Patent ID: 7652553
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
1. A thermally activated electrical interrupt switch, the switch comprising: an electrical contact configuration operated by an axial motion of an interrupt control rod; a thermally activated material in operational communication with said interrupt control rod, wherein said thermally activated material expands when heated and thrusts said interrupt control rod axially; and a reset mechanism that engages substantially perpendicularly with a feature in said interrupt control rod, securing said electrical contact configuration in an interrupt state requiring an external action to release said reset mechanism and reset said switch from said interrupt state, said reset mechanism including a reset control rod and a spring biasing said reset control rod against said interrupt control rod wherein said spring further biases said reset control rod to substantially perpendicularly engage said interrupt control rod feature when said interrupt control rod is thrust axially and whereby said reset control rod when substantially perpendicularly engaged with said interrupt control rod feature maintains said interrupt control rod in its thrust position until said reset control rod is manually disengaged from said feature by said external action, wherein said external action comprises pulling the reset control rod away from the electrical interrupt switch, thereby disengaging a distal end of the reset control rod from the feature in said interrupt control rod.