JP2024083766A - Fuse and method for manufacturing fuse - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a fuse and a method for manufacturing the fuse, the fuse achieving a low profile even if an external fuse can be attached.SOLUTION: A fuse 600 includes: a bus bar 100 which has an input terminal 110, an external terminal 120, a circuit part 200 and a fusing part 113 provided between the input terminal 110 and the external terminal 120; and a housing 500 which covers the bus bar 100. The circuit part 200 has a configuration in which an external fuse 700 including a fusing part 730 and a connection terminal 720 can be attached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

This invention relates to fuses that are primarily used in automotive electrical circuits, and to a method for manufacturing such fuses.

Traditionally, fuses have been used to protect electrical circuits installed in automobiles and the various electrical devices connected to the electrical circuits. More specifically, when an unintended overcurrent flows through an electrical circuit, the melting part melts due to heat generated by the overcurrent, protecting the various electrical devices from excessive current.

There are various types of fuses depending on the application. For example, the fuse of Patent Document 1 includes an input terminal, an external terminal, a bus bar with a fusing portion provided between the input terminal and the external terminal, and a housing that covers the bus bar. A fuse connection terminal connected to the bus bar and a fuse-side external terminal that forms a pair with the fuse connection terminal are provided above the bus bar, and an external fuse can be attached by inserting it into the fuse connection terminal and the fuse-side external terminal. Therefore, when the model of the automobile or the load of various electrical equipment is changed, it is easy to respond by replacing the external fuse with a different rating. However, since the structure for attaching the external fuse (such as the fuse-side external terminal) is provided separately from the bus bar, when changing the design of the location of the external fuse, it is necessary to change the design of both the bus bar structure and the structure for attaching the external fuse, which is troublesome.

JP 2018-010768 A

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a fuse that allows easy and flexible design changes to the placement location of the external fuse, and a method for manufacturing the fuse.

The fuse of the present invention is a fuse comprising an input terminal, an external terminal, a bus bar having a circuit section and a fusing section provided between the input terminal and the external terminal, and a housing that covers at least a portion of the bus bar, and is characterized in that the circuit section is configured so that an external fuse having a fusing section and a connection terminal can be attached.

According to the above features, the external fuse is directly attached to the circuit section, and the location of the external fuse can be easily and flexibly changed by changing the design of the circuit section. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, if the circuit section is configured as a flat plate, the external fuse is arranged in a straight line above and below the external terminal. Also, as shown in FIG. 14, if the circuit section is configured with a bent section, the height of the circuit section is lowered and the location of the external fuse is also lowered, which contributes to a lower profile. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, if the circuit section is configured to be bent into an approximately U-shape and to have a main body section and a side wall section facing each other, the height of the circuit section is lowered and the location of the external fuse is further lowered, which also contributes to a lower profile.

The fuse of the present invention is characterized in that a mounting opening is formed in a portion of the circuit section into which the external fuse can be mounted.

According to the above feature, the external fuse is connected to the circuit unit with the position and orientation of the external fuse being more stable.

The fuse of the present invention is characterized in that the circuit portion has a body portion and a side wall portion that face each other.

According to the above features, the circuit section is configured to have a main body section and a side wall section that face each other, so the height of the circuit section is lower and the placement location of the external fuse is also lower, which contributes to a lower fuse height.

The fuse of the present invention is characterized in that the upper end side of the circuit portion is folded back to form the main body portion and the side wall portion.

According to the above features, the main body and side wall are integrally formed by folding back the upper end of the circuit section, so there is no need to provide a separate connection structure (such as the fuse-side external terminal of the conventional technology) to electrically connect the external fuse and the circuit section, which reduces the number of parts, lowers manufacturing costs, and improves manufacturing efficiency.

The fuse of the present invention is characterized in that the side wall portion has a plate-shaped male connection terminal extending from the mounting opening, and the male connection terminal is configured to be connectable to the female connection terminal of the external fuse.

