Fuse unit

In a fuse unit that includes a bus bar whose bend parts separated from each other are arranged in parallel, and one pair of divided bodies formed by being divided into one side and the other side of the bus bar with the bend parts exposed, and in which the one pair of divided bodies is arranged into an L-letter shape by being bent at the bend parts, a partition wall that is to be arranged between the bend parts in a state of leaving the bend parts bent is provided on one divided body.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a fuse unit.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, as a fuse unit, there has been known a fuse element as a bus bar in which at least two flexible parts as bend parts separated from each other are arranged in parallel, and one divided body and the other divided body as one pair of divided bodies formed by being divided into one side and the other side of the fuse element with the flexible parts exposed (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).

In this fuse unit, the flexible parts of the fuse element are bent and thereby one divided body and the other divided body are arranged into an L-letter shape. Enlargement of the fuse unit along its full length can be suppressed and it becomes possible to cope with diversification of fuse circuits by forming the fuse element into the L-letter shape in this way.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

Incidentally, in a fuse unit such as that in the above-mentioned Patent Literature 1, there are two bend parts of the bus bar, and the bend parts are separated from each other. That is, since they configure separate circuits, it is necessary to insulate the bend parts from each other. Therefore, the adjacent bend parts are arranged apart from each other.

However, in the fuse unit such as that in the above-mentioned Patent Literature 1, since the bend parts are exposed from the one pair of divided bodies, the adjacent bend parts are electrically conducted together due to atmospheric discharges and so forth and there was the possibility that leakage would occur.

Accordingly, this invention aims to provide a fuse unit capable of preventing the leakage that would occur between bend parts that are exposed from one pair of divided bodies.

Solution to Problem

A fuse unit according to the present invention includes: a bus bar whose at least two bend parts separated from each other are arranged in parallel; and one pair of divided bodies formed by being divided into one side and the other side of the bus bar with the bend parts exposed, the one pair of divided bodies being arranged into an L-letter shape by being bent at the bend parts, in which a partition wall that is to be arranged between the bend parts in a state of leaving the bend parts bent is provided on either one of the one pair of divided bodies.

It is preferable that an isolation depression part that is provided between the bend parts and in which the partition wall is to be arranged in the state of leaving the bend parts bent be provided in the other one that is different from the one on which the partition wall is provided in the one pair of divided bodies.

It is preferable that a locking part that attains engagement in the state of leaving the bend parts bent to restrict bending of the bend parts be provided on the one pair of divided bodies.

It is preferable that the locking part comprises a locking depression part that is provided in either one of the partition wall and the other divided body and a locking projection part that is provided on the other one of the partition wall and the other divided body and is to be engaged with the locking depression part.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fuse units according to embodiments of the present invention will be described by using the drawings.

First Embodiment

A first embodiment will be described by usingFIG. 1toFIGS. 4A and 4B.

A fuse unit1according to the present embodiment is provided with a bus bar7that bend parts3,5that are separated from each other are arranged in parallel, and one pair of divided bodies9,11formed by being divided into one side and the other side of the bus bar7with the bend parts3,5exposed. The one pair of divided bodies9,11is arranged into an L-letter shape by being bent at the bend parts3,5.

Then, a partition wall13that is to be arranged between the bend parts3,5in a state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent is provided on one divided body9.

In addition, an isolation depression part15that is provided between the bend parts3,5and into which the partition wall13is to be arranged in the state of leaving the bend part3,5bent is provided in the other divided body11.

The bus bar7is made of a conductive material and is formed into a sheet shape. In addition, a fuse (not shown) that fuses with overcurrent is formed integrally with the bus bar7.

As shown inFIG. 1, in this bus bar7, a plurality of upper surface connection parts17to which a battery terminal (not shown), a alternator terminal (not shown), a starter motor (not shown) and so forth are to be connected are provided on parts located on the upper surface side of a battery (not shown), and a plurality of side-surface connection parts19to which terminals that are connected to loads such as electrical components and so forth are to be connected are provided on parts located on the side-surface side of the battery.

The bus bar7like this serves as a fuse element that configures a fuse circuit that is arranged between the battery and the load to connect together the battery and the load via the fuse. The bend parts3,5that are separated from each other are provided on this bus bar7.

