|
(11) | EP 1 059 653 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Thermal circuit breaker switch |
| (57) 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. |