Electricity: electrothermally or thermally actuated switches – Electrothermally actuated switches – Fusible element actuated
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-29
2001-08-14
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrothermally or thermally actuated switches
Electrothermally actuated switches
Fusible element actuated
C337S186000, C337S231000, C337S252000, C439S620180, C439S893000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275135
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a large current fuse for automobiles to be installed inside a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art A conventional large current fuse
80
for automobiles as shown in
FIGS. 21 and 22
has been disclosed (Japanese Patent Registration No. 2637846).
The conventional large current fuse for automobiles consists of a fuse body
81
including a pair of flat plate portions
82
,
82
formed of a sheet metal by pressing process, an arm portion
83
provided between the flat plate portions
82
and
82
, and a fuse element
84
mounted on the arm portion
83
, to which an upper housing
85
and a lower housing
86
are assembled. The upper and lower housings
85
and
86
are so constructed as to sandwich the fuse body
81
therebetween.
However, there has been a drawback with this conventional large current fuse that a visual observation of the fuse element
84
is impossible, because the fuse element
84
is covered with the upper housing
85
and the lower housing
86
. In case where the lower housing
86
is formed of a transparent resin or a window
86
a
is formed in it, the lower housing
86
has to be positioned above the fuse element
84
. Therefore, it has been inconvenient that assembling direction of the upper housing
85
and the lower housing
86
to the fuse body
81
is restricted.
Moreover, the cost for the assembling work is high because the upper housing
85
and the lower housing
86
are welded to the fuse body
81
, which will incur degradation of productivity of the large current fuse
80
for automobiles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a large current fuse for automobiles in which the fuse element can be visually observed and the assembling direction need not be restricted, and which can be manufactured at a low cost.
In order to attain the above described objects, there is provided according to the present invention, a large current fuse for automobiles comprising a fuse body consisting of a pair of flat plate portions formed of a sheet metal by pressing process, an arm portion bridging the flat plate portions, and a fuse element attached to the arm portion, wherein a first housing member and a second housing member are arranged around the fuse body at an intermediate portion thereof, the first and second housing members being detachably fitted to each other, whereby the fuse element can be entirely covered with the first and second housing members.
According to another feature of the present invention, at least one of the first housing member and the second housing member is formed of a transparent resin, and the fuse element can be visually observed through the one of the housing members.
According to still another feature of the present invention, at least one of the first housing member and the second housing member is provided with a radiation fin.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the first housing member consists of a C-shaped frame body enclosing the fuse element, insertion means respectively formed in a pair of opposing walls of the frame body, and first engaging means provided on a base wall between a pair of the opposing walls, the frame body being introduced in one direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fuse body.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the second housing member consists of a C-shaped cover body which is adapted to be inserted into the frame body, and second engaging means provided on the cover body and adapted to engage with the first engaging means, the cover body being introduced in another direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fuse body.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, positioning cut-outs are formed at four corners of a pair of the flat plate portions at both sides of the arm portion, and third engaging means are provided in the frame body, whereby the first housing member is positioned with respect to the fuse body.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 4608548 (1986-08-01), Borzoni
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patent: 4837546 (1989-06-01), Bernstein
patent: 5229739 (1993-07-01), Oh et al.
patent: 5293147 (1994-03-01), Oh et al.
patent: 5345211 (1994-09-01), Muramatsu et al.
patent: 5416461 (1995-05-01), Totsuka et al.
patent: 5668521 (1997-09-01), Oh
patent: 5745023 (1998-04-01), Totsuka
patent: 5841337 (1998-11-01), Douglass
patent: 5854583 (1998-12-01), Falchetti
patent: 6067004 (2000-05-01), Hibayashi et al.
patent: 4340979 (1994-07-01), None
patent: 9411394 (1994-11-01), None
patent: 2637846 (1997-04-01), None
Hibayashi Yasuko
Matsumura Norio
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Picard Leo P.
Vertman Anatoly
Yazaki -Corporation
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