Contactor with multi-gap actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12308190-B2
Application number	US-202217702974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2022
Priority date	Mar 24, 2022
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A contactor includes a housing having a cavity with fixed contacts received in the cavity and a movable contact movable within the cavity to mate to the fixed contacts and unmate from the fixed contacts. The movable contact electrically connecting the fixed contacts in the mated position. A mating gap is formed between the movable contact and the fixed contacts when the movable contact is unmated from the fixed contacts. The contactor includes an actuator operably coupled to the movable contact to move the movable contact within the cavity relative to the fixed contacts. The actuator includes a primary coil assembly and a secondary coil assembly. The primary coil assembly is operable to move the movable contact. The secondary coil assembly is operable independently from the primary coil assembly to change a length of the mating gap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A contactor comprising:
a housing having a cavity;
fixed contacts received in the cavity, the fixed contacts having mating ends in the cavity;
a movable contact movable within the cavity between a mated position and an open position to mate to the fixed contacts and unmate from the fixed contacts, the movable contact electrically connecting the fixed contacts in the mated position, a mating gap being formed between the movable contact and the fixed contacts when the movable contact is unmated from the fixed contacts in the open position;
an actuator operably coupled to the movable contact to move the movable contact within the cavity relative to the fixed contacts, the actuator including a primary coil assembly and a secondary coil assembly, the primary coil assembly including a primary plunger coupled to the movable contact, the primary coil assembly operable to move the movable contact between the open position and the mated position, the secondary coil assembly including a secondary plunger coupled to the primary plunger, the secondary coil assembly operable independently from the primary coil assembly to change a length of the mating gap, the secondary plunger varying a position of the primary plunger relative to the fixed contacts in the open position to control the length of the mating gap.

2. The contactor of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is operable in a short gap mode and an extended gap mode, wherein the mating gap has a first length in the short gap mode and the mating gap has a second length in the extended gap mode, the first length being shorter than the second length.

3. The contactor of claim 1 , wherein the primary plunger extending between a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the movable contact, the second end being slidably coupled to the secondary plunger.

4. The contactor of claim 3 , wherein the secondary plunger controls vertical movement limits of the primary plunger relative to the secondary plunger to control a stroke of the primary plunger when the primary coil assembly is operated.

5. The contactor of claim 3 , wherein the secondary plunger includes a pocket at an end of the secondary plunger and a shoulder extending into the pocket, the primary plunger including a mounting foot at the second end of the primary plunger, the mounting foot being received in the pocket and slidable within the pocket to allow movement of the primary plunger relative to the secondary plunger, the mounting foot having a flange configured to engage the shoulder to stop movement of the primary plunger relative to the secondary plunger.

6. The contactor of claim 3 , wherein the secondary plunger defines a magnetically latched stop for the primary plunger.

7. The contactor of claim 3 , wherein the secondary coil assembly includes a permanent magnet below the secondary plunger, the permanent magnet forming a latching stop for the secondary plunger, the secondary plunger engaging the permanent magnet when the secondary coil assembly is operated.

8. The contactor of claim 3 , wherein the secondary plunger is interlocked with the primary plunger having a limited amount of floating movement between an upper vertical limit and a lower vertical limit between the primary and secondary plungers, wherein the secondary plunger moves the primary plunger away from the fixed contacts when the secondary plunger is actuated beyond the lower vertical limit.

9. The contactor of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a current sensor sensing a current of the main circuit through the fixed contacts and the movable contact, the secondary coil assembly operably coupled to the current sensor to activate the secondary coil assembly when the current sensed by the current sensor is above a threshold current.

10. A contactor comprising:
a housing having a cavity;
fixed contacts received in the cavity, the fixed contacts having mating ends in the cavity;
a movable contact movable within the cavity to mate to the fixed contacts and unmate from the fixed contacts, the movable contact electrically connecting the fixed contacts in the mated position, a mating gap being formed between the movable contact and the fixed contacts when the movable contact is unmated from the fixed contacts;
an actuator operably coupled to the movable contact to move the movable contact within the cavity relative to the fixed contacts, the actuator including a primary coil assembly and a secondary coil assembly;
the primary coil assembly including a primary core and a primary coil forming a first electromagnet, the primary coil assembly including a primary armature holding a primary plunger, the primary plunger coupled to the movable contact to move the movable contact, the primary armature movable upon operation of the first electromagnet to move the primary plunger and the movable contact relative to the fixed contacts;
the secondary coil assembly including a secondary core and a secondary coil forming a second electromagnet, the secondary coil assembly including a secondary armature holding a secondary plunger, the secondary plunger coupled to the primary plunger, the secondary armature movable upon operation of the second electromagnet to move the secondary plunger, wherein the secondary coil assembly is operable independently from the primary coil assembly to change a length of the mating gap by moving the position of the secondary plunger relative to the fixed contacts.

11. The contactor of claim 10 , wherein the secondary plunger includes a pocket at an end of the secondary plunger and a shoulder extending into the pocket, the primary plunger including a mounting foot at an end of the primary plunger, the mounting foot being received in the pocket and slidable within the pocket to allow movement of the primary plunger relative to the secondary plunger, the mounting foot having a flange configured to engage the shoulder to stop movement of the primary plunger relative to the secondary plunger.

12. The contactor of claim 10 , wherein the secondary plunger controls vertical movement limits of the primary plunger relative to the secondary plunger to control a stroke of the primary plunger when the primary coil assembly is operated.

13. The contactor of claim 10 , wherein the primary plunger bottoms out against the secondary plunger when the first electromagnet is deenergized.

14. The contactor of claim 10 , wherein the actuator includes a current sensor sensing a current of the main circuit through the fixed contacts and the movable contact, the secondary coil assembly operably coupled to the current sensor to activate the second electromagnet when the current sensed by the current sensor is above a threshold current.

15. The contactor of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is operable in a short gap mode and an extended gap mode, wherein the mating gap has a first length in the short gap mode and the mating gap has a second length in the extended gap mode, the first length being shorter than the second length.

16. The contactor of claim 10 , wherein the secondary coil assembly is operated to move the primary coil assembly relative to the fixed contacts.

17. A contactor comprising:
a housing having a cavity;
fixed contacts received in the cavity, the fixed contacts having mating ends in the cavity;
a movable contact movable within the cavity between a mated position and an open position to mate to the fixed contacts and unmate from the fixed contacts, the movable contact electrically connecting the fixed contacts in the mated position, a mating gap being formed between the movable cont

Assignees

• Te Connectivity Solutions Gmbh

Inventors

• Priest Marcus

Classifications

• H01H50/641 Primary

  intermediate part performing a rectilinear movement (H01H50/645, H01H50/66 - H01H50/74 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01H50/44

  Magnetic coils or windings · 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

• H01H50/42

  Auxiliary magnetic circuits, e.g. for maintaining armature in, or returning armature to, position of rest, for damping or accelerating movement · CPC title

• H01H51/10

  Contacts retained open or closed by a latch which is controlled by an electromagnet · CPC title