Thermal switch
First Claim
1. A thermally actuated switch comprising:
- a pair of substantially flat conductive plates positioned in a spaced apart relationship to one another;
a non-conductive insulator positioned between said pair of plates;
an actuator being mounted between said insulator and one of said plates, said actuator including a blade portion of a shape memory metal alloy, said blade portion being in engagement with the other of said plates to provide a current path between said plates when said switch is in a closed position, and wherein said blade portion is operable, within a predetermined temperature range, to move out of engagement with the other of said plates to interrupt the current path between said plates and to cause said switch to be in an open position; and
a plurality of fasteners integral with said insulator operable to join said plates together with said insulator and said actuator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermal switch assembly includes a dielectric spacer and a switch blade member of shape memory metal sandwiched between a pair of flat metal plates. The spacer provides a cavity between the plates and the switch blade member has a switch blade portion projecting into the cavity. The switch blade member has a mounting portion engaging one of the metal plates, and the switch blade portion normally is under bending stress in engagement with the other metal plate to provide a current path between the plates. At elevated temperatures, the switch blade portion of shape memory metal moves out of engagement with the other metal plate to interrupt the current path. Fasteners integral with the dielectric spacer cooperate with the metal plates and the switch blade member to hold the switch assembly together with the spacer and the mounting portion of the switch blade member compressively sandwiched between the metal plates.
61 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermally actuated switch comprising:
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a pair of substantially flat conductive plates positioned in a spaced apart relationship to one another;
a non-conductive insulator positioned between said pair of plates;
an actuator being mounted between said insulator and one of said plates, said actuator including a blade portion of a shape memory metal alloy, said blade portion being in engagement with the other of said plates to provide a current path between said plates when said switch is in a closed position, and wherein said blade portion is operable, within a predetermined temperature range, to move out of engagement with the other of said plates to interrupt the current path between said plates and to cause said switch to be in an open position; and
a plurality of fasteners integral with said insulator operable to join said plates together with said insulator and said actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A thermally actuated switch comprising:
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a pair of substantially flat conductive plates positioned in a spaced apart relationship to one another;
a non-conductive insulator positioned between said pair of plates, said insulator having at least one end portion of a reduced thickness relative to the remainder of said insulator, said end portion defining at least one preformed notch;
an actuator being received in said notch of said insulator, said actuator including a blade portion of a shape memory metal alloy, said blade portion being in engagement with the other of said plates to provide a current path between said plates when said switch is in a closed position, and wherein said blade portion is operable, within a predetermined temperature range, to move out of engagement with the other of said plates to interrupt the current path between said plates and to cause said switch to be in an open position.
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20. A battery comprising:
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a battery case;
a battery terminal; and
a switch being positioned on said battery case, said switch comprising;
a pair of substantially flat conductive plates positioned in a spaced apart relationship to one another;
a non-conductive insulator positioned between said pair of plates, said insulator having at least one end portion of a reduced thickness relative to the remainder of said insulator, said end portion defining at least one preformed notch;
an actuator being received in said notch of said insulator, said actuator including a blade portion of a shape memory metal alloy, said blade portion being in engagement with the other of said plates to provide a current path between said plates when said switch is in a closed position, and wherein said blade portion is operable, within a predetermined temperature range, to move out of engagement with the other of said plates to interrupt the current path between said plates and to cause said switch to be in an open position; and
whereinone of said plates is attached to one of said battery case and said battery terminal.
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Specification