Blowout Means (e.g., Gaseous) Patents (Class 337/281)
  • Patent number: 11049681
    Abstract: Provided herein are protection devices having U-shaped fuse elements. In some embodiments, a protection device may include a housing defining a cavity, and a fuse element within the cavity. The fuse element may include a first component and a second component separated by a barrier, and wherein the first and second components are joined at a fusible bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventors: Ganesh Nagaraj Chennakesavelu, Engelbert Hetzmannseder, Derek Lasini
  • Publication number: 20140152418
    Abstract: A fuse includes a body, a first conductive terminal coupled with a first end of the body, and a second conductive terminal coupled with a second end of the body. The body, the first conductive terminal, and the second conductive terminal define an exterior of the fuse. The fuse also includes an interruption assembly including a fusible element. The fusible element includes carbon fiber, is disposed on a conductive path between the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminal, and is configured to break when a current through the fusible element exceeds a predetermined current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: EATON CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Jeffrey Benke, Robert Neville Parry, Nicholas Paul Brusky
  • Patent number: 8085123
    Abstract: An exhaust control device includes a wear indicator disposed within a housing of the exhaust control device. The wear indicator is arranged to be exposed to a flow of exhaust gas through the exhaust control device. The wear indicator has a first observable state indicative of remaining useful life of the exhaust control device. The wear indicator is responsive to a flow of exhaust gas through the exhaust control device to assume a second observable state indicative of the exhaust control device having reached the end of its useful life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventors: Glenn R. Borchardt, Michael G. Ennis, Jorge R. Montante
  • Patent number: 7864022
    Abstract: An exhaust control device includes a wear indicator disposed within a housing of the exhaust control device. The wear indicator is arranged to be exposed to a flow of exhaust gas through the exhaust control device. The wear indicator has a first observable state indicative of remaining useful life of the exhaust control device. The wear indicator is responsive to a flow of exhaust gas through the exhaust control device to assume a second observable state indicative of the exhaust control device having reached the end of its useful life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventors: Glenn R. Borchardt, Michael G. Ennis, Jorge R. Montante
  • Patent number: 7138899
    Abstract: A fuse element includes a fusible conductor which extends within a gas filled cavity in a cylindrical tube. The fuse element includes a cylindrical tube comprising, an electrical insulator between two end faces of the tube, two end caps of an electrically conductive material being applied to the two ends of the tube such that an electrical contact is produced with the fusible conductor. At least one respective sealing element is inserted in at least one of the two ends in a space between the cap base and the end face of the tube and/or into a portion of the cavity of the tube adjacent to the end face such that one or more pressure balancing passages remain between the gas filled cavity within the tube and the external surroundings of the fuse element. The one or more pressure balancing passages are of such small cross-section that changes in pressure in the cavity are balanced only very slowly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Wickmann-Werke GmbH
    Inventors: André Jöllenbeck, Uwe Röder, Andreas Baus, Frank Althoff, Werner Barz, Peter Pössnicker
  • Patent number: 6720858
    Abstract: In a fuse chamber (8) there is arranged as a quenching gas source a burn-off element (11), which concentrically surrounds an arc chamber (10) and is separated from it by a fuse element (9), which consists of metal foil, preferably silver foil, and the outer side of which is adjoined by the burn-off element (11). The latter consists of an igniting material (12), arranged in the form of a ring running around centrally, and a gas-evolving material (13). Both materials consist, for example, of guanidine or guanidine derivatives as the combustible material and an oxidant, the proportion of which in the igniting material (12) is hyperstoichiometric. The arc chamber (10) is bounded at opposite ends by nozzles (7a,b), which connect it to exhaust volumes (4a,b). When there is an overcurrent, the fuse element (9) heats up to the igniting temperature of the igniting material (12) and is torn open centrally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Uwe Kaltenborn, Lutz Niemeyer
  • Publication number: 20020190838
    Abstract: In a fuse chamber (8) there is arranged as a quenching gas source a burn-off element (11), which concentrically surrounds an arc chamber (10) and is separated from it by a fuse element (9), which consists of metal foil, preferably silver foil, and the outer side of which is adjoined by the burn-off element (11). The latter consists of an igniting material (12), arranged in the form of a ring running around centrally, and a gas-evolving material (13). Both materials consist, for example, of guanidine or guanidine derivatives as the combustible material and an oxidant, the proportion of which in the igniting material (12) is hyperstoichiometric. The arc chamber (10) is bounded at opposite ends by nozzles (7a,b), which connect it to exhaust volumes (4a,b). When there is an overcurrent, the fuse element (9) heats up to the igniting temperature of the igniting material (12) and is torn open centrally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Uwe Kaltenborn, Lutz Niemeyer
  • Patent number: 5179436
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electric fuse with a fuse element located in a housing which encases a fuse element chamber. The fuse element melts and thus cuts out the fuse under an overcharge, whereby the temperature and pressure in the interior of the casing will abruptly rise. The housing is provided with a pressure relief means through which at least part of the gas volume can be let off to the outside to prevent the housing from destruction if high internal pressure peak values occur on cutting out the fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Wickmann-Werke GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Asdollahi, Jorg Deckert, Christine Degener, Claus Friedrich, Bernd Frochte, Heinrich Pferdekamper, Detlef Plegge, Karl Poerschke, Klaus Stark