The above features simplify the structure of the part that electrically connects the external fuse and the fuse circuit section, reducing manufacturing costs and improving manufacturing efficiency.

The fuse of the present invention is characterized in that the housing is provided with a storage portion capable of storing the external fuse.

The above features make it easy to install an external fuse.

The method for manufacturing a fuse of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a fuse comprising an input terminal, an external terminal, a bus bar having a circuit section and a fusing section provided between the input terminal and the external terminal, and a housing covering at least a portion of the bus bar, and is characterized in that the upper end side of the circuit section is folded back to form a main body section and a side wall section facing each other, and an upper wall section connecting the main body section and the side wall section, and a mounting opening is formed by cutting out a portion of the circuit section, and the mounting opening is configured to allow the mounting of an external fuse having a fusing section and a connection terminal.

According to the above features, the external fuse is directly attached to the circuit section, so that the placement location of the external fuse can be easily and flexibly changed by changing the design of the circuit section. Furthermore, since an attachment opening is provided for inserting and attaching the external fuse, the height of the circuit section can be kept low, and as a result, the fuse can be made low-profile even when the external fuse is attached.

As described above, according to the fuse of the present invention and the method of manufacturing the fuse, the location of the external fuse can be easily and flexibly changed in design.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a bus bar of a fuse according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 4A is a front view of the bus bar, and FIG. 4B is a rear view of the bus bar. 4A is a plan view of the bus bar, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the bus bar. FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of a housing split piece of a fuse housing. 4A is an overall perspective view of the front side of a housing split piece, and FIG. 4B is an overall perspective view of the rear side of the housing split piece. 4A is a rear view of the housing split piece, and FIG. 4B is a plan view of the housing split piece. 1A is an overall perspective view of an external fuse, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA. FIG. FIG. 2 is a general perspective view of an assembled fuse. 1A is a front view of the fuse, and FIG. 1B is a plan view of the fuse. 10A is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 10B, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. FIG. 11 is an overall perspective view of a bus bar according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is an overall perspective view of a bus bar according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is an overall perspective view of a bus bar according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Reference Signs List 100 Bus bar 110 Input terminal 120 External terminal 113 Fusing portion 200 Circuit portion 210 Main body portion 220 Side wall portion 230 Upper wall portion 240 Mounting opening 500 Housing 600 Fuse 720 Connection terminal 730 Fusing portion 700 External fuse

Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the shapes and materials of each component of the fuse in the embodiments described below are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting.

<Embodiment 1>
Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 show a busbar 100 of a fuse 600 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view of the busbar 100, Fig. 2(a) is a front view of the busbar 100, Fig. 2(b) is a rear view of the busbar 100, Fig. 3(a) is a plan view of the busbar 100, and Fig. 3(b) is a side view of the busbar 100.

As shown in FIG. 1, the busbar 100 is made of a conductive metal such as copper or its alloy, and is a flat, uniform-thickness plate-like member that is punched into a predetermined shape using a press or the like. The busbar 100 includes an input terminal 110 that can be electrically connected to a battery or the like, a number of external terminals 120, and a circuit section 200. The input terminal 110 is connected to the circuit section 200, and the external terminal 120 is connected to the circuit section 200 via a fusing section 113. Therefore, if an overcurrent flows from a power source such as a battery connected to the input terminal 110, the fusing section 113 melts, thereby protecting the load of various electrical equipment connected to the external terminal 120.

When manufacturing the busbar 100, the circuit section 200 is formed by punching a flat plate-like member of uniform thickness into a predetermined shape using a press or the like, and then bending it. Specifically, the upper end side of the flat plate-like circuit section 200 is folded back into an approximately U-shape to form the main body section 210, the side wall section 220, and the upper wall section 230 that connects the main body section 210 and the side wall section 220. The opposing main body section 210 and the side wall section 220 are spaced apart from each other and arranged in parallel. The input terminal 110 is connected to the main body section 210, and the external terminal 120 is connected via the fusion section 113. The side wall section 220 is provided with a fixing hole 201, and the main body section 210 is provided with a fixing hole 202, which is configured to allow the fixing shaft of the housing to be described later to pass through.

