Patent Application
20120289086
The present disclosure relates to fuses and more particularly to a serviceable, weathertight inline AC fuse holder.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In some examples, it may be desirable to apply an inline fuse to the AC wire harness of an electric automobile. In these examples, the fuse must be sealed from the elements and have provisions for mounting existing AC fuse assemblies are not intended for automotive use. As a result, they pose many shortcomings regarding sealing and packaging.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
An inline fuse holder for housing a fuse that electrically connects first and second wire terminals is provided. The inline fuse holder can generally include a cannulated fuse holder housing having a cylindrical inner periphery. The fuse holder housing can have a first end that defines a first opening, and a second end that defines a second opening. The first and second ends comprise first locking features. A first wire connector includes a connector housing that defines a through bore. The connector housing can have a boss configured to be received by the first opening of the fuse holder housing. The first wire connector further includes a second locking feature that is configured to selectively lock with one of the first locking features in the installed position. A seal member can be disposed around the boss and is configured to sealably connect the circular inner periphery of the fuse holder housing in the installed position. The wire terminal is configured to extend at least partially in the through bore and electrically mate with the fuse such that the fuse is maintained in a weathertight chamber within the fuse holder housing.
According to additional features, the first wire connector can further comprise a locking door having a third locking feature. The locking door can be configured to rotate between an open position wherein the wire terminal is selectively passed into the through bore and a closed position wherein the third locking feature is configured to selectively couple with a fourth locking feature formed on the connector housing. The wire terminal can include a collar that is selectively received into the connector housing. The collar can have a greater outer dimension than an opening formed through the locking door. The locking door can capture the collar within the connector housing in the closed position.
According to still other features, the third locking feature can comprise a pair of opposing locking tabs each having an opening therein. The fourth locking feature can comprise a pair of corresponding first tangs that are configured to locate at least partially into the respective openings of the locking tabs in the closed position. The first tangs can each include a first ramp that is configured to progressively deflect the locking tabs until the first tangs locate at least partially into the respective openings of the locking tabs in the closed position. The first locking features can comprise a pair of opposing locking ears each having an opening therein.
In some examples, the second locking features can comprise a pair of corresponding second tangs that are configured to locate at least partially into the respective openings of the locking ears in the installed position. The second tangs can each include a second ramp that is configured to progressively deflect the locking ears until the second tangs locate at least partially into the respective openings of the locking ears in the installed position.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
With initial reference to
The fuse holder housing 18 is generally cannulated and can include a generally rectangular exterior periphery 40 and a cylindrical inner periphery 42. The cylindrical inner periphery 42 can be configured to slidably accept the fuse 12. The fuse holder housing 18 can generally include a first end 50 and a second end 52. The first end 50 can define a first opening 54 and the second end 52 can define a second opening 55. In one example, the first and second openings 54 and 55 can be collinear. The first end 50 can further comprise a pair of locking ears 56 that can extend generally parallel from each other. The locking ears 56 each define an opening 58 therein. Similarly, the second end 52 can include another pair of locking ears 60 that each have openings 62 formed therein. The locking ears 56 and 60 each provide first locking features 66 on the fuse holder housing 18. In one example, and as will be appreciated herein, the first locking features 66, and the fuse holder housing 18 as a whole can be formed of a rigid lightweight material that allows the locking ears 56 and 60 to first deflect generally outwardly, such as during coupling with the wire connectors 20 and 22, and subsequently return to an original position.
With reference now to
The connector housing 70 can further include a locking door 80 that is generally movably coupled to the connector housing 70 and movable between an open position (
The locking tabs 84 can generally cooperate to provide a third locking feature 100. The first pair of tangs 90 can cooperate to provide a fourth locking feature 102. As will become appreciated, the third and fourth locking features 100 and 102 are configured to selectively and releasably lock. The connector housing 70 further includes a second locking feature 106 provided by the second pair of tangs 94. The second locking features 106 are configured to selectively and releasably connect with the first locking features 66 on the fuse holder housing 18.
The locking door 80 is movable from an open position, as shown in
The wire assembly 30 will now be described in greater detail. It will be appreciated that the wire assembly 32 can be constructed similarly to the wire assembly 30, therefore only description of the wire assembly 30 will be described herein. The wire assembly 30 generally comprises a wire 120, a collar 122, and a wire terminal 124. The wire terminal 124 can be configured with a geometry that is configured to electrically mate with the blade terminal 14 on the fuse 12. The collar 122 generally comprises a pair of recesses 130 and a plurality of raised portions 132. The collar can be formed of resilient material. As can be appreciated, the geometry of the collar 122 will be provided such that it cooperates with the inner surface 136 provided on the through bore 72 of the connector housing 70. The collar 132 can partially compress to facilitate a seal. Such an interface can provide a weathertight seal. Similarly, the geometry of the O-ring 78 and boss 74 can be configured such that an interface between the O-ring 78 and the circular inner periphery 42 of the fuse holder housing 18 can also provide a weathertight seal.
Turning now to
Once the second tangs 94 engage the locking ears 56, the respective ramps 92 will urge the locking ears 56 generally outwardly as shown in
The configuration of the inline fuse holder 10 of the present teachings is particularly advantageous in that the fuse 12 can be easily serviceable while at the same time be provided in a weathertight chamber 140 (
The fuse holder housing 18 can include the connectors 36. The connectors 36 can be in the form of slats or other geometries that can accept couplers such as Christmas trees that can allow for connection to other components. The connectors 36 can also take the form of bayonet style connectors that will permit the ganging up of multiple fuse holders in a row where appropriate.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
