BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0001 This application relates to the art of fuse holders and, more particularly, to a combined fuse holder and shunt. The invention is particularly applicable for use in the telecommunications industry and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader aspects and can be used for other purposes. 0002 It is common to measure the voltage drop across line and load terminals in telecommunications applications. This commonly is done by providing a shunt that allows measurement of the voltage drop. In prior arrangements, the shunt usually is a special device that is wired into a circuit rather than being a pre-manufactured part of a component. 0003 It would be desirable to provide an arrangement in which the shunt is combined with a fuse holder in a convenient and efficient manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0004 A combined fuse holder and shunt includes a pair of circuit connectors. A pair of fuse connectors are connected between the pair of circuit connectors, and a shunt is connected between one of the fuse connectors and one of the circuit connectors. 0005 In a preferred arrangement, the shunt is connected between the load circuit connector and one of the fuse connectors. 0006 In accordance with another aspect of the application, each of the circuit connectors is in one integral piece with one of the fuse connectors. 0007 In accordance with another aspect of the application, one circuit connector and one fuse connector have a shunt soldered there between so that the circuit connector, fuse connector and shunt form a one-piece assembly. 0008 The combined fuse holder and shunt is retained within a two-piece plastic housing. Each housing piece has an end wall with a slot therein through which the circuit connectors project. 0009 Ribs on the housing side walls have rib ends spaced above the housing bottom wall, and opposite side portions of the combined fuse holder and shunt are received between the rib ends and the bottom wall to retain same within the housing. 0010 A heat sink on the fuse holder and shunt is received in a depression in the housing bottom wall. A slotted depression bottom wall provides air circulation past the heat sink. 0011 It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a combined fuse holder and shunt. 0012 It is another object of the invention to provide a combined fuse holder and shunt that is convenient to manufacture and assemble. 0013 It is an additional object of the invention to provide a combined fuse holder and shunt wherein circuit connector terminals, fuse connector terminals and a shunt are integrated into a one-piece assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 0014 FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one-half of a plastic housing; 0015 FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof; 0016 FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of one end thereof; 0017 FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the opposite end thereof; 0018 FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another plastic housing half; 0019 FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof; 0020 FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of one end thereof; 0021 FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the opposite end thereof; 0022 FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a line or power circuit connector having integral circuit and fuse connector terminals thereon; 0023 FIG. 10 is a top plan view thereof; 0024 FIG. 11 is an end elevational view thereof; 0025 FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a load circuit connector having a shunt positioned between the circuit connector and a fuse connector; 0026 FIG. 13 is a top plan view thereof; and 0027 FIG. 14 is an end elevational view thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 0028 Referring now to the drawing, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting same, FIGS. 1-4 show a left hand half of a plastic housing A having opposite end walls 10, 12, a sidewall 14 and a partial top wall 16 with an opening 18 therein. The side of the housing half opposite from sidewall 14 is open and the periphery of the open side is generally indicated by number 19. Housing half A includes a stepped bottom wall including end bottom wall portions 20, 22 extending perpendicular to sidewall 14 and end walls 10, 12 and having a depression 24 therebetween with a depression bottom wall 26. 0029 A sidewall of depression 24 is an integral extension of sidewall 14, and depression bottom wall 26 extends perpendicular thereto integral therewith. The opposite ends of depression 24 that face outwardly in the direction of end walls 10, 12 are completely open as generally indicated at 28, 30 to provide air circulation through the depression in a direction between end walls 10, 12. 0030 A plurality of spaced-apart vertical ribs 36-39 are molded integrally with side wall 14 and the underside of top wall 16. The ribs have rib ends that are spaced above bottom wall portions 20, 26 to provide a space for receiving opposite side portions of a fuse holder and shunt assembly therebeneath. Horizontal slots 42, 44 extend into end walls 10, 12 from the open side of the housing above bottom wall portions 20, 22. The slots extend perpendicular to sidewall 14 and parallel to bottom wall portions 20, 22. 