A device for controlling battery operation includes a battery cell, a thermal cutoff, and a battery management system. The thermal cutoff is coupled in series between the battery cell and a system load of the device. The thermal cutoff has at least three terminals. A first terminal of the thermal cutoff is electrically-coupled to the battery cell and a second terminal of the thermal cutoff is electrically-coupled to the system load. The thermal cutoff includes a permanent failure mechanism having an open state and closed state wherein the closed state allows electrical communication between the first terminal and the second terminal. The battery management system is electrically-coupled to a third terminal of the thermal cutoff. The permanent failure mechanism permanently switches to the open state in response to an electrical signal from the battery management system.

A thermally responsive switch includes a heating element with a meandering portion formed of a metal plate. The meandering portion is bent twice with respect to reference axes extending in a longitudinal direction of a housing. The meandering portion includes an outer vertical portion that is perpendicular to an inner surface of a lid plate, an inner vertical portion that is perpendicular to the inner surface of the lid plate, and a middle vertical portion that is disposed between the outer vertical portion and the inner vertical portion and is perpendicular to the inner surface of the lid plate. The middle vertical portion has a narrow portion narrower than a width of the middle vertical portion. The narrow portion is provided on an end portion located in one side of the middle vertical portion where no other heating element exists among the two widthwise end portions of the middle vertical portion.

A varistor (50) comprising: a feed-through conductor (52) and a varistor disc (72) interposed between, and electrically connected to, conductor layers disposed on opposite surfaces of the varistor disc (72), the conductor layers being electrically isolated from one another; wherein the varistor disc (72) comprises a through aperture (60) through which the feed-through conductor extends; a first one of the conductor layers is electrically connected to the feed-through conductor; a second one of the conductor layers is, in normal use, permanently electrically connected to ground the varistor (50). This configuration enables one side of the disc (72) to be connected to the feed-through terminal, and the other side of the disc (72) to be connected to a ground plane, such as an earthed bulkhead of a wall or cabinet, via a metal plate forming part of the varistor (50) housing.

A system for interrupting ignition is disclosed. Specific implementations of ignition interrupters may include a first conductive tab configured to couple to a spark plug; a second conductive tab configured to couple to a spark plug wire; a first tab holder coupled with the first conductive tab; a second tab holder coupled with the second conductive tab, where the second conductive tab overlaps with the first conductive tab; a sled positioned perpendicularly to a plane of the first conductive tab and the second conductive tab, the sled coupled between the first conductive tab and the second conductive tab; a first spring coupled to the sled; and a second spring coupled to the sled; where the sled may be configured to move to an open position in the gap between the first conductive tab and the second conductive tab, decompressing the first spring and the second spring.

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).

The breaker 1 is provided with a fixed contact 20, a movable piece 4 extending in a first direction (D1), a thermally actuated element 5, a case 7 accommodating the movable piece 4 and the thermally actuated element 5, and a terminal piece 2 which partially protrudes outside the case 7 and is to be electrically connected with an external circuit. The terminal piece 2 has a first portion 21 and a second portions 22 having different heights from a bottom surface of the case 7, a first bent portion (23a) bent in a first bending direction, and a second bent portion (23b) bent in a second bending direction opposite to the first bending direction. The first bent portion (23a) and the second bent portion (23b) extend in parallel with the first direction (D1).

An electrical connector provided with a varistor, and to a protection device for incorporation into an electrical connector and having a varistor comprising at least two pins including a first pin which is a live (502) or neutral (504) pin and a second pin which is an earth pin (506), the first and second pins (502, 504, 506) extending through respective apertures (512) in a varistor plate (514) which has first and second faces, wherein a first conductive layer on the first face of the varistor plate (514) connects electrically to the first pin (502, 504) and a second conductive region on the second face of the varistor plate connects electrically to the second pin (506), so that in response to an excessive voltage across the first (502, 504) and second (506) pins the varistor plate will conduct electricity between the first (502, 504) and second (506) pins. The arrangement can easily be adopted in connectors conforming to existing standards, such as existing mains electrical plugs (500).

A varistor (50) comprising: a feed-through conductor (52) and a varistor disc (72) interposed between, and electrically connected to, conductor layers disposed on opposite surfaces of the varistor disc (72), the conductor layers being electrically isolated from one another; wherein the varistor disc (72) comprises a through aperture (60) through which the feed-through conductor extends; a first one of the conductor layers is electrically connected to the feed-through conductor; a second one of the conductor layers is, in normal use, permanently electrically connected to ground the varistor (50). This configuration enables one side of the disc (72) to be connected to the feed-through terminal, and the other side of the disc (72) to be connected to a ground plane, such as an earthed bulkhead of a wall or cabinet, via a metal plate forming part of the varistor (50) housing.

An electrical connector provided with a varistor, and to a protection device for incorporation into an electrical connector and having a varistor comprising at least two pins including a first pin which is a live (502) or neutral (504) pin and a second pin which is an earth pin (506), the first and second pins (502, 504, 506) extending through respective apertures (512) in a varistor plate (514) which has first and second faces, wherein a first conductive layer on the first face of the varistor plate (514) connects electrically to the first pin (502, 504) and a second conductive region on the second face of the varistor plate connects electrically to the second pin (506), so that in response to an excessive voltage across the first (502, 504) and second (506) pins the varistor plate will conduct electricity between the first (502, 504) and second (506) pins. The arrangement can easily be adopted in connectors conforming to existing standards, such as existing mains electrical plugs (500).

The breaker 1 is provided with a fixed contact 20, a movable piece 4 extending in a first direction (D1), a thermally actuated element 5, a case 7 accommodating the movable piece 4 and the thermally actuated element 5, and a terminal piece 2 which partially protrudes outside the case 7 and is to be electrically connected with an external circuit. The terminal piece 2 has a first portion 21 and a second portions 22 having different heights from a bottom surface of the case 7, a first bent portion (23a) bent in a first bending direction, and a second bent portion (23b) bent in a second bending direction opposite to the first bending direction. The first bent portion (23a) and the second bent portion (23b) extend in parallel with the first direction (D1).