US4023265A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making a miniature plug-in fuse
Assignee: Littelfuse Inc
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Filing: 1976-06-02
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Granted: 1977-05-17
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Expires: 1996-06-02
Abstract
Abstract A method is disclosed for making a plug-in fuse assembly like that disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,767, granted Sept. 30, 1975 for Miniature Plug-In Fuse. The method comprises the steps of providing a blank of fuse metal which is initially provided throughout its length with a continuous central portion of reduced thickness, blanking the blank of fuse metal to form a pair of laterally spaced coplanar terminal forming blade portions which are interconnected by a transverse web of reduced thickness, coplanar current carrying extensions thereof and an interconnecting fuse-forming link portion of reduced thickness located in a coplanar plate-like body of a plug-in fuse element, inserting over said blank a synthetic plastic housing by way of an opening at the inwardly facing side thereof with the current carrying extensions of the blank and the interconnecting fuse-forming link portion of reduced thickness within the housing and with the pair of terminal blade portions of the blank, which are interconnected by the transverse web of reduced thickness, extending outwardly from the housing element through the opening therein, securing said blank in the synthetic plastic housing, and blanking the exposed transverse web of reduced thickness interconnecting the terminal blade portions to complete the formation of the coplanar plate-like body having a pair of laterally spaced coplanar terminal portions of the plug-in fuse assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Avinash P. Aryamane
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 13:16
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H69/00; H01H69/02; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49107; Y10T29/49789; Y10T29/49798
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
The method of making a plug-in fuse element including a plate-like body of fuse metal having a pair of terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals in a mounting panel, current carrying extensions at the inner end portions of the pair of terminal forming blade portions and a fuse-forming link portion interconnecting the current carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing a blank of fuse metal which is initially longitudinally provided throughout its length with a continuous portion of reduced thickness, blanking said blank of fuse metal to leave a pair of juxtaposed, spaced, terminal forming blade portions and current carrying extensions thereof on opposite sides of said portion of reduced thickness, said blanking operation forming in said portion of reduced thickness a fuse-forming link interconnecting said current carrying extension.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
The method of making a plug-in fuse element including a plate-like body of fuse metal having a pair of terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals in a mounting panel, current carrying extensions at the inner end portions of the pair of terminal forming blade portions and a fuse-forming link portion interconnecting the current carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing a blank of fuse metal which is initially longitudinally provided throughout its length with a continuous portion of reduced thickness, blanking said blank of fuse metal to leave a pair of juxtaposed, spaced, terminal forming blade portions and current carrying extensions thereof on opposite sides of said portion of reduced thickness, said blanking operation forming in said portion of reduced thickness a fuse-forming link interconnecting said current carrying extension.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the reduced portion of the blank of fuse metal and, hence, the thickness of the fuse-forming link of the plug-in element, is selectively varied and controlled to provide plug-in fuse assemblies with desired fuse ratings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the continuous portion of reduced thickness throughout the length of the blank of fuse metal is reduced by a step including milling.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the continuous portion of reduced thickness througout the length of the blank of fuse metal is reduced by a step including decreasing the thickness from both sides of the blank.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the continuous portion of reduced thickness throughout the length of the blank of fuse metal is reduced by a step including decreasing the thickness from one side only of the blank.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step including decreasing the thickness from one side only of the blank comprises milling said one side only of the blank with the other side of the blank being flat.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein there is connected between said current carrying extensions a body of insulating material forming a hand grippable surface and a rigid interconnection between said current carrying extensions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said insulating body extends in spaced relation about said fuse-forming link to form a housing therefor.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
259 words
The method of making a plug-in fuse assembly comprising a plug-in element including a plate-like body of fuse metal having a pair of terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like, current carrying extensions at the inner end portions of the pair of terminal forming blade portions and a fuse-forming link interconnecting the current carrying extensions, and insulating means secured to the plate-like body with the pair of terminal forming blade portions thereof extending outwardly therefrom, said method comprising the steps of providing a blank of fuse metal which is initially longitudinally provided throughout its length with a continuous portion of reduced thickness, blanking said portion of reduced thickness of said blank of fuse metal to leave a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal forming blade portions and current carrying longitudinal extensions thereof on opposite sides of what was said portion of reduced thickness, said blanking forming in said portion of reduced thickness a relatively fragile fuse-forming link interconnecting said current carrying extensions and a web interconnecting said terminal forming blade portions, said web being of sufficient width to form a rigid interconnection between said terminal forming blade portions, securing between said current carrying extensions insulating means forming a rigid interconnection therebetween with the pair of terminal blade portions of the blank, which are interconnected by the web of reduced thickness, extending outwardly from the insulating means, and blanking the exposed web of fuse metal of reduced thickness interconnecting the terminal blade portions to complete the formation of the plug-in fuse assembly.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
259 words
