Abstract: An explosion-protected modular housing (3) for electrical and/or electronic components (29) includes at least one sand-filled chamber (28), in which the components are housed. The components (29) are protected in this manner in the safety mode known as "sand filling". Also provided on the housing (3) are connection devices (6, 7) for supply lines to the housing. To enable insertion or removal of a selected housing from a holder (2) at any time without shutting off the entire system of which the selected housing (3) is a part, the connection devices (5, 7) are part of a complementary two-part plug-and-receptacle arrangement (4), which is flame-proof. One part (6) of the arrangement is connected electrically with the components (29) in the housing (3), the other part (5) to a power distribution bus. The "not intrinsically safe" circuits are connected via this plug-and-receptacle arrangement (4).

Abstract: A fuse element with an essentially prismatic or cylindrical casing contains two electrical contacts that are accessible from the outside, that are situated on at least one exterior side of the casing and are electrically connected with a fuse arrangement inside the casing. In the casing an encoding arrangement is provided in which the electrical tripping characteristics of the fuse arrangement are encoded. To ensure a sufficient encoding variety with miniaturized design versions, even at higher manufacturers' tolerances, the encoding arrangement is formed by at least one appendage that is laterally or radially protruding from the casing in relation to the longitudinal axis of the casing and in whose configuration the tripping characteristics of the fuse arrangement are encoded.