Abstract:
A fusible link unit is provided with a first alternator terminal including a screw hole configured to be connected with an opposite terminal with a screw, a second alternator terminal including a connector configured to be connected with an opposite connector, a battery terminal one or more load terminals respectively including one or more fuse links, wherein the first alternator terminal, the second alternator terminal, the battery terminal, the load terminals and the fuse links are mutually connected and unitized in a fuse unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a fusible link unit having a plurality of fuse units respectively having fuse links.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Vehicles are equipped with various electric devices and, for protection thereof from over-current, provided with fusible link units. The fusible link unit is ordinarily provided with a plurality of fuse units and an insulator case partially covering the fuse units. Each of the fuse units is provided with a fuse link, a busbar, terminals respectively connected with a load and a battery. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-182506 discloses a related art.  
         [0005]     Some types of the fusible link units are further provided with input portions for input from the alternators. In certain cases, the input portion is required to permit high-current and is hence provided with a terminal to which a terminal fitting is screwed. In other cases, it is enough that the input portion is provided with a male connector for mating with a female connector of the alternator. They are different from each other in view of the whole constitutions thereof.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Required capacities for the input portions vary depending on the types of the vehicles and hence both aforementioned types of fusible link units must be reserved for manufacturing the vehicles. Moreover, the vehicles per se are subject to design change for housing both types of fusible link units. Provided that one fusible link unit is capable of meeting the variety of requirements in the capacities, such fusible link provides easiness of installation thereof and designing of the vehicle and decrease in the number of parts. The present invention is achieved in view of the above problem.  
         [0007]     According to an aspect of the present invention, a fusible link unit is provided with a first alternator terminal including a screw hole configured to be connected with an opposite terminal with a screw; a second alternator terminal including a connector configured to be connected with an opposite connector; a battery terminal; and one or more load terminals respectively including one or more fuse links, wherein the first alternator terminal, the second alternator terminal, the battery terminal, the load terminals and the fuse links are mutually connected and unitized in a fuse unit.  
         [0008]     Preferably, the battery terminal is configured to link with a battery without a cable. More preferably, the battery terminal is configured to link with a battery via a cable. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fusible link unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram of the fusible link unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a fusible link unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the fusible link unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the fusible link unit, taken from a line V-V of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the fusible link unit, taken from a line VI-VI of  FIG. 4 ; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a circuit diagram of the fusible link unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]     A first embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0017]     A fusible link unit  1 A is, as shown in  FIG. 1 , provided with a fuse unit  2 , a detail of which is shown in  FIG. 2 , and a casing  3  partially covering the fuse unit  2 . A whole shape of the fusible link unit  1 A is so dimensioned as to fit a car battery and hence can be directly installed on the battery.  
         [0018]     The fuse unit  2  is provided with a pair of fuse links  4 , a pair of load terminals  5 , a battery terminal  6 , a first alternator terminal  7  and a second alternator terminal  8  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The fuse links  4  are connected in parallel with the respective load terminals  5 . Both the first alternator terminal  7  and the second alternator terminal  8  are connected to one of the fuse links  4 .  
         [0019]     Each of the fuse links  4  is a piece made of a low-melting metal and configured to melt when a current beyond a respectively predetermined value flows therethrough. The fuse links  4  are crimped on respective lines shaped in a narrow cranked shape.  
         [0020]     The load terminals  5  are male contact for connection with the respective load (not shown) and are housed in a connector housing  9  formed at a lower part of the casing  3 .  
         [0021]     The battery terminal  6  is provided with a screw hole  6   a  to which a terminal fitting (not shown) for connection with the battery is connected with a screw (not shown). The terminal fitting is further connected to a battery post (not shown) of the battery. Thereby, the battery terminal  6  is connected to the battery without any cable.  
         [0022]     A first alternator input portion  10  is formed of the first alternator terminal  7  and a second alternator input portion  20  is formed of the second alternator terminal  8 .  
         [0023]     The first alternator input portion  10  is provided with a screw hole  7   a  formed on the first alternator terminal  7  and a bolt  11  screwed in the screw hole  7   a . Thereby the first alternator input portion  10  is configured to be connectable with an opposite terminal (not shown) of the alternator with a screw.  
