US Patent 7298239 Thermal protector

A thermal protector (1) including two fixed contacts (13A, 13B) provided at the end part of conduction terminal pins (5A, 5B) projecting into a metallic enclosed container (100), a support (6) arranged in a case, an oscillatory heating resistor (8) supported by the support and having two movable contacts (9A, 9B) facing the fixed contacts, and a heat responsive body (10) interposed between the heating resistor and the support and coupled with the heating resistor through a coupler (12). When an overcurrent flows through the heating resistor to generate heat therefrom and the temperature of the heat responsive body reaches a set level, the heat responsive body is inverted. Inverting motion of the heat responsive body is transmitted to the heating resistor through the coupler, and the current path is opened.