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US3872417A - Snap-action switch for a thermal trigger, especially for a motor protection device - Google Patents

Snap-action switch for a thermal trigger, especially for a motor protection device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3872417A
US3872417A US392784A US39278473A US3872417A US 3872417 A US3872417 A US 3872417A US 392784 A US392784 A US 392784A US 39278473 A US39278473 A US 39278473A US 3872417 A US3872417 A US 3872417A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
spring
elastic spring
legs
contact
contacts
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US392784A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Max Hufschmid
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Rockwell Automation Switzerland GmbH
Original Assignee
Sprecher und Schuh AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sprecher und Schuh AG filed Critical Sprecher und Schuh AG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3872417A publication Critical patent/US3872417A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H5/00—Snap-action arrangements, i.e. in which during a single opening operation or a single closing operation energy is first stored and then released to produce or assist the contact movement
    • H01H5/04—Energy stored by deformation of elastic members
    • H01H5/18—Energy stored by deformation of elastic members by flexing of blade springs
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H37/00—Thermally-actuated switches
    • H01H37/02—Details
    • H01H37/32—Thermally-sensitive members
    • H01H37/52—Thermally-sensitive members actuated due to deflection of bimetallic element
    • H01H37/54—Thermally-sensitive members actuated due to deflection of bimetallic element wherein the bimetallic element is inherently snap acting
    • H01H2037/5445—Thermally-sensitive members actuated due to deflection of bimetallic element wherein the bimetallic element is inherently snap acting with measures for avoiding slow break of contacts during the creep phase of the snap bimetal
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
    • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
    • H01H2071/109—Operating or release mechanisms with provisions for selecting between automatic or manual reset

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A snap-action switch for a thermal trigger, especially for a motor protection device, having rest contacts, part of which are stationary and another part of which are mounted at an elastic spring actuated by a bimetallic element for opening the contacts.
  • a stop is movable into the path of the elastic spring in front of its dead-center position.
  • the elastic spring possesses a substantially E-shape and is fixedly held at the ends of both of its outer legs between two stationarily mounted support or bearing plates.
  • the support plate which is closer to at least one stationary contact extends along both of the outer spring legs, closer to at least one contact which is mounted at the elastic spring than the other support plate.
  • the central spring leg is moved with its free end by the bimetallic element past the support plates and the stop is movable into the path of a spring web of the elastic spring and such web-is enlarged at its side facing away from the spring legs and carries the aforesaid at least one contact.
  • Another and more specific object of the present invention relates to the provision of a new and improved construction of snap-action switch of the previously mentioned type which effectively avoids creeping of the contacts both during automatic as well as also during manual resetting and possesses a steep contact pressure-displacement diagram upon opening the contacts.
  • the invention provides a snap-action switch of the previously mentioned type which is manifested by the features that a substantially E- shaped spring is fixedly held at the ends of both of its outer legs, which approach one another in the plane of the spring for their pre-bias as the elastic spring, between two stationarily mounted support or bearing plates.
  • the support plate closer to at least one stationary contact extends along both outer spring legs into a position closer to at least one contact mounted at the elastic spring than the other support plate.
  • the central spring leg of the E-shaped spring is movable with its free end past the support plates by the bimetallic element, and the stop is movable into the path of the spring web carrying at least one contact and which is,
  • This asymmetrical mounting or support of the elastic spring surprisingly brings about such a favorable influencing of the characteristic spring force-displacement diagram at the region of contact of the contacts, that upon separation of the contacts there occurs a jumplike transition. Furthermore, there is favorably influenced the spring characteristics as concerns the deadcenter position of the spring, with the result that the spring component supporting the at least one spring contact again approaches in a jump-like or snap-action fashion the stationary contact during the automatic resetting operation.
  • FIG. 1 is an end view of the switch components without the housing of the snap-action switch of this development
  • FIG. 2 is a view of the switch looking in the direction of the arrow II of FIG. 1, however without the stationary contact;
  • FIG. 3 is a view of the switch looking in the direction of the arrow III of FIG. 1, again without the stationary contact.
  • a spring or spring .blade 10 with its contact 10' is stamped from a spring I to be so much shorter than both of the outer longer legs 12 and 13 that it can move past the support or bearing plates 21 and 22 of a support or bearing means 20 stationarily mounted in a housing (not shown), when such actuation leg is moved during the release action by the plunger 30 of a non-illustrated bimetallic element, in FIG. 1 from the left towards the right, or returned back into the starting position.
  • the plunger 30 is actuated by the bimetallic element which is directly or indirectly heated by the motor current.
  • the stop or impact member 6 is placed into the phantom lineposition of FIGS. 1 to 3 by any suitable means, for instance, a push button, slide and so forth.
  • any suitable means for instance, a push button, slide and so forth.
  • connection tabs and connection terminals which here have only been conveniently depicted by the tab portions 10' and 5.
  • the remaining components of the switch such as the housing, resetting elements and so forth, have been conveniently omitted, particularly since the constructionof such components can be carried out in conventional manner and details of these components are not necessary to the understanding of the basic concepts of the invention.
  • a snap-action switch for a thermal trigger mechanism especially for a motor protection device, comprising rest contacts, an elastic spring, which can be actuated by a bimetallic element for opening the contacts, at least one ofv the rest contacts being stationarily arranged and at least one being mounted at the elastic spring, a stop movable into the path of the elastic spring in front of its dead-center position, the improvement wherein said elastic spring comprises a substantially E-shaped spring member having a pair of I outer legs and a central leg, twostationarily mounted support plates for fixedly retaining the E-shaped spring member at the ends of both of its outer legs, means for pre-biasing said outer legs towards one another substantially in the plane of the spring member, one of the support plates which is closer to said at least one stationary contact being constructed to extend along both of the'outer spring legs to a position which is closer to said at least one contact.mounted at the elastic spring member than is the other supportplate, said central leg having a free end and moving with said free end past the support plates under the action of the