The bend parts3,5are separately arranged in parallel and configure different fuse circuits respectively. The fuse unit1is formed into the L-letter shape by bending the bend parts3,5. Enlargement of the fuse unit1along its full length can be suppressed, it becomes possible to prevent interference with the peripheral member of the battery and it becomes possible to cope with diversification of the fuse circuits by forming the fuse unit1into L-letter shape in this way.

In the bus bar7provided with these bend parts3,5, the one pair of divided bodies9,11is insert-molded in a state before the bend parts3,5are bent by using the bend parts3,5as a boundary. As shown inFIG. 3A, the divided body9is insert-molded as the one-side one to be located on the side-surface side of the battery, and as shown inFIG. 4A, the divided body11is insert-molded as the other-side one to be located on the upper surface side of the battery. Although the divided bodies9,11are stated in individually cut-apart states inFIG. 3AandFIG. 4A, the divided bodies9,11are in a coupled state by using the bend parts3,5as the boundary in reality.

The one pair of divided bodies9,11is made of a synthetic resin material and is molded integrally with the bus bar7by using a die and so forth such that the bus bar7is built into the both. When the one pair of divided bodies9,11is molded integrally with the bus bar7, the bend parts3,5of the bus bar7are brought into the exposed states so as to make the bend parts3,5of the bus bar7bendable.

Since the bend parts3,5that are exposed from the one pair of divided bodies9,11in this way configure the different fuse circuits respectively, it is necessary to insulate them from each other and thus they are arranged apart from each other. However, since the bend parts3,5are exposed, the bend parts3,5are electrically conducted together due to the atmospheric discharges and so forth and there is the possibility that leakage may occur. Therefore, as shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the partition wall13that is to be arranged between the bend parts35in a state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent is provided on the divided body9.

The partition wall13is arranged between the bend parts3,5of one divided body9projecting toward the other divided body11side in a state before the bend parts3,5are bent. In addition, the partition wall13is formed larger than facing surfaces of the bend parts3,5so as not to mutually face side surfaces of the bend parts3,5in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent.

This partition wall13is arranged between the bend parts3,5in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent, that is, in a state of leaving the one pair of divided bodies9,11arranged into the L-letter shape. A creeping distance between the bend parts3,5is increased owing to arrangement of the partition wall13between the bend parts3,5and the leakage between the bend parts3,5can be prevented.

On the other hand, the isolation depression part15into which the partition wall13is to be arranged is provided in the other divided body11. The isolation depression part15is provided between the bend parts3,5so as to cover the periphery of the partition wall13. This isolation depression part15is arranged on the periphery of the partition wall13in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent. Thus, the creeping distance between the bend parts3,5is more increased by an inner surface of the isolation depression part15, and the leakage between the bend parts3,5can be further prevented.

Since in the fuse unit1like this, the partition wall13to be arranged between the bend parts3,5in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent is provided on one divided body9, the creeping distance between the bend parts3,5is increased owing to arrangement of the partition wall13between the bend parts3,5, and the leakage between the bend parts3,5can be prevented.

Therefore, since in the fuse unit1like this, the partition wall13is arranged between the bend parts3,5in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent, the leakage between the bend parts3,5exposed from the one pair of divided bodies9,11can be prevented.

In addition, since the isolation depression part15into which the partition wall13is to be arranged in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent is provided in the other divided body11, it results in arrangement of the partition wall13and the isolation depression part15between the bend parts3,5, and the creeping distance between the bend parts3,5is more increased and the leakage between the bend parts3,5can be further prevented.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment will be described by usingFIG. 5toFIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C.

As shown inFIG. 5, in a fuse unit101according to the present embodiment, a locking part103that attains engagement in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent to restrict bending of the bend parts3,5is provided on the one pair of divided bodies9,11.

In addition, the locking part103has a locking depression part105that is provided in the partition wall13and a locking projection part107that is provided on the other divided body11and is to be engaged with the locking depression part105.

Incidentally, although the same symbols are assigned to the same configurations as those in the first embodiment and configurational and functional description thereof is omitted on condition that the first embodiment is to be referred to, since they are the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, the obtained effects are the same.

As shown inFIG. 5toFIGS. 9A and 9B, the locking part103that restricts bending of the bend parts3,5, that is, maintains the L-letter shape of the one pair of divided bodies9,11is provided on the one pair of divided bodies9,11. This locking part103is provided with the locking depression part105and the locking projection part107that are engaged with each other in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent.

