Thermal limiter constructions

Claim 2

A thermal limiter construction for at least one electrical circuit comprising a body member formed of electrical insulating material and having a relatively long reduced portion projecting therefrom adapted for insertion in an opening of a frame while said body member is adapted to abut one side of said frame outboard of said frame opening, said long reduced projecting portion having a longitudinal axis, a pair of lead means carried by said body member and projecting from said body member remote from said projecting portion for lead attachment thereto, and a thermally responsive device carried by said reduced portion and being interconnected in series with said lead means, said construction having a single fastening opening passing therethrough and being adapted to fasten said body member to said frame solely by a single fastening member passing through said fastening opening when said projecting portion of said body member is fully inserted in said frame opening, said fastening opening passing through said body member in offset relation to said projecting portion thereof and being substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said projecting portion whereby said fastening member and said reduced projecting portion cooperate to prevent pivoting of said projecting portion out of said frame opening.

Claim 3

A thermal limiter construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body member has a generally triangular profile in one viewing direction thereof with said fastening opening passing through an apex area thereof.

Claim 4

A thermal limiter construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said projecting portion of said body member has a generally cylindrical configuration.

Claim 5

A thermal limiter construction for at least one electrical circuit comprising a body member formed of electrical insulating material and having a relatively long reduced portion projecting therefrom adapted for insertion in an opening of a frame while said body member is adapted to abut one side of said frame outboard of said frame opening, said long reduced projecting portion having a longitudinal axis, a pair of lead means carried by said body member and projecting from said body member remote from said projecting portion for lead attachment thereto, and a thermally responsive device carried by said reduced portion and being interconnected in series with said lead means, said construction having a single fastening opening passing therethrough and being adapted to fasten said body member to said frame solely by a single fastening member passing through said fastening opening when said projecting portion of said body member is fully inserted in said frame opening, one of said lead means that projects from said body member remote from said projecting portion thereof having said fastening opening passing therethrough substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said projecting portion whereby said fastening member and said reduced projecting portion cooperate to prevent pivoting of said projecting portion out of said frame opening.

Claim 6

A thermal limiter construction for at least one electrical circuit comprising a body member formed of electrical insulating material and having a relatively long reduced portion projecting therefrom adapted for insertion in an opening of a frame while said body member is adapted to abut one side of said frame outboard of said frame opening, said long reduced projecting portion having a longitudinal axis, a pair of lead means carried by said body member and projecting from said body member remote from said projecting portion for lead attachment thereto, and a thermally responsive device carried by said reduced portion and being interconnected in series with said lead means, said construction having a single fastening opening passing therethrough and being adapted to fasten said body member to said frame solely by a single fastening member passing through said fastening opening when said projecting portion of said body member is fully inserted in said frame opening, one of said lead means that projects from said body member remote from said projecting portion thereof having said fastening opening passing therethrough substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said projecting portion whereby said fastening member and said reduced projecting portion cooperate to prevent pivoting of said projecting portion out of said frame opening.

Claim 7

A thermal limiter construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein the projecting part of said one lead means is bent at a right angle relative to said body member so that the free end of said one lead means is disposed in offset relation relative to said body member.

Claim 8

A thermal limiter construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said fastening opening passes through said free end of said one lead means.

Claim 9

A thermal limiter construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein the projecting part of the other lead means has an internally threaded opening passing therethrough for lead attachment purposes.

Claim 10

A thermal limiter construction as set forth in claim 6 wherein said projecting portion of said body member has a generally cylindrical configuration.

Claim 11

In combination, a frame having an opening passIng therethrough and defining an internal peripheral surface of said frame, an electrical heater element carried by said frame, a thermal limiter construction comprising a body member formed of electrical insulating material and having a relatively long reduced portion projecting therefrom into said opening of said frame while said body member abuts one side of said frame outboard of said frame opening, said reduced projecting portion having an external peripheral surface disposed closely adjacent said internal peripheral surface of said frame, said reduced projecting portion having a longitudinal axis, a pair of lead means carried by said body member and projecting from said body member remote from said projecting portion for lead attachment thereto, one of said lead means being electrically interconnected in series with one end of said heater element, a thermally responsive device carried by said reduced portion of said body member and being interconnected in series with said lead means and, thus, in series with said heater element, said construction having a single fastening opening passing through said body member in offset relation said projecting portion thereof and substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said projecting portion, and a single fastening member fastening said body member to said frame solely by passing through said fastening opening and being secured to said frame for holding said projecting portion of said body member fully inserted in said frame opening whereby said fastening member and said reduced projecting portion cooperate to prevent pivoting of said projecting portion out of said frame opening.