Furthermore, a part of the upper end side of the circuit section 200 is cut out to form an attachment opening 240 that opens upward. Specifically, the attachment opening 240 includes an upper opening 241 that is opened by cutting out the upper wall section 230 of the circuit section 200, and a side opening 242 that is opened by cutting out the side wall section 220, and the upper opening 241 and the side opening 242 are continuous. The attachment opening 240 is configured so that an external fuse 700, which will be described later, can be inserted into it. The part of the attachment opening 240 that is continuous to the lower side of the side opening 242 is the part of the plate-shaped side wall section 220 that remains uncut, and this part becomes a plate-shaped male connection terminal 250 that is connected to the external fuse 700.

The circuit section 200 is formed in an approximately U-shape so as to have a flat upper wall section 230, but is not limited thereto, and may be any shape, such as an approximately V-shape, as long as it has a main body section 210 and a side wall section 220 facing each other. The main body section 210 and the side wall section 220 facing each other are arranged parallel to each other, but is not limited thereto, and may be arranged in any posture as long as the main body section 210 and the side wall section 220 are spaced apart from each other. Furthermore, the circuit section 200 is formed by bending a single flat plate-like member to have the main body section 210, the side wall section 220, and the upper wall section 230, but is not limited thereto, and the main body section 210, the side wall section 220, and the upper wall section 230 may be formed separately, and the main body section 210, the side wall section 220, and the upper wall section 230 may be connected and fixed to each other to form the approximately U-shaped circuit section 200.

Next, referring to Figure 4, the housing 500 of the fuse 600 according to the present invention will be described. The housing 500 is composed of a pair of housing segments 300 and 400. Figure 4 is an overall perspective view of the housing segment 300.

As shown in FIG. 4, the housing split piece 300 is made of synthetic resin and has a generally rectangular shape, and includes an upper end housing portion 310 that houses the circuit portion 200 of the busbar 100, a central housing portion 320 that houses the fusing portion 113 of the busbar 100, and a lower end housing portion 330 that houses the upper end side (the side connected to the fusing portion 113) of the external terminal 120 of the busbar 100. An opening 312 into which an external fuse 700, which will be described later, can be inserted is formed in the upper wall 311 of the upper end housing portion 310. Furthermore, a fixing hole 313 is provided in the upper end housing portion 310, and a fixing hole 333 is provided in the lower end housing portion 330. A viewing window 301 made of transparent resin is provided in the central housing portion 320 so that the fusing portion 113 of the busbar 100 housed in the housing split piece 300 can be seen from the outside.

Next, the housing split piece 400 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5(a) is an overall perspective view of the front side of the housing split piece 400, Figure 5(b) is an overall perspective view of the back side of the housing split piece 400, Figure 6(a) is a back view of the housing split piece 400, and Figure 6(b) is a plan view of the housing split piece 400.

5 and 6, the housing split piece 400 is made of synthetic resin and has a substantially rectangular shape, and has a shape corresponding to the housing split piece 300 so that the busbar 100 accommodated in the housing split piece 300 can be sandwiched and covered. Specifically, the housing split piece 400 includes an upper end accommodating portion 410 that accommodates the circuit section 200 of the busbar 100, a central accommodating portion 420 that accommodates the fusing portion 113 of the busbar 100, and a lower end accommodating portion 430 that accommodates the upper end side (the side connected to the fusing portion 113) of the external terminal 120 of the busbar 100. In addition, a accommodating portion 450 that is recessed toward the front side so as to be continuous with the upper end accommodating portion 410 is provided on the front side of the upper end accommodating portion 410. This accommodating portion 450 is configured to accommodate an external fuse 700 described later. In addition, a wall portion 451 is provided between adjacent accommodating portions 450. Furthermore, the accommodating section 450 is provided with a claw-shaped fixing section 452 that engages and fixes the external fuse 700 so that the accommodated external fuse 700 is not inadvertently removed. The upper accommodating section 410 is provided with a fixing shaft 413 that is connected to the fixing hole 313 of the housing segment 300, and the lower accommodating section 430 is provided with a fixing shaft 433 that is connected to the fixing hole 333 of the housing segment 300.

