Thermal-mechanical flexible overload sensor

An overload relay for electrical equipment, the overload relay comprising:

• a set of electrical contacts;
• a trip mechanism having a normal position and a tripped position, the normal position allowing electrical connection between the set of electrical contacts, the tripped position interrupting electrical connection between the set of electrical contacts in response to detection of a high current condition in order to interrupt power to the electrical equipment;
• and
• a single-arm, monolithic compliant mechanism actuator formed of an electrically conductive material, the actuator including:
• a mounting support,
• a compliant hinge comprising a flexure member, and
• a single bar connected to the compliant hinge with the flexure member connected between the mounting support and the single bar, the single bar having a first end and an opposing second end, the single bar being electrically coupled to a line side or a load side, the single bar having one of the first and second ends deflectable relative to the compliant hinge under the high current condition to cause the trip mechanism to move to the tripped position,
• wherein the single bar is a hot bar that extends along a single axis.