Relay

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11361925-B2
Application number	US-201917050062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2019
Priority date	Apr 24, 2018
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

A relay for assembling in terminal blocks includes an electromagnetic drive arrangement including an armature, an armature bearing spring, and a yoke. The armature is at least partially spaced from the yoke, is movably mounted, and is reduces the distance between the yoke and the armature under an effect of an electromagnetic force. The armature bearing spring applies a spring force counteracting the electromagnetic force. The yoke interacts electromagnetically with the armature to apply the electromagnetic force. A contact spring has a first contact surface and a contact arm, and the contact arm is spaced from the first contact surface and comes into contact with the first contact surface via a pressure force acting to establish an electrical connection between the first contact surface and the contact arm. An insulating element electrically isolates the armature from the contact arm and actuates the contact arm to produce the pressure force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A relay for assembling in terminal blocks with a reduced installation space, comprising:
an electromagnetic drive arrangement comprising an armature, an armature bearing spring, and a yoke, wherein the armature is at least partially spaced from the yoke, is movably mounted, and is configured to reduce a distance between the yoke and the armature under an effect of an electromagnetic force acting on the armature;
wherein the armature bearing spring is configured to apply a spring force to the armature counteracting the electromagnetic force;
wherein the yoke is configured to interact electromagnetically with the armature to apply the electromagnetic force to the armature;
a contact spring comprising a first contact surface and a contact arm, wherein the contact arm is arranged at a distance from the first contact surface and configured to come into contact with the first contact surface via a pressure force acting on the contact arm such that an electrical connection is established between the first contact surface and the contact arm; and
an insulating element which is arranged on the armature and lies on the contact arm, wherein the insulating element is configured to electrically isolate the armature from the contact arm and to actuate the contact arm to produce the pressure force which acts on the contact arm by moving the armature;
wherein the armature, the insulating element, the contact arm, and the yoke are each arranged parallel to a support plane, and wherein the armature, the insulating element, and the contact arm are mounted such that the armature, the insulating element, and the contact arm are at least partially moveable perpendicularly with respect to the support plane.

2. The relay according to claim 1 , wherein the contact arm is configured to elastically deform when the pressure force acts perpendicular to the support plane such that a spring tensioning force which counteracts the pressure force is generated.

3. The relay according to claim 2 , wherein the contact arm is configured to separate the electrical connection of the contact arm with the first contact surface if the spring tensioning force is greater than the pressure force.

4. The relay according to claim 1 , wherein the contact arm is arranged perpendicular to the insulating element.

5. The relay according to claim 1 , wherein the yoke is U-shaped and comprises a first yoke leg and a second yoke leg, and wherein the armature is at least partially resiliently mounted on the first yoke leg via the armature bearing spring and is arranged at a distance from the second yoke leg, and wherein the first yoke leg and the second yoke leg are arranged in the support plane and the armature is arranged perpendicular to the first yoke leg or the second yoke leg.

6. The relay according to claim 5 , wherein the armature is paramagnetic or ferromagnetic such that when the electromagnetic force acts, a distance between the armature and the second yoke leg is reduced along a perpendicular of the support plane by a movement of the armature towards the second yoke leg or by a deformation of the armature in a direction of the second yoke leg.

7. The relay according to claim 1 , further comprising an electromagnetic coil and a coil carrier, wherein the electromagnetic coil is arranged with the coil carrier on the yoke, wherein the electromagnetic force is from a magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil, and wherein the yoke is configured to allow the magnetic field to penetrate the armature.

8. The relay according to claim 7 , wherein the coil carrier comprises a recess parallel to the support plane in which the electromagnetic coil at least partially engages on the yoke to reduce a width perpendicular to the support plane.

9. The relay according to claim 1 , wherein the contact spring comprises a second contact surface, and wherein the contact arm is arranged on the second contact surface and is configured to electrically separate the second contact surface from the contact arm under an effect of the pressure force.

10. The relay according to claim 9 , wherein the contact arm is configured to restore the electrical connection of the contact arm to the second contact surface after the pressure force has subsided.

11. The relay according to claim 9 , wherein the contact arm is oriented perpendicular to the armature in a position direction, the first contact surface being at a smaller distance from the insulating element than the second contact surface along the position direction.

12. The relay according to claim 1 , further comprising a relay housing comprising a shell-shaped receiving niche configured to receive the electromagnetic drive arrangement with the insulating element and the contact spring, wherein the contact spring is arranged laterally next to the yoke to reduce a relay width of the relay.

13. The relay according to claim 12 , wherein the first contact surface is on a base surface of the relay housing, and wherein in relation to the relay width, the contact arm is arranged at a distance above the first contact surface and the insulating element is arranged above or next to the contact arm.

14. The relay according to claim 1 , wherein the contact arm comprises a contact section, a crank section, and a fastening section, wherein the first contact surface is arranged on the contact section, and wherein the contact section is connected to the fastening section via the crank section, and wherein the crank section is configured to position the contact section in relation to the fastening section offset along an axis which is perpendicular to the support plane.

15. The relay according to claim 14 , wherein the contact arm comprises a receiving arm which is formed laterally on the contact section or the crank section, the receiving arm being configured to at least partially receive the insulating element to form a form-fit or force-fit connection with the insulating element.

Assignees

• Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Hoffmann Ralf

Classifications

• H01H50/58 Primary

  Driving arrangements structurally associated therewith; Mounting of driving arrangements on armature · CPC title

• H01H50/18 Primary

  Movable parts of magnetic circuits, e.g. armature · CPC title

• H01H2235/01

  Spiral spring · CPC title

• H01H50/36

  Stationary parts of magnetic circuit, e.g. yoke · CPC title

• H01H50/548

  for miniaturised relays · CPC title