Creepless snap acting bimetallic switch having step adjacent its bimetallic element
US6498559B1 · kind B1 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 24, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 24, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 24, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49107
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A bimetallic switch comprising a bimetallic element having an outer edge and being adapted to snap between an open mode and a closed mode; a movable contact disposed on the bimetallic element; a first terminal in electrically conductively coupled to the movable contact; a fixed contact disposed adjacent the movable contact such that, when the switch is in a closed position, the fixed contact and the movable contact are in engagement with one another, and when the switch is in an open position, the fixed contact and the movable contact define an open contact gap therebetween; a second terminal electrically conductively coupled to the fixed contact; a step disposed adjacent the outer edge of the bimetallic element such that a clearance is defined therebetween when the bimetallic element is in its closed mode, the clearance being positioned and dimensioned such that, when the outer edge of the bimetallic element deforms prior to a snapping open thereof, the clearance isolates a deformation of the outer edge thereby keeping the switch closed until the snapping open of the bimetallic element.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.