The method of making a plug-in fuse assembly comprising a plug-in element including a plate-like body of fuse metal having a pair of terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like, current carrying extensions at the inner end portions of the pair of terminal forming blade portions and a fuse-forming link interconnecting the current carrying extensions, and insulating means secured to the plate-like body with the pair of terminal forming blade portions thereof extending outwardly therefrom, said method comprising the steps of providing a blank of fuse metal which is initially longitudinally provided throughout its length with a continuous portion of reduced thickness, blanking said portion of reduced thickness of said blank of fuse metal to leave a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal forming blade portions and current carrying longitudinal extensions thereof on opposite sides of what was said portion of reduced thickness, said blanking forming in said portion of reduced thickness a relatively fragile fuse-forming link interconnecting said current carrying extensions and a web interconnecting said terminal forming blade portions, said web being of sufficient width to form a rigid interconnection between said terminal forming blade portions, securing between said current carrying extensions insulating means forming a rigid interconnection therebetween with the pair of terminal blade portions of the blank, which are interconnected by the web of reduced thickness, extending outwardly from the insulating means, and blanking the exposed web of fuse metal of reduced thickness interconnecting the terminal blade portions to complete the formation of the plug-in fuse assembly.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
181 words
The method of making a plug-in fuse assembly comprising a plug-in element including a plate-like body of fuse metal having a pair of terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals in a mounting panel, current carrying extensions at the inner end portions of the pair of terminal forming blade portions and a fuse-forming link interconnecting the current carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing a continuous strip of fuse metal initially longitudinally provided throughout its length with a continuous portion of reduced thickness, sequentially advancing the continuous strip of fuse metal, blanking said continuous strip of fuse metal to provide at spaced intervals in said strip longitudinally interconnected blanks each containing a pair of spaced terminal forming blade portions and current carrying extensions thereof on opposite sides of said portion of reduced thickness of the strip of fuse metal, said blanking operation forming for each interconnected blank within said portion of reduced thickness a fuse-forming link interconnecting said current carrying extensions thereof, and severing the end blank from the sequentially advanced strip of fuse metal.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
181 words
The method of making a plug-in fuse assembly comprising a plug-in element including a plate-like body of fuse metal having a pair of terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals in a mounting panel, current carrying extensions at the inner end portions of the pair of terminal forming blade portions and a fuse-forming link interconnecting the current carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing a continuous strip of fuse metal initially longitudinally provided throughout its length with a continuous portion of reduced thickness, sequentially advancing the continuous strip of fuse metal, blanking said continuous strip of fuse metal to provide at spaced intervals in said strip longitudinally interconnected blanks each containing a pair of spaced terminal forming blade portions and current carrying extensions thereof on opposite sides of said portion of reduced thickness of the strip of fuse metal, said blanking operation forming for each interconnected blank within said portion of reduced thickness a fuse-forming link interconnecting said current carrying extensions thereof, and severing the end blank from the sequentially advanced strip of fuse metal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
95 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said blanking operation also forms for each longitudinally interconnected blank within said portion of reduced thickness thereof a web extending between said terminal forming blade portions, which web is of sufficient width to form a rigid interconnection between said terminal forming blade portion, securing between said current carrying extensions of each end blank insulating means forming a rigid interconnection therebetween, with said terminal forming blade portions and web located externally of said insulating means, and blanking the exposed web of each end blank after application of said insulating means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said insulating means extends in spaced confining relation about the associated fuse-forming link to form a housing therefor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the thickness of the reduced portion of the continuous strip of fuse metal and, hence, the thickness of the fuse-forming link of the plug-in element is selectively varied and controlled to provide plug-in fuse assemblies with desired fuse ratings.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the continuous portion of reduced thickness throughout the length of the strip of fuse metal is reduced by a step including milling.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the continuous portion of reduced thickness throughout the length of the strip of fuse metal is reduced by a step including decreasing the thickness from both sides of the strip.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the continuous portion of reduced thickness throughout the length of the strip of fuse metal is reduced by a step including decreasing the thickness from one side only of the strip.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the step including decreasing the thickness from one side only of the strip comprises milling said one side only of the strip with the other side of the strip being flat.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of making a plug-in fuse element comprising a plug-in element including a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like, a pair of confronting current carrying extensions projecting longitudinally from the inner ends of the pair of terminal forming blade portions and a fuse-forming link portion interconnecting the current carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing a sheet-like blank of fuse metal initially provided within the longitudinal margins thereof with a longitudinally extending portion of reduced thickness extending the full length of the blank, blanking said portion of reduced thickness to leave on opposite sides thereof a pair of spaced confronting general parallel terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals of the like and confronting current carrying extensions projecting longitudinally from the inner end portions of said terminal forming blade portions, and a fuse-forming link formed in said portion of reduced thickness extending between the confronting portions of said current carrying extensions.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of making a plug-in fuse element comprising a plug-in element including a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like, a pair of confronting current carrying extensions projecting longitudinally from the inner ends of the pair of terminal forming blade portions and a fuse-forming link portion interconnecting the current carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing a sheet-like blank of fuse metal initially provided within the longitudinal margins thereof with a longitudinally extending portion of reduced thickness extending the full length of the blank, blanking said portion of reduced thickness to leave on opposite sides thereof a pair of spaced confronting general parallel terminal forming blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals of the like and confronting current carrying extensions projecting longitudinally from the inner end portions of said terminal forming blade portions, and a fuse-forming link formed in said portion of reduced thickness extending between the confronting portions of said current carrying extensions.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-05-16 | 1980-11-15 | 1981-05-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-05-16 | 1984-11-15 | 1985-05-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-05-16 | 1988-11-15 | 1989-05-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |