The present disclosure relates to a heat sensitive electrical safety device, specifically a heat sensitive electrical safety device with an automatically resettable device.
Most currently available liquid-filled heat sensitive electrical safety devices are typically connected to a heat producing electrical device with an automatically resettable fuse that provides Positive Thermal Coefficient (PTC) self-hold functionality to protect against overcurrent faults in the circuitry of the heat producing electrical device. When the heat producing electrical device is used for an extended time, heat ventilation vents will eventually become blocked due to wear and tear, e.g. dust collection, thus inducing temperature rises within the heat producing electrical device. The internal temperature of the heat producing electrical device will continue to rise until the preset temperature within a heat sensitive electrical safety device is reached. At such point, the heat sensitive electrical safety device will automatically cut off power to the heat producing electrical device through the automatically resettable fuse. The automatically resettable fuse generally shorts the circuit or breaks a circuit path to the heat producing electrical device by removing a physical connection in the circuit between the apparatus and the power source. Upon a power disconnect to the heat producing electrical device, all operation of the apparatus ceases due to short circuiting, thus reducing heat generation within the heat producing electrical device. As the internal temperature of the heat producing electrical device gradually reduces to about or below the preset temperature in the heat sensitive electrical safety device, the automatically resettable fuse reestablishes power to the heat producing electrical device by completing the circuit once again, and heat begin to regenerate by the heat producing electrical device. As heat begins to regenerate, the automatically resettable fuse remains under a relatively higher temperature at this point in time as opposed to the fuse before use. Thus, the automatically resettable fuse is continuously under thermal strain without being able to return to a cooler temperature and strain-free condition, and after repeated use, the fuse may collect dust or particles that can cause excessive heat or even electrical spark upon completing the circuit, which can be a fire hazard. Thus, there is room for improvement in the art.
Many aspects of the exemplary embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the exemplary embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding portions throughout the several views.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and the proportions of certain portions may be exaggerated better illustrate details and features. The description is not to considered as limiting the scope of the exemplary embodiments described herein.
Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or detachably connected. The term “substantially” is defined to essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series and the like. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” exemplary embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same exemplary embodiment, and such references mean at least one.
References will now be made to the drawings to describe, in detail, various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure for realizing or improving a heat sensitive electrical safety device.
In
The second temperature-sensitive control switch 4 is an electrically insulating housing. Referring to
Referring to
In the exemplary embodiment, the metallic blade 10 is made of a flexible and electrically conductive material. The metallic blade 10 has three portions, an anchor portion 10a, a beam portion 10b, and a retaining member 10c as shown in
The bimetal strip 12 is made of a flexible, thermally conductive, and electrically conductive material. The bimetal strip 12 has two ends, a fixed end 12a and a free end 12b. The fixed end 12a of the bimetal strip 12 is an electrically conductive member coupled between the rivet 11 and the first electrode 13. The bimetal strip 12 is also thermally coupled to the first electrode 13. The bimetal strip 12 has a predetermined temperature in the range of 100-400 degrees Celsius. The bimetal strip 12 is made of two layers of material, namely, a high expansion layer HES and a low expansion layer LES. The high expansion layer HES bends at a different temperature from the low expansion layer HES. The high expansion layer HES has a total mass composition comprising 9.00-11.00 mass % Nickel, ≤0.25 mass % Chromium, ≤1.00 mass % Iron, 71.00-73.00 mass % Manganese, 17.00-19.00 mass % Copper, ≤0.1 mass % Silicon, ≤0.025 mass % Sulfur, ≤0.025 mass % Phosphorus, and ≤0.1 mass % Carbon in the exemplary embodiment. The low expansion layer LES has a total mass composition 35.50-36.50 mass % Nickel, ≤0.50 mass % Chromium, trace amount of Iron, ≤0.05 mass % Manganese, ≤0.25 mass % Silicon, ≤0.12 mass % Carbon, ≤0.025 mass % Sulfur, ≤0.025 mass % Phosphorus, and ≤0.5 mass % Cobalt in the exemplary embodiment.
