Electromagnetic relay

• US 20100207713A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anden Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anden Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugisawa, Masanao
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/192
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/305 damping vibration due to functional movement of armature in air-gap H01H50/163
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/54 Contact arrangements

Abstract

An electromagnetic relay includes a coil, a movable member, first and second fixed contact supports each having first and second fixed contacts, and a movable body having first and second movable contacts. A third fixed contact is arranged on the second fixed contact support at a position away from a line passing through the first and second fixed contacts, and a third movable contact is arranged on the movable body. When the movable member is driven by electromagnetic force of the coil, the movable contacts contact the fixed contacts at a contact portion between the first fixed contact and the first movable contact, a contact portion between the second fixed contact and the second movable contact, and a contact portion between the third fixed contact and the third movable contact.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic relay comprising:

a coil configured to generate an electromagnetic force when the coil is energized;

a movable member configured to be driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil;

two fixed contact supports having two fixed contacts, respectively;

a movable body having two movable contacts configured to contact and be separated from the fixed contacts, respectively;

a pressure spring configured to urge the movable body such that the movable contacts contact the fixed contacts, respectively;

a return spring configured to urge the movable body via the movable member such that the movable contacts are separated from the fixed contacts, respectively, wherein the movable contacts contact the fixed contacts and the movable member is separated from the movable body when the movable member is driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil;

a fixed-side contact member fixed to a predetermined position; and

a movable-side contact member arranged on the movable body, the movable-side contact member being configured to contact the fixed-side contact member when the movable contacts contact the fixed contacts, wherein

the fixed-side contact member is arranged away from a line passing through the two fixed contacts, and

the movable-side contact member is arranged away from a line passing through the two movable contacts.

2. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein

the pressure spring includes a plurality of pressure spring portions, and

a gravity center of a force of the plurality of pressure spring portions, which acts on the movable body, is located in a triangle formed by connecting centers of each of the two movable contacts and the movable-side contact member.

3. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein

the fixed-side contact member is arranged on one of the two fixed contact supports.

4. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 3, wherein

the fixed-side contact member is used as a fixed contact and the movable-side contact member is used as a movable contact.

5. An electromagnetic relay comprising:

a coil configured to generate an electromagnetic force when the coil is energized;

a movable member configured to be driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil;

a first fixed contact support having a first fixed contact;

a second fixed contact support having a second fixed contact;

a movable body having a first movable contact configured to contact and be separated from the first fixed contact and a second movable contact configured to contact and be separated from the second fixed contact;

a pressure spring configured to urge the movable body such that the first movable contact contacts the first fixed contact and the second movable contact contacts the second fixed contact;

a return spring configured to urge the movable body via the movable member such that the first movable contact is separated from the first fixed contact and the second movable contact is separated from the second fixed contact;

a first magnet arranged lateral to the first fixed contact and the first movable contact, the first magnet being configured to act Lorentz force on an arc generated between the first fixed contact and the first movable contact;

a second magnet arranged lateral to the second fixed contact and the second movable contact, the second magnet being configured to act Lorentz force on an arc generated between the second fixed contact and the second movable contact, wherein the first and second movable contacts contact the first and second fixed contacts and the movable member is separated from the movable body when the movable member is driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil;

a third fixed contact fixed to the second fixed contact support; and

a third movable contact arranged on the movable body, the third movable contact being configured to contact the third fixed contact when the movable member is driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil, wherein

the third fixed contact is arranged away from a line passing through the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact,

the third movable contact is arranged away from a line passing through the first movable contact and the second movable contact,

a distance from the second magnet to the third fixed contact and the third movable contact is longer than a distance from the second magnet to the second fixed contact and the second movable contact,

a portion of the movable member, which contacts the movable body, is a movable-member end surface, and a portion of the movable body, which contacts the movable-member end surface, is a movable-body pressing surface, and

the movable-member end surface is inclined with respect to the movable-body pressing surface when the first to third movable contacts contact the first to third fixed contacts such that the second movable contact is separated from the second fixed contact after the third movable contact is separated from the third fixed contact when the coil is de-energized and the movable member is driven by an urging force of the return spring.