Claim 12

In combination, a frame having an opening passIng therethrough and defining an internal peripheral surface of said frame, an electrical heater element carried by said frame, a thermal limiter construction comprising a body member formed of electrical insulating material and having a relatively long reduced portion projecting therefrom into said opening of said frame while said body member abuts one side of said frame outboard of said frame opening, said reduced projecting portion having an external peripheral surface disposed closely adjacent said internal peripheral surface of said frame, said reduced projecting portion having a longitudinal axis, a pair of lead means carried by said body member and projecting from said body member remote from said projecting portion for lead attachment thereto, one of said lead means being electrically interconnected in series with one end of said heater element, a thermally responsive device carried by said reduced portion of said body member and being interconnected in series with said lead means and, thus, in series with said heater element, said construction having a single fastening opening passing through said body member in offset relation said projecting portion thereof and substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said projecting portion, and a single fastening member fastening said body member to said frame solely by passing through said fastening opening and being secured to said frame for holding said projecting portion of said body member fully inserted in said frame opening whereby said fastening member and said reduced projecting portion cooperate to prevent pivoting of said projecting portion out of said frame opening.

Claim 13

A combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein said body member has a generally triangular profile in one viewing direction thereof with said fastening opening passing through an apex area thereof.

Claim 14

A combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said projecting portion of said body member has a generally cylindrical configuration and said frame opening is circular.

Claim 15

In combination, a frame having an opening passing therethrough, an electrical heater element carried by said frame, a thermal limiter construction comprising a body member formed of electrical insulating material and having a relatively long reduced portion projecting therefrom into said opening of said frame while said body member abuts one side of said frame outboard of said frame opening, a pair of lead means carried by said body member and projecting from said body member remote from said projecting portion for lead attachment thereto, one of said lead means being electrically interconnected in series with one end of said heater element, a thermally responsive device carried by said reduced portion of said body member and being interconnected in series with said lead means and, thus, in series with said heater element, said construction having a single fastening opening passing therethrough, and a single fastening member fastening said body member to said frame solely by passing through said fastening opening and being secured to said frame for holding said projecting portion of said body member fully inserted in said frame opening, one of said lead means that projects from said body member remote from said projecting portion thereof having said fastening opening passing therethrough whereby said fastening member and said reduced projecting portion cooperate to prevent pivoting of said projecting portion out of said frame opening.

Claim 16

In combination, a frame having an opening passing therethrough, an electrical heater element carried by said frame, a thermal limiter construction comprising a body member formed of electrical insulating material and having a relatively long reduced portion projecting therefrom into said opening of said frame while said body member abuts one side of said frame outboard of said frame opening, a pair of lead means carried by said body member and projecting from said body member remote from said projecting portion for lead attachment thereto, one of said lead means being electrically interconnected in series with one end of said heater element, a thermally responsive device carried by said reduced portion of said body member and being interconnected in series with said lead means and, thus, in series with said heater element, said construction having a single fastening opening passing therethrough, and a single fastening member fastening said body member to said frame solely by passing through said fastening opening and being secured to said frame for holding said projecting portion of said body member fully inserted in said frame opening, one of said lead means that projects from said body member remote from said projecting portion thereof having said fastening opening passing therethrough whereby said fastening member and said reduced projecting portion cooperate to prevent pivoting of said projecting portion out of said frame opening.

Claim 17

A combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein the projecting part of said one lead means is bent at a right angle relative to said body member so that the free end of said one lead means is disposed in offset relation relative to said body member.

Claim 18

A combination as set forth in claim 13 wherein said fastening opening passes through said free end of said one lead means and wherein said fastening member also fastens part of said heater element to said frame.

Claim 19

A combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein the projecting parT of the other lead means has an internally threaded opening passing therethrough for lead attachment purposes.

Claim 20

A combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein said projecting portion of said body member has a generally cylindrical configuration.

Claim 21

A thermal limiter construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said thermally responsive device comprises a fuse element.

Claim 22

A thermal limiter construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said thermally responsive device comprises a fuse element.

Claim 23

A combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein said thermally responsive device comprises a fuse element.

Claim 24

A combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein said thermally responsive device comprises a fuse element.