The present invention relates to a thermal protector for preventing a temperature of an electric product from rising too high, and more particularly, to a thermal protector in which a polymer PTC is embedded in a safe state where a hot spot does not occur.
Conventionally, a self-hold type thermal protector including a ceramic PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) connected in parallel with a contact circuit is used as a device for preventing a temperature of an electric product from rising too high.
Such thermal protectors are intended to mainly prevent a temperature of an electric product using a commercial power supply from rising too high, and some thermal protectors control a disruption of an electric current of a voltage as high as 100 to 200V.
However, in some thermal protectors, a ceramic PTC is used as a device for preventing a temperature from rising too high even in an area using an electric current of a low voltage such as a battery pack.
If such a thermal protector intended to prevent a temperature from rising too high is used in a circuit having a voltage equal to or lower than a commercial power supply voltage, a polymer PTC having a low resistance is available as an embedded PTC.
The principle of disrupting an electric current of this polymer PTC is that a conductive path via conductive particles dispersed in a polymer is disconnected by a volume expansion caused by a thermal expansion in the vicinity or the melting point of the polymer due to an increase in a temperature, leading to a rapid increase in an internal resistance, which significantly reduces an electric current.
In the meantime, a phenomenon wherein an electric current locally gathers a of spot can be possibly caused if a volume expansion is hindered for any reason.
For the first metal member 2 and the second metal member 3, terminal elements 21 and 31 that respectively protrude outside from the housing are formed, and holding elements 22 and 32 that are bent in an inwardly convex shape are formed within the housing.
At close to the middle of the holding elements 22 and 32, upwardly convex parts 221 and 321 are respectively formed at nearly facing positions. A PTC element 43 having layered metal electrodes 41 and 42 on both surfaces is held between the upwardly convex parts 221 and 321.
In this PTC conductive polymer device, the electrodes 41 and 42 of the PTC element 43 are pushed into a narrow space by the upwardly convex parts 221 and 321. Therefore, it is possible for the above described hot spot to occur when the PTC element 43 produces heat.
Additionally, if a current disrupt circuit implemented with a bimetal is embedded in parallel with the holding elements 22 and 32 in order to convert the structure of the PTC conductive polymer device into self-hold type, heat produced by the PTC element 43 cannot be effectively conducted to the bimetal in a structure in which the PTC element 43 is arranged between the holding elements 22 and 32. Therefore, the structure of the PTC conductive polymer device that is illustrated in
A self-hold type thermal protector adopting a ceramic PTC is well known.
Within the housing, a movable ate 53 made of a metal plate having high thermal conductivity, a bimetal 54 attached to the movable plate 53, a movable contact 55 provided at a movable side end of the movable plate 53, a first conductive member 57 having a fixed contact 56 at a position facing the movable contact 55, a ceramic PTC 58 arranged in contact with a lower surface of a fixed side end of the movable plate 53, and a second conductive member 59 arranged in contact with an upper surface of the fixed side end of the movable plate 53 are provided.
The second conductive member 59, the fixed side end of the movable plate 53, and the ceramic PTC 58 are aligned by a support column 52, and the second conductive member 59 and the ceramic PTC 58 that are arranged to interpose the fixed side end of the movable plate 53 therebetween are swaged by the top and the bottom ends of the support column 52, whereby the second conductive member 59, the fixed side end of the movable plate 53, and the ceramic PTC 58 are pressed and fixed.
Additionally, for the first conductive member 57 and the second conductive member 59, a first terminal part 57-1 and a second terminal tart 59-1 that respectively protrude outside from the housing in order to connect to an external circuit are formed.
In this self-hold type thermal protector 50, the movable side end of the movable plate 53 is moved upward by the bimetal 54, which is a thermistor, and inversely warps with an increase in an ambient temperature. As a result, the movable contact 55 moves upward from a closed position illustrated in
On upper and lower surfaces of the ceramic PTC 58, thin-layer electrodes are respectively formed. The electric current disrupted between the first terminal part 57-1 and the second terminal part 59-1 flows into the ceramic PTC 58 via the electrodes positioned on the upper and the lower surfaces.
As a result, the ceramic PTC 58 produces heat, and the inverted warp state of the bimetal 54, namely, the current disrupt state of the self-hold type thermal protector 50, is maintained, and at the same time, the electric current flowing into the ceramic PTC 58 is significantly reduced by an increase in an electric resistance value with heat production.
