Mechanical reinforcement structure for fuses
A fuse includes an electrical assembly and a fuse tube assembly. The electrical assembly has two electrical contacts accessible from the exterior of the fuse and a fuse element in contact with the two electrical contacts. The fuse tube assembly includes a support structure surrounding at least a portion of the electrical assembly and a reinforcing structure formed over the support structure and in contact with at least a portion of the electrical assembly. The reinforcing structure is made of a fiber matrix pre-impregnated with a resin.
1. A method of reinforcing a fuse, the method comprising:
providing an electrical assembly, the electrical assembly comprising two electrical contacts accessible from an exterior of a fuse and a fuse element in contact with the two electrical contacts;
surrounding at least a portion of the electrical assembly by a pre-formed tubular support structure;
after surrounding at least a portion of the electrical assembly by the pre-formed tubular support structure, applying a reinforcing structure over the pre-formed tubular support structure and in contact with at least a portion of the electrical assembly, wherein the reinforcing structure comprises a fiber matrix, the fiber matrix comprising fibers pre-impregnated with a resin.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a heat shrink structure over the reinforcing structure.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the reinforcing structure comprises applying the pre-impregnated fiber matrix in a rolling operation.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the reinforcing structure comprises applying the pre-impregnated fiber matrix in a wrapping operation.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the reinforcing layer comprises circumferentially applying the pre-impregnated fiber matrix.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the reinforcing layer comprises vertically applying the pre-impregnated fiber matrix.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing post application processing of the fuse.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein performing post application processing comprises curing.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein curing the reinforcing fuse comprises heating the fuse.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the fuse is heated to between 250° F. and 400° F.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising pre-heating the electrical assembly.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the electrical assembly is pre-heated to between 100° F. and 200° F.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising filling the fuse with an electrical arc quenching medium.