Thermal switch device and method of making
US4016522A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 1975 |
| Grant date | Apr 5, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 22, 1995 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49107
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A thermal switch for automatically opening a circuit when the ambient temperature is increased to a predetermined level. A pair of conductor wires are arranged in side by side fashion with extremities extending in the same direction. A spring portion is included in at least one of the conductor wires to provide stored energy when the spring is biased into electrical contact with each other. A localized contact region is included in the conductor wire in the region below the spring portion but spaced upwardly from the associated extremities to create a lever arm. The extremities, contact region, lever arm and spring being encapsulated with a heat fusible material which biases the conductor wires into contact with each other and which is coated with a rigid insulating material to retain the conductor wires electrically insulated from each other except at the contact region. The heat fusible material holding the conductors into electrical contact until the temperature level reaches the level at which the fusible material flows thereby allowing the contacts to be separated due to the energy stored by the spring.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.