Electromechanical switch having a movable contact and stationary contacts

• US 10,699,865 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2018
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: TE Connectivity Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Lee, Albert Yong, Thrush, Roger Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Rojas, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US15/960,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20190326084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/50 Means for increasing contact pressure, preventing vibration of contacts, holding contacts together after engagement, or biasing contacts to the open position
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/048 to facilitate application
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2205/002 fixed to operating part
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/22 for supplying energising current for relay coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/12 Ventilating; Cooling; Heating for operating electrothermal relays H01H61/013
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/18 Movable parts of magnetic circuits, e.g. armature
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/36 Stationary parts of magnetic circuit, e.g. yoke
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/546 for contactors having bridging contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 51/065 Relays having a pair of normally open contacts rigidly fixed to a magnetic core movable along the axis of a solenoid, e.g. relays for starting automobiles details H01H50/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 51/27 Relays with armature having two stable magnetic states and operated by change from one state to the other

Abstract

Electromechanical switch includes first and second stationary contacts. Each of the first and second stationary contacts has a respective mating end. The electromechanical switch also includes a movable contact having first and second contact zones. The first and second contact zones are separate regions of the movable contact that are operable to be covered by the respective mating ends of the first and second stationary contacts, respectively. Each of the first and second contact zones has a mating surface and a corresponding recess that divides at least a portion of the mating surface. Each of the respective mating ends is configured to extend across the corresponding recess and engage the corresponding mating surface on opposite sides of the corresponding recess. The corresponding recess has a depth that extends only partially into the movable contact.

Claims

1. An electromechanical switch comprising:

first and second stationary contacts, each of the first and second stationary contacts having a respective mating end; and

a movable contact comprising a conductive material configured to transmit electrical power and having first and second contact zones, the first and second contact zones being separate regions of the movable contact that are operable to be covered by the respective mating ends of the first and second stationary contacts, respectively, each of the first and second contact zones having a mating surface and a corresponding recess that divides at least a portion of the mating surface, wherein each of the respective mating ends is configured to extend across the corresponding recess and engage the corresponding mating surface on opposite sides of the corresponding recess, the corresponding recess having a depth that extends only partially into the movable contact, the depth being defined between the mating surface and a bottom surface of the recess, wherein side surfaces of the recess and the bottom surface of the recess are formed by the conductive material.

2. The electromechanical switch of claim 1, wherein the movable contact includes opposite mating and mounting sides and first and second contact ends in which each of the mating and mounting sides extends between the first and second contact ends, the mating side including the first and second contact zones.

3. The electromechanical switch of claim 2, wherein the conductive material of the movable contact has a center of mass (COM) that is closer to the mounting side than the mating side.

4. The electromechanical switch of claim 2, wherein the conductive material has a thickness measured between the mating and mounting sides, the thickness of the conductive material being greater at a center of the movable contact, the conductive material causing the greater thickness configured to absorb thermal energy generated at the first and second contact zones.

5. The electromechanical switch of claim 2, wherein the movable contact further comprises opposite broad sides that extend between the first and second contact ends and between the mounting and mating sides, wherein the mounting side is shaped to center a mass of the movable contact.

6. The electromechanical switch of claim 2, wherein the respective mating ends of the first and second stationary contacts clear the first and second contacts ends, respectively, such that portions of the respective mating ends of the first and second stationary contacts do not cover the movable contact, wherein the respective mating end of the first stationary contact covers first and second sub-areas of the first contact zone that are on opposite sides of the recess of the first contact zone and covers a third sub-area that is not divided by the recess of the first contact zone, wherein the respective mating end of the second stationary contact covers first and second sub-areas of the second contact zone that are on opposite sides of the recess of the second contact zone and covers a third sub-area that is not divided by the recess of the second contact zone.

7. The electromechanical switch of claim 6, wherein less than half of each of the mating ends of the first and second stationary contacts covers the movable contact.

8. The electromechanical switch of claim 1, wherein the corresponding recess is the only recess that is entirely covered by the respective mating end.

