Texas Instruments Corporation

Duracell Inc.

Gary K Maus

Viet H Vu

William T McHugh

Lucien Paul Fontaine

Steven K Sullivan

Jane A Blasi

Louis R Lamborghini

Robert J Pinault

Lance E Cambra

Stephen S Johnson

Geoffrey J Paquin

A hermetic motor protector ( ) has a non-current carrying snap-acting thermostatic disc ( ) freely disposed on a disc seat ( ) having a tab ( ) projecting through a centrally located aperture ( ) in the disc. An outer peripheral portion of the disc is received under a leg ( ) of the bracket limiting upward motion of the disc at that location and causing the disc to act as a lever pivoting about the disc seat ( ) as a fulcrum so that the outer peripheral portion of the disc diametrically opposite to leg ( ) engages a motion transfer bump ( ) formed on a movable contact arm cantilever mounted on leg ( ) when the disc snaps from its normally contacts engaged configuration to its opposite dished contacts open configuration when the disc is heated to its actuation temperature by a heater element ( ) along with heat conducted from a motor with which the protector is used.

Hermetic single phase motor protector

A current interrupt mechanism for electrochemical cells is disclosed. A thermally activated current interrupt mechanism is integrated into an end cap assembly for an electrochemical cell. The thermally responsive mechanism preferably includes a free floating bimetallic disk which deforms when exposed to elevated temperature causing a break in an electrical pathway within the end cap assembly. This prevents current from flowing through the cell and effectively shuts down an operating cell. Alternatively, the thermally responsive mechanism may include a meltable mass of material which melts when exposed to elevated temperature to break an electrical pathway within the end cap assembly. The end cap assembly may also include integrated therein a pressure responsive current interrupt mechanism. If the internal gas pressure within an operating cell exceeds a predetermined value, the pressure responsive mechanism activates to sever an electrical pathway within the end cap assembly to prevent current from passing through the cell. The pressure responsive mechanism may include a diaphragm which ruptures when there is extreme gas pressure buildup. Gas is allowed to escape from the cell interior to the external environment through a series of vent apertures within the end cap assembly.

Current interrupter for electrochemical cells

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South Attleboro, MA, United States of America

Gary K Maus