Fuse Holder Arcuate Retaining Lugs Coding Element

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fuse holders require high precision manufacturing and complex locking mechanisms to ensure accurate insertion and retention of fuse elements, making them difficult to manufacture and operate efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A fuse holder design featuring short, arcuate retaining lugs and inwardly protruding ribs on side walls, along with a protruding retaining tongue, allows for easy insertion and secure positioning of a coding element without the need for precise alignment or locking grooves, enabling quick and simple operation with standard tolerances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If locking and latching grooves are provided to secure the coding element, then the coding element is retained securely, but the manufacturing effort and device complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveretention of coding elementVSAvoidmanufacturing effort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex locking and latching groove mechanism from the fuse holder design and replaces it with simple arcuate retaining lugs and limiting ribs. This removal of unnecessary complexity directly resolves the contradiction by maintaining coding element retention through simpler geometric features that are easier to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using positive locking grooves that require precise engagement, the patent inverts the approach by using limiting ribs that prevent over-insertion and arcuate retaining lugs that guide the coding element into position. This inversion simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining secure retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Manufacturing precision

If precise alignment and locking mechanisms are implemented, then the coding element is securely positioned, but the ease of operation and insertion speed decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidinsertion speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The arcuate retaining lugs are pre-formed on the fuse holder body to automatically guide the coding element into the correct position during insertion. This preliminary arrangement of retaining features eliminates the need for precise manual alignment, allowing quick insertion while maintaining proper positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses arcuate (curved) retaining lugs instead of straight rigid guides. The curved geometry naturally accommodates slight variations in insertion angle and provides self-alignment, enabling fast insertion operations without sacrificing positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Reliability

If multiple locking and blocking elements are added to prevent unintended removal, then the coding element is securely retained, but the device complexity and number of parts increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of unintended removalVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the functions of retention, positioning, and prevention of unintended removal into integrated features: the arcuate retaining lugs simultaneously guide insertion, retain the coding element, and prevent removal without requiring separate locking mechanisms. The limiting ribs perform multiple functions of positioning and stopping over-insertion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The retaining lugs and limiting ribs are designed as multi-functional features that perform multiple tasks: guiding the coding element during insertion, securing it in the correct position, preventing over-insertion, and blocking unintended removal. This universality reduces the total number of parts while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP1717836B1Fuse holder, in particular for fuse sockets and load break switches

Publication Date: 2007.05.02 WOHNER GMBH & CO KG ELEKTROTECHNISCHE SYST

AI summary

A fuse holder has supporting lugs (20, 21), which are formed curved at the side walls (2) at the end (13) of the fuse holder. The supporting lugs exhibit a radius which corresponds to the external radius of coding elements (15). The side walls are provided with ribs (30, 31), opposite to each other, near the end of the fuse holder. The ribs protrude inwards from the side panels. The side walls are arranged, to a large extent, parallel to each other and are kept at a distance which is equal to the outer diameter of the coding element. The coding element is assigned as a separate part and can be removed and has a bush section (36), which specifies an opening, which specifies a predetermined size of the pole of the fuse element.