MELTING CONDUCTOR AND FUSE

Abstract

The invention relates to a melting conductor (1) provided for use for a fuse (2), preferably for a miniature fuse, with an electrically conductive melting wire (3). According to the invention an electrically insulating and/or electrically non-conductive covering (5) surrounding the outer shell surface (4) of the melting wire (3) at least in certain areas, preferably completely, is provided.

Claims

1. A melting conductor provided for use for a fuse, preferably for a miniature fuse, with an electrically conductive melting wire, wherein an electrically insulating and/or electrically non-conductive covering is provided which surrounds the outer shell surface of the melting wire at least in regions, preferably completely.

2. The melting conductor according to claim 1, wherein the covering is configured as a coating, preferably as a lacquer, in particular wherein the coating is formed by a solution of polymers in a, in particular cresolic, solvent mixture and/or wherein the coating comprises as material resin, preferably dissolved in a solvent mixture, preferably with the addition of additives and/or a curing catalyst, and/or wherein the coating comprises as material a plastic, preferably polyurethane, and/or is configured as a polyimide lacquer.

3. The melting conductor according to claim 1, wherein the covering is designed metal-free and/or in that the covering is configured as a silicone covering and/or comprises as material a plastic and/or silicone and/or consists thereof.

4. The melting conductor according to claim 1, wherein the material of the covering comprises a proportion of the total material of the melting conductor between 0.1 and 25 wt. %, preferably between 1 and 20 wt. %, more preferably between 5 and 15 wt. %.

5. The melting conductor according to claim 1, wherein the melting wire comprises a further covering surrounding the melting wire at least in regions, wherein the further covering is arranged between the melting wire and the covering, in particular wherein the further covering comprises as material metal, in particular a metal alloy, preferably tin and/or a tin alloy.

6. The melting conductor according to claim 1, wherein the melting wire, the covering and/or the further covering comprise an at least substantially circular outer cross section.

7. The melting conductor according to claim 1, wherein the melting conductor comprises a diameter between 1 μm to 1000 μm, preferably between 10 μm to 600 μm, more preferably between 15 μm to 550 μm, and/or in that the melting wire comprises a diameter (8) between 1 μm to 800 μm, preferably between 5 μm to 500 μm, more preferably between 10 μm to 400 μm, and/or in that the covering and/or the further covering comprises a layer thickness between 0.01 μm to 300 μm, preferably between 0.1 μm to 200 μm, more preferably between 1 μm to 150 μm, more preferably further between 1.5 μm to 50 μm.

8. The melting conductor according to claim 1, wherein the melting wire comprises as material metal, in particular a metal alloy, in particular wherein the material comprises copper, silver and/or a copper alloy and/or a silver alloy.

9. The melting conductor according to claim 1, wherein the material of the further covering differs from the material of the melting wire, in particular wherein the metal alloys of the materials differ from each other.

10. A fuse, in particular a miniature fuse, having an outer fuse box, wherein at least one melting conductor wound around a winding body, in particular an electrically insulating winding body, is arranged in the fuse box.

11. The fuse according to claim 10, wherein the fuse box is configured to be at least partially open on two front sides, wherein at least one contact cap configured for electrical contacting is arranged on each front side of the fuse box.

12. The fuse according to claim 10, wherein the, preferably cylindrical, winding body is configured as a glass fiber core and/or comprises as material at least one glass fiber and/or consists thereof, in particular wherein the winding body comprises a thickness and/or a diameter between 0.01 and 2 mm, preferably between 0.1 and 1 mm, more preferably between 0.2 and 0.7 mm.

13. The fuse according to claim 10, wherein the distance between directly adjacent windings of the melting conductor wound around the winding body is configured to be less than 0.5 mm, preferably less than 0.05 mm, more preferably less than 0.01 mm, more preferably further less than 0.001 mm.

Description

[0050] Further features, advantages and possible applications of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of examples of embodiments based on the drawing and the drawing itself. In this connection, all the features described and/or illustrated constitute, individually or in any combination, the subject-matter of the present invention, irrespective of their summary in the claims or their relation back.

