Bimetal controlled snap disc thermal switch

• US 4,528,541 A
• Filed: 02/08/1984
• Issued: 07/09/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inter Control Hermann Kohler Elektrik GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Inter Control Hermann Kohler Elektrik GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Hollweck, Walter, Marz, Kurt, Eschenbacher, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Broome, Harold
• Application Number:
  US06/578,099
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 337/354, 337/62, 337/372, 337/342, 200/83 P, 200/153 V, 200/250
• US Class Current: 337/354
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2037/5445 with measures for avoiding slow break of contacts during the creep phase of the snap bimetal
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/54 wherein the bimetallic element is inherently snap acting

Abstract

In a bimetal controlled snap disc thermal switch for controlling the heating current to an electrical heating member, the switch including: a support plate arranged to be in thermal communication with the member; a bimetal snap disc which rests against the support plate to be in thermal communication therewith and which is formed to undergo a deformation dependent on its temperature; a switch element supported in the housing and operable for controlling the heating current, the switch element having a fixed contact and a movable contact; a contact spring carrying the movable contact and mounted for pivotal movement in the direction of the deformation of the snap disc; a movement transfer member movable in the direction of deformation of the snap disc and interposed between the snap disc and the contact spring for acting on the contact spring with play to pivot the contact spring in a direction to separate the movable contact from the fixed contact in response to a deformation of the snap disc; and a compression spring bearing against the transfer member for maintaining the transfer member in operative association with the snap disc, the compression spring is made integral with the contact spring and is in the form of a tongue cut out of the contact spring body.

Claims

1. In a bimetal controlled snap disc thermal switch for controlling the heating current to an electrical heating member, the switch including:

a support plate arranged to be in thermal communication with the member;

a bimetal snap disc which rests against the support plate to be in thermal communication therewith and which is formed to undergo a deformation dependent on its temperature;

a switch element supported in the housing and operable for controlling the heating current, the switch element having a fixed contact and a movable contact;

a contact spring carrying the movable contact and mounted for pivotal movement in the direction of the deformation of the snap disc;

a movement transfer member movable in the direction of deformation of the snap disc and interposed between the snap disc and the contact spring for acting on the contact spring with play to pivot the contact spring in a direction to separate the movable contact from the fixed contact in response to a deformation of the snap disc; and

a compression spring bearing against the transfer member for maintaining the transfer member in operative association with the snap disc, the improvement wherein said compression spring is integral with said contact spring and is in the form of a tongue cut out of said contact spring; and

said transfer member has the form of a cylindrical bolt with its axial direction oriented in the direction of deformation of said snap disc, with one end of said bolt being arranged to act on said contact spring and having a diameter which is greater than the width of the opening cut in said contact spring to form said tongue.

2. A switch as defined in claim 1 wherein said contact spring is an elongate piece one end of which is mounted in said housing and the other end of which carries said movable contact, and said tongue extends in the longitudinal direction of said contact spring and is connected at one end to said contact spring in the vicinity of said one end of said contact spring.

3. A switch as defined in claim 2 wherein said tongue is provided, at a location remote from its one end, with a projection which projects from the plane of said contact spring toward said transfer member.

4. A switch as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said tongue is bent to be spaced from the plane of said contact spring in the direction toward said transfer member;

said tongue has a portion remote from said one end thereof which is wider than a portion of said tongue adjacent said remote portion; and

said tongue is further formed to cause said wider portion thereof to be pressed against associated parts of said contact spring by said transfer member when said transfer member acts to pivot said contact spring.

5. A switch as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said tongue is bent to be spaced from the plane of said contact spring in the direction toward said transfer member;

said tongue has a portion remote from said one end thereof which is wider than a portion of said tongue adjacent said remote portion; and

said tongue is further formed to cause said wider portion thereof to be pressed against associated parts of said contact spring by said transfer member when said transfer member acts to pivot said contact spring.

6. A switch as defined in claim 2 wherein said contact spring is provided with laterally bent portions along its longitudinal edges at least in the region of said other end of said contact spring.

7. In a bimetal controlled snap disc thermal switch for controlling the heating current to an electrical heating member, the switch including:

a support plate arranged to be in thermal communication with the member;

a bimetal snap disc which rests against the support plate to be in thermal communication therewith and which is formed to undergo a deformation dependent on its temperature;

a switch element supported in the housing and operable for controlling the heating current, the switch element having a fixed contact and a movable contact;

a contact spring carrying the movable contact and mounted for pivotal movement in the direction of the deformation of the snap disc;

a movement transfer member movable in the direction of deformation of the snap disc and interposed between the snap disc and the contact spring for acting on the contact spring with play to pivot the contact spring in a direction to separate the movable contact from the fixed contact in response to a deformation of the snap disc; and

a compression spring bearing against the transfer member for maintaining the transfer member in operative association with the snap disc, the improvement wherein said compression spring is integral with said contact spring and is in the form of a tongue cut out of said contact spring;

said tongue is bent to be spaced from the plane of said contact spring in the direction toward said transfer member;

said tongue has a portion remote from said one end thereof which is wider than a portion of said tongue adjacent said remote portion; and

said tongue is further formed to cause said wider portion thereof to be pressed against associated parts of said contact spring by said transfer member when said transfer member acts to pivot said contact spring.

8. A switch as defined in claim 7 wherein said contact spring is an elongate piece one end of which is mounted in said housing and the other end of which carries said movable contact, and said tongue extends in the longitudinal direction of said contact spring and is connected at one end to said contact spring in the vicinity of said one end of said contact spring.

9. A switch as defined in claim 7 wherein said tongue is provided, at a location remote from its one end, with a projection which projects from the plane of said contact spring toward said transfer member.