Next, referring to Figure 7, we will explain the external fuse 700 that can be attached to the fuse 600 of the present invention. Figure 7(a) is an overall perspective view of the external fuse 700, and Figure 7(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A.

As shown in FIG. 7, the external fuse 700 comprises a housing 710 made of synthetic resin and having a generally rectangular shape, a pair of connection terminals 720 housed inside the housing 710, and a fusing portion 730 provided between the connection terminals 720. The housing 710 is provided with an insertion groove 740 that exposes the connection terminals 720. The female terminal-shaped connection terminal (female connection terminal) 720 is configured to be electrically connectable with the male connection terminal 250 of the fuse 600 when the male connection terminal 250 is inserted into the insertion groove 740 as described below. In this way, the male connection terminal 250, connection terminal 720, and fusing portion 730 of the fuse 600 are electrically connected.

Next, the manner in which the fuse 600 of the present invention is assembled will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 10. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the fuse 600, Figure 9 is an overall perspective view of the assembled fuse 600, Figure 10(a) is a front view of the fuse 600, Figure 10(b) is a plan view of the fuse 600, Figure 11(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 10(b), and Figure 11(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of Figure 10(b).

First, as shown in Figure 8, the busbar 100 is accommodated by being sandwiched between a pair of housing segments 300 and 400 from the front and rear. Specifically, the circuit section 200 of the busbar 100 is accommodated in the upper-end accommodation section 310 of the housing segment 300, the fusion section 113 of the busbar 100 is accommodated in the central accommodation section 320 of the housing segment 300, and the fixing hole 123 side of the external terminal 120 of the busbar 100 is accommodated in the lower-end accommodation section 330 of the housing segment 300. The housing segment 400 is then attached so as to cover the front side of the busbar 100. At this time, the circuit section 200 of the bus bar 100 is accommodated in the upper accommodation section 410 of the housing split piece 400, the fusing section 113 of the bus bar 100 is accommodated in the central accommodation section 420 of the housing split piece 400, and the fixing hole 123 side of the external terminal 120 of the bus bar 100 is accommodated in the lower accommodation section 430 of the housing split piece 400. The fixing shaft 413 of the housing split piece 400 passes through the fixing holes 201 and 202 of the bus bar 100 and is connected to the fixing hole 313 of the housing split piece 300. In addition, the fixing shaft 433 of the housing split piece 400 passes through the fixing hole 123 of the external terminal 120 of the bus bar 100 and is connected to the fixing hole 333 of the housing split piece 300. Therefore, the housing split piece 300 and the housing split piece 400 are firmly connected and fixed to each other. In this way, the busbar 100 is housed inside the housing 500, which includes the housing segments 300 and 400.

When the busbar 100 is housed in the housing split pieces 300 and 400, the external fuse 700 is assembled to the busbar 100. Specifically, the external fuse 700 is inserted into the mounting opening 240 of the busbar 100, and the external fuse 700 is pushed in until the male connection terminal 250 extending below the mounting opening 240 is inserted into the insertion groove 740 of the external fuse 700. The external fuse 700 is then housed in the housing 500 by sandwiching the front and rear of the external fuse 700 between the opening 312 of the housing split piece 300 and the housing portion 450 of the housing split piece 400. In this way, the housing 500 of the fuse 600 is provided with the housing portion 450 capable of housing the external fuse 700, so that the external fuse 700 can be easily attached.

