Temperature control arrangement for an electrical heating appliance

• US 4,382,176 A
• Filed: 03/31/1981
• Issued: 05/03/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kenney Manufacturing Company, Pifco Limited Princess St Failsworth Manchester M35 OHS
• Original Assignee: Pifco Limited
• Inventors: Wood, Paul A. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayewsky, Volodymyr Y.
• Application Number:
  US06/249,590
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 219/328, 219/330, 219/437, 219/438, 219/439, 219/441, 219/442, 219/494, 219/510, 219/512, 99/281
• US Class Current: 219/494
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/21133 using a fusible material or a shape memory effect [SME] material
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2061/0115 Shape memory alloy [SMA] actuator formed by coil spring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/323 making use of shape memory materials in thermal relays H01H61/0107; release mechanism H01H71/145; treatment of SMF alloys C22F1/006; for control of temperature G05D23/024

Abstract

A temperature control arrangement for an electrical appliance comprises means for the attachment of the arrangement to the appliance and for the connection of the arrangement to an electricity supply whereby the appliance is supplied with electricity via the arrangement. A thermostat arrangement is provided in the arrangement and comprises a switch operable by a heat sensitive actuator. Heat transfer means are also provided whereby when the arrangement is connected to said appliance transfer of heat can take place from the appliance to the actuator so that, in use, on attainment of a predetermined temperature the actuator acts to operate the switch and affect the supply of electricity received by the appliance.

Claims

1. A temperature control apparatus for an electrical heating appliance, the heating appliance having an electrical heater therein, comprising:

means for attaching the temperature control apparatus of said appliance and for connecting the temperature control apparatus to an electricity supply whereby the electrical heater is supplied with electricity via the temperature control apparatus;

thermostat means comprising a heat sensitive actuator and a switch operable by the heat sensitive actuator, the actuator comprising a shape memory effect actuator adapted to operate at a predetermined temperature, and heat transfer means, whereby when the temperature control apparatus is connected to said appliance, transfer of heat can take place from the appliance to the actuator via the heat transfer means so that, in use, the actuator operates the switch to switchably control the supply of electricity to the electrical heater in accordance with a sensed temperature of the appliance.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which comprises an outer casing defining a flowpath comprising the heat transfer means through which heated gas from the appliance can travel via holes defined in the appliance and the casing, which holes register when the apparatus is connected to the appliance.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the heat senstive actuator is located in a chamber within the casing, which chamber forms part of said flowpath.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the actuator acts on a spring-biased lever having two stable positions whereby on attainment of the predetermined temperature the actuator acts to move the lever from one stable position into the other and cause the lever to operate the switch.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which after operation of the actuator the lever can be manually reset into said one stable position wherein it can be again acted on by the actuator.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which means are provided for the manual movement of the lever from said one stable position into the other to operate the switch and thereby override the actuator.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the actuator also acts to operate an alarm arrangement.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the actuator also acts to operate an alarm arrangement, and in which said override means also comprises a light which is adapted to be operated by a switch controlled by the lever, the switch being closed to enable the light to shine when the lever is in said one stable position and being opened to extinguish the light when the lever is moved into said other stable position.