[0051] It shows:

[0052] FIG. 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of a fuse according to the invention,

[0053] FIG. 2 a schematic cross-sectional view of a melting conductor according to the invention,

[0054] FIG. 3 a schematic cross-sectional representation of a further embodiment of a melting conductor according to the invention, and

[0055] FIG. 4 a schematic cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a fuse according to the invention.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a melting conductor 1 intended for use for a fuse 2, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4.

[0057] In the embodiment example shown here, a miniature fuse 2 is provided as the fuse 2.

[0058] The melting conductor 1 comprises an electrically conductive melting wire 3. The melting wire 3 may comprise an at least substantially circular cross-section, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows that at least in certain areas, in particular completely, the outer shell surface 4 of the melting wire 3 is surrounded by an electrically insulating and/or electrically non-conductive covering 5. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, it is provided that the covering 5 is directly adjacent to the outer shell surface 4 of the melting wire 3. In particular, no play and no slip or at least substantially no (clear) distance is provided between the outer shell surface 4 and the covering 5.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows that the covering 5 indirectly surrounds the outer shell surface 4 of the melting wire 3, wherein a further layer and/or covering 6 is provided between the outer shell surface 4 of the melting wire 3 and the inner side of the covering 5 facing the melting wire 3.

[0061] The covering 5 may be configured as a coating and/or a lacquer. The coating may be formed by a solution of polymers in a, in particular cresolic, solvent mixture. Alternatively or additionally, the coating may comprise resin as the material, preferably dissolved in a solvent mixture. Additives and/or a curing catalyst may be added to the resin dissolved in the solvent mixture.

[0062] Furthermore, the covering 5 and/or the coating may comprise a plastic, preferably polyurethane, as material and/or be configured as a polyimide coating.

[0063] In the embodiment of the melting conductor 1 shown in FIG. 2, it is provided that the covering 5 is configured as a lacquer, wherein during production of the melting conductor 1 the melting wire 3 has been coated several times, in particular between 6 to 20 times, with the lacquer to configure the covering 5, wherein the lacquer has subsequently been baked at temperatures between 300 to 600° C.

[0064] Furthermore, the covering 5 shown in FIG. 2 is configured to be metal-free.

[0065] It is not shown that the covering 5 is configured as a silicone covering. In this respect, the covering 5 may comprise silicone and/or consist thereof.

[0066] As mentioned before, the covering 5 may comprise and/or consist of a material made of plastic, irrespective of its design as a paint layer. Particularly preferably, the material is configured in such a way that the covering 5 is electrically insulating and/or electrically non-conductive.

[0067] Furthermore, in the embodiment example shown in FIG. 2, it is provided that the material of the covering 5 comprises a proportion and/or a mass proportion of the total material of the melting conductor 1 between 5 to 15 wt. %. In further embodiments not shown in detail, the mass fraction of the material of the covering 5 in the total material and/or total mass fraction of the melting conductor 1 may vary between 0.1 to 25 wt. %.

[0068] FIG. 3 shows that the melting conductor 1 comprises a further covering 6 surrounding the melting wire 3, in particular directly, at least in certain areas. The further covering 6 is arranged between the melting wire 3 and the covering 5. Furthermore, the further covering 6 comprises as material a metal, in particular a metal alloy in the illustrated embodiment tin and/or a tin alloy. Thereby, the material, in particular the metal, of the melting wire 3 may differ from the metal of the further covering 6. The materials of the melting wire 3 and the further covering 6 are matched to each other in such a way that the M-effect described above can be ensured in the event of tripping.

[0069] FIG. 3 further shows that the melting wire 3 comprises a circular outer cross-section, wherein both the covering 5 and the further covering 6 also comprise an at least substantially circular outer cross-section. Thereby, the melting wire 3 may comprise a cylindrical shape. The further covering 6 and the covering 5 may comprise an annular cross-section and in particular form a hollow cylindrical shape.