6. An electromagnetic relay comprising:

a coil configured to generate an electromagnetic force when the coil is energized;

a movable member configured to be driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil;

a first fixed contact support having a first fixed contact;

a second fixed contact support having a second fixed contact;

a movable body having a first movable contact configured to contact and be separated from the first fixed contact and a second movable contact configured to contact and be separated from the second fixed contact;

a pressure spring configured to urge the movable body such that the first movable contact contacts the first fixed contact and the second movable contact contacts the second fixed contact;

a return spring configured to urge the movable body via the movable member such that the first movable contact is separated from the first fixed contact and the second movable contact is separated from the second fixed contact;

a first magnet arranged lateral to the first fixed contact and the first movable contact, the first magnet being configured to act Lorentz force on an arc generated between the first fixed contact and the first movable contact;

a second magnet arranged lateral to the second fixed contact and the second movable contact, the second, magnet being configured to act Lorentz force on an arc generated between the second fixed contact and the second movable contact, wherein the first and second movable contacts contact the first and second fixed contacts and the movable member is separated from the movable body when the movable member is driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil;

a third fixed contact fixed to the second fixed contact support; and

a third movable contact arranged on the movable body, the third movable contact being configured to contact the third fixed contact when the movable member is driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil, wherein

the third fixed contact is arranged away from a line passing through the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact,

the third movable contact is arranged away from a line passing through the first movable contact and the second movable contact,

a distance from the second magnet to the third fixed contact and the third movable contact is longer than a distance from the second magnet to the second fixed contact and the second movable contact,

a portion of the movable member, which contacts the movable body, is a movable-member end surface, and a portion of the movable body, which contacts the movable-member end surface, is a movable-body pressing surface, and

the movable-body pressing surface has a protrusion that protrudes toward the movable-member end surface such that the second movable contact is separated from the second fixed contact after the third movable contact is separated from the third fixed contact when the coil is de-energized and the movable member is driven by an urging force of the return spring.

7. An electromagnetic relay comprising:

a case;

a coil configured to generate an electromagnetic force when the coil is energized;

a movable member configured to be driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil;

a plate-like first fixed contact support;

a plate-like second fixed contact support;

a plate-like movable body configured to contact and be separated from the first and second fixed contact supports;

a pressure spring configured to urge the movable body such that the movable body contacts the first and second fixed contact supports; and

a return spring configured to urge the movable body via the movable member such that the movable body is separated from the first and second fixed contact supports, wherein

the movable body contacts the first fixed contact support at a first contact portion, the movable body contacts the second fixed contact support at a second contact portion, and the movable member is separated from the movable body when the movable member is driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil,

the movable body contacts the case and at least one of the first and second fixed contact supports at a third contact portion by a point contact when the movable body contacts the first and second fixed contact supports, and

the third contact portion is arranged away from a line passing through the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

8. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first fixed contact fixed to the first fixed contact support; and

a second fixed contact fixed to the second fixed contact support, wherein

the movable body contacts the first and second fixed contacts by the point contact.

9. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first movable contact fixed to the movable body; and

a second movable contact fixed to the movable body, wherein

the first movable contact contacts the first fixed contact support by the point contact and the second movable contact contacts the second fixed contact support by the point contact.

10. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first fixed protrusion arranged on the first fixed contact support; and

a second fixed protrusion arranged on the second fixed contact support, wherein

the movable body contacts the first and second fixed protrusions by the point contact.

11. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first movable protrusion arranged on the movable body; and

a second movable protrusion arranged on the movable body, wherein

the first movable protrusion contacts the first fixed contact support by the point contact and the second movable protrusion contacts the second fixed contact support by the point contact.