Method of making a miniature plug-in fuse

Claim 1

A method of making plug-in fuse elements having different desired fuse ratings and each comprising a plug-in element including a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal 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 blade portions and a fuse link portion interconnecting the current-carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing substantially identical blank portions of fuse metal for forming fuse elements of different fuse ratings which blank portions are initially provided with portions of substantially identical reduced thickness and substantially identical width for plug-in fuse elements of different fuse ratings, blanking at least said portions of reduced thickness of each blank portion to leave a pair of spaced confronting general parallel terminal 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 each pair of terminal blade portions, the fuse elements of different ratings being obtained by blanking said longitudinally extending portions of reduced thickness to provide fuse-forming links of substantially different locations between the confronting portions of said current-carrying extensions where the heat dissipation characteristics thereof are substantially different.

Claim 2

A method of making plug-in fuse elements having different desired fuse ratings and each comprising a plug-in element including a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal 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 blade portions and a fuse link portion interconnecting the current-carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing substantially identical blank portions of fuse metal for forming fuse elements of different fuse ratings which blank portions are initially provided with portions of substantially identical reduced thickness and substantially identical width for plug-in fuse elements of different fuse ratings, blanking at least said portions of reduced thickness of each blank portion to leave a pair of spaced confronting general parallel terminal 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 each pair of terminal blade portions, the fuse elements of different ratings being obtained by blanking said longitudinally extending portions of reduced thickness to provide fuse-forming links of substantially different locations between the confronting portions of said current-carrying extensions where the heat dissipation characteristics thereof are substantially different.

Claim 4

The method of making plug-in fuse elements having different desired fuse ratings and each comprising a plug-in element including a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal 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 blade portions and a fuse link portion interconnecting the current-carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing substantially identical blank portions of fuse metal for forming fuse elements of different fuse ratings which blank portions are initially provided with portions of substantially identical reduced thickness and substantially identical width for a variety of desired fuse ratings, blanking said portions of reduced thickness of each blank portion to leave a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal blade portion to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like and confronting current-carrying extensions projecting longitudinally from the inner end portions of each pair of terminal blade portions, the fuse elements of different ratings being obtained by blanking said portions of reduced thickness to provide fuse links of substantially different configurations between the confronting portions of said current-carrying extensions.

Claim 5

The method of making plug-in fuse elements having different desired fuse ratings and each comprising a plug-in element including a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal 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 blade portions and a fuse link portion interconnecting the current-carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing substantially identical blank portions of fuse metal for forming fuse elements of different fuse ratings which blank portions are initially provided with portions of substantially identical reduced thickness and substantially identical width for a variety of desired fuse ratings, blanking said portions of reduced thickness of each blank portion to leave a pair of spaced confronting generally parallel terminal blade portion to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like and confronting current-carrying extensions projecting longitudinally from the inner end portions of each pair of terminal blade portions, the fuse elements of different ratings being obtained by blanking said portions of reduced thickness to provide fuse links of substantially different configurations between the confronting portions of said current-carrying extensions.

Claim 14

A method of making plug-in fuse assemblies having different desired fuse ratings and each comprising a plug-in element including a plate-like body of fuse metal having a pair of spaced terminal blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like, current-carrying extensions at the inner ends of said pairs of terminal blade portions and fuse link portions of reduced thickness interconnecting the current-carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing strips of fuse metal for forming fuse elements of different fuse ratings which strips are initially longitudinally provided throughout the lengths thereof with continuous portions of reduced thickness, sequentially advancing the continuous strips of fuse metal, blanking said portions of reduced thickness to leave at longitudinally spaced intervals in said strip spaced longitudinally extending interconnected pairs of terminal blade portions, and current-carrying extensions interconnected by fuse link portions of reduced thickness, the fuse elements of different ratings being obtained by forming said fuse link portions of different configurations and/or locations along the confronting margins of said pairs of current-carrying extensions, and severing completed plug-in elements from the end of each strip.