         [0024]     The second alternator input portion  20  is provided with the second alternator terminal  8  formed in a male terminal shape connectable with a female connector and are housed in a connector housing  21  formed at a lower part of the casing  3 . An opposite terminal (not shown) of the alternator is fixed with the second alternator input portion  20  via the connector.  
         [0025]     In a case where a current capacity of the alternator is relatively large, the opposite terminal of the alternator is connected to the first alternator input portion  10  with the screw. On the contrary, in a case where a current capacity of the alternator is relatively small, the opposite terminal of the alternator is connected to the second alternator input portion  20  with the connector. Thereby the fusible link unit  1 A is capable of permitting any of the screw connection and the connector connection and is hence capable of selective permission of high-current and low-current.  
         [0026]     The fusible link unit  1 A conducts and distributes electric power supplied by both the battery and the alternator to the respective load via the load terminals  5 . In a case where a remaining battery level is short, the battery receives the electric power from the alternator so as to be charged. Provided that over-current caused by any trouble at the loads flows through any of the fuse links  4 , the fuse link  4  melts to shut off the current therethrough and thereby succeeding accidents are prevented beforehand.  
         [0027]     A second embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to  FIGS. 3 through 7 .  
         [0028]     A fusible link unit  1 B is, in contrast with the aforementioned fusible link unit  1 A according to the first embodiment, installed separately from the battery as shown in  FIG. 3  through  6 . The fusible link unit  1 B is provided with a fuse unit  30  comprised of a busbar press-formed from a conductive sheet and an insulator casing  31  partly covering the fuse unit  30 .  
         [0029]     The fuse unit  30  is provided with a plurality of fuse links  32  and load terminals  33  connected in parallel, a battery terminal  34 , a fuse link  35  for the alternator, a first alternator terminal  36  and a second alternator terminal  37 , which forms a circuit shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0030]     Each of the fuse links  32  is a piece made of a low-melting metal and configured to melt when a current beyond a respectively predetermined value flows therethrough. The fuse links  32  are crimped on respective lines shaped in a narrow cranked shape.  
         [0031]     The load terminals  33  are male contact for connection with the respective load (not shown) and are housed in a connector housing  38  formed at a lower part of the casing  31 .  
         [0032]     The battery terminal  34  is provided with a screw hole (not shown) to which a terminal fitting of a cable (not shown) for connection with the battery is connected with a screw (not shown) According to the present embodiment, the battery terminal  34  is connected to the battery via the cable.  
         [0033]     The fuse link  34  for the alternator is also configured to melt when a current beyond a respectively predetermined value flows therethrough. The fuse link  34  is crimped on a line shaped in a narrow relatively straight shape.  
         [0034]     A first alternator input portion  40  is formed of the first alternator terminal  36  and a second alternator input portion  50  is formed of the second alternator terminal  37 .  
         [0035]     The first alternator input portion  40  is provided with a screw hole  36   a  formed on the first alternator terminal  36 , exposed outward from the casing  31 . Thereby the first alternator input portion  40  is configured to be connectable with an opposite terminal (not shown) of the alternator with a screw.  
         [0036]     The second alternator input portion  50  is provided with the second alternator terminal  37  formed in a male terminal shape connectable with a female connector and are housed in a connector housing  51  formed at a lower part of the casing  31 . An opposite terminal (not shown) of the alternator is fixed with the second alternator input portion  50  via the connector.  
         [0037]     In a case where a current capacity of the alternator is relatively large, the opposite terminal of the alternator is connected to the first alternator input portion  40  with the screw. On the contrary, in a case where a current capacity of the alternator is relatively small, the opposite terminal of the alternator is connected to the second alternator input portion  50  with the connector. Thereby the fusible link unit  1 B is capable of permitting any of the screw connection and the connector connection and is hence capable of selective permission of high-current and low-current.  
         [0038]     Although the invention has been described above by reference to certain embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the embodiments described above will occur to those skilled in the art, in light of the above teachings.