In the meantime, in the conventional self-hold type thermal protector 50 illustrated in
For the ceramic PTC 58, its volume expansion by heat production is small enough to be ignorable. Accordingly, there is no possibility that the hot spot described in the PTC conductive polymer device will not occur.
However, if the resistive element (ceramic PTC 58) is arranged in the conventional self-hold type thermal protector 50 as illustrated in
Accordingly, if the polymer PTC is used as a resistive element having a low resistance in a structure similar to that of
An object of the present invention is to provide, in light of the above described conventional circumstances, a thermal protector including a polymer PTC in a safe state where a hot spot does not occur even if a volume is expanded by a thermal expansion at the time of heat production.
A thermal protector according to a first aspect of the present invention is a thermal protector performing self-holding with heat produced by an embedded resistive element after an electric current is disrupted when an ambient temperature rises to a predetermined temperature or higher. The thermal protector comprises: a thermistor inversely warping at a predetermined temperature; a conductive movable plate having a fixed end part connected to one of two external, circuit, and a movable end part where a movable contact is provided on a side opposite to the fixed end part, the movable end part being driven to move the movable contact from a closed side to an open side with an inverse warp operation of the thermistor at she predetermined, temperature; a conductive fixture plate having a fixed contact at a position facing the movable contact, and a connection part connected to the other of the external circuits; and the resistive element where one of the electrodes on both surfaces of an internal resistor is connected and fixed to the fixed end part of the movable plate via a first terminal member, and the other electrode is connected to the fixture plate via a second terminal member in a state where the second terminal member can fluctuate.
In this thermal protector for example, the second terminal member has a bowing part, and is connected to the fixture plate so as to be able to fluctuate with the fixture plate via the bowing part.
Additionally, the resistive element is, for formed in the shape of a plate, and has a hole that penetrates into the internal resistor and the electrodes on both the surfaces in a thickness direction of the plate, the first terminal member has a hole smaller than the hole in a portion that overlaps with the hole, and s connected and fixed to the fixed end part of the movable plate by swaging a periphery of the hole smaller than the hole with a member that forms a swage part within the hole, and the second terminal member has a hole at least equal to or larger than the hole in a portion that overlaps with the hole, and is arranged by forming a gap in which the second terminal member can fluctuate by a thickness increased by a thermal expansion of the internal resistor of the resistive element and which is formed between an inner wall of the main body housing of the thermal protector and the second terminal member.
A thermal protector according to a second invention is a thermal protector performing self-holding with heat produced by an embedded resistive element after an electric current is disrupted when an ambient temperature rises to a predetermined temperature or higher. The thermal protector comprises: a thermistor inversely warping at a predetermined temperature; a conductive movable plate having a fixed end part connected to one of two external circuit, and a movable end part where a movable contact is provided on a side opposite to the fixed end part, the movable end part being driven to move the movable contact from a closed side to an open side with an inverse warp operation of the thermistor at the predetermined temperature; a first terminal member in which a fixed contact is provided at a position facing the movable contact, and which has a connection part connected to the other of the external circuits, the first terminal member being arranged so as to be able to fluctuate with a main body housing of the thermal protector; and the resistive element where one of the electrodes on both surfaces of an internal resistor is connected and fixed to the fixed end part of the movable plate via a second terminal member, and the other electrode is connected to the first terminal member.
In this thermal protector for example, the resistive element is formed in the shape of a plate, a hole that penetrates into the internal resistor and the electrodes on both the surfaces is provided in a thickness direction of the plate, a hole that is at least equal to or larger than the hole is formed in a portion that overlaps with the hole in the first terminal member, which is arranged with a gap in which the first terminal member can fluctuate within the range of a thickness that has been increased by a thermal expansion of the internal resistor of the resistive element and which is formed between an inner wall of the main body housing of the thermal protector and the first terminal member, and a hole that is smaller than the hole is provided in a portion that overlaps with the hole in the second terminal member, which is connected and fixed to de fixed end part of the movable plate by swaging a periphery of the hole that is smaller than the hole with a member that forms a swage part within the hole.
The thermal protectors according to the first and the second inventions further comprise for example an insulative member that is provided at a position further inward than an insulative filling material for sealing an opening of the main body housing of the thermal protector and further outward than the resistive element, and that prevents the insulative filling material from intruding deeper.
