Electromagnetic relay

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11158474-B2
Application number	US-201816499768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

An electromagnetic relay includes a fixed contact holder, a moving contact holder, an electromagnetic device, and a magnet. The fixed contact holder extends in a predetermined direction and is provided with a fixed contact. The moving contact holder also extends in the predetermined direction, and is provided with a moving contact. The magnet is arranged perpendicularly to an opening/closing direction of the fixed contact and the moving contact. A stretch space in which an arc generated between the fixed contact and the moving contact is stretched is provided, in the predetermined direction, beyond respective tips of the fixed contact holder and the moving contact holder. The stretch space also faces a surface of the fixed contact holder and a surface of the moving contact holder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic relay comprising:
a fixed contact holder extending in a predetermined direction and provided with a fixed contact at one end portion thereof;
a moving contact holder also extending in the predetermined direction, arranged to face the fixed contact holder, provided with a moving contact at one end portion thereof, and configured to move between a closed position where the moving contact comes into contact with the fixed contact and an open position where the moving contact goes out of contact with the fixed contact;
an electromagnetic device configured to displace the moving contact holder such that the moving contact moves back and forth between the closed position and the open position; and
a magnet arranged perpendicularly to an opening/closing direction of the fixed contact and the moving contact,
a stretch space in which an arc generated between the fixed contact and the moving contact is stretched being provided, in the predetermined direction, beyond respective tips of the fixed contact holder and the moving contact holder,
the stretch space being provided to face one surface, out of two surfaces of, the fixed contact holder along the thickness thereof,
the one surface of the fixed contact holder being located opposite from the other surface thereof where the fixed contact and the moving contact come into contact with each other,
the stretch space being provided to face one surface, out of two surfaces of, the moving contact holder along the thickness thereof,
the one surface of the moving contact holder being located opposite from the other surface thereof where the fixed contact and the moving contact come into contact with each other.

2. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1 , wherein
the magnet is arranged such that when viewed in a third axis direction perpendicular to both a first axis direction that is the predetermined direction and a second axis direction in which the fixed contact holder and the moving contact holder face each other, the fixed contact, the moving contact, the end portion of the fixed contact holder, and the end portion of the moving contact holder overlap with a surface of the magnet.

3. The electromagnetic relay of claim 2 , further comprising a second magnet arranged to face a first magnet, provided as the magnet, so as to interpose, in the third axis direction, the fixed contact holder and the moving contact holder between the first magnet and the second magnet, wherein
one surface, out of two surfaces, of the first magnet faces the second magnet in the third axis direction,
one surface, out of two surfaces, of the second magnet faces the first magnet in the third axis direction, and
the one surface of the first magnet has a different polarity from the one surface of the second magnet.

4. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1 , wherein
at least one contact selected from the group consisting of the fixed contact and the moving contact has a curved portion at a tip of at least one holder provided with the at least one contact, the at least one holder being selected from the group consisting of the fixed contact holder and the moving contact holder.

5. The electromagnetic relay of claim 4 , wherein
the one contact further includes:
a first contact portion bonded onto a first surface, out of two surfaces, of the one holder along the thickness thereof, the first surface being a surface on which the fixed contact and the moving contact come into contact with each other; and
a second contact portion brought into contact with a second surface, opposite from the first surface, of the one holder along the thickness thereof,
the first contact portion and the second contact portion being continuous with each other via the curved portion.

6. The electromagnetic relay of claim 5 , wherein
the one contact is provided for the one holder such that a gradient of a tangential line drawn with respect to a surface of the one contact changes continuously from a point where the one contact comes into contact with the other contact toward a tip of the curved portion.

7. The electromagnetic relay of claim 4 , wherein
the one contact is electrically connected to a negative electrode of an external DC power supply, and
the other contact is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the external DC power supply.

8. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1 , wherein
the magnet is arranged such that Lorentz force acts in the predetermined direction on the arc between the fixed contact and the moving contact.

9. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1 , further comprising a case housing the fixed contact holder, the moving contact holder, and the electromagnetic device, wherein
the case has an inner wall defining the stretch space and a space where the electromagnetic device is housed,
the electromagnetic device includes a coil and an armature to be displaced by electromagnetic force generated when the coil is energized,
the moving contact holder is displaced in synch with the armature, and
the inner wall of the case is provided between the moving contact holder and the armature.

10. The electromagnetic relay of claim 9 , wherein
the moving contact holder is displaced by a card configured to move in synch with the armature and having electrical insulation properties, and
the card is provided between the moving contact holder and the armature.

11. An electromagnetic relay comprising:
a fixed contact holder extending in a predetermined direction and provided with a fixed contact at one end portion thereof;
a moving contact holder also extending in the predetermined direction, arranged to face the fixed contact holder, provided with a moving contact at one end portion thereof, and configured to move between a closed position where the moving contact comes into contact with the fixed contact and an open position where the moving contact goes out of contact with the fixed contact;
an electromagnetic device configured to displace the moving contact holder such that the moving contact moves back and forth between the closed position and the open position; and
a magnet arranged perpendicularly to an opening/closing direction of the fixed contact and the moving contact,
the magnet is arranged such that when viewed in a third axis direction perpendicular to both a first axis direction that is the predetermined direction and a second axis direction in which the fixed contact holder and the moving contact holder face each other, the fixed contact, the moving contact, the end portion of the fixed contact holder, and the end portion of the moving contact holder overlap with a surface of the magnet,
at least one contact selected from the group consisting of the fixed contact and the moving contact has a curved portion at a tip of at least one holder provided with the at least one contact, the at least one holder being selected from the group consisting of the fixed contact holder and the moving contact holder.

12. The electromagnetic relay of claim 11 , further comprising a second magnet arranged to face a first magnet, provided as the magnet, so as to interpose, in the third axis direction, the fixed contact holder and the moving contact holder between the first magnet and the second magnet, wherein
one surface, out of two surfaces, of the first magnet faces the second magnet in the third axis direction,
one surface, out of two surfaces, of the second magnet faces the first magnet in the third axis direction, and
the one surface of the first magnet has a different polarity from the one surface of the second magnet.

13. The electromagnetic relay of claim 11 , wherein

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ikushima Kimiya
• Okada Takeshi

Classifications

• H01H50/38 Primary

  Part of main magnetic circuit shaped to suppress arcing between the contacts of the relay · CPC title

• H01H50/24

  Parts rotatable or rockable outside coil · CPC title

• H01H50/54

  Contact arrangements · CPC title

• H01H50/02

  Bases; Casings; Covers (frames for mounting two or more relays or for mounting a relay and another electric component H02B1/01, H04Q1/08, H05K) · CPC title

• H01H2050/028

  Means to improve the overall withstanding voltage, e.g. creepage distances · CPC title