Mechanical Fuse Striker With Spring Release and Retention Bodies
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical fuses with striker elements often interfere with their responsiveness and interrupting capabilities, and those using explosive materials pose shipping challenges and inconsistency issues, particularly in medium and high voltage applications.
Innovation Solution
A fuse assembly with a strike pin assembly that includes a cap, adapter, firing pin, retention bodies, and biasing elements, where the trigger is secured by a filament and releases to displace retention bodies and the firing pin upon filament breakage, facilitating the tripping of a circuit without using explosive materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If explosive materials are used to generate force for displacing the strike element, then the interrupting capability is enhanced, but shipping challenges and inconsistency issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes explosive materials from the fuse assembly and replaces them with a mechanical spring-based force generation system. The spring is pre-loaded and stored within the housing, ready to provide the necessary force for actuating the striker without requiring any explosive substances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical/explosive force generation system with a purely mechanical spring-based system. The spring stores potential energy mechanically and releases it to drive the striker, eliminating the need for explosive materials while maintaining the required force for circuit interruption.
2Ease of operation
If a striker element is added to provide visual indication and triggering force, then the safety indication and circuit opening capability are improved, but the responsiveness and interrupting capabilities of the fuse are adversely impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the visual indication function and the circuit triggering function into a single integrated striker assembly. The striker serves dual purposes: providing visual evidence that the fuse has blown and simultaneously actuating the circuit breaker or switch to open the circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring is pre-loaded and positioned in advance within the housing, ready to immediately actuate the striker when the fuse element melts. This preliminary preparation ensures that no time is lost in generating the force needed for striker deployment, maintaining fast responsiveness.
3Force
If explosive materials are used for generating force, then the strike element displacement is enhanced, but shipping challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes all explosive materials from the fuse assembly and replaces them with a mechanical spring-based force generation system. The spring is pre-loaded and stored within the housing, ready to provide the necessary force for actuating the striker without requiring any explosive substances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simple, inexpensive mechanical spring that can be easily manufactured and disposed of if needed, replacing complex and regulated explosive materials. This makes the fuse assembly more suitable for shipping and handling while maintaining the required performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the responsiveness of electrical fuses to overcurrent conditions while eliminating the risks associated with explosive materials, ensuring reliable and consistent operation in medium and high voltage applications.
Implementation Method 1
a first biasing element positioned to displace, in response to a breakage in the filament, the trigger in a distal direction
Implementation Method 2
a second biasing element positioned to displace the firing pin in the distal direction in response to the displacement of each of the plurality of retention bodies
Implementation Method 3
the amount of current flowing through the conductive element can melt the conductive element
Data Source
AI summary
A strike pin assembly for a fuse assembly in which the strike pin assembly is maintained in a locked position by a holding force of a filament and an interference provided by a plurality of retention bodies. Upon a breakage of the filament, such as, for example, in response to heat generated by operation of a fuse element, a trigger can be displaced via a first biasing force in a distal direction such that the trigger is positioned at a location that does not impede an inward displacement of a plurality of retention bodies from a recess of a firing pin. Upon the inward displacement of the retention bodies, a second biasing force can displace the firing pin in the distal direction such that a portion of the firing pin can protrude out from an adapter of the strike pin assembly.