Landscapes

  • Thermally Actuated Switches (AREA)
US392784A 1972-09-26 1973-08-29 Snap-action switch for a thermal trigger, especially for a motor protection device Expired - Lifetime US3872417A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH1402172A CH537088A (de) 1972-09-26 1972-09-26 Schnappschalter für einen thermischen Auslöser, insbesondere für den Motorenschutz

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3872417A true US3872417A (en) 1975-03-18

Family

ID=4397276

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US392784A Expired - Lifetime US3872417A (en) 1972-09-26 1973-08-29 Snap-action switch for a thermal trigger, especially for a motor protection device

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3872417A (de)
JP (1) JPS4976083A (de)
CH (1) CH537088A (de)
DE (1) DE2324295A1 (de)
ES (1) ES418911A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1421565A (de)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4151501A (en) * 1976-05-07 1979-04-24 Taylor John C Terminal mounting means for thermally actuated switches
US4431884A (en) * 1982-08-09 1984-02-14 Gulf & Western Manufacturing Company Snap action switch
US4796355A (en) * 1987-09-15 1989-01-10 B/K Patent Development, Inc. Snap action devices and methods and apparatus for making same
US5467523A (en) * 1994-09-01 1995-11-21 General Electric Company Method for assembling and calibrating a condition-responsive electric switch mechanism
US5585774A (en) * 1994-09-01 1996-12-17 General Electric Company Condition-responsive electric switch mechanism
US6078244A (en) * 1998-11-20 2000-06-20 Therm-O-Disc, Incorporated Thermal switch
US6252492B1 (en) 1999-03-18 2001-06-26 James P. Frank Condition-responsive electric switch mechanism
US6507266B1 (en) * 1998-11-05 2003-01-14 Schneider Electric Industries Sa Thermal relay provided with a spring blade mechanism
US6538553B2 (en) * 2001-07-13 2003-03-25 Tsung-Mou Yu Switching element for electric switch
US6563414B2 (en) * 2001-04-19 2003-05-13 Tsung-Mou Yu Switch having a bimetal plate with two legs
US20040021327A1 (en) * 2001-07-30 2004-02-05 Mchenry William J. Actuator
US20050134424A1 (en) * 2003-12-19 2005-06-23 Albert Huang Bimetallic strip for a circuit breaker
US20070296540A1 (en) * 2005-02-02 2007-12-27 Hideaki Takeda Thermostat
US20120126930A1 (en) * 2009-06-05 2012-05-24 Hofsaess Marcel P Bimetal part and temperature-dependent switch equipped therewith
US8402663B2 (en) 2010-08-11 2013-03-26 William J. McHenry Two-piece hand tool

