Electromagnetic relay

• US 6,252,478 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Klaus A. Gruner
• Original Assignee: Klaus A. Gruner
• Inventors: Gruner, Klaus A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Licoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuyen
• Application Number:
  US09/427,328
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 335/78-86, 335/124, 335/128, 335/129, 335/130
• US Class Current: 335/78
• 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 1/26 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

An electromagnetic relay having 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 movable blade assemblies. The movable blade assembly is comprised of a movable blade ultrasonically welded onto a center contact terminal. A normally open blade is positioned relatively parallel to a movable blade. The normally open blade is ultrasonically welded onto a normally open terminal to form a normally open contact 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 movable blade so that the normally closed contact assembly is in contact with the movable blade assembly when the movable blade 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 movable blade assembly, the movable blade assembly having a movable blade made of a copper alloy with a conductivity of 50% the conductivity of pure copper or greater, and a center contact terminal made of an oxygen free copper, the movable blade 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 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 movable blade and the center contact terminal, the movable blade assembly operatively coupled to the second actuator end at the rib, the rib providing stability and support to the movable blade;

a normally open contact assembly, the normally open contact assembly having a normally open blade made of a copper alloy with a conductivity of 50% the conductivity of pure copper or greater, and a normally open terminal made of oxygen free copper, the normally open blade 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 spanning the area between the first U-shaped end and the first welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the entire second U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the normally open blade and the normally open terminal, the normally open blade positioned relatively parallel to the movable blade with the second contact rivet positioned opposite the first contact surface of the first contact rivet, the normally open blade vertically positioned with respect to the movable blade assembly so that the first contact surface of the first contact rivet touches the second contact rivet when the movable blade 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 movable blade so that the third contact rivet is in contact with the second contact surface of the first contact rivet when the movable blade is not being acted upon by the actuator; and

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

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

3. 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 movable blade assembly, the movable blade assembly having a movable blade made of a copper alloy with a conductivity which is 50% or greater of the conductivity of pure copper and a center contact terminal made of oxygen free copper, the movable blade and the center contact 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 blade and the normally open terminal, the movable blade assembly operatively coupled to the second actuator end; and

a normally open contact assembly, the normally open contact assembly having a normally open blade made of a copper alloy with a 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 blade 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 blade and the normally open terminal, the normally open blade positioned relatively parallel to the movable blade, the normally open blade vertically positioned with respect to the movable blade assembly so that the first contact surface of the first contact rivet touches the second rivet when the movable blade is acted upon by the actuator.

4. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 3 wherein the movable blade 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 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 movable blade and the center contact terminal.

5. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 4 wherein the normally open blade 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 spanning the area between the first U-shaped end and the first welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the entire second U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the normally open blade and the normally open terminal.

6. The electromagnetic relay device in claim 5 wherein the movable blade and the normally open blade is made from a copper alloy having a chemical composition of 0.3% Cr, 0.1% Ti, 0.02% Si, and the balance Cu.

7. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 6 wherein the movable blade of the movable blade assembly has a first slot therethrough, and the normally open blade of the normally open contact assembly has a second slot therethrough, the first slot and the second slot reducing the cross section of the movable blade and the normally open blade reducing the electrical power consumption of the electromagnetic relay device.

8. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 7 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 movable blade so that the third contact rivet is in contact with the second contact surface of the first contact rivet of the movable blade when the movable blade is not being acted upon by the actuator.

9. 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 movable blade assembly, the movable blade assembly having a movable blade made of a copper alloy with a conductivity which is 50% of the conductivity of pure copper or greater and a center contact terminal made of oxygen free copper, the movable blade and the center contact 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 blade and the normally open terminal, the movable blade assembly operatively coupled to the second actuator end; and

a housing, the housing having the relay motor, the armature, the actuator, the movable blade assembly, and the normally open blade disposed therein.

10. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 9 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 movable blade so that the third contact rivet is in contact with the movable blade when the movable blade assembly is not being acted upon by the actuator.

11. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 9 wherein the movable blade has a rib, and a first contact rivet with a first contact surface and a second contact surface.

12. The electromagnetic relay device in claim 9 wherein the movable blade is made from a copper alloy having a chemical composition of 0.3% Cr, 0.1% Ti, 0.02% Si, and the balance Cu.

13. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 9 wherein the movable blade 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 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 movable blade and the center contact terminal.

14. The electromagnetic relay device in claim 9 further comprising a normally open contact assembly, the normally open contact assembly having a normally open blade 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 blade 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 blade and the normally open terminal, the normally open blade positioned relatively parallel to the movable blade, the normally open blade vertically positioned with respect to the movable blade assembly so that the movable blade contacts the normally open blade when the movable blade is acted upon by the actuator.

15. The electromagnetic relay device in claim 14 wherein the normally open blade and the movable blade are made from a copper alloy having a chemical composition of 0.3% Cr, 0.1% Ti, 0.02% Si, and the balance.

16. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 14 wherein the movable blade 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 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 movable blade and the center contact terminal.

17. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 14 wherein the normally open blade 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 spanning the area between the first U-shaped end and the first welded end creating a contact surface area spanning the entire second U-shaped weld allowing for greater current flow between the normally open blade and the normally open terminal.

18. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 14 wherein the movable blade of the movable blade assembly has a first slot therethrough, and the normally open blade of the normally open contact assembly has a second slot therethrough, the first slot and the second slot reducing the surface area of the movable blade and the normally open blade reducing the electrical power consumption of the electromagnetic relay device.

19. The electromagnetic relay device defined in claim 14 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 movable blade so that the third contact rivet is in contact with the movable blade when the movable blade assembly is not being acted upon by the actuator.

20. 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 movable blade assembly, the movable blade assembly having a movable blade with a U-shaped end, the movable blade assembly further having a center contact terminal with a welded end, the welded end disposed within the U-shaped end, the movable blade assembly operatively coupled to the actuator, the U-shaped end and the welded end are ultrasonically welded to each other forming a U-shaped weld 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 movable blade and the center contact terminal.