Controllable electronic switch

• US 7,265,652 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yingco Electronic Incorporated
• Inventors: Ying, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman; Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US10/900,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 337/14, 337/16, 337/36, 337/85, 337/86, 337/102, 337/105, 337/107, 337/113, 337/333, 337/362, 337/377, 337/95, 337 35- 41, 337/335, 337/336, 337/363, 337/370, 337/371
• US Class Current: 337/102
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/52 actuated due to deflection of bimetallic element
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 61/02 wherein the thermally-sensitive member is heated indirectly, e.g. resistively, inductively
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/32 Insulating body insertable between contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A controllable electronic switch for, e.g., controlling power distribution comprises a deformable member such as a bimetal arm that can be deformed to break an electrical path. The deformable member may be anchored at one end and in controllable contact with an electrical conductor at the other end. A heating element, such as a coil, can be used to selectively heat the deformable member. The controllable electronic switch can alternatively comprise a deformable member that is terminated in a wedge-shaped member. When the deformable member bends in response to being heated, the wedge-shaped member forces apart a pair of contacts thus breaking an electrical path. The wedge-shaped member and/or associated structures may be configured as a cam mechanism with multiple latching positions.

Claims

1. A controllable electronic switch, comprising:

a pair of opposing elongate heat-deformable members for controllably separating a pair of electrical contacts and thereby connecting and disconnecting an incoming power signal from a load; and

a resting member disposed between said elongate heat-deformable members, such that when either elongate heat-deformable member bends, the opposing elongate heat-deformable member is inhibited from following the bending elongate heat-deformable member and thereby remains stationary while the other heat-deformable member bends.

2. The controllable electronic switch of claim 1, wherein said pair of electrical contacts are respectively disposed on said pair of elongate heat-deformable members.

3. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, further comprising:

an incoming power signal line terminating at a base of a first one of said pair of elongate heat-deformable members; and

an output power signal line connected proximate to the electrical contact disposed on a second one of said pair of elongate heat-deformable members, such that power from said incoming power signal line flows through said first elongate heat-deformable member, across said pair of electrical contacts, and through the output power signal line to the load but does not flow through said second elongate deformable member.

4. The controllable electronic switch of claim 1, wherein one of said elongate heat-deformable members acts as a safety arm which breaks circuit connection upon an over-current condition while the other arm remains stationary, and wherein the other one of said elongate heat-deformable members acts as a control arm breaking circuit connection in response to an electronic control signal while the other arm remains stationary.

5. The controllable electronic switch of claim 4, further comprising means for heating the elongate heat-deformable member acting as a control arm in order to cause it to break circuit connection in response to said control signal.

6. The controllable electronic switch of claim 5, wherein said means for heating comprises resistive tape disposed upon said elongate heat-deformable member acting as a control arm but not upon the heat-deformable elongate member acting as a safety arm.

7. The controllable electronic switch of claim 5, wherein said means for heating comprises a heating coil disposed proximate to said elongate heat-deformable member acting as a control arm but not upon the heat-deformable elongate member acting as a safety arm.

8. The controllable electronic switch of claim 1, wherein said resting member is immobile.

9. The controllable electronic switch of claim 1, wherein said resting member is movable to override the operation of either elongate heat-deformable member by controllably allowing the elongate heat-deformable members to reconnect.

10. The controllable electronic switch of claim 1, wherein said resting member comprises a rotatable cam.

11. The controllable electronic switch of claim 10, wherein rotation of said rotatable cam from a normal operating position to an override position causes said opposing elongate heat-deformable members to move towards one another and reconnect power to the load.

12. The controllable electronic switch of claim 11, wherein rotation of said rotatable cam is responsive to a manual switch.

13. The controllable electronic switch of claim 10, wherein said rotatable cam comprises a body having a length and a shorter width, such that in a first position the cam'"'"'s body lengthwise separates said opposing elongate heat-deformable members, and, when one of said elongate heat-deformable members is in a bent position, rotation of the cam to a second position allows the unbent heat-deformable member to move towards the bent elongate heat-deformable member and re-contact it.

14. The controllable electronic switch of claim 1, wherein said elongate heat-deformable members each comprise a bimetal arm.

15. The controllable electronic switch of claim 14, wherein each of said bimetal arms has a top side comprised of a first metallic substance and a bottom side comprised of a second metallic substance having different thermal properties than the first metallic substance.

16. The controllable electronic switch of claim 1, wherein power is conveyed from the incoming power signal to the load through the electrical conductor when said pair of electrical contacts are in contact with one another, and wherein no power is conveyed to the load when said pair of electrical contacts are separated from one another.

17. A controllable electronic switch, comprising:

a pair of opposing elongate bimetallic members for controllably separating a pair of electrical contacts and thereby connecting and disconnecting an incoming power signal from a load; and

a resting member disposed between said elongate bimetallic members, such that when either elongate bimetallic member bends in response to being heated, the opposing elongate bimetallic member is inhibited from following the bending elongate bimetallic member and thereby remains stationary;

wherein a first one of said pair of elongate bimetallic members bends when heated by an over-current condition; and

wherein a second one of said pair of elongate bimetallic members bends when heated by a control signal that does not affect the first elongate bimetallic member, and does not bend in response to said over-current condition.

18. The controllable electronic switch of claim 17, wherein said resting member comprises a rotatable cam.

19. The controllable electronic switch of claim 18, wherein said rotatable cam comprises a body having a length and a shorter width, such that in a first position the cam'"'"'s body lengthwise separates said opposing elongate bimetallic members, and, when one of said elongate bimetallic members is in a bent position, rotation of the cam to a second position allows the unbent bimetallic member to re-contact the bent bimetallic elongate member.