Pressure sensitive combination switch and circuit breaker construction

Abstract

A pressure sensitive switch and circuit breaker comprising a body formed of a resilient, deformable inorganic insulating material such as silicone rubber having dispersed therethrough, including its outer surface, a quantity of electrically conductive discrete metal particles. The particles are so oriented in the body of insulating material when the latter is in its normal, unstressed condition that the body is non-conductive, but the particles are movable relatively to one another in response to the application of a compressive force on the body so as to effect engagement of a sufficient number of particles to establish a conductive path through the body. The resilience of the body material enables it to return to its normal condition following release of the compressive force, thereby effecting relative movement of the particles out of engagement with one another and restoring the body to its non-conductive state. Should the switch be subjected to an overload current the engaged particles may be consumed, thereby rendering the switch non-conductive and protecting the other parts of the circuit. Upon correction of the cause of the overload the switch once again may be rendered conductive by subjecting it to compressive force.