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:
May. 06, 2003
Filed:
May. 24, 2000
Frank J. Sienkiewicz, Bristol, RI (US);
Christopher Cornell, South Darthmouth, MA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A creepless snap acting bimetallic switch having flexible contact members. The bimetallic switch comprises: a bimetallic element being adapted to snap between a first mode and a second mode, the first mode corresponding to a closed position of the switch, and the second mode corresponding to an open position of the switch; a first flexible contact member disposed adjacent the bimetallic element and having a first contact portion thereon; a first terminal electrically conductively coupled to the first flexible contact member; a second flexible contact member disposed adjacent the first flexible contact member and having a second contact portion thereon, the first contact portion and the second contact portion being disposed relative to one another such that, when the switch is in a closed position, the first contact portion and the second contact portion are biased against one another by the bimetallic element to be in engagement with one another, and when the switch is in an open position, the first contact portion and the second contact portion define an open contact gap therebetween; a second terminal electrically conductively coupled to the second contact portion such that when the switch is closed, electrical continuity exists between the first terminal and the second terminal; wherein, when the bimetallic element exhibits creep by deforming prior to a snapping thereof from its first mode into its second mode, the first flexible contact member and the second flexible contact member flex in a deformation direction of the bimetallic element such that the first contact portion and the second contact portion remain engaged until the snapping of the bimetallic element from its first mode into its second mode. Advantageously, the bimetallic element may be configured as a bimetallic disc. An alternate embodiment of the switch latches into an open configuration.