Thermal protector for hermetic electrically-driven compressors

A thermal protector for a hermetic electrically-driven compressor which includes an electric motor and a hermetic housing having a wall in which a hermetic terminal assembly having a plurality of terminal pins is mounted, the protector being mounted inside the compressor housing so as to be opposed to the terminal assembly, the protector comprising:

• a thermal switch comprising:
• a metal casing having a generally dome-shaped section and an open end;
• a thermal switch mechanism accommodated in the casing;
• a header plate hermetically closing the open end of the casing and having a portion parallel to the metal casing in the longitudinal direction thereof, the casing and the header plate integrally forming a flange on the peripheral edges thereof when the header plate is secured to the casing to hermetically close the open end of the casing;
• and
• two terminals one of which is provided with a receptacle into which one of the terminal pins of the terminal assembly is fitted, the other terminal being connected to a common lead wire of the motor;
• and
• a cluster socket having a plurality of terminal cavities provided for connecting windings of the motor to the terminal assembly, the socket including a body which has a face further having a pair of holding portions for holding the flange, the holding portions having at one of the ends, hook-shaped portions respectively, the socket further having a common terminal cavity parallel to the holding portions;
• wherein the casing and the socket are integrally connected together such that a larger part of the casing is exposed outside the socket body, when the flange is held by the holding portions and the receptacle is inserted to a position where the same is opposed to said one terminal pin of the terminal assembly.