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH071665B2 (ja) * 1988-09-20 1995-01-11 富士電機株式会社 熱形過負荷継電器の反転ばね機構

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2584460A (en) * 1947-12-24 1952-02-05 Acro Mfg Co Snap action switch
US2700079A (en) * 1950-09-16 1955-01-18 Haydon Switch Inc Snap action switch
US3153708A (en) * 1963-05-29 1964-10-20 George G Guthrie Snap action switch
US3382336A (en) * 1962-09-20 1968-05-07 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Manual operator and lock means therefor for overload protective device

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2584460A (en) * 1947-12-24 1952-02-05 Acro Mfg Co Snap action switch
US2700079A (en) * 1950-09-16 1955-01-18 Haydon Switch Inc Snap action switch
US3382336A (en) * 1962-09-20 1968-05-07 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Manual operator and lock means therefor for overload protective device
US3153708A (en) * 1963-05-29 1964-10-20 George G Guthrie Snap action switch

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4151501A (en) * 1976-05-07 1979-04-24 Taylor John C Terminal mounting means for thermally actuated switches
US4431884A (en) * 1982-08-09 1984-02-14 Gulf & Western Manufacturing Company Snap action switch
US4796355A (en) * 1987-09-15 1989-01-10 B/K Patent Development, Inc. Snap action devices and methods and apparatus for making same
US5467523A (en) * 1994-09-01 1995-11-21 General Electric Company Method for assembling and calibrating a condition-responsive electric switch mechanism
US5585774A (en) * 1994-09-01 1996-12-17 General Electric Company Condition-responsive electric switch mechanism
US6507266B1 (en) * 1998-11-05 2003-01-14 Schneider Electric Industries Sa Thermal relay provided with a spring blade mechanism
US6078244A (en) * 1998-11-20 2000-06-20 Therm-O-Disc, Incorporated Thermal switch
US6252492B1 (en) 1999-03-18 2001-06-26 James P. Frank Condition-responsive electric switch mechanism
US6563414B2 (en) * 2001-04-19 2003-05-13 Tsung-Mou Yu Switch having a bimetal plate with two legs
US6538553B2 (en) * 2001-07-13 2003-03-25 Tsung-Mou Yu Switching element for electric switch
US20040021327A1 (en) * 2001-07-30 2004-02-05 Mchenry William J. Actuator
US20050134424A1 (en) * 2003-12-19 2005-06-23 Albert Huang Bimetallic strip for a circuit breaker
US20070296540A1 (en) * 2005-02-02 2007-12-27 Hideaki Takeda Thermostat
US7659805B2 (en) * 2005-02-02 2010-02-09 Uchiya Thermostat Co., Ltd. Thermostat
US20120126930A1 (en) * 2009-06-05 2012-05-24 Hofsaess Marcel P Bimetal part and temperature-dependent switch equipped therewith
US9355801B2 (en) * 2009-06-05 2016-05-31 Marcel P. HOFSAESS Bimetal part and temperature-dependent switch equipped therewith
US8402663B2 (en) 2010-08-11 2013-03-26 William J. McHenry Two-piece hand tool

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH537088A (de) 1973-05-15
DE2324295A1 (de) 1974-03-28
GB1421565A (en) 1976-01-21
ES418911A1 (es) 1976-03-01
JPS4976083A (de) 1974-07-23

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