The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 26, 1985
Filed:
Jul. 26, 1983
Arthur M Blackburn, Buxton, GB;
Otter Controls Limited, Buxton, GB;
Abstract
A snap-acting thermally-responsive actuator for an electric switch comprises a pear-shaped dished bimetallic blade having a U-shaped cut-out defining a tongue extending from its root or attached end at the larger end of the pear-shaped blade axially of the blade towards the smaller end of the blade, the tongue extending between outer leg portions of the blade which each have a width which decreases in a direction from the larger towards the smaller end of the blade. When the blade is mounted in a switch with the tip end of its tongue secured to a terminal part of the switch and with a moving switch contact carried on the smaller end of the blade for co-operation with a fixed switch contact secured to another terminal part of the switch, the blade thereby being susceptible to heating by electric current flow through the switch when the switch contacts are closed, the pear-shaped blade configuration coupled with the thinning of the outer legs towards the smaller end of the blade provides improved mechanical switching characteristics and improved self-heating characteristics in the blade leading to improved consistency of operation.