Thermal switch

Abstract

In a thermal switch for temperature control of electrical heating apparatus, a contact reed is integral with a terminal and is rigid except for a relatively short longitudinal area so that, when the contact reed is acted upon by a bimetallic disk spring, a hinge type movement of the contact reed will result. The integral rigid design of this component designed as terminal and contact reed makes keeping the geometric conditions within the thermal switch, especially the space between the contact reed and the bimetallic disk spring, at closer tolerances, much easier than with prior leaf springs used as a contact reed. Accomplished thereby is a more dependable switching performance and thus a quality improvement in large-scale manufacture and a reduction in manufacturing costs. A particularly simple design uses instead of rivets, which serve to fasten the two terminal lugs to the support structure, stamped shapes stamped out of the terminal lugs so that the total number of parts for the thermoswitch can be reducted to four, with the bimetallic disk, as opposed to prior solutions, not having a contact. The invention also permits a simple retention and guidance of the bimetallic disk spring, permitting an easy insertion and/or replacement of the bimetallic disk spring in the completely assembled thermal switch.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.