An embodiment of an electric heating element is disclosed, including an electrically resistive inner heating element, an electrically resistive outer heating element, and a thermostat positioned underneath a centrally-positioned medallion and along a cold leg of the inner heating element. The thermostat is configured to selectively allow electrical current to be delivered to the inner heating element while maximum electrical current, for example, continues to be provided to the outer heating element. The thermostat cycles the electrical current on and off when detecting maximum and minimum desired temperatures radiated from the electric heating element. The inner heating element has a pair of cold legs that extend parallel to a pair of cold legs of the outer heating element, some or all of which may be supported by a terminal bracket.

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 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 temperature-dependent switch comprises a first stationary contact, a second stationary contact, and a temperature-dependent switching mechanism having a movable contact member. In its first switching position, the switching mechanism presses the contact member against the first contact and thereby produces an electrically conductive connection between the two contacts. In its second switching position, the switching mechanism keeps the contact member spaced apart from the first contact. The temperature-dependent switching mechanism further comprises first and second temperature-dependent snap-action parts which switch from geometric low-temperature configurations to geometric high-temperature configurations when exceeding first and second switching temperatures, respectively, and switch back when subsequently falling below first and second reset temperatures, respectively. Switching the first and/or the second snap-action part from its geometric low-temperature configuration to its geometric high-temperature configuration brings the switching mechanism from its first switching position to its second switching position.

A temperature-dependent switch comprising first and second stationary contacts and a temperature-dependent switching mechanism having a movable contact member. The switching mechanism, in its first switching position, presses the contact member against the first contact and thereby produces an electrically conductive connection between the two contacts via the contact member and, in its second switching position, keeps the contact member spaced apart from the first contact and thereby disconnects the electrically conductive connection between the two contacts and opens the switch. The switch further comprises a closing lock that, as soon as it is activated, prevents the switch once having opened from closing again by keeping the switching mechanism in its second switching position. The closing lock comprises a locking element having a shape-memory alloy and an opening through which the movable contact member protrudes. The locking element is configured to change its shape upon exceeding a locking element switching temperature from a first shape, in which the locking element does not activate the closing lock, into a second shape, in which the locking element activates the closing lock by exerting a force on a part of the switching mechanism, which force holds the switching mechanism in its second switching position.

A temperature-dependent switch having a housing with an upper part and a lower part, wherein a first and a second stationary contact are arranged on the housing, and a temperature-dependent switching mechanism having a movable contact member. In its first switching position, the switching mechanism presses the movable contact member against the first contact and thereby produces an electrically conductive connection between the two contacts via the contact member, and, in its second switching position, keeps the movable contact member spaced apart from the first contact. A closing lock prevents the switch, once having opened, from closing again by locking the switching mechanism permanently in its second switching position in a mechanical manner. The closing lock comprises a substantially disc-shaped locking element and a first latching member, which, in order to lock the switching mechanism, interacts in the second switching position with a second latching member that is arranged on the movable contact member.

A breaker is provided with a first terminal piece on which a fixed contact is formed, a movable piece with a movable contact for pressing the movable contact against the fixed contact so as to contact therewith, a thermally-actuated element deforming with a change in temperature and moving the movable piece so that the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact, and a second terminal piece electrically connected to the movable piece. The movable contact includes a first movable contact and a second movable contact arranged at a first end portion and a second end portion, respectively, of the movable piece in its longitudinal direction. The fixed contact includes a first fixed contact arranged at a position with which the first movable contact can contact, and a second fixed contact arranged at a position with which the second movable contact can contact.

An embodiment of an electric heating element is disclosed, including an electrically resistive inner heating element, an electrically resistive outer heating element, and a thermostat positioned underneath a centrally-positioned medallion and along a cold leg of the inner heating element. The thermostat is configured to selectively allow electrical current to be delivered to the inner heating element while maximum electrical current, for example, continues to be provided to the outer heating element. The thermostat cycles the electrical current on and off when detecting maximum and minimum desired temperatures radiated from the electric heating element. The inner heating element has a pair of cold legs that extend parallel to a pair of cold legs of the outer heating element, some or all of which may be supported by a terminal bracket.

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 resetting element for transmitting resetting force to a thermal switch. The resetting element includes a first end and an elastic element configured to transmit a force received at the first end to the reset switch of the thermal switch, wherein the elastic element is prevents damage to the thermal switch by decreasing the force transmitted to the reset switch from the first end.