[0070] Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows that no free space between the layers: [0071] Melting wire 3, further covering 6 and covering 5.
is provided. The aforementioned layers or the aforementioned components 3, 5, 6 are directly adjacent to each other.

[0072] The melting conductor 1 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a diameter 7 between 15 μm to 550 μm. The melting conductor 3, in turn, may comprise a diameter 8 between 10 μm to 400 μm. The covering 5 shown in FIG. 2 can in particular comprise a diameter between 1.5 μm to 50 μm.

[0073] The melting conductor 3 may comprise metal, in particular a metal alloy, as the material. The metal and/or material of the melting wire 3 may be copper, silver and/or tin and/or a copper alloy, a silver alloy and/or a tin alloy.

[0074] As mentioned before, the material of the further covering 6 is configured differently from the material of the melting wire 3 in the embodiment example shown in FIG. 3, wherein in particular the metal alloys of the materials differ from each other.

[0075] FIG. 1 shows a fuse 2, in the embodiment shown a miniature fuse 2. The fuse 2 comprises a fuse box 11, wherein at least one melting conductor 1 wound around an electrically insulating winding body 12 is provided in the fuse box 11 according to one of the embodiments described above.

[0076] The fuse box 11 may be configured to be hollow, in particular hollow-cylindrical, and may comprise as material glass and/or ceramic (in further embodiments).

[0077] In FIG. 4, a further embodiment of the fuse 2 is shown. FIGS. 1 and 4 differ in that the distance 17 between directly adjacent windings 16 of the melting conductor 1 is configured differently. Due to the electrically insulating covering 5, the windings 16 can be wound close together so that the distance 17 can be reduced to almost zero. However, spacing of the windings 16 can also be provided, as can be seen in detail in FIG. 1. Both embodiments can be implemented with the melting conductor 1.

[0078] Not shown is that the fuse box 11 is configured to be at least partially open at the two front sides 13. The melting conductor 1 can be guided through the opening.

[0079] FIGS. 1 and 4 show that at least one contact cap 14, in particular a metallic contact cap, is arranged on the front side (on the front sides 13) of the fuse box 11 for making electrical contact. The contact cap 14 can close the openings of the fuse box 11, which can be provided on the front side.

[0080] The winding body 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 may comprise a cylindrical shape and/or be configured as a glass fiber core. In this case, the winding body 12 may comprise at least one glass fiber as a material and/or be made thereof.

[0081] The winding body 12 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a thickness or diameter between 0.2 to 0.7 mm.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows, in particular in comparison with FIG. 1, that the distance 17 between directly adjacent windings 16 of the melting conductor 1 wound around the winding body 12 can be configured to be very small. In the illustrated embodiment example, the distance 17 is less than 0.05 mm, in particular less than 0.01 mm.

[0083] In the winding of the melting conductor 1 shown in FIG. 1, it is envisaged that the distances 17 known from the prior art are provided, which range from 0.018 to 0.561 mm.

[0084] The fuse 2 may comprise a length between 6.1 to 30 mm and/or greater than 30 mm, in particular between 30 mm to 60 mm. The width of the fuse 2 may further be between 2.1 to 5.8 mm and/or between 5.8 to 15 mm and/or greater than 5.8 mm.

[0085] FIG. 4 shows in detail that the distance 17 between directly proximate windings 16 can be reduced to almost zero or to a very small distance 17. Accordingly, the windings 16 can be directly adjacent to each other, so that the coverings 5 of directly adjacent windings 16 of the melting conductor 1 can contact each other, in particular abut each other over their entire surface.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0086] 1 Melting conductor [0087] 2 Fuse [0088] 3 Melting wire [0089] 4 Outer shell surface of 3 [0090] 5 Covering [0091] 6 Further covering [0092] 7 Diameter of 1 [0093] 8 Diameter of 3 [0094] 9 Layer thickness of 5 [0095] 10 Layer thickness of 6 [0096] 11 Fuse box [0097] 12 Winding body [0098] 13 Front side [0099] 14 Contact cap [0100] 15 Thickness of 12 [0101] 16 Winding [0102] 17 Distance