  • Patent number: 4904977
    Abstract: This invention provides a supersonic expulsion fuse for interrupting fault currents in high voltage alternating current networks. It creates an arc interruption region with a long length of supersonic turbulent flow and little or no subsonic plasma. This increases the arc interrupting capability against both thermal and dielectric arc reignitions. Therefore, the transient recovery voltage the network applies across the interrupted arc after current-zero may be increased in both frequency and peak values, relative to present-art expulsion fuses. It may be applied on power distribution systems as a power fuse in enclosures or overhead where the said system transient recovery voltages exceed the capabilities of conventional distribution cutouts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Inventor: William R. Mahieu
  • Patent number: 4514716
    Abstract: The fuse comprises an elongated support formed at least partially from ferrite, magnetized in the direction of its thickness and on which is disposed, between two terminals, a metal wire (9) capable of being destroyed by melting. The fuse comprises for example two ferrite strips (5 and 6) assembled together and spaced apart by means of two insulating-material bars (7 and 8), a silver wire (9) being disposed between the two strips. When the wire melts, the molten metal and the electric arc are driven laterally in accordance with the LAPLACE law.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Inventor: Manuel A. Vincent De Araujo
  • Patent number: 4307368
    Abstract: The process of circuit interruption by an electric fuse can be initiated either by a protracted overload, or by a major fault current of large proportions. This invention is concerned with the latter kind of fault currents.A substantially U-shaped gas-evolving structure is inserted between parallel rows of fusible elements. The two parallel arms of that structure are positioned close to the terminal elements of the fuse. A tie member interconnecting the two arms is positioned substantially out of the arcing zone and parallel to a generatrix of the fuse casing. On occurrence of a major fault current, the gas evolved from the arms protects the terminal elements of the fuse. It also tends to quench the follow current, i.e. the current which flows through the hot fulgurite after a successful interruption of a major fault current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: Gould Inc.
    Inventor: Clyde D. Reid
  • Patent number: 4099155
    Abstract: An electrical connector system including a cable terminator having a conductive probe and a bushing having a bore contact mounted for reciprocal movement in an electrically conductive tubular member and a fusible member positioned between the bore contact and the conductive member, the fusible member being connected to fuse in response to fault current produced by a prestrike arc to increase the pressure within the tubular member to force the bore contact into electrical engagement with the probe in the terminator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1978
    Assignee: RTE Corporation
    Inventor: Richard P. Flatt
  • Patent number: 4063297
    Abstract: An arc interrupter for heavy surge currents in power systems is provided in hich a self-biasing, spring helix conductor is fixed between two frangible and/or fusible elements which are in turn integrally fastened to the edges of respective eddy-current rings canted to effect a horn gap for magnetic blow-out of any ensuing arc in the area of the helix. The helix generates magnetic forces in addition to its spring force to break the fusible and/or frangible elements in response to predetermined surge currents and will then drop out of the gap between the eddy-current rings by gravity action. The circuit is thus broken and any ensuing arc is extinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1977
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Keats A. Pullen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4032879
    Abstract: A circuit-protecting fuse comprises an insulating housing having electrically conductive connectors on opposite ends thereof to connect the fuse in an electrical circuit and at least one fusible link in the housing connected in electrically conductive relationship at opposite ends thereof with the connectors. The fusible link has at least one area of limited cross-section defining a heat-generating section and a member of a material which produces arc quenching gas when heated to a predetermined temperature positioned on the heat-generating section, whereby when an overload condition of predetermined magnitude occurs in a circuit in which the fuse is connected, the heat-generating section melts and vaporizes, and the heat thus produced generates an amount of deionizing gas from the member to extinguish any arc which forms at the vaporized section. Seal means seals the fuse to prevent escape therefrom of flames and ionized gas the the like produced as a result of the overload condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1977
    Assignee: Teledyne, Inc.
    Inventor: Elmer J. Monagan
  • Patent number: 3965452
    Abstract: An exhaust control device to absorb the energy of exhaust gases released during operation of a circuit interrupting device such as a power fuse or an expulsion fuse is disclosed. The exhaust control device includes a housing mounted to the circuit interrupting device having an intake port for receiving the hot exhaust gases produced during and incident to the operation of the circuit interrupting device. A heat sink consisting of a mass of wire mesh is positioned within the housing and initially cools the exhaust gases. A gas flow diverting baffle is positioned within the housing to absorb additional energy by changing the direction of flow of the exhaust gases so that the metallic vapors and particles picked up by the exhaust gas flowing through the heat sink are condensed and deposited. The exhaust gas is then passed through particles of absorbent material such as activated alumina that further cools the gases and absorbs water vapor and metallic vapor from the exhaust gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1976
    Assignee: S & C Electric Company
    Inventors: Leonard V. Chabala, Otto Meister