Furthermore, a thermal protector according to a third invention is a thermal protector self-holding with heat produced by an embedded resistive element after an electric current is disrupted when an ambient temperature rises to a predetermined temperature or higher. The thermal protector comprises: a movable side terminal which has a terminal part connected to one of two external circuits, and in which a support column hole and a swage part are formed at an end part on a side opposite to the end part; a thermistor having an end part connected to the one of two external circuits, a movable side terminal, where a first support column hole and a swage part are formed at an end part on a side opposite to the end part, an inverse warp operation part that inversely warps at a predetermined temperature, and a connection part which is adjoined to the inverse warp operation part and in which a second support column hole having a same shape as the first support column hole is formed; a movable plate having an end part where a hook part engaging with one end of the thermistor is formed, a movable contact formed on a surface side opposite to a direction where a hook of the hook part is formed at the end part, and a connection part where a second support column hole having a same shape as the first support column hole is provided at an end part on a side opposite to the end part; a resistive element which has an internal resistor shaped like a plane, and surface electrodes respectively formed on both surfaces of the internal resistor, and in which a third support column hole that is larger than the first support column hole is formed through the internal resistor and the surface electrodes on both the surfaces in a thickness direction of the plate, one of the surface electrodes being connected to de connection part of the movable plate via a first terminal member, and the other electrode being connected to a second terminal member; a fixed side terminal which is connected to the second terminal member and has a terminal part connected to the other of the external circuits, and in which a fourth support column hole having a same size as the first support column hole and a swage part are formed; a support column that penetrates into a support column hole having a same size as support column holes of members such as the movable, side terminal, the thermistor, the movable plate, the resistive element and the fixed side terminal, and a support column hole that is larger than the first support column hole, and that holds the members by swaging the swage parts of the movable side terminal and the fixed side terminal; and an insulative rigid member that is formed to be higher than a thickness of the Internal, resistor of the resistive element, and the surface electrodes respectively formed on both the surfaces of the internal resistor, and is interposed between the support column and an inner wall of a support column hole that is larger than the support column hole formed in the resistive element.
The thermal protectors according to the first to the third inventions are characterized in that the resistive element effectively functions also as a polymer PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient)
As described above, according to the present. Invention, a terminal member connected to one of the electrodes on both surfaces of a plate-shaped PTC is fixed to a fixed side of a movable plate, and a terminal member connected to the other electrode is configured to be able to fluctuate within the range of a thickness that has been increased by a thermal expansion of the PTC. As a result, a self-hold type thermal protector where the PTC effectively functions as a polymer PTC as well can be provided.
50 conventional self-hold type thermal protector
51-1 insulative case
51-2 insulative seal member
52 support column
53 movable plate
54 bimetal
55 movable contact
56 fixed contact
57 first conductive member
58 ceramic PTC
59 second conductive member
60 resistive element module
61 resistive element (polymer PTC)
62 internal resistor
62
a,
62
b
63 first terminal member
63-1 movable contact side external connection terminal part
63-2 periphery of smaller hole
64 second terminal member
64-1 fixed contact side fluctuation terminal part
64-1a corner
65 hole
66 smaller hole
67 equal or larger hole
70 thermal protector
71 case
72 insulative filling material
73 housing
74 thermistor (bimetal)
75 movable plate
76 movable contact side terminal
77 movable contact
78 fixed contact
79 fixture plate
79-1 fixed contact side terminal
81 support column
82 seal film
85 resistive element module
86 polymer PTC
87 fixed contact side terminal member
87-1 fixed contact side external terminal
88 movable contact side terminal member
88-1 movable contact side external terminal
88-2 periphery of smaller hole
89 internal resistor
89
a,
89
b
91 fixed contact
92 housing
93 hole
94 smaller diameter
95 swage member
96 movable plate
97 movable, side terminal
98 hole
100 thermal protector
101 bimetal
102 case
103 insulative filling material
104 movable contact
105 hook
107 bimetal
108 movable plate
109 spacer
110 resistive element module
111 fixed contact side terminal
112-1 flange part
113 lower layer part
114 upper layer part
115 slightly smaller hole
116 slightly larger hole
117 terminal connection part
118 hole
119 terminal connection part
121 hole
122 movable contact
123 hook part
124 hole
125 internal resistor
126 movable contact side connection terminal
127 fixed contact side connection terminal
128 hole
129 support part
131 contact part
132 level-difference hole
134 housing
135 thermal protector
In this embodiment, the polymer PTC 61 as a resistive element, is composed of an internal resistor 62, and thin-layer electrodes 62a and 62b are respectively pasted onto upper and lower surfaces of the internal resistor 62. The entire polymer PTC 61 is formed in the shape of a plate.
