending from said respective lower portion of said first or second terminal, a second wall extending from said respective lower portion of said first or second terminal and a third wall extending from said first and second walls.

10. The blade fuse of claim 9, the housing open at its bottom surface.

11. The blade fuse of claim 9, further comprising at least one aperture in each of the upper portions of the first and second terminals to retain said housing.

12. The blade fuse of claim 9, wherein the upper portions of the first and second terminals are staked to the housing.

13. The blade fuse of claim 9 wherein said fusible element is completely disposed within said second gap.

14. The blade fuse of claim 9 wherein the fusible element has a first end connected to the upper portion of said first terminal and a second end connected to said upper portion of said second terminal, said fusible element being completely disposed within said second gap.