0031 FIGS. 5-8 show a right hand housing half A1. Corresponding features of right housing half A1 are identified by the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1-4 followed by the letter a. 0032 FIGS. 9-11 show a copper bus member or load connector C having a load circuit connector terminal 60 and a fuse connector terminal 62 extending perpendicular from opposite ends of a vertical portion 64. A pair of spaced-apart fuse connector blades extend upwardly from fuse connector terminal 62 to provide a slot 70 therebetween for receiving a fuse terminal. An enlarged opening 72 at the bottom of slot 70 is provided to facilitate resilient bending of blades 66, 68. 0033 FIGS. 12-14 show a copper power or line connector D having a power circuit connector terminal 80 and a shunt terminal 82 extending outwardly from opposite ends of an upright portion 84 perpendicular thereto. A shunt 88 is soldered to the end of shunt terminal 82 and to an end of fuse connector terminal 90 which has a pair of spaced-apart fuse connector blades 94, 96 extending upwardly therefrom to define a slot 98 therebetween for receiving a fuse terminal. An enlarged opening 102 at the bottom of slot 98 is provided to facilitate resilient bending of blades 94, 96. Although various known types of shunts and shunt materials can be used, a shunt defined by a plurality of spaced-apart parallel thin plates of manganin alloy has proven effective. 0034 An integral heat sink in the form of a plurality of spaced-apart parallel plates depends from fuse connector 90 adjacent the shunt. 0035 The parts are assembled by moving the parts of FIGS. 9-14 sideways into one of the housing parts through the open side thereof and then moving the open side of the other housing part against the first housing part. For example, the shunt assembly of FIGS. 12-14 may be moved sideways into right hand housing part A1 of FIGS. 5-8 by moving power circuit connector terminal 80 into end wall slot 44a while heat sink 110 moves into depression 24a. In this position, shunt 88 and shunt terminal 82 will extend along housing bottom wall portion 20 and one side portion of shunt terminal 82 will be received beneath the bottom end of rib 39a. A side portion of fuse connector terminal 90 on the opposite side of blades 94, 96 from shunt 88 will be received beneath the bottom ends of ribs 37a, 38a. 0036 The connector part of FIGS. 9-11 is moved sideways into right hand housing part A1 of FIGS. 5-8 by locating load circuit connector terminal 60 within slot 42a in end wall 10a while fuse connector portion 62 extends along bottom wall 20a. A side portion of fuse connector terminal 62 will be received in the space between the bottom end of rib 36a and bottom wall portion 20a. The opposite or left hand housing half of FIGS. 1-4 then is moved into cooperative engagement with housing part A1 and the two housing parts are heat staked together along their open sides. This secures the combined fuse holder and shunt within the housing while providing access to the fuse connector blades through opening 18, 18a. 0037 Opposite side portions of fuse connector portion 90 will be received between the housing bottom wall and the bottom ends of ribs 37, 37a, 38, 38a. Opposite side portions of shunt terminal 82 will be received between bottom wall portions 22, 22a and the bottom ends of ribs 39, 39a. Opposite side portions of fuse connector terminal 62 will be trapped between bottom wall portions 20, 20a and the bottom ends of ribs 36, 36a. 0038 Load connector part C of FIGS. 9-11 preferably is cast on one-piece of copper. The line connector part D of FIGS. 12-14 is of three pieces that are soldered together to form a one-piece assembly. Fuse connector terminal 90 and blades 94, 96 preferably are cast in one-piece of copper. The plates of the heat sink 110 are spaced-apart in a direction between the housing sidewalls 14, 14a. 0039 Left and right hand housing parts A and A1 define a two part housing. Each part has opposite end walls, a bottom wall, one sidewall and an opposite open side opposite from the one sidewall. The two housing parts are essentially mirror images of one another, and are butted together along their open sides and heat staked together with the connectors of FIGS. 9-14 trapped therein. 0040 Each housing part has a partial top wall intersecting the one sidewall and the end walls. A plurality of vertical ribs integral with the one sidewall and the partial top wall are spaced-apart in a direction between the end walls. The ribs have rib bottom ends spaced above the housing bottom wall. The fuse connectors extend along the housing bottom wall adjacent the end walls, with opposite side portions thereof received between the rib bottom ends and the housing bottom wall. 0041 A depression in the housing bottom wall receives a heat sink that depends from the fuse connector that is integral with the shunt. 0042 Slots extend into the housing end walls from the open sides thereof toward the one sidewall parallel to the housing bottom wall for receiving flat plate connectors that connect to a bus of a power source or a load. 0043 An instrument or monitoring circuit is connected across shunt 88 to register the voltage drop thereacross and thereby measure the current passing through the combined fuse holder and shunt to the load. 0044 Although the invention has been shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification. The present invention includes all such equivalent alterations and modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.