Then, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the fuse 600 is assembled and completed. Note that the fuse 600 of the present invention is simply configured so that the external fuse 700 can be assembled as desired, and the fuse 600 itself does not require the external fuse 700 as a required component. Also, in Figures 9 and 10, the external fuse 700 is not attached to the housing portion 450 on the near side in order to clearly show the state in which the external fuse 700 is assembled to the fuse 600.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the tip of the input terminal 110 protrudes outward from the housing 500, and the tip of the external terminal 120 also protrudes outward from the housing 500. The external terminal 120 is connected to a connection terminal connected to various electrical equipment. Normally, as shown in Fig. 11(a), current from the power source such as a battery connected to the input terminal 110 flows from the input terminal 110 to the main body 210 of the circuit unit 200, and further flows to the external terminal 120 and various electrical equipment via the fusion part 113. When an overcurrent flows from the power source such as a battery connected to the input terminal 110, the fusion part 113 melts, thereby protecting the load of the various electrical equipment connected to the external terminal 120.

As shown in FIG. 11(a), a part of the circuit section 200 (on the side wall section 220 side) is disposed within the housing section 450 of the fuse 600, and the mounting opening 240 of the circuit section 200 faces the upper opening of the housing section 450. An opening 454 is provided below the housing section 450 so that a male external terminal 910 of the external connection device 900 can be inserted, as described below.

11(b), when the external fuse 700 is accommodated in the accommodation section 450, the external fuse 700 is inserted into the mounting opening 240 of the circuit section 200, and the male connection terminal 250 of the circuit section 200 is inserted into and connected to the connection terminal 720 in the insertion groove 740 of the external fuse 700. The fuse 600 is attached to an external connection device 900 such as a fuse box, and the male external terminal 910 of the external connection device 900 is inserted into the insertion groove 740 of the external fuse 700 from the opening 454 and connected to the connection terminal 720. The male external terminal 910 of the external connection device 900 is connected to various electrical equipment.

11(b), under normal circumstances, current from the power source such as a battery connected to the input terminal 110 flows from the input terminal 110 to the male connection terminal 250 of the circuit section 200, and then flows from one connection terminal 720 of the external fuse 700 connected to the male connection terminal 250, via the melting portion 730, to the other connection terminal 720. The current then flows from the male external terminal 910 connected to the other connection terminal 720 to the various electrical equipment connected to the male external terminal 910. If an overcurrent flows from the power source such as a battery connected to the input terminal 110, the melting portion 730 of the external fuse 700 melts, thereby protecting the load of the various electrical equipment connected to the male external terminal 910. Furthermore, if the load of the various electrical equipment connected to the male external terminal 910 changes, it is sufficient to replace it with another external fuse 700 that has a fusing part 730 with a different rating. This eliminates the need to change the mold for the busbar 100, as compared to changing the fusing part 113 of the busbar 100, and reduces manufacturing costs.

In this way, according to the fuse 600 of the present invention, the circuit section 200 includes the opposing main body section 210 and side wall section 220, and further includes the mounting opening 240 into which the external fuse 700 is inserted and attached, so that the height of the circuit section 200 can be kept low. As a result, even when the external fuse 700 is attached, the fuse 600 can be made low-profile. In particular, as shown in FIG. 11(b), since the external fuse 700 is inserted and attached into the mounting opening 240, the electric circuit parts of the external fuse 700, such as the melting section 730 and the connection terminal 720, are arranged to face the circuit section 200 of the fuse 600, and furthermore, are arranged substantially parallel to or at substantially the same height. Therefore, even when the external fuse 700 is attached to the fuse 600, the external fuse 700 can be prevented from protruding upward from the fuse 600, and the overall fuse 600, including the external fuse 700, can be made low-profile.

In addition, the main body 210, side wall 220, and upper wall 230 of the fuse 600 are integrally formed by folding back the upper end of the circuit section 200, so there is no need to provide a separate connection structure (such as the fuse-side external terminal of the prior art) to electrically connect the external fuse 700 and the circuit section 200 of the fuse 600, which reduces the number of parts, lowers manufacturing costs, and improves manufacturing efficiency.

