Subminiature fuse

Claim 2

An electrical circuit protector which is adapted to be inserted into a printed circuit board, comprising: (a) a first terminal and a second terminal each having a top portion and a bottom portion; (b) insulating means having two ends for electrically and thermally insulating said first terminal from said second terminal and for holding said first terminal and said second terminal in substantially parallel relationship and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said top portions of said first terminal and said second terminal being disposed intermediate the ends of said insulating means; (c) a fusible conductor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal and supported on said insulating means, the combination of said insulating means, said fusible conductor, and the portions of said first terminal and said second terminal defining an assembly; (d) an electrically insulative material coating said assembly; and (e) unitary one piece enclosure means for housing said assembly.

Claim 3

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said insulative material comprises ceramic.

Claim 4

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said unitary enclosure means comprises epoxy.

Claim 5

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said unitary enclosure means is formed from molded plastic.

Claim 6

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said insulative material comprises an adhesive.

Claim 7

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 4, wherein said unitary enclosure means comprises a plastic housing, which is substantially devoid of air.

Claim 8

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said top portion of said first terminal comprises a plurality of fingers which are disposed in a fork-like configuration and which are adapted to receive said insulating means and to position said first terminal with respect to said insulating means.

Claim 9

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said insulating means has at least one aperture intermediate said two edges such that a portion of said conductor crosses over said aperture in said insulating means.

Claim 10

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said bottom portions of said first terminal and said second terminal are flat and define two ends.

Claim 11

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said bottom portion of said first termial includes stop means, projecting from said bottom portion at a predetermined distance from one end of said first terminal for limiting the distance said first terminal and said second terminal can be inserted into a printed circuit board.

Claim 12

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure means has integrally molded plastic stand off means for limiting the distance that said first terminal and said second terminal can be inserted into a printed circuit board.

Claim 13

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said insulating means comprises a ceramic substrate.

Claim 14

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 12, wherein said insulating means has a general box-like rectangular shape.

Claim 15

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said edges of said insulating means are coated with a metal to facilitate soldering of said first terminal and second terminals thereto.

Claim 16

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said fusible conductor is connected to said first terminal and said second terminal by soldering.

Claim 17

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of said unitary enclosure means is substantially rectangular originally having one opened end and sealed around assembly.

Claim 18

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 16, wherein said unitary enclosure means is made of a plastic material.

Claim 19

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said unitary enclosure means is in the form of a box-like structure comprising two oppositely disposed pair of faces, defining a generally rectangular opening, said two pair of faces, one said pair of faces having V-shaped notches which are oppositely disposed to each other, said opening defining two lips which are oppositely disposed from each other and which are disposed adjacent to each other for sealing said opening.

Claim 20

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure means is comprised of an insert molded plastic body.

Claim 23

A method of manufacturing a subminiature fuse according to claim 20, wherein said blade type terminals have solder alloy cladding on an inside surface of said fingers, wherein said substrate has metallized ends which contact said fingers of said terminals and, wherein said fuse conductor has two ends, said fuse conductor is connected to said terminals by placing between said metallized ends and said cladding by solder reflow between said fingers and the substrate.

Claim 24

A method of manufacturing a subminiature fuse according to claim 20, wherein said assembly is covered with an insulative material.

Claim 25

An electrical circuit protector which is adapted to be inserted into a printed circuit board, comprising: (a) a first terminal and a second terminal each having a top portion and a bottom portion; (b) insulating means having two ends for electrically and thermally insulating said first terminal from said second terminal and for holding said first terminal and said second terminal in substantially parallel relationship and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said top portions of said first terminal and said second terminal being disposed intermediate the ends of said insulating means, wherein said top portion of said first terminal comprises a plurality of fingers which are disposed in a fork-like configuration and which are adapted to receive said insulating means and to position said first terminal with respect to said insulating means; (c) a fusible conductor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal and supported on said insulating means, the combination of said insulating means, said fusible conductor, and the portions of said first terminal and said second terminal defining an assembly; and (d) unitary one piece enclosure means for housing said assembly.

Claim 26

An electrical circuit protector which is adapted to be inserted into a printed circuit board, comprising: (a) a first terminal and a second terminal each having a top portion and a bottom portion; (b) insulating means having two ends for electrically and thermally insulating said first terminal from said second terminal and for holding said first terminal and said second terminal in substantially parallel relationship and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said top portions of said first terminal and said second terminal being disposed intermediate the ends of said insulating means, wherein said top portion of said first terminal comprises a plurality of fingers which are disposed in a fork-like configuration and which are adapted to receive said insulating means and to position said first terminal with respect to said insulating means; (c) a fusible conductor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal and supported on said insulating means, the combination of said insulating means, said fusible conductor, and the portions of said first terminal and said second terminal defining an assembly; and (d) unitary one piece enclosure means for housing said assembly.

Claim 27

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 23, wherein said fusible conductor is disposed between one of said fingers and said insulating means.

Claim 28

An electrical circuit protector according to claim 23, wherein said fingers at said top portion of said first terminal are coated with a solder alloy cladding material.

Claim 29

An electrical circuit protector which is adapted to be inserted into a printed circuit board, comprising: (a) a first terminal and a second terminal each having a top portion and a bottom portion; (b) insulating means having two ends for electrically and thermally insulating said first terminal from said second terminal and for holding said first terminal and said second terminal in substantially parallel relationship and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said top portions of said first terminal and said second terminal being disposed intermediate the ends of said insulating means; (c) a fusible conductor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal and supported on said insulating means, the combination of said insulating means, said fusible conductor, and the portions of said first terminal and said second terminal defining an assembly; (d) unitary one piece enclosure means for housing said assembly wherein said unitary enclosure means is in the form of a box-like structure comprising two oppositely disposed pair of faces, defining a generally rectangular opening, said two pair of faces, one of said pair of faces having V-shaped notches which are oppositely disposed to each other, said opening defining two lips which are oppositely disposed from each other and which are disposed adjacent to each other for sealing said opening.

Claim 30

An electrical circuit protector which is adapted to be inserted into a printed circuit board, comprising: (a) a first terminal and a second terminal each having a top portion and a bottom portion; (b) insulating means having two ends for electrically and thermally insulating said first terminal from said second terminal and for holding said first terminal and said second terminal in substantially parallel relationship and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said top portions of said first terminal and said second terminal being disposed intermediate the ends of said insulating means; (c) a fusible conductor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal and supported on said insulating means, the combination of said insulating means, said fusible conductor, and the portions of said first terminal and said second terminal defining an assembly; (d) unitary one piece enclosure means for housing said assembly wherein said unitary enclosure means is in the form of a box-like structure comprising two oppositely disposed pair of faces, defining a generally rectangular opening, said two pair of faces, one of said pair of faces having V-shaped notches which are oppositely disposed to each other, said opening defining two lips which are oppositely disposed from each other and which are disposed adjacent to each other for sealing said opening.