9. The electromechanical switch of claim 1, wherein the corresponding recess of the first contact zone opens to a first contact end of the movable contact and the corresponding recess of the second contact zone opens to a second contact end of the movable contact.

10. The electromechanical switch of claim 1, wherein each of the recesses is the only recess that divides the respective mating surface.

11. The electromechanical switch of claim 1, wherein a plane extends between the first and second contact zones and a center of the movable contact, the recesses being aligned with the plane and the center of the movable contact.

12. The electromechanical switch of claim 1, wherein a plane extends between the first and second contact zones and a center of the movable contact, the plane coinciding with and dividing each of the recesses such that a portion of the recess on one side of the plane is essentially symmetrical with a portion of the recess on the other side of the plane.

13. An electromechanical switch comprising:

first and second stationary contacts, each of the first and second stationary contacts having a respective mating end; and

a movable contact having first and second contact zones, the first and second contact zones being separate regions of the movable contact that are operable to be covered by the respective mating ends of the first and second stationary contacts, respectively, each of the first and second contact zones having a mating surface and a corresponding recess that divides at least a portion of the mating surface, wherein each of the respective mating ends is configured to extend across the corresponding recess and engage the corresponding mating surface on opposite sides of the corresponding recess, the corresponding recess having a depth that extends only partially into the movable contact;

wherein the movable contact includes opposite matin; and

mounting sides and first and second contact ends in which each of the mating and mounting sides extends between the first and second contact ends, the mating side including the first and second contact zones;

wherein the mating side includes a pair of gutters and a platform surface defined between the gutters, the platform surface including the first and second contact zones.

14. The electromechanical switch of claim 13, wherein the platform surface has a platform width defined between the gutters, the platform width being sized relative to the respective mating ends such that the respective mating ends clear the platform surface and extend over at least one of the gutters.

15. The electromechanical switch of claim 13, wherein the platform surface extends continuously across the mating side between the first and second contact ends.

16. A power circuit comprising:

an electromagnetic driving unit;

a switch operably coupled to the electromagnetic driving unit; and

an electromechanical switch comprising first and second stationary contacts and a movable contact, each of the first and second stationary contacts having a respective mating end, the movable contact comprising a conductive material configured to transmit electrical power and having first and second contact zones, the first and second contact zones being separate regions of the movable contact that are operable to be covered by the respective mating ends of the first and second stationary contacts, respectively, the movable contact including opposite mating and mounting sides and also including first and second contact ends in which each of the mating and mounting sides extends between the first and second contact ends, the mating side including the first and second contact zones;

wherein each of the first and second contact zones has a corresponding mating surface and a corresponding recess that divides at least a portion of the corresponding mating surface, wherein each of the respective mating ends is configured to extend across the corresponding recess and engage the corresponding mating surface on opposite sides of the corresponding recess, the corresponding recess having a depth that extends only partially into the movable contact, the depth being defined between the mating surface and a bottom surface of the recess, wherein side surfaces of the recess and the bottom surface of the recess are formed by the conductive material; and

wherein the switch is operably coupled to the movable contact, the electromagnetic driving unit operable to move the switch between at least two different positions to connect and disconnect a power supply.

17. The power circuit of claim 16, wherein the conductive material of the movable contact has a center of mass (COM) that is closer to the mounting side than the mating side.

18. The power circuit of claim 16, wherein the conductive material has a thickness measured between the mating and mounting sides, the thickness of the conductive material being greater at a center of the movable contact the conductive material causing the greater thickness configured to absorb thermal energy generated at the first and second contact zones.

19. The power circuit of claim 16, wherein the mating side includes a pair of gutters and a platform surface defined between the gutters, the platform surface including the first and second contact zones.

20. The power circuit of claim 19, wherein the platform surface has a platform width defined between the gutters, the platform width being sized relative to the respective mating ends such that the respective mating ends clear the platform surface and extend over at least one of the gutters.