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:
Nov. 28, 2000
Filed:
Sep. 02, 1999
Richard W Sorenson, Stuart, FL (US);
Other;
Abstract
The thermal circuit breaker and switch has fixed and movable contacts, and non-conductive contact and trip actuators. The movable contact is provided on the free end of a lever arm that normally biases the movable contact toward its open position. The contact actuator transfers movement from a rocker or operator to the movable contact arm when no overload condition exists. The trip actuator is L shaped and rotates in a socket when engaged by a thermally sensitive bi-metallic element so as to allow one end of the contact actuator to float freely, allowing the movable contact arm's bias to open the circuit. The bi-metallic element is so positioned as to engage and rotate the trip actuator only when the bi-metallic element is deformed due to an overheat condition that occurs with an overcurrent. A compression spring acts between the upstanding legs of the trip actuator and the underside of the rocker thus biasing the rocker to the `off` position and biasing the trip actuator to the `reset` position. The rocker employs hooks or posts to engage and position the contact actuator to the reset position after being tripped or manually switched off.