IDENTIFICATION OF THE INOPERABILITY OF FUSES

摘要

The invention relates to a method for the identification of the inoperability of fuses and to fuses equipped with said feature, which consist of a tubular or bar-shaped ceramic body as the fuse body. Said fuses have a fusible element extending between the pole caps situated on each front end and undergo a visible modification on account of the damage to the fusible element. If the fusible element is damaged as a result of an overvoltage, overload or a short-circuit, this cannot be identified as a result of the opacity of the ceramic body. According to the invention, the fusible element is surrounded or covered by a material, which is modified by the heat when the fusible element melts, in such a way that said material or the reaction products thereof permit the inoperability of the fuse to become visible over the entire surface of the fuse body, or at least at various points on the latter.