Onto one electrode 62b of the electrodes positioned on the upper and the lower surfaces of the internal resistor 62, a first terminal member 63 is pasted. For the first terminal member 63, a movable contact side external, connection terminal part 63-1 that outwardly protrudes from the surface pasted onto the electrode 62b of the internal resistor 62 is formed.
Additionally, onto the other electrode 62a of the internal resistor 62, the second terminal member 64 is pasted. For the second terminal member 64, a fixed contact side fluctuation terminal part 64-1 that outwardly protrudes from the surface pasted onto the electrode 62a of the internal resistor 62 is formed.
In the above described plate-shaped polymer PTC 61, a hole 65 that penetrates into the internal resistor 62 and the electrodes 62a and 62b pasted onto both the surfaces is formed in the thickness direction of the plate. This hole 65 is shaped roughly like a rectangle. However, the hole 65 may be shaped like, for example, a circle or a polygon having three or more sides. The shape of the hole 65 is not limited.
In
Namely, the entire resistive element module is configured be supported by the housing via the fixed end part of the movable plate when being embedded, as one element of a thermal protector to be described later, within the housing of the thermal protector.
Additionally, in the second terminal member 64, a hole 67 that is at least equal to or larger than the hole 65 is formed in a portion that overlaps with the hole 65. Moreover, when the resistive element module is embedded in the housing, the fixed contact sic fluctuation terminal or 64-1 is bent to nearly a right angle at some midpoint, the bent corner is shaped like an “R”, and a bowing part is formed on the side of the polymer PTC 61 further inward than the bent corner.
The thermal protector illustrated in
The thermal protector 70 illustrated in
Within the housing 73, a bimetal 74 as a thermistor that inversely warps at a predetermined temperature and a conductive movable plate 75 that operates with the inverse warp operation of the bimetal 74 are included.
The movable plate 75 has a fixed end past (the left end part in these figures) connected to a movable contact side terminal 76 that is connected to one of two external circuits, and a movable end part on a side opposite to the fixed end part. At the movable end part, a movable contact 77 is provided. The movable end part of the movable plate. 75 is driven to move the movable contact 77 from a closed side (the position illustrated in
At a position facing the movable contact 77, a fixed contact 78 is provided. The fixed contact 78 is securely fixed to a conductive fixture plate 79 having a fixed contact side terminal 79-1 connected to the other of the two external circuits.
In a connection part (the left end side of these figures) connected to the movable plate 75 of the movable contact side terminal 76, the fixed end part of the movable plate 75, which forms the connection part, and the fixture plate 79, a hole having almost the same size as the hole 66 is formed at a position corresponding to the smaller hole 66 of the first terminal member 63 of the resistive element module illustrated in
An insulative support column 81 is formed through these holes from the bottom to the top of the housing 73. The bottom part of support column 81 engages with the fixture plate 79 at a flange part. The top part of the support column 81 also serves as a swage member that configures a swage part within the large hole 65 of the polymer PTC 61.
A periphery 63-2 of the smaller hole 66 of the first terminal member 63 is swaged by the top part of the support column 81. As a result, the first terminal member 63, the movable contact side terminal 76, the fixed end part of the movable plate 75, and the fixture plate 79 are aligned, pressed against one another, and fixed within the housing 73 by the column support 81. In consequence, the position of the polymer PTC 61 is also fixed within the housing 73, via the first terminal member 63.
However, the fixed contact side fluctuation terminal part 64-1 of the polymer PTC 6l is s bent downward at nearly a right angle at some midpoint, and further bent below in a horizontal direction. At a corner 64-1a of the second terminal member 64, which is bent downward at a right angle, an “R” shape formed. Moreover, the end part 64-1b bent in the horizontal direction is securely connected to the fixture plate 79.
As a result, the second terminal member 64 forms a bowing part on the side of the polymer PTC 61 further inward than the corner 64-1a, and can fluctuate with a volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion of the polymer PTC 61.
The entire thermal protector is arranged so that a gap h is formed between the second terminal member 64 forming the bowing part and an upper inner wail of the housing 73. The gap h is set as a gap where the bowing part of the second terminal member 64 can fluctuate within the range of a thickness that has been increased by the thermal expansion of the internal resistor 62 of the polymer PTC 61.