In addition, the side wall portion 220 of the circuit portion 200 is provided with a male connection terminal 250, and the male connection terminal 250 is configured to be connectable to the connection terminal 720 of the external fuse 700, so that the structure of the portion electrically connecting the external fuse 700 and the circuit portion 200 of the fuse 600 is simplified, and manufacturing costs can be reduced and manufacturing efficiency can be improved. Note that the side wall portion 220 of the circuit portion 200 is provided with a male connection terminal 250, and the male connection terminal 250 is configured to be connectable to the connection terminal 720 of the external fuse 700, but this is not limited thereto, and any other structure may be adopted as long as the external fuse 700 and the circuit portion 200 of the fuse 600 can be electrically connected. For example, the side wall portion 220 of the circuit portion 200 may be further folded back to provide a groove-shaped female terminal structure, a corresponding male terminal may be provided on the external fuse 700, and the male terminal may be inserted into the female terminal structure of the circuit portion 200 to electrically connect.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, the bus bar 100A of the fuse 600A according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is an overall perspective view of the bus bar 100A. The fuse 600A according to the second embodiment is different from the fuse 600 according to the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 11 only in the configuration of the circuit portion 200A of the bus bar 100A, and other configurations are the same as those of the fuse 600 according to the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 12, the busbar 100A is made of a conductive metal such as copper or its alloy, and is a flat, uniform-thickness plate-like member that is punched into a predetermined shape using a press or the like. The busbar 100A includes an input terminal 110A that can be electrically connected to a battery or the like, a fusion section 113A, a number of external terminals 120A, and a circuit section 200A.

The circuit section 200A is formed by punching a flat plate-like material of uniform thickness into a predetermined shape using a press or the like when manufacturing the busbar 100A. The upper end 290A of this plate-like circuit section 200A extends linearly, and this upper end 290A becomes a plate-like male connection terminal 250A that is directly connected to the external fuse 700. As shown in FIG. 12, the upper end 290A of the circuit section 200A is inserted into the connection terminal 720 in the insertion groove 740 of the external fuse 700 and connected.

<Embodiment 3>
Next, a bus bar 100B of a fuse 600B according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is an overall perspective view of the bus bar 100B. The fuse 600B according to the third embodiment is different from the fuse 600 according to the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 11 only in the configuration of the circuit portion 200B of the bus bar 100B, and other configurations are the same as those of the fuse 600 according to the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 13, the busbar 100B is made of a conductive metal such as copper or its alloy, and is a flat, uniform-thickness plate-like member that is punched into a predetermined shape using a press or the like. The busbar 100B includes an input terminal 110B that can be electrically connected to a battery or the like, a fusion section 113B, a number of external terminals 120B, and a circuit section 200B.

The circuit section 200B is formed by punching a flat plate-like member of uniform thickness into a predetermined shape using a press or the like when the busbar 100B is manufactured. The upper end 290B of this plate-like circuit section 200B is formed with an attachment opening 240B that opens upward by cutting out a part of the upper end 290B. The part that continues to the lower side of the attachment opening 240B is the part of the plate-like upper end 290B that remains uncut, and this part becomes the plate-like male connection terminal 250B that is connected to the external fuse 700. As shown in FIG. 13, the external fuse 700 is inserted into the attachment opening 240B of the upper end 290A of the circuit section 200A, and the male connection terminal 250B is inserted into the connection terminal 720 in the insertion groove 740 of the external fuse 700 and connected. In this way, by providing the mounting opening 240B in the circuit section 200B, the external fuse 700 is connected to the circuit section 200B with the position and orientation of the external fuse 700 more stable.

<Embodiment 4>
Next, a bus bar 100C of a fuse 600C according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is an overall perspective view of the bus bar 100C. The fuse 600C according to the fourth embodiment is different from the fuse 600 according to the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 11 only in the configuration of the circuit portion 200C of the bus bar 100C, and other configurations are the same as those of the fuse 600 according to the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 14, the busbar 100C is made of a conductive metal such as copper or its alloy, and is a flat, uniform-thickness plate-like member that is punched into a predetermined shape using a press or the like. The busbar 100C includes an input terminal 110C that can be electrically connected to a battery or the like, a fusion portion 113C, a number of external terminals 120C, and a circuit portion 200C.

