Patent ID: 8289124

Claim:
A temperature-dependent switch, comprising: a base block having an open upper side and an open lower side, an accommodation area extending between said upper and lower side, an electrically conductive cover metal plate arranged on and closing off said upper side, said cover plate being provided with a first external connection, an electrically conductive bottom metal plate arranged on and closing off said lower side, said bottom plate being provided with a second external connection, a temperature-dependent switching mechanism which is arranged in the accommodation areas and makes an electrically conductive connection between the first and the second external connection, as a function of its temperature, the switching mechanism comprising a spring tongue which is integrally connected at its first end to a transverse electrically conductive metal sheet, which in turn is connected to the cover plate, the transverse metal sheet being formed as a one-piece part with an electrically conductive frame which rests flat on the cover plate and which is firmly connected thereto in a captive manner by a method selected from adhesive bonding, soldering and welding, said spring tongue being fitted at its second end with a moving contact part which interacts with a fixed counter contact provided at the bottom plate, and a bimetallic part arranged next to the spring tongue within the accommodation area, which bimetallic part is arranged such that it acts on an operating section of the spring tongue, which operating section is located between the first end and the second end of the spring tongue, such that the bimetallic part, as a function of its temperature, lifts off the moving contact part from the fixed counter contact.