With Spring Or Other Energy Storage Means Patents (Class 337/388)
  • Patent number: 8581686
    Abstract: A reflowable thermal fuse includes a conduction element with first and second ends, disposed within a housing. The reflowable thermal fuse also includes an elastic element disposed within the housing and adapted to apply force on the conduction element in an activated state of the reflowable thermal fuse. A restraining element is utilized to secure the elastic element and prevent the elastic element from applying force on the conduction element in an installation state of the reflowable thermal fuse. Application of an activating current through the restraining element causes the restraining element to break and thereby release the elastic element and place the reflowable thermal fuse in the activated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew P. Galla, Jianhua Chen, Martyn A. Mattheisen
  • Patent number: 8081058
    Abstract: A thermally activated electrical interrupt device incorporates a thermally activated portion engaging with an electrical interrupt portion. The thermally activated material expands when heated, causing an interrupt control rod to open an electrical contact. When the interrupt device is placed into an interrupt state, a reset mechanism maintains the interrupt control rod in the interrupt state until specifically reset. An actuating shaft is in operational communication with at least one electrical contact. The actuating shaft is maintained in a thermal monitoring position until an interrupt control rod is moved via a thermally expanding material and engages with the actuating shaft, releasing it from the thermal monitoring position. The actuating shaft is projected via a biasing member to cause a change in state of the electrical contact. The actuating shaft remains in the interrupt state until the user resets the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Inventors: William C. Neilly, Kevin L. Gabrey
  • Patent number: 7724122
    Abstract: A fuse including a fuse housing having first and second electrical terminals, a movable partition made from an electrically conductive material movably disposed within the fuse housing, a fusible structure connected between the first electrical terminal and the movable partition, a conductor connected between the movable partition and the second electrical terminal, a biasing element acting on the movable partition to maintain the fusible structure in tension and for moving the movable partition upon melting of the fusible structure and an indicator connected between the movable partition and the second electrical terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts International, Inc.
    Inventor: John G. Leach
  • Patent number: 7652553
    Abstract: A thermally activated electrical interrupt device incorporates a thermally activated portion (110) engaging with an electrical interrupt portion (120). The thermally activated material (114) expands when heated, causing an interrupt control rod (140, 180) to open an electrical contact (123, 125, 126/132, 134). When the interrupt device is placed into an interrupt state, a reset mechanism maintains the interrupt control rod (140) in the interrupt state until specifically reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Thermal Interrupt Devices, Ltd.
    Inventors: William C. Neilly, Kevin L. Gabrey
  • Publication number: 20090267724
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a temperature control switch, comprising a switch casing, which contains a springy slice, where the springy slice is provided with a thermostatic bimetal strip on its bouncing end. The thermostatic bimetal strip is provided with an electric heating device, where the first end and second end of the device are respectively connected in series between a first control terminal and the thermostatic bimetal strip. The elevated end of the thermostatic bimetal strip links one end of an uplifted metal slice to form an incompletely fixed link point, while the other end of the uplifted metal slice features a swaying contact, which corresponds to the contact point that a second control terminal joins. The uplifted metal slice joins a springy element at its middle portion, where the springy element is fixed in the switch casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: Sun-Lite Sockets Industry Inc.