In the meantime, one end part (the right, end part in
As a result, when the polymer PTC 61 produces heat, the total heat 61 can be efficiently conducted to the bimetal 74 with thermal conduction to the fixed end part of the bimetal 71 via the first terminal member 63 and the movable contact side terminal 76, and with radiation and convection within the housing 73 for almost one half of the bimetal 74 on the side of the fixed end part.
When the above described members are embedded in the housing 73, the internal configuration is initially assembled outside the housing 73, the assembled internal configuration is inserted from the opening of the case 71 in the case 71, and a seal film 82 is formed at a suitable position in the vicinity of the opening on the side of the opening further outward than the polymer PTC 61.
The seal film 82 may be formed after the internal configuration is inserted in the case 71 from the opening of the case 71 as described above. Alternatively, the seal film 82 may be formed in advance at a desired position when the internal configuration on is assembled outside the housing 73.
After the internal configuration is inserted in the case 71 and fixed at a predetermined position as described above, the case 71 is filled with the insulative filling material 72 at the opening and is hardened. The insulative filling material 72 does not impede the functions of the polymer PTC 61 and the other members because the insulative filling material 72 is hindered from intruding deeper into the case 71 by the seal film 82 arranged at the position on the opening side further outward than the polymer PTC 61.
The thermal protector 70 is normally used in a state where the contact circuit between the fixed contact 78 and the movable contact 77 is closed, as illustrated in
Operations of the thermal protector 70 having the above described configuration according to the first embodiment are described below.
Initially, when an environmental temperature (ambient temperature) of the thermal protector 70 rises to a predetermined temperature or higher, the bimetal 74 inversely warps from the upwardly convex state of
The free end that holds the movable contract 77 of the movable plate 75 rises with the inverse warp operation of the bimetal 74. As a result, the movable contact 77 is separated from the fixed contact 78, and the current circuit, illustrated in
The total quantity of the current between the movable contact side terminal 76 and the fixed contact side terminal 79-1 when the contact circuit is disrupted flows into the polymer PTC 61, which is therefore made to produce heat. As described above, the heat produced by the polymer PTC 61 is efficiently conducted to the bimetal 74 with direct thermal conduction and an indirect radiation and convection, as described above.
A temperature applied to the bimetal 74 by the amount of heat conducted from the polymer PTC 61 to the bimetal 74 as described above is equal to or higher than the above described predetermined temperature. Therefore, the bimetal 74 is not restored to the normal state illustrated in
As a result, the thermal protector 70 that performs self-holding with the heat produced by the embedded resistive element after an electric current is disrupted is implemented.
In the meantime, normally in a polymer PTC, a volume expansion is caused by a thermal expansion as described above if heat is produced, and an electric current flowing inside is significantly reduced. Therefore, the size of the electric current after the contact circuit is disrupted is not significantly reduced.
Additionally, in the configuration of the thermal protector 70 according to this embodiment, the second terminal member 64 on the side opposite to the first terminal member 63 where the polymer PTC 61 is positioned and fixed forms the bowing part, and the gap h is provided between the upper inner wall of the housing 73 and the second terminal member 64 in order to cope with the caused volume expansion.
This gap h is set as a gap where the bowing part of the second terminal member 64 can fluctuate within the range of a thickness that has been increased by a volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion of the internal resistor 62 of the polymer PTC 61.
As a result, the degree of freedom of the volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion of the polymer PTC 61 is not hindered by an external pressure, and the first terminal member and the second terminal member 64, pasted onto the polymer PTC 61, are respectively connected to wide areas of the thin-layer electrodes 61a and 61b of the polymer PTC 61, thereby eliminating the possibility of causing the problem of the polymer PTC 61 causing a hot spot.
As described above, the thermal protector 70 according to this embodiment can implement the stable current disrupt function, and the self-hold function after an electric current is disrupted even though the polymer PTC having an unstable element is used as a resistive element for the current disrupt function at the time of heat production.
A thermal protector according to a second embodiment is described next.
In this embodiment, the polymer PTC 86 as a resistive element is composed of an internal resistor 89 and thin-layer electrodes 89a and 89b respectively pasted onto upper and lower surfaces of the internal resistor 89. The entire polymer PTC 86 is formed in the shape of a plate.
