US 5,315,281 A · Thermostatically controlled switch

Abstract

A housing (10), (54) defines a well which holds a diaphragm assembly (12). The diaphragm assembly has a stud portion (14) that extends through an aperture in the housing and is biased into the housing by a spring (16). The stud portion defines a channel (18) which is received in a slot between arms of a calibration plate (20). Movement of the calibration plate transverse to the axis of the stud portion engages a cam surface (24) to position the diaphragm, more particularly a dielectric button (34) which engages a switch control member (50). As a fluid in a bulb (32) expands, it causes the diaphragm to expand, moving the control member (50) and one end of control spring portion (48) causing contacts (46, 52) to open. When the temperature of the bulb reaches the temperature set by the calibration plate, the control spring portion flexes opening the contacts. To reset the switch and close the contacts, a reset member (92) is depressed. A coil spring (94) limits the reset pressure such that the switch can only be reset or closed when the sensed temperature drops sufficiently. An emergency shut off member (100) engages the spring blade member (44) directly opening the contacts without regard to the sensed temperature. In a fixed temperature embodiment (FIG. 5), a pivot member (110) defines the flex point of spring blade member to determine whether the switch works in a snap acting mode or a slow make/break mode.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A fluid controlled switch assembly comprising:

a first housing portion;
a diaphragm assembly including a diaphragm and diaphragm stud received in the first housing portion with the stud extending through an aperture in the first housing portion;
a calibration means for adjustably moving the diaphragm stud axially in the housing aperture, the calibration means being connected with the first housing portion and the diaphragm assembly;
an electrically conductive spring blade member having an elongated spring portion and a control spring portion, the spring blade member being mounted to the first housing portion adjacent one end of the spring member and including a control member connected with the control spring portion, the control member being operatively connected with the diaphragm such that the connecting spring portion is moved with movement of the diaphragm;
a stationary electrical contact supported by one of the housing portions, the spring portion supporting an electrical contact on a free end thereof for selectively at least breaking electrical contact with the stationary electrical contact in response to movement of the control member;
a reset means for selectively urging the contacts to close, the reset means being connected with the control member.

3 more elements

A fluid controlled switch assembly comprising:

a first housing portion;
a diaphragm assembly including a diaphragm and diaphragm stud received in the first housing portion with the stud extending through an aperture in the first housing portion;
a calibration means for adjustably moving the diaphragm stud axially in the housing aperture, the calibration means being connected with the first housing portion and the diaphragm assembly;
an electrically conductive spring blade member having an elongated spring portion and a control spring portion, the spring blade member being mounted to the first housing portion adjacent one end of the spring member and including a control member connected with the control spring portion, the control member being operatively connected with the diaphragm such that the connecting spring portion is moved with movement of the diaphragm;
the spring portion having first and second spring electrical contact portions mounted on opposite sides thereof;
a first stationary electrical contact supported by the housing opposite the first spring electrical contact portion for making and breaking electrical contact therewith in response to movement of the control member;
a second stationary electrical contact supported by the housing opposite the second spring electrical contact portion for making and breaking electrical contact therewith in response to movement of the control member.

4 more elements

A fluid controlled switch assembly comprising:

a first housing portion;
a diaphragm assembly including a diaphragm and diaphragm stud received in the first housing portion with the stud extending through an aperture in the first housing portion;
a calibration means for adjustably moving the diaphragm stud axially in the housing aperture, the calibration means being connected with the first housing portion and the diaphragm assembly;
an electrically conductive spring blade member having an elongated spring portion and a control spring portion, the spring blade member being mounted to the first housing portion adjacent one end of the spring member and including a control member connected with the control spring portion, the control member being operatively connected with the diaphragm such that the connecting spring portion is moved with movement of the diaphragm;
a stationary electrical contact supported by one of the housing portions, the elongated spring portion supporting an electrical contact on a free end thereof for selectively making and breaking electrical contact with the stationary electrical contact in response to movement of the control member;
a second housing portion mounted to the first housing portion, the second housing portion integrally defining a member which abuts the elongated spring portion adjacent the control member to control whether the spring portion snaps the spring mounted electrical contact into and out of electrical contact with the stationary electrical contact.

3 more elements

A temperature controlled switch assembly comprising:

a sealed bulb connected by a tube with a diaphragm assembly such that as a temperature of the bulb changes, a fluid contained therein expands and contracts flexing a diaphragm of the diaphragm assembly, the diaphragm assembly being mounted in a housing;
an electrically conductive spring blade member having an elongated spring portion and a control spring portion, the spring blade member being mounted to the housing adjacent one end thereof and having at least a first electrical contact mounted adjacent a second end thereof;
a control member connected between the diaphragm and the control spring portion such that movement of the diaphragm causes the elongated spring portion second end and first electrical contact to move between first and second positions;
a stationary second contact which is engaged by the first electrical contact at the first position;
a reset member for selectively applying an urging force to the control member which urging force urges the control member to cause the elongated spring portion second end and the first electrical contact to move to the first position and a force limiting means connected between the reset member and the control member for limiting the urging force.

2 more elements

A switch assembly comprising:

an electrically conductive spring blade member having an elongated spring portion and a control spring portion, the spring blade member being mounted adjacent one end thereof and having at least a first electrical contact mounted adjacent a second end thereof;
a stationary second electrical contact disposed adjacent the first electrical contact for selective electrical connection therewith;
a control member connected between a diaphragm and the control spring portion such that movement of the diaphragm causes movement of the elongated spring portion second end such that the first and second electrical contacts move between open and closed positions;
a linearly sliding emergency member in mechanical interconnection with the elongated spring portion such that linearly sliding movement of the emergency member applies force directly on the elongated spring portion which causes the elongated spring portion to flex tripping and retaining the first and second contacts in the open position regardless of the position of the control member and the diaphragm;
a reset means connected with the control member to release the first and second contacts from the tripped, open position allowing the first and second contacts to move to the closed position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermostatically controlled switch

Life of this patent

Thermostatically controlled switch

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23