    Inventor: Wen Ho Yang
  • Patent number: 7362208
    Abstract: In order to prevent erroneous operation caused by shrinking of a thermal pellet due to sublimation or softening of the thermal pellet when current is applied, a thermal pellet type thermal fuse includes a metal casing, a first lead and a second lead leading out from the metal casing, a movable electrode, a thermal pellet, a strong compression spring, and a weak compression spring. Difference in temperature is achieved at the surface of the metal casing by selecting different diameters or wires for the first lead and the second lead, or by providing a heat-radiating plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: NEC SCHOTT Components Corporation
    Inventors: Tokihiro Yoshikawa, Masahiro Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 6404321
    Abstract: An actuator for a device such as a valve controlling coolant for an automotive engine. The actuator has a base body on which is supported an electrically heatable thermostatic operating element having an operating piston that moves a motion transfer member that is in actuating engagement with a moveable actuating element of the device being actuated. The motion transfer member has a flange on which is supported a compression spring that maintains the motion transfer member in following engagement with the operating piston. The components of the actuator are enclosed within an outer housing that has a window of transparent material located so that when the components are in the Inactivated condition, the flange will not be visible through the window and when the components are activated, the flange will be visible through the window, thereby providing an indication of the condition of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Behr Thermot-tronik GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Immanuel Buschatz
  • Patent number: 5796327
    Abstract: A thermally-responsive current-sensitive switch having a molded plastic body containing first and second terminals in the form of metal stampings and having an internal chamber wherein a leaf spring and a snap-acting bimetallic blade of the same shape are together spot-welded to one of the terminals with the leaf spring underlying the bimetal in registry therewith and at its other end carrying a sliver contact which cooperates in switching operations with the other switch terminal. In one embodiment, the spring bias of the leaf spring tends to open the switch and the force generated by the bimetal in its contacts-closing movement is sufficient to overcome the spring bias of the leaf spring, whereas in another embodiment the leaf spring develops either a neutral force or a contacts-opening force. The leaf spring electrically shunts the bimetal, whereby the current-carrying capability of the switch is increased and different switch specifications can use the same bimetal with different leaf springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Otter Controls Limited
    Inventor: David Andrew Smith
  • Patent number: 5396213
    Abstract: A control device, parts therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the control device having a temperature sensing unit comprising a rod and tube means utilizing a heat expandable and contractible polymeric member disposed between one end of the rod and an abutment of the tube to tend to cause an outer end of the rod to move toward an actuator of the control device upon the unit sensing decreasing temperature and to tend to cause that end of the rod to move away from the actuator upon the unit sensing increasing temperature, a biasing member being operatively interconnected to the unit to continuously place the tube under compression between an open end thereof and the abutment thereof and to continuously place the rod under tension between the opposite ends thereof to tend to reduce the temperature differential of the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventor: Jay R. Katchka
  • Patent number: 4718498
    Abstract: A flame sensing device is connected to complete a circuit to supply current to an electromagnet to release fire extinguishing fluid to extinguish the flames. The flame sensing device includes a first spring which extends when heated, and a second spring in compression acting to pull an end of the first spring to close a contact to provide the current to the electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Inventors: Argiros Davios, Petros Davios, Emmanuel Makridakes
  • Patent number: 4555688
    Abstract: A thermostat for a cooking utensil having a radiation heating body is constructed of an electrical switch actuated by a push rod. The rod extends away from the switch and expands in response to increasing temperature. The rod is held by spring loading within an outer tube of material, typically quartz or ceramic, of substantially lower coefficient of expansion than the rod. To permit adjustment of the thermostat during manufacture, a mating surface between a side wall of a housing of the switch and an end of the tube is constructed by forming an outward spherically shaped bulge in the side wall and an outward flaring of the end of the tube, thereby to permit relative motion between the housing and the tube without fracturing the end of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1985
    Assignee: Electrovac, Fabrikation elektrotechnischer Spezialartikel Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Helmut Bayer
  • Patent number: 3959691
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a manual reset motor protector device having an arm of a nickel-titanium metal alloy or the like supporting an electrical contact and having a spring arm supporting a second electrical contact, both of these arms being mounted on a device housing. A manual reset member is slidable on the housing for deforming the arm of the noted nickel-titanium metal alloy from an original configuration to a second configuration while the nickel-titanium alloy is below a predetermined transition temperature, whereby the device contacts are normally engaged to close a device circuit. When the device is mounted on a motor for protecting the motor against over-temperature conditions, electrical current is normally directed through the device circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1973
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1976
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: David E. Clarke