A middle part of the fixed contact side terminal 87 is pasted onto the entire surface of the electrode 89a of the internal resistor 89. On the fixed contact side terminal 87, a fixed contact 91 is formed at an end part that protrudes from the surface that has the electrode 89a of the internal resistor 89 pasted onto it in a longitudinal direction (horizontal direction in this figure). An end part on the opposite side protrudes from the housing 92 as illustrated in
In the meantime, one end part of the movable contact side terminal 88 is pasted onto the entire surface of the electrode 89b of the internal resistor 89. The other end part of the movable contact side terminal 88 protrudes to form a thin movable contact side external terminal 88-1 outside the housing 92 as illustrated in
In the plate-shaped polymer PTC 86, a hole 93 that Penetrates into the internal resistor 89 and the electrodes 89a and 89b positioned on both the surfaces 89 is formed in the thickness direction. Also, the hole 93 in this embodiment is shaped roughly like a rectangle. However, the hole 93 may be shaped like, for example, a circle or a polygon having three sides or more. The shape of the hole 93 is not limited.
As illustrated in
Namely, the entire resistive element module 85 is configured to be supported by the housing 92 via the fixed end part of the movable plate 96 and the movable side terminal 97 when the resistive element module 85 is embedded in the housing 92 of the thermal protector 100 as one element of the thermal protector 100, as illustrated in
In the above described fixed contact side terminal 87, a hole 98 that is at least equal to or larger than the hole. 93 is formed in a portion that overlaps with the hole 93. A swage part is formed by the swage member 95 within a space equal to or lower than a height of the overlapping holes 93 and. 98. The functions of the resistive element module 85 are not limited except that the movable contact side terminal 88 is fixed to the housing 92 side with the periphery 88-2 of the smaller hole 94.
In this embodiment, a gap h is formed between the lower surface of the fixed contact side terminal 87 and a lower inner wall of the housing 92. The gap h is set as a gap where the fixed contact side terminal 87 can fluctuate within the range of a thickness that has been increased with the thermal expansion of the internal, resistor 89 of the polymer PTC 86.
As illustrated in
On the movable plate 96, a movable contact 104 is held at a position facing the fixed contact 91 in the vicinity of the opposite side, namely, the free end side of the fixed end part (the right end part in this figure), and a hook 105 that folds from the top to the right is formed at the end part.
One end part (the right end part in this figure) of the bimetal 101 is inserted in a gap formed between the bottom, of a bent part 97b and the fixed end part of the movable plate 96, and the other end part (the left end part in this figure) is inserted in a void formed between the folding hook 105 of the movable plate 96 and the end part of the free end side, whereby the bimetal 101 is assembled to be able to inversely warp and is held by the movable, plate 96.
Also in this embodiment, the seal film 82 illustrated in
Also in this case, the seal film 82 may be formed after the internal configuration is inserted in the case 102. Alternatively, the seal film 82 may be naturally formed in advance at a desired position when the internal configuration is assembled outside the housing 102.
Additionally, in this embodiment, heat produced by the polymer PTC 86 is directly conducted to the bimetal 101 via the movable contact side terminal 88 and the fixed end part of the movable plate 96 when the polymer PTC 86 produces heat, and the polymer PTC 86 is closely arranged below almost one half of the area of the lower surface on the fixed end side of the movable plate 95, whereby heat conducted from the movable plate 95 that is heated with the radiation of the polymer PTC 86 is conducted to the bimetal 101, to which heat is conducted also with a convection within the housing 92.
As described above, also in this embodiment, the total heat produced by the polymer PTC 86 can be efficiently conducted to the bimetal 101 when the polymer PTC 86 produces heat.
Operations of the thermal protector 100 having the above described configuration according to the second embodiment are described below. Initially, when an environmental temperature (ambient temperature) of the thermal protector 100 rises to a predetermined temperature or higher, the bimetal 101 inversely warps from the upwardly convex state illustrated in
The free end that holds the movable contact 104 of the movable plate 96 rises with the inverse warp operation of the bimetal 101. As a result, the movable contact 104 is separated from the fixed contact 91, and a current circuit, illustrated in
The total quantity of an electric current between the fixed contact side external terminal 87-1 and the movable contact side external terminal 88-1 when the contact circuit is disrupted flows into the polymer PTC 86, which is then made to produce heat. The heat produced by the polymer PTC 86 is efficiently conducted to the bimetal 101 as described above.
A temperature increased by the amount of heat conducted from the polymer PTC 86 to the bimetal 101 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature for the bimetal 101. Therefore, the bimetal 101 is not restored to she normal state illustrated in
As a result, also in this embodiment, the thermal protector 100 that performs self-holding with produced the embedded resistive element after an electric current is disrupted is implemented.
