Thermally actuatable electrical switch construction, conductive lead therefor and methods of making the same

Claim 2

In a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction having a housing means carrying an electrically insulating end plug provided with an opening means passing therethrough and in which a portion of a conductive lead is disposed so that opposed ends of said lead extend beyond opposed ends of said plug and respectively define a fixed contact means inside said housing means and a terminal outside said housing means, said portion of said lead being retained in said opening means by a sealing means disposed in said opening means and extending around said portion of said lead and interlocking therewith to tend to prevent axial movement of said lead into said housing means as well as to tend to prevent rotational movement of said lead relative to said end plug, the improvement wherein said portion of said lead has a substantially unrecessed cylindrical peripheral surface throughout the entire length thereof and has a plurality of outwardly extending cog-like members that extend outwardly from said peripheral surface and interlock with said sealing means in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 3

A thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said portion of said lead has a longitudinal axis and said cog-like members are disposed substantially parallel to said axis.

Claim 4

A thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cog-like members are arranged in a plurality of longitudinally disposed rows thereof.

Claim 5

A thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein each cog-like member extends substantially radially from said longitudinal axis.

Claim 6

A thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said cog-like members are integral with said portion of said lead whereby said lead is a one-piece member, said terminal end of said lead having continuous spline-like members extending longitudinally therealong and being aligned with said rows of said cog-like members.

Claim 7

In a method of making a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction having a housing means carrying an electrically insulating end plug provided with an opening means passing therethrough and in which a portion of a conductive lead is disposed so that opposed ends of said lead extend beyond opposed ends of said plug and respectively define a fixed contact means inside said housing means and a terminal outside said housing means, said portion of said lead being retained in said opening means by a sealing means disposed in said opening means and extending around said portion of said lead and interlocking therewith to tend to prevent axial movement of said lead into said housing means as well as to tend to prevent rotational movement of said lead relative to said end plug, the improvement comprising the step of forming said portion of said lead to have a substantially unrecessed cylindrical peripheral surface throughout the entire length thereof and have a plurality of outwardly extending cog-like members that extend outwardly from said peripheral surface and interlock with said sealing means in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 8

In a method of making a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction having a housing means carrying an electrically insulating end plug provided with an opening means passing therethrough and in which a portion of a conductive lead is disposed so that opposed ends of said lead extend beyond opposed ends of said plug and respectively define a fixed contact means inside said housing means and a terminal outside said housing means, said portion of said lead being retained in said opening means by a sealing means disposed in said opening means and extending around said portion of said lead and interlocking therewith to tend to prevent axial movement of said lead into said housing means as well as to tend to prevent rotational movement of said lead relative to said end plug, the improvement comprising the step of forming said portion of said lead to have a substantially unrecessed cylindrical peripheral surface throughout the entire length thereof and have a plurality of outwardly extending cog-like members that extend outwardly from said peripheral surface and interlock with said sealing means in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 9

A method of making a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 6 and including the step of forming said cog-like members to be disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said portion of said lead.

Claim 10

A method of making a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 7 and including the step of forming said cog-like members so as to be arranged in a plurality of longitudinally disposed rows thereof.

Claim 11

A method of making a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 8 and including the step of forming each cog-like member to extend substantially radially from said longitudinal axis.

Claim 12

A method of making a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 9 and including the steps of forming said cog-like members to be integral with said portion of said lead whereby said lead is a one-piece member, initially forming said lead to have continuous integral spline-like members extending longitudinally therealong, and removing spaced apart parts of said spline-like members on said portion of said lead to form said cog-like members thereon from the remaining parts of said spline-like members on said portion of said lead.

Claim 13

In a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction having a housing means carrying an electrically insulating end plug provided with an opening means passing therethrough and in which a portion of said conductive lead is adapted to be disposed so that opposed ends of said lead are adapted to extend beyond opposed ends of said plug and respectively define a fixed contact means inside said housing means and a terminal outside said housing means, said portion of said lead being adapted to be retained in said opening means by a sealing means disposed in said opening means and extending around said portion of said lead and interlocking therewith to tend to prevent axial movement of said lead into said housing means as well as to tend to prevent rotational movement of said lead relative to said end plug, the improvement wherein said portion of said lead has a substantially unrecessed cylindrical peripheral surface throughout the entire length thereof and has a plurality of outwardly extending cog-like members that extend outwardly from said peripheral surface and are adapted to interlock with said sealing means in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 14

In a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction having a housing means carrying an electrically insulating end plug provided with an opening means passing therethrough and in which a portion of said conductive lead is adapted to be disposed so that opposed ends of said lead are adapted to extend beyond opposed ends of said plug and respectively define a fixed contact means inside said housing means and a terminal outside said housing means, said portion of said lead being adapted to be retained in said opening means by a sealing means disposed in said opening means and extending around said portion of said lead and interlocking therewith to tend to prevent axial movement of said lead into said housing means as well as to tend to prevent rotational movement of said lead relative to said end plug, the improvement wherein said portion of said lead has a substantially unrecessed cylindrical peripheral surface throughout the entire length thereof and has a plurality of outwardly extending cog-like members that extend outwardly from said peripheral surface and are adapted to interlock with said sealing means in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 15

A conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 11 wherein said portion of said lead has a longitudinal axis and said cog-like members are disposed substantially parallel to said axis.

