Heater Apparatus, Circuit Interrupter, and Related Method

A method of forming a heater apparatus structured for use in a circuit interrupter having a thermal trip, the method comprising:

• bending an individual metallic plate to form a conductive device having a number of plate elements wherein:
• at least one plate element of the number of plate elements is a base of the conductive device,
• at least another plate element of the number of plate elements is a heater of the conductive device, the heater being structured to be thermally conductively connected with at least a portion of the thermal trip, the heater being structured to conduct electricity within the circuit interrupter and to generate resistance heat which is communicated at least in part to the thermal trip, and
• at least a further plate element of the number of plate elements is a support of the conductive device, the support extending from the base;
• and
• receiving on the support a compression element that is structured to be movable toward and away from the base and that is further structured to compressively retain an electrical conductor between the compression element and the base.