Patent Application
20190214213
The disclosure relates generally to the field of protection device components and, more specifically, to a multi-part symmetrical fuse body.
Fuses are overcurrent protection devices for electrical circuitry, and are widely used to protect electrical power systems and prevent damage to circuitry and associated components when specified circuit conditions occur. A fusible element or assembly is coupled between terminal elements of the fuse, and when specified current conditions occur, the fusible element or assembly, disintegrates, melts or otherwise structurally fails, and opens a current path between the fuse terminals. Line side circuitry may therefore be electrically isolated from load side circuitry through the fuse, preventing possible damage to load side circuitry from overcurrent conditions.
Fuses may be single or multiple-element, the later having performance advantages but being more complicated and costly to manufacture. This is due in part to having multiple parts, which requires complicated fixturing and increases the possibility for error. In view of these challenges, improvements in multiple element electrical fuses are desired.
In one approach according to embodiments of the disclosure, a fuse assembly may include a core including a set of fusible elements extending between a first end fitting and a second end fitting, and a housing surrounding the core. The housing may include a first section having a first wall defining a first internal cavity, the first wall including a first slot and a first ridge, and a second section coupled to the first section, the second section having a second wall defining a second internal cavity, and the second wall including a second slot and a second ridge, wherein the first slot engages the second ridge and the second slot engages the first ridge.
In another approach according to embodiments of the disclosure, a fuse may include a core having a set of fusible elements extending between a first end fitting and a second end fitting, and a housing surrounding the core. The housing may include a first section having a first end wall and a first sidewall defining a first internal cavity, the first end wall including a first slot and a first ridge, and a second section coupled to the first section. The second section has a second end wall and a second side wall defining a second internal cavity, the second end wall including a second slot and a second ridge, wherein the first ridge extends into the second slot and the second ridge extends into the first slot.
In yet another approach according to embodiments of the disclosure, a square-body fuse may include a core including a set of fusible elements extending between a first end fitting and a second end fitting, and a housing surrounding the core such that the set of fusible elements are contained within the housing and the first and second end fittings extend partially outside of the housing. The housing may include a first section having a first end wall and a first sidewall defining a first internal cavity, the first end wall including a first slot and a first ridge. The housing may further include a second section coupled to the first section, the second section having a second end wall and a second side wall defining a second internal cavity, the second end wall including a second slot and a second ridge, wherein the first ridge extends into the second slot and the second ridge extends into the first slot.
The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary approaches of the disclosed embodiments so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:
The drawings are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are merely representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the disclosure. The drawings are intended to depict exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, and therefore are not be considered as limiting in scope. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements.
Furthermore, certain elements in some of the figures may be omitted, or illustrated not-to-scale, for illustrative clarity. Still furthermore, for clarity, some reference numbers may be omitted in certain drawings.
Various approaches in accordance with the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, where embodiments of a device and method are shown. The device(s) and method(s) may be embodied in many different forms and are not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided so this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the system and method to those skilled in the art.
For the sake of convenience and clarity, terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “lateral,” and “longitudinal” will be used herein to describe the relative placement and orientation of these components and their constituent parts, with respect to the geometry and orientation of a component of a semiconductor manufacturing device as appearing in the figures. The terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
As used herein, an element or operation recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” are understood as potentially including plural elements or operations as well. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as precluding the existence of additional embodiments also incorporating the recited features.
Furthermore, in the following description and/or claims, the terms “on,” “overlying,” “disposed on” and “over” may be used in the following description and claims. “On,” “overlying,” “disposed on” and “over” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical contact with each other. However, “on,”, “overlying,” “disposed on,” and over, may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other. For example, “over” may mean that one element is above another element but not contact each other and may have another element or elements in between the two elements. Furthermore, the term “and/or” may mean “and”, it may mean “or”, it may mean “exclusive-or”, it may mean “one”, it may mean “some, but not all”, it may mean “neither”, and/or it may mean “both”, although the scope of claimed subject matter is not limited in this respect.
As will be described in detail herein, embodiments of the present disclosure include a fuse assembly including a multi-part symmetrical housing. In some embodiments, the fuse assembly includes a core having a set of fusible elements extending between a first end fitting and a second end fitting, and a housing surrounding the core. The housing may include a first section having a first wall defining a first internal cavity, the first wall including a first slot and a first ridge, and a second section coupled to the first section, the second section having a second wall defining a second internal cavity. The second wall may include a second slot and a second ridge, wherein the first slot engages the second ridge and the second slot engages the first ridge. In some embodiments, the first and second sections define a set of openings for the first and second end fittings to extend therethrough.