Claim 16

A conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 12 wherein said cog-like members are arranged in a plurality of longitudinally disposed rows thereof.

Claim 17

A conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 13 wherein each cog-like member extends substantially radially from said longitudinal axis.

Claim 18

A conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 14 wherein said cog-like members are integral with said portion of said lead whereby said lead is a one-piece member, said terminal end of said lead having continuous spline-like members extending longitudinally therealong and being aligned with said rows of said cog-like members.

Claim 19

In a method of making a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction having a housing means carrying an electrically insulating end plug provided with an opening means passing therethrough and in which a portion of said conductive lead is adapted to be disposed so that opposed ends of said lead are adapted to extend beyond opposed ends of said plug and respectively define a fixed contact means inside said housing means and a terminal outside said housing means, said portion of said lead being adapted to be retained in said opening means by a sealing means disposed in said opening means and extending around said portion of said lead and interlocking therewith to tend to prevent axial movement of said lead into said housing means as well as to tend to prevent rotational movement of said lead relative to said end plug, the improvement comprising the step of forming said portion of said lead to have a substantially unrecessed cylindrical peripheral surface throughout the entire length thereof and have a plurality of outwardly extending cog-like members that extend outwardly from said peripheral surface and are adapted to interlock with said sealing means in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 20

In a method of making a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction having a housing means carrying an electrically insulating end plug provided with an opening means passing therethrough and in which a portion of said conductive lead is adapted to be disposed so that opposed ends of said lead are adapted to extend beyond opposed ends of said plug and respectively define a fixed contact means inside said housing means and a terminal outside said housing means, said portion of said lead being adapted to be retained in said opening means by a sealing means disposed in said opening means and extending around said portion of said lead and interlocking therewith to tend to prevent axial movement of said lead into said housing means as well as to tend to prevent rotational movement of said lead relative to said end plug, the improvement comprising the step of forming said portion of said lead to have a substantially unrecessed cylindrical peripheral surface throughout the entire length thereof and have a plurality of outwardly extending cog-like members that extend outwardly from said peripheral surface and are adapted to interlock with said sealing means in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 21

A method of making a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 16 and including the step of forming said cog-like members to be disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said portion of said lead.

Claim 22

A method of making a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 17 and including the step of forming said cog-like members so as to be arranged in a plurality of longitudinally disposed rows thereof.

Claim 23

A method of making a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 18 and including the step of forming each cog-like member to extend substantially radially from said longitudinal axis.

Claim 24

A method of making a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 19 and including the steps of forming said cog-like members to be integral with said portion of said lead whereby said lead is a one-piece member, initially forming said lead to have continuous integral spline-like members extending longitudinally therealong, and removing spaced apart parts of said spline-like members on said portion of said lead to form said cog-like members thereon from the remaining parts of said spline-like members on said portion of said lead.

Claim 25

A thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opening means in said end plug defines a substantially cylindrical internal peripheral surface of said end plug, at least some of said cog-like members engaging said internal peripheral surface of said end plug and thereby substantially centering said portion of said lead in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 26

A thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 21 wherein said cog-like members are arranged in a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally disposed parallel rows and in a plurality of spaced apart circumferentially disposed parallel rows.

Claim 27

A method of making a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 11 and including the steps of forming said opening means in said end plug to define a substantially cylindrical internal peripheral surface of said end plug, and engaging at least some of said cog-like members against said internal peripheral surface of said end plug to thereby substantially center said portion of said lead in said opening means of said end plug.

Claim 28

A method of making a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 23 and including the step of arranging said cog-like members in a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally disposed parallel rows and in a plurality of spaced apart circumferentially disposed parallel rows.

Claim 29

A conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 11 wherein said cog-like members are arranged in a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally disposed parallel rows and in a plurality of spaced apart circumferentially disposed parallel rows.

Claim 30

A method of making a conductive lead for a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 16 and including the step of arranging said cog-like members in a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally disposed parallel rows and in a plurality of spaced apart circumferentially disposed parallel rows.