As shown inFIG. 6B, the locking depression part105is provided in the partition wall13of one divided body9in a semicircle. This locking depression part105is arranged in opposition to the isolation depression part15in the other divided body11in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent. The locking projection part107is engaged with the locking depression part105like this in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent.

As shown inFIG. 7B, the locking projection part107is projectingly arranged in the isolation depression part15in the other divided body11and its leading end side is formed in a semicircle. This locking projection part107is engaged with the locking depression part105in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent, that is, in the state of leaving the one pair of divided bodies9,11arranged into the L-letter shape. Movements in a direction that the one pair of divided bodies9,11is opened and in a direction that it is closed from the L-letter shape are restricted and bending of the bend parts3,5is restricted owing to engagement of this locking projection part107with the locking depression part105.

In the locking part103so configured, a leading end face of the locking projection part107is arranged in opposition to a leading end face of the partition wall13in a state that the bend parts3,5are not bent. The leading end face of the locking projection part107comes closer to the locking depression part105while sliding with the partition wall13in the middle of bending the bend parts3,5out of this state. Then, as shown inFIG. 9AandFIG. 9B, the locking projection part107is engaged with the locking depression part105in a state that the bend parts3,5have been completely bent and bending of the bend parts3,5is restricted.

Since in the fuse unit101like this, the locking part103that attains engagement in the state of leaving the bend parts3,5bent to restrict bending of the bend parts3,5is provided on the one pair of divided bodies9,11, the state that one pair of divided bodies9,11has been arranged into the L-letter shape can be stably maintained.

In addition, since the locking part103has the locking depression part105that is provided in the partition wall13and the locking projection part107that is provided on the other divided body11and is to be engaged with the locking depression part105, prevention of the leakage between the bend parts3,5and maintenance of the L-letter shape of the one pair of divided bodies9,11can be attained at one place and a structure can be simplified.

Incidentally, as the locking part for restricting bending of the bend parts3,5, there may be used a locking part203, for example, as shown inFIG. 10A,FIG. 10BandFIG. 10C. Describing in detail, the locking part203includes a locking projection part205that is provided in the vicinity of the partition wall13and is provided on one divided body9and a locked projection part207that is provided on the other divided body11.

The locking projection part205is flexible and is projected from a lower surface of one divided body9in the state that the bend parts3,5are not bent, and an inclined plane is provided on its leading end side (FIG. 10A). The locked projection part207is projected from a side surface of the other divided body11toward the one divided body9side and an inclined plane is provided on its leading end side.

In the locking part203so configured, the locking projection part205and the locked projection part207are arranged 90° out of phase in the state that the bend parts3,5are not bent. In the middle of bending the bends part3,5out of this state, the inclined plane of the locking projection part205and the inclined plane of the locked projection part207slide (FIG. 10B), and the locking projection part205deflects and climbs over the locked projection part207. Then, the locking projection part205is positioned on an upper surface of the locked projection part207in the state that the bend parts3,5have been completely bent (FIG. 10C).

In this engaged state of the locking part203, when the one pair of divided bodies9,11intends to move in the direction that they are opened from the L-letter shape, a lower surface of the locking projection part205abuts on the upper surface of the locked projection part207and bending of the bend parts3,5is restricted. On the other hand, when the one pair of divided bodies9,11intends to move in the direction that they are closed from the L-letter shape, the leading end surface of the locking projection part205abuts on the side surface of the other divided body11and bending of the bend parts3,5is restricted.

Incidentally, although the fuse units according to the embodiments of the present invention has two bend parts of the bus bar and the bend parts are separated from each other, it is not limited to this and the fuse unit may have two or more bent parts separated from each other. In a case of such bend parts, the partition wall may be provided on either one of the pair of divided bodies such that the partition wall is arranged between the adjacent bend parts.

In addition, although the partition wall is provided on one divided body, it may be provided on the other divided body. Further, although the locking depression part of the locking part is provided in the partition wall and the locking projection part is provided on the other divided body, the locking depression part may be provided in the other divided body and the locking projection part may be provided on the partition wall.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, the fuse unit capable of preventing the leakage between the bend parts that have been exposed from the one pair of divided bodies can be provided.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST