A thermal protector includes: a first terminal and a second terminal that are provided at both ends in a longitudinal direction and connected to an external circuit; an insulation block that holds the first terminal and the second terminal; a fixed contact and a movable contact capable of coming into contact with each other; a movable plate having the movable contact provided at a leading end; and a bimetal engaged with the movable plate. Each of the first terminal and the second terminal has a main body, an extension, and a slit. The main body of the first terminal and the main body of the second terminal lie in a first plane, and a fixed contact support part of the extension and a movable plate support part of the extension lie in a second plane. An angle formed by the first plane and the second plane is an acute angle.

A thermal protector includes: a first terminal and a second terminal that are provided at both ends in a longitudinal direction and connected to an external circuit; an insulation block that holds the first terminal and the second terminal; a fixed contact and a movable contact capable of coming into contact with each other; a movable plate having the movable contact provided at a leading end; and a bimetal engaged with the movable plate. Each of the first terminal and the second terminal has a main body, an extension, and a slit. The main body of the first terminal and the main body of the second terminal lie in a first plane, and a fixed contact support part of the extension and a movable plate support part of the extension lie in a second plane. An angle formed by the first plane and the second plane is an acute angle.

A case has an engagement hole formed in a side surface thereof in the width direction, a cover has a projecting piece formed thereon, the projecting piece projecting toward the case side, and a tip portion of the projecting piece is fitted into the engagement hole from the inside. A reset bar has a recessed portion formed in a preset range extending in the depth direction and the circumferential direction within the outer peripheral surface of the reset bar and, when positioned at either an initial position or an automatic reset position, prevents the tip portion from being pushed inside by having the outer peripheral surface opposed to the back side of the projecting piece. In addition, when positioned at a manual reset position, the reset bar allows the tip portion to be pushed inside by having the recessed portion opposed to the back side of the projecting piece.

A case has an engagement hole formed in a side surface thereof in the width direction, a cover has a projecting piece formed thereon, the projecting piece projecting toward the case side, and a tip portion of the projecting piece is fitted into the engagement hole from the inside. A reset bar has a recessed portion formed in a preset range extending in the depth direction and the circumferential direction within the outer peripheral surface of the reset bar and, when positioned at either an initial position or an automatic reset position, prevents the tip portion from being pushed inside by having the outer peripheral surface opposed to the back side of the projecting piece. In addition, when positioned at a manual reset position, the reset bar allows the tip portion to be pushed inside by having the recessed portion opposed to the back side of the projecting piece.

A method of operating a mechanical switching device is disclosed. The switching device includes a housing, an assembly disposed in the housing, and a body. The assembly is thermally deformable and comprises a beam held in two different places by two arms secured to edges of the housing. The beam is remote from the body in a first configuration and in contact with and immobilized by the body in a second configuration. The assembly has the first configuration at a first temperature and the second configuration when one of the arms has a second temperature different from the first temperature. The method includes exposing an arm of the assembly to the second temperature, and releasing the beam using a release mechanism. The release mechanism includes a pointed element comprising a pointed region directed towards the body. The pointed element limits an open crater in a concave part of a projection.

A method of operating a mechanical switching device is disclosed. The switching device includes a housing, an assembly disposed in the housing, and a body. The assembly is thermally deformable and comprises a beam held in two different places by two arms secured to edges of the housing. The beam is remote from the body in a first configuration and in contact with and immobilized by the body in a second configuration. The assembly has the first configuration at a first temperature and the second configuration when one of the arms has a second temperature different from the first temperature. The method includes exposing an arm of the assembly to the second temperature, and releasing the beam using a release mechanism. The release mechanism includes a pointed element comprising a pointed region directed towards the body. The pointed element limits an open crater in a concave part of a projection.

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

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

A method for detecting orientation of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method includes moving, in response to a gravitational force, a mobile metallic piece in an evolution zone of a housing. The housing is formed in an interconnect region of the integrated circuit. The housing includes walls defining the evolution zone. The walls are formed within multiple metallization levels of the interconnect region. The walls include a floor wall and a ceiling wall. At least one of the floor wall and ceiling wall incorporate a pointed element directing its pointed region towards the mobile metallic piece. The pointed element delimits an open crater in a concave part of a projection. The method further includes creating an electrical signal by movement of the mobile metallic piece at a plurality of electrically conducting elements positioned at boundary points of the evolution zone and detecting the electrical signal by a detector.

A method for detecting orientation of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method includes moving, in response to a gravitational force, a mobile metallic piece in an evolution zone of a housing. The housing is formed in an interconnect region of the integrated circuit. The housing includes walls defining the evolution zone. The walls are formed within multiple metallization levels of the interconnect region. The walls include a floor wall and a ceiling wall. At least one of the floor wall and ceiling wall incorporate a pointed element directing its pointed region towards the mobile metallic piece. The pointed element delimits an open crater in a concave part of a projection. The method further includes creating an electrical signal by movement of the mobile metallic piece at a plurality of electrically conducting elements positioned at boundary points of the evolution zone and detecting the electrical signal by a detector.