Thermal protection device and method

Abstract

A solenoid valve for use in a hazardous environment requiring a surface temperature of the valve to not exceed a cutoff temperature, the valve comprising coil configured to physically move an armature using an field generated by the coil; a thermal cutoff device having a fusing temperature above the cutoff temperature; and a heating resistor sized and configured to raise thermal cutoff device's temperature to the fusing temperature before the surface temperature exceeds the cutoff temperature. A method of constructing a solenoid valve for use in a hazardous environment requiring a surface temperature of the valve to not exceed a cutoff temperature, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a thermal cutoff device having a fusing temperature above the cutoff temperature; and selecting and configuring a heating resistor to raise thermal cutoff device's temperature to the fusing temperature before the surface temperature exceeds the cutoff temperature.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.