Electromagnetic relay

• US 7,750,769 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Tetsuya, Minowa, Ryota, Fukui, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad; Elvin G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rojas; Bernard
• Application Number:
  US12/046,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20080231398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 335 78- 86, 335/124, 335128-130, 335/202
• US Class Current: 335/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/26 with spring blade support
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/265 having special features for supporting, locating or pre-stressing the contact blade springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/023 Details concerning sealing, e.g. sealing casing with resin
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/56 Contact spring sets
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/642 intermediate part being generally a slide plate, e.g. a card

Abstract

An electromagnetic relay includes a base including a fixed contact piece and a movable contact piece. The movable contact piece includes a movable contact point that is moved to contact and be separated from the fixed contact piece at a fixed contact point by driving the movable contact piece. The movable contact piece includes a terminal portion held in the base and partially protruding from the base, a first contact piece portion connected to the terminal portion and protruding from the base at a different position from the terminal portion, a bent portion connected to the first contact piece portion and changing a protruding direction gradually, and a second contact piece portion connected to the bent portion, extending in a different direction from a base portion, and provided with the movable contact point.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic relay structured such that a base includes a fixed contact piece and a movable contact piece, and a movable contact point included in the movable contact piece is moved to contact and be separated from a fixed contact point included in the fixed contact piece, by driving the movable contact piece,

wherein the movable contact piece includes:

a terminal portion held in the base and partially protruding from the base;

a first contact piece portion connected to the terminal portion and protruding from the base at a different position from the terminal portion;

a bent portion connected to the first contact piece portion and changing a protruding direction gradually; and

a second contact piece portion connected to the bent portion, extending in a different direction from a base portion, and provided with the movable contact point,

wherein the base includes a deformation preventing portion that contacts at least one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion before the first contact piece portion gets over an elastic region and reaches a plastic region in deforming, to prevent plastic deformation of the first contact piece portion, and

wherein, when the electromagnetic relay is assembled, the movable contact piece has a first position in which the at least one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion does not contact the deformation preventing portion, and a second position in which the at least one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion contacts the deformation preventing portion.

2. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the deformation preventing portion is arranged along an entire width direction which is orthogonal to the protruding direction of at least one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion.

3. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the deformation preventing portion is formed in such a manner as to be contactable with a position which is adjacent to the bent portion, in the first contact piece portion.

4. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the movable contact piece is formed such that the second contact piece portion is shifted in position between the bent portion side and the movable contact point side within the same plane where the second contact piece portion is positioned, and the deformation preventing portion is formed such that at least the movable contact point side contacts at least one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion.

5. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the base is covered with a case and sealed by a sealing agent, and the base is provided with a groove portion for preventing the sealing agent that has entered from the terminal portion side from reaching a position at which at least any one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion comes into contact in the deformation preventing portion, between a position at which the terminal portion is held and the deformation preventing portion.

6. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 2, wherein the base is covered with a case and sealed by a sealing agent, and the base is provided with a groove portion for preventing the sealing agent that has entered from the terminal portion side from reaching a position at which at least any one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion comes into contact in the deformation preventing portion, between a position at which the terminal portion is held and the deformation preventing portion.

7. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 3, wherein the base is covered with a case and sealed by a sealing agent, and the base is provided with a groove portion for preventing the sealing agent that has entered from the terminal portion side from reaching a position at which at least any one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion comes into contact in the deformation preventing portion, between a position at which the terminal portion is held and the deformation preventing portion.

8. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 4, wherein the base is covered with a case and sealed by a sealing agent, and the base is provided with a groove portion for preventing the sealing agent that has entered from the terminal portion side from reaching a position at which at least any one of the first contact piece portion and the bent portion comes into contact in the deformation preventing portion, between a position at which the terminal portion is held and the deformation preventing portion.

9. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the deformation preventing portion is formed on an inner side from an edge of the base at a predetermined distance.

10. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 2, wherein the deformation preventing portion is formed on an inner side from an edge of the base at a predetermined distance.

11. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 3, wherein the deformation preventing portion is formed on an inner side from an edge of the base at a predetermined distance.

12. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 4, wherein the deformation preventing portion is formed on an inner side from an edge of the base at a predetermined distance.