When manufacturing the busbar 100C, the circuit section 200C is formed by punching a flat plate-like material of uniform thickness into a predetermined shape using a press or the like, and bending it vertically in a stepped shape to form the bent section 280C. The upper end 290C of the circuit section 200C extends linearly, and this plate-like upper end 290C becomes a plate-like male connection terminal 250C that is connected to the external fuse 700. As shown in FIG. 14, the upper end 290C of the circuit section 200C is inserted into the connection terminal 720 in the insertion groove 740 of the external fuse 700 and connected. In addition, since the circuit section 200C has the stepped bent section 280C, the rigidity of the circuit section 200C is improved and its height is reduced, which contributes to the low profile of the fuse 600C.

In this way, by configuring the external fuse 700 to be directly attached to the circuit section 200C, the location of the external fuse 700 can be easily and flexibly changed by changing the design of the circuit section 200C. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, if the circuit section 200A is configured as a flat plate, the external fuse 700 is arranged vertically in a straight line with the external terminal 120A. Also, as shown in FIG. 14, if the circuit section 200C is configured with a bent section 280C, the height of the circuit section 200C is lowered and the location of the external fuse 700 is lowered, which contributes to a lower profile. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, if the circuit section 200 is configured to be bent into an approximately U-shape and to have a main body section 210 and a side wall section 220 facing each other, the height of the circuit section 200 is lowered and the location of the external fuse 700 is further lowered, which contributes to a lower profile.

In addition, an attachment opening 240B as shown in FIG. 13 may be provided at the upper end 290C of the circuit part 200C. Furthermore, the circuit part 200C has a male connection terminal 250C, which is configured to be connectable to the connection terminal 720 of the external fuse 700, but this is not limited thereto, and any other structure may be adopted as long as it can electrically connect the external fuse 700 and the circuit part 200C of the fuse 600C. For example, the upper end 290C of the circuit part 200C may be bent to provide a groove-shaped female terminal structure, a corresponding male terminal may be provided on the external fuse 700, and the male terminal may be inserted into the female terminal structure of the circuit part 200C to provide an electrical connection.

Furthermore, the fuse and the method of manufacturing the fuse of the present invention are not limited to the above examples, and various modifications and combinations are possible within the scope of the claims and the scope of the embodiments, and these modifications and combinations are also included in the scope of the rights.

Claims (7)

an input terminal, an external terminal, and a bus bar having a circuit portion and a fusing portion provided between the input terminal and the external terminal;
a housing covering at least a portion of the bus bar;
A fuse comprising:
The circuit portion is configured so that an external fuse having a fusing portion and a connection terminal can be attached thereto. The fuse described in claim 1, characterized in that a mounting opening into which the external fuse can be mounted is formed in a portion of the circuit section. The fuse according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the circuit portion has a body portion and a side wall portion that face each other. The fuse of claim 3, characterized in that the upper end side of the circuit portion is folded back to form the main body portion and the side wall portion. The side wall portion includes a plate-shaped male connection terminal extending from the mounting opening,
4. The fuse according to claim 3, wherein the male connection terminal is configured to be connectable to a female connection terminal of the external fuse. The fuse according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing is provided with a storage portion capable of storing the external fuse. an input terminal, an external terminal, and a bus bar including a circuit portion and a fusing portion provided between the input terminal and the external terminal;
a housing covering at least a portion of the bus bar;
A method of manufacturing a fuse comprising:
an upper end side of the circuit portion is folded back to form a main body portion and a side wall portion facing each other, and a top wall portion connecting the main body portion and the side wall portion;
A mounting opening is formed by cutting out a part of the circuit portion,
The method for manufacturing a fuse is characterized in that the mounting opening is configured so that an external fuse having a fusing portion and a connection terminal can be mounted therein.

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