ELECTROMAGNETIC RELAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

• US 20020050885A1
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Gruner, Klaus A.
• Application Number:
  US09/791,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20020050885A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/129
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 9/00 Alloys based on copper
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/025 having copper as the basic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/18 with subsequent sliding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/26 with spring blade support
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/54 Contact arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/642 intermediate part being generally a slide plate, e.g. a card

Abstract

The electromagnetic relay has a motor assembly with a bobbin secured to a frame. A core is disposed within the bobbin except for a core end which extends from the bobbin. An armature end magnetically engages the core end when the coil is energized. An actuator engages the armature and a plurality of center contact spring assemblies. The center contact spring assembly is comprised of a center contact spring ultrasonically welded onto a center contact terminal. A normally open contact spring is positioned relatively parallel to a center contact spring. The normally open contact spring is ultrasonically welded onto a normally open terminal to form a normally open contact spring assembly. A normally closed contact assembly comprised of a third contact rivet and a normally closed terminal. A normally closed contact assembly is vertically positioned with respect to the center contact spring so that the normally closed contact assembly is in contact with the center contact spring assembly when the center contact spring is not being acted upon by the actuator.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic relay device comprising:

a relay motor, the relay motor having a magnetic core disposed therein, the magnetic core having a core end extending from the relay motor;

an armature, the armature having a first armature end and a second armature end, the first armature end magnetically coupled to the core end;

an actuator, the actuator having a first actuator end and a second actuator end, the first actuator end operatively coupled to the second armature end;

a center contact spring assembly, the center contact spring assembly having a center contact spring made of a copper alloy with an electrical conductivity of at least 50% the conductivity of pure copper or greater and good spring property, and a center contact terminal made of an oxygen free copper, the center contact spring having a first U-shaped end, a rib, and a first contact rivet with a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the center contact terminal having a first welded end disposed within the first U-shaped end, the first U-shaped end and the first welded end ultrasonically welded to each other forming a first U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the first U-shaped end and the first welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the entire U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the center contact spring and the center contact terminal, the center contact spring assembly operatively coupled to the second actuator end at the rib, the rib providing stability and support to the center contact spring;

a normally open contact spring assembly, the normally open contact spring assembly having a normally open contact spring made of a copper alloy with an electrical conductivity of 50% the conductivity of pure copper or greater and good spring property, and a normally open terminal made of oxygen free copper, the normally open contact spring having a second U-shaped end and a second contact rivet, the normally open terminal having a second welded end disposed within the second U-shaped end, the second U-shaped end and the second welded end ultrasonically welded to each other forming a second U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the second U-shaped end and the second welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the entire second U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the normally open contact spring and the normally open terminal, the normally open contact spring positioned relatively parallel to the center contact spring with the second contact rivet positioned opposite the first contact surface of the first contact rivet, the normally open contact spring vertically positioned with respect to the center contact spring assembly so that the first contact surface of the first contact rivet touches the second contact rivet when the center contact spring is acted upon by the actuator;

the normally closed contact assembly, the normally closed contact assembly has a third contact rivet and a normally closed terminal, the normally closed contact assembly is vertically positioned with respect to the center contact spring so that the third contact rivet is in contact with the second contact surface of the first contact rivet when the center contact spring is not being acted upon by the actuator; and

a housing, the housing having the relay motor, the actuator, the center contact spring assembly, the normally open contact spring assembly, and the normally closed contact assembly disposed therein.

2. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 1 wherein the center contact spring of the center contact spring assembly has a first slot therethrough, and the normally open contact spring of the normally open contact spring assembly has a second slot therethrough, the first slot and the second slot reducing the cross section of the center contact spring and the normally open contact spring reducing the electrical power consumption of the electromagnetic relay device.

3. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic relay device has a plurality of center contact spring assemblies, normally open contact assemblies, and normally closed contact assemblies.

