Switching device for switching an electrical load

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11742166-B2
Application number	US-201916968431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2019
Priority date	Feb 7, 2018
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

In an embodiment a switching device includes a first fixed contact element, a second fixed contact element, a movable contact bridge, a movable shaft configured to move the contact bridge, wherein the contact bridge is arranged at an end of the shaft, wherein the shaft is movable to a first position at which the contact bridge contacts the first and second contact elements, and wherein the shaft is movable to a second position at which the contact bridge is arranged at a distance from the first and second contact elements and a setting device configured to set the distance between the contact bridge and the first and second contact elements in the second position, wherein the setting device is arranged at the end of the shaft, and wherein the switching device is configured to switch an electrical load.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A switching device comprising:
a first fixed contact element;
a second fixed contact element;
a movable contact bridge;
a movable shaft configured to move the contact bridge,
wherein the shaft is movable to a first position at which the contact bridge contacts the first and second contact elements, and
wherein the shaft is movable to a second position at which the contact bridge is arranged at a distance from the first and second contact elements; and
a setting device configured to set the distance between the contact bridge and the first and second contact elements in the second position,
wherein the contact bridge and the setting device are arranged at a first end of the shaft,
wherein the shaft has a second end opposite the first end,
wherein an upper side of the contact bridge faces away from the second end of the shaft,
wherein the shaft has a thread at the first end,
wherein the setting device is arranged on the thread,
wherein the setting device has a setting element which bears with a bearing part on the upper side of the contact bridge and projects with a cylinder part through a hole, and
wherein the switching device is configured to switch an electrical load.

2. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the setting element has an internal thread with which the setting element is screwed on the thread of the shaft.

3. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the setting element comprises an electrically insulating material.

4. The switching device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the setting device is embodied as a nut arranged on the thread,
wherein the distance between the upper side of the contact bridge and the first and second contact elements is dependent on how far the nut is screwed into the thread.

5. The switching device according to claim 4 , wherein the nut or a washer, which is arranged between the nut and the contact bridge, bears on the upper side of the contact bridge.

6. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the setting device is locked on the thread.

7. The switching device according to claim 6 , wherein the setting device is locked by an adhesive on the thread or by a weld on the thread or by a deformation of the thread or by a locknut on the thread.

8. The switching device according to claim 1 , further comprising a covering element configured to cover the setting device and a part of the thread which projects out of the hole of the contact bridge on the upper side of the contact bridge.

9. The switching device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnetic drive configured to move the contact bridge between the first and second positions,
wherein the magnetic drive has an armature and a yoke,
wherein the armature and the yoke, at the first position of the contact bridge, are arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another by an air gap, and
wherein a size of the air gap is dependent on whether the setting device is situated in the first or second position.

10. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the switching device is embodied as a contactor or a relay.

11. A switching device comprising:
a first fixed contact element;
a second fixed contact element;
a movable contact bridge;
a movable shaft configured to move the contact bridge,
wherein the contact bridge is arranged at an end of the shaft,
wherein the shaft is movable to a first position at which the contact bridge contacts the first and second contact elements, and
wherein the shaft is movable to a second position at which the contact bridge is arranged at a distance from the first and second contact elements; and
a setting device configured to set the distance between the contact bridge and the first and second contact elements in the second position,
wherein the setting device is arranged at the end of the shaft,
wherein the shaft has a thread at the end, and wherein the setting device is arranged on the thread,
wherein the distance between the contact bridge and the first and second contact elements, in the first position of the setting device, is less than in the second position of the setting device,
wherein the setting device, in the second position, is screwed in further on the thread than in the first position, and
wherein the switching device is configured to switch an electrical load.

12. A switching device comprising:
a first fixed contact element;
a second fixed contact element;
a movable contact bridge;
a movable shaft configured to move the contact bridge,
wherein the contact bridge is arranged at an end of the shaft,
wherein the shaft is movable to a first position at which the contact bridge contacts the first and second contact elements, and
wherein the shaft is movable to a second position at which the contact bridge is arranged at a distance from the first and second contact elements; and
a setting device configured to set the distance between the contact bridge and the first and second contact elements in the second position,
wherein the setting device is arranged at the end of the shaft,
wherein the shaft has a thread at the end,
wherein the setting device is arranged on the thread,
wherein the contact bridge has a hole through which the shaft extends,
wherein at least part of the thread of the shaft projects out of the hole of the contact bridge on an upper side of the contact bridge, and
wherein the switching device is configured to switch an electrical load.

13. The switching device according to claim 12 , wherein the setting device is arranged at least on a part of the thread which projects out of the hole of the contact bridge on the upper side of the contact bridge.

14. The switching device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a magnetic drive configured to move the contact bridge between the first and second positions,
wherein the magnetic drive has an armature and a yoke,
wherein the armature and the yoke, at the first position of the contact bridge, are arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another by an air gap, and
wherein a size of the air gap is dependent on whether the setting device is situated in the first or second position.

15. The switching device according to claim 12 , wherein the switching device is a contactor or a relay.

16. The switching device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a magnetic drive configured to move the contact bridge between the first and second positions,
wherein the magnetic drive has an armature and a yoke,
wherein the armature and the yoke, at the first position of the contact bridge, are arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another by an air gap, and
wherein a size of the air gap is dependent on whether the setting device is situated in the first or second position.

17. The switching device according to claim 11 , wherein the switching device is embodied as a contactor or a relay.

Assignees

• Tdk Electronics Ag

Inventors

• Hoffmann Robert
• Weinhardt Jonas

Classifications

• H01H50/00

  Details of electromagnetic relays ({H01H51/28 takes precedence;} electric circuit arrangements H01H47/00; details of electrically-operated selector switches H01H63/00) · CPC title

• H01H50/64

  Driving arrangements between movable part of magnetic circuit and contact (structurally associated with contact spring sets H01H50/58) · CPC title

• H01H50/54 Primary

  Contact arrangements · CPC title

• H01H50/546 Primary

  for contactors having bridging contacts · CPC title

• H01H50/18

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