Additionally, also in this embodiment, the gap h is formed between the fixed contact side terminal. 87, where the polymer PTC 86 is positioned and fixed, on the side opposite to the movable contact side terminal 88 and the lower inner wall of the case 102 of the housing 92. Therefore, the fixed contact side terminal 87 fluctuates so the side of the lower inner wail of the case 102 of the housing 92 within the range of a thickness that has been increased by a volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion with the heat produced by the polymer PTC 86 when the volume is expanded.
As a result, the degree of freedom of the volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion of the polymer PTC 86 is not hindered by an external pressure. Moreover, the fixed contact side terminal 87 and the movable contact side terminal 88, pasted onto the polymer PTC 86, are respectively connected to wide areas of the thin-layer electrodes 89a and 89b of the Polymer PTC 86, thereby eliminating a possibility that the polymer PTC 86 will cause a hot spot.
As described above, the thermal protector 100 according to this embodiment can also implement the stable current disrupt function and the self-hold function after an electric current is disrupted, even though the polymer PTC having an unstable element is used as a resistive element for the current disrupt function at the time of heat production.
In the meantime, in the above described first and second embodiments, the degree of freedom of the volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion of the internal resistor of the resistive element module 60 or 85 is riot hindered by fixing the position of the resistive element module. 60 or 85 with the terminal. (the first terminal member 63 or the movable contact side terminal member 88) on the side of the movable contact of the resistive element module 60 or 85, and by arranging the terminal (the second terminal member 64 or the fixed contact side terminal member 87) on the fixed contact side to be able to fluctuate within the housing. However, a configuration that does not hinder the degree of freedom of the volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion of the internal resistor of the resistive element module is not limited to this one.
Another configuration that does not hinder the degree of freedom of the volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion of the internal resistor of the resistive element module is described below as a third embodiment.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The bimetal 107 is normally in an upwardly convex state, and a terminal connection part 117 that protrudes forward from a side is formed at the front end part (an obliquely lower right, direction in
On the movable plate 108, a terminal connection part 119 that protrudes forward from the side of the front end part is formed similar to the bimetal 107. Also at this front end part, a hole 121 of almost the same size as the hole 115 of the lower layer part 113 of the movable contact side terminal 106 is formed. Moreover, a movable contact 122 that extrudes downward is formed in the vicinity of the end part at the rear end part, and a hook part 123 folded forward is formed at the endmost part.
The spacer 109 is formed in the shape of a rectangular frame. The size of a hole 124 formed by an inner perimeter of the frame is almost the same as the hole 115 of the lower layer part 113 of the movable contact side terminal 106.
The resistive element module 110 is composed of an internal resistor 125, a movable contact side connection terminal 126, and a fixed contact side connection terminal 127. The rear parts of the movable contact side connection terminal 126 and the fixed contact side connection terminal 127 are respectively connected and fixed to the entirety of the surfaces of thin-layer electrode films that are not illustrated and are respectively formed on both the upper and the lower surfaces of the internal resistor 125.
Additionally, in the resistive element module 110, a hole 128 that penetrates into the internal resistor 125, the movable contact side connection terminal 126, and the fixed contact side connection terminal 127 is formed. The size of the hole 128 is formed to be almost the same as an outer perimeter of the rectangular frame of the spacer 109.
The fixed contact side terminal 111 is composed of a support part 129 adjoined so she rear of the terminal part, and a contact part 131 further adjoined to the rear of the support part 129. At the end of the contact part 131, a fixed contact is provided at a position facing the movable contact 122, although this is not particularly illustrated.
Additionally, a level-difference hole 132 is formed in the vicinity of the end part of the support part 129 in which the fixed contact side terminal Ill is positioned. Within the level-difference hole 132, level differences are formed in a decreasing order from the bottom toward the top of an inner perimeter. The bottom of the support column 112 engages with the level-difference hole 132.
At an outer perimeter at the bottom of the support column 112, a flange part 112-1 that engages with the larger level difference at the bottom of the hole 132 is formed, and the upper part of the support column 112 is formed to be almost the same size as the hole 115 of the lower layer part 113 of the movable contact side terminal 106.