4. An electromagnetic relay device comprising:

a relay motor;

an armature, the armature having a first armature end and a second armature end, the first armature end coupled to the relay motor;

an actuator, the actuator having a first actuator end and a second actuator end, the first actuator end operatively coupled to the second armature end;

a center contact spring assembly, the center contact spring assembly having a center contact spring made of a copper alloy with an electrical conductivity which is at least 50% of the conductivity of pure copper and good spring property, and a center contact terminal made of oxygen free copper, the center contact spring and the center contact terminal each having end portions which are ultrasonically welded to each other forming a weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the end portions allowing for greater current flow between the normally open center contact spring and the normally open center contact terminal, the center contact spring assembly operatively coupled to the second actuator end; and

a normally open contact spring assembly, the normally open contact spring assembly having a normally open contact spring made of a copper alloy with an electrical conductivity which is 50% or greater of the conductivity of pure copper and a normally open terminal made of oxygen free copper, the normally open contact spring and the normally open terminal each having end portions which are ultrasonically welded to each other forming a weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the end portions allowing for greater current flow between the normally open contact spring and the normally open terminal, the normally open contact spring positioned relatively parallel to the center contact spring, the normally open contact spring vertically positioned with respect to the center contact spring assembly so that a first contact surface on the center contact spring of a first contact rivet touches a second rivet on the normally open contact spring when the center contact spring is acted upon by the actuator.

5. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 4 wherein the center contact spring has a first U-shaped end, the center contact terminal having a first welded end disposed within the first U-shaped end, the first U-shaped end and the first welded end ultrasonically welded to each other forming a first U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the first U-shaped end and the first welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the first U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the center contact spring and the center contact terminal.

6. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 5 wherein the normally open contact spring has a second U-shaped end, the normally open terminal having a second welded end disposed within the second U-shaped end, the second U-shaped end and the second welded end ultrasonically welded to each other forming a second U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the second U-shaped end and the second welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the second U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the normally open contact spring and the normally open terminal.

7. The electromagnetic relay device in claim 6 wherein the center contact spring and the normally open contact spring is made from a copper alloy having a chemical composition of 0.3% Cr, 0.1% Ti, 0.02% Si, and the balance Cu.

8. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 7 wherein the center contact spring of the center contact spring assembly has a first slot therethrough, and the normally open contact spring of the normally open contact spring assembly has a second slot therethrough, the first slot and the second slot reducing the cross section of the center contact spring and the normally open contact spring reducing the electrical power consumption of the electromagnetic relay device.

9. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 8 further comprising a normally closed contact assembly, the normally closed contact assembly has a third contact rivet and a normally closed terminal, the normally closed contact assembly is vertically positioned with respect to a center contact spring so that the third contact rivet is in contact with the second contact surface of the first contact rivet of the center contact spring when the center contact spring is not being acted upon by the actuator.

10. An electromagnetic relay device comprising:

a relay motor;

an armature, the armature having a first armature end and a second armature end, the first armature end coupled to the relay motor;

an actuator, the actuator having a first actuator end and a second actuator end, the first actuator end operatively coupled to the second armature end;

a center contact spring assembly, the center contact spring assembly having a center contact spring made of a copper alloy with an electrical conductivity which is at least 50% of the conductivity of pure copper or greater and good spring property, and a center contact terminal made of oxygen free copper, the center contact spring and the center contact terminal each having end portions which are ultrasonically welded to each other forming a weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the end portions allowing for greater current flow between the center contact spring and the center contact terminal, the center contact spring assembly operatively coupled to the second actuator end; and

a housing, the housing having the relay motor, the armature, the actuator, the center contact spring assembly, and the normally open contact spring disposed therein.

11. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 10 further comprising a normally closed contact assembly, the normally closed contact assembly has a third contact rivet and a normally closed terminal, the normally closed contact assembly is vertically positioned with respect to the center contact spring so that the third contact rivet is in contact with the center contact spring when the center contact spring assembly is not being acted upon by the actuator.

12. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 10 wherein the center contact spring has a rib, and a first contact rivet with a first contact surface and a second contact surface.