Claim 15

A method of making plug-in fuse assemblies having different desired fuse ratings and each comprising a plug-in element including a plate-like body of fuse metal having a pair of spaced terminal blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like, current-carrying extensions at the inner ends of said pairs of terminal blade portions and fuse link portions of reduced thickness interconnecting the current-carrying extensions, said method comprising the steps of providing strips of fuse metal for forming fuse elements of different fuse ratings which strips are initially longitudinally provided throughout the lengths thereof with continuous portions of reduced thickness, sequentially advancing the continuous strips of fuse metal, blanking said portions of reduced thickness to leave at longitudinally spaced intervals in said strip spaced longitudinally extending interconnected pairs of terminal blade portions, and current-carrying extensions interconnected by fuse link portions of reduced thickness, the fuse elements of different ratings being obtained by forming said fuse link portions of different configurations and/or locations along the confronting margins of said pairs of current-carrying extensions, and severing completed plug-in elements from the end of each strip.

Claim 16

The method of making plug-in fuse assemblies having different desired fuse ratings and each comprising a plug-in element including a plate-like body having a pair of spaced terminal blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like, current-carrying extensions at the inner ends of said terminal blade portions and fuse link portions interconnecting the current-carrying extensions, and rigid insulating means interconnecting said current-carrying extensions and with the pair of terminal blade portions thereof extending outwardly from said insulating means, said method comprising the steps of providing strips of fuse metal for forming fuse elements of different fuse ratings which strips are initially longitudinally provided throughout their lengths with continuous portions of substantially identical reduced thickness and substantially identical width regardless of the desired fuse ratings, sequentially advancing the strips of fuse metal, blanking said strips of fuse metal to provide at spaced intervals in said strips longitudinally interconnected blanks containing pairs of laterally spaced terminal blade portions formed outside of said reduced thickness portions interconnected by rigid webs, current-carrying extensions at the ends of said pairs of terminal blade portions at least partially formed externally of said portions of reduced thickness and fuse link portions formed in said portions of reduced thickness, said interconnecting fuse link portions of reduced thickness for the fuse elements of different ratings being obtained by blanking said portions of reduced thickness in said strips of fuse metal which form the differently rated fuse elements so the fuse link portions have substantially different locations and/or configurations, severing the end blanks from the sequentially advanced strips of fuse metal, and anchoring to the current-carrying extensions of each end blank a rigid insulating means with the pair of terminal blade portions of the end blank and the rigid web outside of the insulating means, and blanking the rigid webs of each blank.

Claim 17

The method of making plug-in fuse assemblies having different desired fuse ratings and each comprising a plug-in element including a plate-like body having a pair of spaced terminal blade portions to be received by pressure clip terminals or the like, current-carrying extensions at the inner ends of said terminal blade portions and fuse link portions interconnecting the current-carrying extensions, and rigid insulating means interconnecting said current-carrying extensions and with the pair of terminal blade portions thereof extending outwardly from said insulating means, said method comprising the steps of providing strips of fuse metal for forming fuse elements of different fuse ratings which strips are initially longitudinally provided throughout their lengths with continuous portions of substantially identical reduced thickness and substantially identical width regardless of the desired fuse ratings, sequentially advancing the strips of fuse metal, blanking said strips of fuse metal to provide at spaced intervals in said strips longitudinally interconnected blanks containing pairs of laterally spaced terminal blade portions formed outside of said reduced thickness portions interconnected by rigid webs, current-carrying extensions at the ends of said pairs of terminal blade portions at least partially formed externally of said portions of reduced thickness and fuse link portions formed in said portions of reduced thickness, said interconnecting fuse link portions of reduced thickness for the fuse elements of different ratings being obtained by blanking said portions of reduced thickness in said strips of fuse metal which form the differently rated fuse elements so the fuse link portions have substantially different locations and/or configurations, severing the end blanks from the sequentially advanced strips of fuse metal, and anchoring to the current-carrying extensions of each end blank a rigid insulating means with the pair of terminal blade portions of the end blank and the rigid web outside of the insulating means, and blanking the rigid webs of each blank.