The fuse assembly of the present disclosure provides at least the following technical advantages over the prior art. Firstly, the symmetrical halves of the housing join together using significantly fewer parts. For example, the fuse assembly may use up to 16 fewer screws and no outer caps. Secondly, the fuse housing reduces assembly time and improves quality by eliminating the need to handle the core. For example, the core does not need to be moved from station to station and/or fed into the housing from the top. Thirdly, the fuse assembly may provide a cost reduction of approximately 20% (or more) over existing designs due to the reduction in number of parts.
Referring now to
As better shown in
As further shown, the block section 144 includes a perimeter surface 152, wherein a connector element 154 of the set of fusible elements 130 is directly physically/electrically coupled to the perimeter surface 152. In some embodiments, the block section 144 is substantially square shaped, while the end section 150 is substantially circular or tube shaped. Although not limited to any particular material, it will be appreciated that the first and second end fittings 132, 134 are electrically and thermally conductive.
In some embodiments, each of the fusible elements 130 may include a plurality of solid sections 138 joined together by electrically conductive bridges 140, which may include a set of openings provided therebetween. In various embodiments, the solid sections 138 and/or the electrically conductive bridges 140 may have a same or reduced thickness as compared to the connector elements 154. Furthermore, each of the fusible elements 130 may have a bent or curved shape to allow each of the fusible elements 130 to extend parallel, or substantially parallel, to one another between the first and second end fittings 132, 134. Each of the fusible elements 130 may have a portion having a smaller cross-section, and/or an area having a lower melting point, such as tin, silver, lead, nickel, or an alloy thereof. Although not shown, the housing 104 may include a filler adjacent the fusible elements 130.
Turning now to
The first slots 162 and the first ridges 164 are provided to couple the second section 110 to the first section 108. More specifically, the second section 110 may have a pair of second end walls 116A-B at opposite ends of the second sidewall 120, wherein the second end walls 116A-B and the second sidewall 120 define a second internal cavity 170. The pair of second end walls 116A-B may include one or more second slots 172 and one or more second ridges 174. In the embodiment shown, the second slots 172 are generally L-shaped and located on opposite corners of the second section 110 relative to one another. Each of the second slots 172 may include a base surface 175 recessed below a perimeter face 176 extending around the second end walls 116A-B and the second sidewall 120. Similarly, the second ridges 174 are generally L-shaped and located on opposite corners of the second section 110 relative to one another. Each of the second ridges 174 may extend outwardly from the perimeter face 176 and towards the first section 108 of the housing 104. As shown, each of the second end walls 116A-B and the second sidewall 120 have a second inner surface 177 and a second outer surface 178, wherein the second slots 172 and the second ridges 174 extend between the second inner surface 177 and the second outer surface 178. Said another way, a plane defined by the second inner surface 177 and a plane defined by the second outer surface 178 may be oriented parallel, or substantially parallel to the second slots 172 and the second ridges 174.
During coupling of the first section 108 and the second section 110, the first ridge(s) 164 extends into the second slot(s) 172, and the second ridge 174 extends into the first slot 162. The slots and ridges may be dimensioned to fit snugly together. In an exemplary embodiment, the first section 108 and the second section 110 are identical or substantially identical, thus allowing the two halves of the housing 104 to fit together in a complimentary arrangement.
As further shown, the first end walls 112A-B include one or more first opening tabs 180 extending along a perimeter 181 of the first set of openings 122. Similarly, the second end walls 116A-B include one or more second opening tabs 184 extending from a perimeter 185 of the second set of openings 124. As shown in
In some embodiments, the first section 108 and the second section 110 are additionally secured together using one or more of the following non-limiting examples: an epoxy, a strap mechanically binding the halves together, a metal through post that may be inserted and then deforming at its ends, a metal clip or clasp, or by sonic welding. It will be appreciated that other approaches for securing the first section 108 and the second section 110 together are possible within the scope of the present disclosure.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain approaches, numerous modifications, alterations and changes to the described approaches are possible without departing from the sphere and scope of the present disclosure, as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the described approaches, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof. While the disclosure has been described with reference to certain approaches, numerous modifications, alterations and changes to the described approaches are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the described approaches, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.