13. The electromagnetic relay device in claim 10 wherein the center contact spring is made from a copper alloy having a chemical composition of 0.3% Cr, 0.1% Ti, 0.02% Si, and the balance Cu.

14. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 10 wherein the center contact spring has a first U-shaped end, the center contact terminal having a first welded end disposed within the first U-shaped end, the first U-shaped end and the first welded end ultrasonically welded to each other forming a first U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the first U-shaped end and the first welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the first U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the center contact spring and the center contact terminal.

15. The electromagnetic relay device in claim 10 further comprising a normally open contact spring assembly, the normally open contact spring assembly having a normally open contact spring made of a copper alloy with a conductivity which is 50% of the conductivity of pure copper or greater and a normally open terminal made of oxygen free copper, the normally open contact spring and the normally open terminal each having end portions which are ultrasonically welded to each other forming a weld spanning the area between the end portions allowing for greater current flow between the normally open contact spring and the normally open terminal, the normally open contact spring positioned relatively parallel to the center contact spring, the normally open contact spring vertically positioned with respect to the center contact spring assembly so that the center contact spring contacts the normally open contact spring when the center contact spring is acted upon by the actuator.

16. The electromagnetic relay device in claim 15 wherein the normally open contact spring and the center contact spring are made from a copper alloy having a chemical composition of 0.3% Cr, 0.1% Ti, 0.02% Si, and the balance.

17. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 15 wherein the center contact spring has a first U-shaped end, the center contact terminal having a first welded end disposed within the first U-shaped end, the first U-shaped end and the first welded end ultrasonically welded to each other forming a first U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the first U-shaped end and the first welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the first U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the center contact spring and the center contact terminal.

18. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 15 wherein the normally open contact spring has a second U-shaped end, the normally open terminal having a second welded end disposed within the second U-shaped end, the second U-shaped end and the second welded end ultrasonically welded to each other forming a second U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the second U-shaped end and the second welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the entire second U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the normally open contact spring and the normally open terminal.

19. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 15 wherein the center contact spring of the center contact spring assembly has a first slot therethrough, and the normally open contact spring of the normally open contact spring assembly has a second slot therethrough, the first slot and the second slot reducing the surface area of the center contact spring and the normally open contact spring reducing the electrical power consumption of the electromagnetic relay device.

20. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 15 further comprising a normally closed contact assembly, the normally closed contact assembly has a third contact rivet and a normally closed terminal, the normally closed contact assembly is vertically positioned with respect to the center contact spring so that the third contact rivet is in contact with the center contact spring when the center contact spring assembly is not being acted upon by the actuator.

21. An electromagnetic relay device comprising:

a relay motor,

an armature, the armature coupled to the relay motor;

an actuator, the actuator operatively coupled to the armature; and

a center contact spring assembly, the center contact spring assembly having a center contact spring with good spring property, said center contact spring having a U-shaped end, the center contact spring assembly further having a center contact terminal made of an oxygen free copper with a welded end, the welded end disposed within the U-shaped end, the center contact spring assembly operatively coupled to the actuator.

22. The electromagnetic relay in claim 21 wherein the U-shaped end and the welded end are ultrasonically welded to each other forming a U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the U-shaped end and the welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the center contact spring and the center contact terminal.

23. An electromagnetic relay device comprising:

a relay motor,

an armature, the armature coupled to the relay motor;

an actuator, the actuator operatively coupled to the armature; and

a center contact spring assembly, the center contact spring assembly having a center contact spring with good spring property, said center contact spring having a U-shaped end, the center contact spring assembly further having a center contact terminal made of an oxygen free copper with a welded end, the welded end disposed within the U-shaped end, the U-shaped end and the welded end are ultrasonically welded to each other forming a U-shaped weld with low electrical resistance spanning the area between the U-shaped end and the welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the center contact spring and the center contact terminal, the center contact spring assembly operatively coupled to the actuator.