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US 5,294,907 AGranted
Control device, parts therefor and methods of making the same
AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorJay R. Katchka
Life of this patent
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AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorJay R. Katchka
Estimating the term…
A control device, parts therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the control device having a temperature sensing unit comprising a rod and tube means utilizing a heat expandable and contractible polymeric member disposed between one end of the rod and an abutment of the tube to tend to cause an outer end of the rod to move toward an actuator of the control device upon the unit sensing decreasing temperature and to tend to cause that end of the rod to move away from the actuator upon the unit sensing increasing temperature, a biasing member being operatively interconnected to the unit to continuously place the tube under compression between an open end thereof and the abutment thereof and to continuously place the rod under tension between the opposite ends thereof to tend to reduce the temperature differential of the control device.
In a control device comprising a housing means provided with actuator means therein, and a temperature sensing unit carried by said housing means for operating said actuator means in response to temperature sensed by said unit, said unit comprising a tubular member having an open end secured to said housing means and having another end disposed remote from said housing means, said unit comprising a rod means disposed in said tubular member and having a first end projecting out of said open end of said tubular member and engaging said actuator means, said rod means having a second end disposed adjacent said other end of said tubular member, said tubular member having abutment means disposed between said ends thereof, said unit comprising a heat expandable and contractible polymeric member disposed between said second end of said rod means and said abutment means to tend to cause said first end of said rod means to move toward said actuator means upon said unit sensing decreasing temperature and to tend to cause said first end of said rod means to move away from said actuator means upon said unit sensing increasing temperature, the improvement comprising means operatively interconnected to said unit to continuously place said tubular member under compression between said open end thereof and said abutment means thereof and to continuously place said rod means under tension between said ends thereof.
In a temperature sensing unit comprising a housing means for being secured to desired structure, a tubular member having an open end secured to said housing means and having another end disposed remote from said housing means, a rod means disposed in said tubular member and having a first end projecting out of said open end of said tubular member, said rod means having a second end disposed adjacent said other end of said tubular member, said tubular member having abutment means disposed between said ends thereof, and a heat expandable and contractible polymeric member disposed between said second end of said rod means and said abutment means to tend to cause said first end of said rod means to move away from said open end of said tubular member upon said unit sensing decreasing temperature and to tend to cause said first end of said rod means to move toward said open end of said tubular member upon said unit sensing increasing temperature, the improvement comprising means operatively interconnected to said unit to continuously place said tubular member under compression between said open end thereof and said abutment means thereof and to continuously place said rod means under tension between said ends thereof.
In a method of making a control device comprising a housing means provided with actuator means therein, and a temperature sensing unit carried by said housing means for operating said actuator means in response to temperature sensed by said unit, said unit comprising a tubular member having an open end secured to said housing means and having another end disposed remote from said housing means, said unit comprising a rod means disposed in said tubular member and having a first end projecting out of said open end of said tubular member and engaging said actuator means, said rod means having a second end disposed adjacent said other end of said tubular member, said tubular member having abutment means disposed between said ends thereof, said unit comprising a heat expandable and contractible polymeric member disposed between said second end of said rod means and said abutment means to tend to cause said first end of said rod means to move toward said actuator means upon said unit sensing decreasing temperature and to tend to cause said first end of said rod means to move away from said actuator means upon said unit sensing increasing temperature, the improvement comprising the step of operatively interconnecting means to said unit to continuously place said tubular member under compression between said open end thereof and said abutment means thereof and to continuously place said rod means under tension between said ends thereof.
In a method of making a temperature sensing unit comprising a housing means for being secured to desired structure, a tubular member having an open end secured to said housing means and having another end disposed remote from said housing means, a rod means disposed in said tubular member and having a first end projecting out of said open end of said tubular member, said rod means having a second end disposed adjacent said other end of said tubular member, said tubular member having abutment means disposed between said ends thereof, and a heat expandable and contractible polymeric member disposed between said second end of said rod means and said abutment means to tend to cause said first end of said rod means to move away from said open end of said tubular member upon said unit sensing decreasing temperature and to tend to cause said first end of said rod means to move toward said open end of said tubular member upon said unit sensing increasing temperature, the improvement comprising the step of operatively interconnecting means to said unit to continuously place said tubular member under compression between said open end thereof and said abutment means thereof and to continuously place said rod means under tension between said ends thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.