As illustrated with a dotted dashed line 133 of
As a result, the movable contact side terminal 106, the bimetal 107, the movable plate 108, the spacer 109, the resistive element module 110, and the fixed contact side terminal 111 overlap so as to integrate into one piece as illustrated in
The thermal protector 135 according to this embodiment is completed by accommodating the internal configuration within the housing 134 of the thermal protector 135 as illustrated in
The outer appearance and the internal arrangement of the completed thermal protector 135 are almost the same as those of the thermal protector 100 illustrated in
Accordingly, also in this embodiment, when the internal resistor 125 composed of a polymer PTC produces heat, the total heat can be efficiently conducted to the bimetal 107.
In the internal configuration of the thermal protector 135 according to this embodiment, the respective members overlap with allowances in the thickness direction. Electrical connections of the members are made to the movable contact side terminal 106, for example, by soldering or welding the terminal connection part. 117, the terminal connection part 119, and the movable contact side connection terminal 126, and electrical connections of the members are made to the fixed contact side terminal 111, for example, by soldering or welding the fixed contact side connection terminal 127.
Accordingly, even if the allowances are provided in the thickness direction of the overlapping members, there are no problems in the electrical connections. Moreover, the height of the spacer 109 is formed to be higher than the thickness (height) of the resistive element module 110.
A difference between the heights is almost equal to the total of the allowances in the thickness direction of the overlapping members, and this difference is a difference that can absorb an increase in the thickness if the thickness is increased by a volume expansion caused by a thermal expansion when the internal resistor 125 of the resistive element module 110 produces heat.
Operations of the thermal protector 135 having the above described configuration according to the third embodiment are described next initially, when an environmental temperature (ambient temperature) of the thermal protector 135 rises to a predetermined temperature or higher, the bimetal 107 inversely warps from the upwardly convex state illustrated in
The free end that holds the movable contact 122 of the movable plate 108 rises with the inverse warp operation of the bimetal 107. As a result, the movable contact 122 is separated from the fixed contact that is not illustrated and provided in the contact part 131 of the fixed contact side terminal 111, and a current circuit between the movable contact side terminal 106 and the fixed contact side terminal 111 is disrupted.
The total amount of an electric current between the fixed contact side terminal 111 and the movable contact side terminal 106 when the contact circuit is disrupted flows into the internal resistor 125 composed of the polymer PTC of the resistive element module 110, and the internal resistor 125 is made to produce heat. The produced internal resistor 125 is efficiently conducted to the bimetal 107 as described above.
A temperature of the heat conducted to the bimetal 107 is a predetermined temperature or higher for the bimetal 107. Therefore, the bimetal 107 is not restored to the normal state until an electric current between the fixed contact side terminal 111 and the movable contact side terminal 106 is forcibly disrupted from outside. As a result, the current disrupt state of the contact circuit is maintained.
As described above, also in this embodiment, the thermal protector 135 that performs self-holding with heat produced by the embedded resistive element after an electric current is disrupted is realized.
Additionally, in this embodiment, as described above, the height of the spacer 109 is formed to be higher than the thickness (height) of the resistive element module 110, and a difference between the heights is a difference that can absorb an increase in the thickness if the thickness is increased by a volume expansion caused by a thermal expansion when the internal resistor 125 of the resistive element module 110 produces heat.
Accordingly, the degree of freedom of the volume expansion caused by the thermal expansion of the internal resistor 125 composed of the polymer PTC is not hindered by an external pressure. Moreover, the movable contact side connection terminal 126 and the fixed contact side connection terminal 127, pasted onto the internal resistor 125, are connected, over wide areas, to the thin-layer electrodes that are not illustrated and provided on the upper and the lower surfaces of the internal resistor 125. Therefore, there is no possibility that the internal resistor 125 composed of the polymer PTC will cause a hot spot.
As described above, also in the thermal protector 135 according to this embodiment, the stable current disrupt function and the self-hold function after an electric current is disrupted can be implemented even though the polymer PTC having an unstable element is used as a resistive element for the current disrupt function at the time of heat production.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2008-016199 | Jan 2008 | JP | national |
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/863,128, filed Jul. 15, 2010, which is a U.S. National Stage Filing filed under 35 U.S.C. 371 from International Application No. PCT/JP2008/002795, filed on Oct. 3, 2008, and published as WO 2009/095961 A1 on Aug. 6, 2009, which claimed priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to Japanese. Application No. 2008-016199, filed Jan. 28, 2008, which applications and publication are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12863128 | Jul 2010 | US |
Child | 13619458 | US |