Since the unexposed end 7au of the first terminal portion 7a is electrically coupled to the flat contact 8 and the unexposed end 7bu of the second terminal portion 7b is electrically coupled between the rivet 11, the metallic blade 10, and the PTC element 13, 14, the two terminal portions 7a, 7b, the flat contact 8, the dome contact 9, the rivet 11, and the PTC element 13, 14 completes a circuit and conducts electrical current between the two terminal portions 7a. 7b when the terminal 7 is connected to a power source and a voltage is applied under normal operations as shown in
Referring to
However, the power source is still connected to the heat sensitive electrical safety device 100 through the two terminal portions 7a, 7b. Since the power source is still connected to the heat sensitive electrical safety device 100 through the two terminal portions 7a, 7b, electric current naturally flows through the only route available with the least resistance, which is through the second terminal portion 7b, the metallic blade 10, and the first electrode 13, and begins to heat up the first electrode 13. One of the characteristics of first electrode 13 is that as heat increases, resistance rapidly decreases to the range of milli-ohms, which dramatically and rapidly increases temperature of the first electrode 13 even more, which rapidly generates a substantial amount of heat. As the first electrode 13 heats up, the bimetal strip 12 (manually resettable device), which is thermally coupled to the first electrode 13, also heats up, reaches a predetermined temperature, and begins to bend. Specifically, the free end 12b of the bimetal strip 12 bends away from its original position to press against the free end 10c2 of the metallic blade 10 (automatically resettable fuse) as shown in
When the plug P is removed from the heat sensitive electrical safety device 100, for example, when a user removes the plug P from the power source, current can no longer pass through the first electrode 13 and the bimetal strip 12. At such time, the first electrode 13 and the bimetal strip 12 (manually resettable device) begin to cool down to below a predetermined temperature or reset to the respective original positions, the bimetal strip 12 can bend in a direction towards its original position. If the plug P is removed and the pressure inside the expandable chamber EC also drops to a certain point where the expansion of gas within the expandable chamber EC no longer supplies a force to the pin 5 that is sufficient to press against the beam portion 10b, the flat contact 8 and the dome contact 9 can then be electrically coupled as shown in
By the combination of the metallic blade 10 (automatic resettable fuse), the bimetal strip 12 (manually resettable device), and the first electrode 13 in the disclosure, the dome contact 9 and the flat contact 8 are retained in an electrically incomplete or open state from each other even after the metallic blade 10 automatically resets. The continuous electrical disconnect between the dome contact 9 and the flat contact 8, even after the metallic blade 10 automatically resets, provides a prolonged period of time sufficient to allow a longer cool down period for the metallic blade 10 (automatic resettable fuse) before the metallic blade 10 resets and once again completes or closes the circuit to the heat sensitive electrical safety device 100. When the heat sensitive electrical safety device 100 is completely and manually removed from power, for example, the plug P being removed from a power source, the bimetal strip 12 (manually resettable device) is cooled and reset to the predetermined temperature. Thus, prolonged thermal strain induced onto the metallic blade 10 (automatically resettable fuse) is reduced, the serviceable life of metallic blade 10 is prolonged, as well as the occurrence of a fire hazard is significantly reduced.
It is to be understood that the above-described exemplary embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the disclosure. Any elements described in accordance with any exemplary embodiments is understood that they can be used in addition or substituted in other exemplary embodiments. Exemplary embodiments can also be used together. Variations may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The above-described exemplary embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.
Depending on the exemplary embodiment, certain steps of the methods described may be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may be altered. It is also to be understood that the description and the claims drawn to a method may include some indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indication used only serves as identification purposes and not as a suggestion as to an order for the steps.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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8519816 | Takeda | Aug 2013 | B2 |
20060109074 | Lee et al. | May 2006 | A1 |
20100194286 | Janning | Aug 2010 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20190182904 A1 | Jun 2019 | US |