Patent ID: 7382223

Claim:
A thermal circuit breaker comprising: a housing, a stationary electrical contact, a cantilever mounted thermostatic disc having a length and having a free end, a movable electrical contact mounted on the free end of the thermostatic disc and movable into and out of engagement with the stationary contact, a disc coupling member having a pivot for pivotally mounting the disc coupling member in the housing above the thermostatic disc, the disc coupling member having a first leg extending away from the pivot toward the free end of the thermostatic disc in a first direction aligned with the length of the thermostatic disc, an arm depending downwardly from the disc coupling member on the first direction side of the disc coupling member toward the thermostatic disc, the arm provided with features to capture the thermostatic disc disposed at a location along the length of the thermostatic disc and spaced along said length from the stationary electrical contact so that the disc coupling member will move with the disc, a blade movably mounted in the housing and a spring disposed in the housing placing a bias on the blade against the disc coupling member when the disc is in a contacts engaged position, the blade being movable under at least a portion of the first leg when the disc moves to a contacts disengaged position to prevent the first leg from moving back to the engaged contacts position, and a reset mechanism mounted in the housing for moving the blade from under the first leg of the disc coupling member.