A thermal switch includes a thermally responsive plate assembly including a metal support deforming from an initial shape before a header plate assembly is secured to a housing assembly, with a result that a position of a movable contact in the housing assembly is adjusted so as to be within a predetermined height range relative to an open end of a housing. A contact pressure of switching contacts after the assembling is produced by the height adjustment, and subsequently, a neighborhood of a part of the housing to which part the thermally responsive plate assembly is secured is deformed, so that an operating temperature is calibratable.

A thermal cut-off device includes a plastic base, two electrodes, a temperature sensing element, and a plastic cover that fits over the base. The temperature sensing element is curved downward, and may be a bimetal or a trimetal. When the device is subject to an over-temperature condition, the orientation of the curve flips such that the temperature sensing element is then curved upward. When the temperature sensing element is curved upward, it lifts an arm of one of the electrodes, which severs the electrical connection between the electrodes. In this manner the device shuts off during an over-temperature condition in order to protect the circuit in which the device is installed. To prevent corrosion of the temperature sensing element, a first moisture insulation layer is applied to the outer surface of the thermal cut-off device. The moisture insulation layer may be an epoxy adhesive or a UV/visible light-cured adhesive or light/heat cured adhesive. In some embodiments, a second moisture insulation layer is formed on the surface of the temperature sensing element.

A temperature switch includes an elastically deformable movable plate, a movable contact on the movable plate, a fixed contact facing the movable contact, a thermally deformable member, a vibration suppression section, and a cover. The thermally deformable member is elastically deformed in accordance with a temperature change to elastically deform the movable plate such that the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contact or spaced apart from the fixed contact. The vibration suppression section suppresses vibrations of the movable plate by contacting a fixed-edge side when the movable plate is elastically deformed to shift the movable plate from being in contact with the fixed contact to being spaced apart therefrom. The cover surrounds the movable and fixed contacts, and the vibration suppression section is a projecting section provided on the cover.

A temperature-dependent switch comprises first and second stationary contacts and a temperature-dependent switching mechanism having a movable contact member and a temperature-dependent snap-action part, which transitions between geometric low- and high-temperature configurations based on a temperature of the switch. Switching the snap-action part from its geometric low- to high-temperature configuration moves the switching mechanism from a first to a second switching position and thereby opens the switch. A closing lock prevents the switch once having opened from closing again by keeping it in its second switching position. The closing lock comprises a fusible medium which melts when a melting temperature of the medium is exceeded, contacts, in a molten state, a part of the switching mechanism when it is in its second switching position, and solidifies again and thereby locks it in its second switching position when the temperature of the switch falls below the melting temperature of the medium again.

A temperature switch 1 includes first terminal unit 2 having a first terminal 5 and a first fixed contact 6, a switch body unit 3 including a bimetal element 22 in which both ends engage a movable plate 15 holding, via an tongue portion 17, first and second fixed contacts 6 and 8 arranged in an internal center portion of an insulation material 10 at prescribed intervals and also holding a movable contact 18 arranged above them, and a second terminal unit 4 having a second terminal 7 and the second fixed contact 8. The first terminal unit 2, the switch body unit 3, and the second terminal unit 4 are sequentially arranged in line. At an ambient temperature, the bimetal element 22 deforms into a convex shape in the contact direction so as to push out the tongue portion 17 and the movable contact 18 at the center of the convex shape, and the movable contact 18 is closed with respect to the first and second fixed contacts 6 and 8 so that a current flows between the first and second terminals 5 and 7. At an ambient temperature equal to or higher than a prescribed value, the bimetal element 22 causes inversion to become concave in the contact direction, releases the biasing force of the spring property toward the space above the tongue portion 17, the movable contact 18 moves away from the first and second fixed contacts 6 and 8, and a current is cut off.

A method of connecting an electric element (20) to a switch part (10) provided with a fixed contact (11a), i.e., an example of a first contact, a first terminal (12) connected to the fixed contact (11a) and exposed out of the switch part (10), a movable contact (11b), i.e., an example of a second contact, capable of moving to a position at which the movable contact (11b) is in contact with the fixed contact (11a) and a position at which the movable contact (11b) is spaced apart from the fixed contact (11a), and a second terminal (13) connected to the movable contact (11b) and exposed out of the switch part (10) includes: connecting the electric element (20) in parallel to the fixed contact (11a) and the movable contact (11b) between the first terminal (12) and the second terminal (13).

A temperature-dependent switch includes a housing with a top face and an outer face that runs transversely to the top face. The switch includes a first outer contact area that is arranged on the top face. The switch includes a second outer contact area that is arranged at the housing. The switch includes a temperature-dependent switching mechanism that is arranged in the housing and configured to establish or open an electrically conductive connection between the first and the second outer contact area depending on a temperature of the switching mechanism. The housing is disposed in a metal mounting cap that includes a wall. An upper rim of the wall protrudes beyond the top face of the housing. An inner side of the wall bears at least partially against the outer face of the housing.

A current cut-off device 1 includes a plate-shaped terminal piece 2 having a contact 21, a movable piece 4 including an elastic portion 44 formed in a plate shape so as to be elastically deformed and a movable contact 41 arranged at one end portion of the elastic portion 44 and having the movable contact 41 so as to be pressed against and in contact with the contact 21, and a thermally actuated element 5 which biases the movable piece 4 by deforming in accordance with a temperature change and causes a state of the movable piece 4 to be shifted from a conductive state in which the movable contact 41 is in contact with the contact 21 to a cut-off state in which the movable contact 41 is separated from the contact 21. When the state of the movable piece 4 is shifted from the conductive state to the cut-off state, as the movable contact 41 moves, it gets over the contact 21.

A breaker comprises: a fixed piece having a fixed contact; a movable piece having a movable contact and pressing the movable contact against the fixed contact to contact therewith; a thermally-actuated element for shifting the movable piece from a conduction state in which the movable contact contacts with the fixed contact to a turn-off state; a PCT thermistor; and a resin case. The fixed piece has a contacting portion contacting with the PCT thermistor. The resin case has a bottom surface provided with a concave portion. In a planar view when the fixed piece is viewed from the PCT thermistor, the contacting portion is disposed within the concave portion. The concave portion has a bottom recessed from the bottom surface of the resin case to prevent the bottom from protruding outwardly from the bottom surface when the thermally-actuated element is deformed.

A temperature-dependent switch comprising a housing, which comprises a cover part and a lower part, wherein an insulating foil is arranged between the cover part and the lower part. The temperature-dependent switch further comprises a first external contact surface provided externally on the housing, a second external contact surface provided externally on the housing, and a temperature-dependent switching mechanism arranged in the housing. The temperature-dependent switching mechanism, depending on its temperature, establishes or opens an electrically conductive connection between the first and the second external contact surfaces. The insulating foil is at least partially coated or printed with a sealing agent which, for sealing the housing, contacts the cover part and/or the lower part in a sealing area.