Condition-responsive electric switch mechanism
US5585774A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 1, 1994 |
| Grant date | Dec 17, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H37/60
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A condition-responsive electric switch mechanism having a snap-acting bistable spring switch element carrying a movable contact, and an actuator movable in response to a detected condition to operate the bistable spring switch element. The spring switch element is capable of snapping between a circuit open position in which the movable contact is spaced from a fixed contact and a circuit closed position in which the movable contact engages the fixed contact. The spring switch element has a head mounting the movable contact thereon, and a pair of arms extending outwardly from the head being formed free of connection to one another at their distal ends opposite the head. The arms are fixed to a first terminal blade at their distal ends in a configuration deflected from the relaxed position so as to stress the switch element making it capable of snapping between the circuit open and circuit closed positions for a wide variety of preset contact gaps. The spring switch element is also capable of maintaining high contact force around the switch point.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.