US 9,871,329 B1 · Terminal assemblies suitable for power receptacles with thermal protection and associated methods

Abstract

Terminal assemblies for power receptacles or switches or other electrical devices include a first terminal holding a first terminal screw and a second terminal adjacent the first terminal and holding a second terminal screw. The terminal assembly also includes a thermal protection plate having longitudinally opposed first and second end portions, the first end portion affixed to the first terminal and the second end portion attached to the second terminal. The thermal protection plate has an electrical conductive contact residing between the first and second end portions, closer to the second end portion than the first end portion. The thermal protection plate has a first material with a first thermal coefficient of expansion overlying or underlying a second material with a second thermal coefficient of expansion with the second thermal coefficient of expansion greater than the first thermal coefficient of expansion.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A terminal assembly comprising:

a first terminal holding a first terminal screw;
a second terminal adjacent the first terminal and holding a second terminal screw;
and
a thermal protection plate having longitudinally opposed first and second end portions, the first end portion affixed to the first terminal and the second end portion attached to the second terminal,
wherein the thermal protection plate comprises an electrical conductive contact residing between the first and second end portions, closer to the second end portion than the first end portion, and wherein the thermal protection plate comprises a first material with a first thermal coefficient of expansion overlying or underlying a second material with a second thermal coefficient of expansion with the second thermal coefficient of expansion greater than the first thermal coefficient of expansion.

2 more elements

A method of operating a power receptacle, comprising:

electrically powering a power receptacle using a terminal assembly with a thermal protection plate that is attached at a first end portion to a first terminal and attached at a second end portion to a second terminal with an electrical contact in electrical communication with a receptacle electrical contact to provide a load circuit when the thermal protection plate has a first normal operating configuration;
mechanically changing a shape of the thermal protection plate to a second different configuration while the first and second ends portions remain attached to the corresponding first and second terminals in response to exposure to an elevated temperature condition to move the electrical contact of the thermal protection plate away from the receptacle electrical contact and disconnect the load circuit;
and
pressing against a reset member to push the thermal protection plate inward and back into the first normal operating configuration to reconnect the load circuit.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Terminal assemblies suitable for power receptacles with thermal protection and associated methods

Life of this patent

Terminal assemblies suitable for power receptacles with thermal protection and associated methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20