Relay

• US 8,674,796 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Niterra Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited (Niterra Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ito, Shinsuke, Inoue, Ryuji, Kojima, Takio, Hattori, Youichi, Nadanami, Norihiko, Mitsuoka, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): BARRERA, RAMON M
• Application Number:
  US13/882,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20130214884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 335/126, 335/131, 335/132, 335/133, 335/202, 335/255, 335/260
• US Class Current: 335/260
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/20 Bridging contacts for circuit breakers H01H73/045
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2050/025 containing inert or dielectric gasses, e.g. SF6, for arc prevention or arc extinction
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2050/028 Means to improve the overall withstanding voltage, e.g. creepage distances
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 33/18 using blow-out magnet for vacuum switches H01H33/664
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 45/00 Details of relays electric circuit arrangements H01H47/00; of electromagnetic relays H01H50/00; details of electrically-operated selector switches H01H63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/02 Bases; Casings; Covers frames for mounting two or more relays or for mounting a relay and another electric component H02B1/01, H04Q1/08, H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/023 Details concerning sealing, e.g. sealing casing with resin
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/38 Part of main magnetic circuit shaped to suppress arcing between the contacts of the relay
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/54 Contact arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/546 for contactors having bridging contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/44 using blow-out magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/443 using permanent magnets

Abstract

A relay includes: a plurality of fixed terminals arranged to have fixed contacts; and a movable contact member arranged to have a plurality of movable contacts that are correspondingly opposed to the respective fixed contacts. The relay further includes: a driving structure operated to move the movable contact member such that the respective movable contacts come into contact with the corresponding fixed contacts; a plurality of first vessels provided corresponding to the respective fixed terminals and arranged to have insulating property; a second vessel joined with the plurality of first vessels; and an air-tight space formed by the plurality of fixed terminals, the plurality of first vessels and the second vessel to allow the movable contact member and the respective fixed contacts to be placed therein.

Claims

1. A relay, comprising:

a plurality of fixed terminals arranged to have fixed contacts; and

a movable contact member arranged to have a plurality of movable contacts that are correspondingly opposed to the respective fixed contacts,

the relay further comprising;

a driving structure operated to move the movable contact member such that the respective movable contacts come into contact with the corresponding fixed contacts;

a plurality of first vessels provided corresponding to the respective fixed terminals, the plurality of first vessels having insulating property;

a second vessel joined with the plurality of first vessels; and

an air-tight space formed by at least the plurality of fixed terminals, the plurality of first vessels and the second vessel and configured to allow the movable contact member and the respective fixed contacts to be placed therein.

2. The relay according to claim 1, wherein

the respective fixed contacts are placed inside the corresponding first vessels in the air-tight space.

3. The relay according to claim 2, wherein

the respective movable contacts are placed inside the corresponding first vessels in the air-tight space.

4. The relay according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first vessels has an opening, and

the second vessel is joined with at least one of the first vessels in at least either an end face of the opening or an outer peripheral surface of the first vessel.

5. The relay according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the first vessels has a through hole formed to allow one part of one of the fixed terminals to pass through, and

another part of the fixed terminal is joined with an outer surface of the first vessel having the through hole.

6. The relay according to claim 1, wherein

the movable contact member includes:

a center section that is extended in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the movable contact member, the center section being placed inside the second vessel in the air-tight space; and

a plurality of extended sections that are extended from the center section toward the respective fixed terminals.

7. The relay according to claim 6, wherein

the movable contact member further includes opposed sections that are extended from the extended portions in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction, wherein

the opposed sections respectively have the movable contacts on respective faces opposed to the corresponding fixed contacts.

8. The relay according to claim 6, wherein

the movable contact member further includes opposed sections that are extended from the extended portions in a direction that is perpendicular to the moving direction and is approximately parallel to a contact surface of each of the fixed contacts with the corresponding movable contact, wherein

the opposed sections respectively have the movable contacts, and a contact area where the movable contact comes into contact with the corresponding fixed contact is greater than a cross sectional area of a cut plane of the extended section parallel to the contact surface.

9. The relay according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the plurality of first vessels is in cylindrical shape.

10. The relay according to claim 1,

the relay being applied for a system including a power source and a load,

the relay further comprising:

a magnet arranged to generate Lorentz force acting on electric current flowing through the movable contact member in a direction that moves the movable contact member closer to the opposed fixed contacts, when electric current flows through the relay during power supply from the power source to the load.

11. A relay, comprising:

a plurality of fixed terminals arranged to have fixed contacts; and

a movable contact member arranged to have a plurality of movable contacts that are correspondingly opposed to the respective fixed contacts,

the relay further comprising;

a driving structure operated to move the movable contact member such that the respective movable contacts come into contact with the corresponding fixed contacts;

a single first vessel configured to have a bottom and a plurality of chambers formed corresponding to the plurality of fixed terminals, and having insulating property, wherein the plurality of fixed terminals are inserted through and attached to the bottom, such that the plurality of fixed contacts are placed inside the first vessel and another part of the fixed terminals is placed outside the first vessel;

a second vessel joined with the first vessel; and

an air-tight space configured to include the plurality of chambers and formed by at least the plurality of fixed terminals, the first vessel and the second vessel to allow the movable contact member and the respective fixed contacts to be placed therein, wherein

the first vessel has a partition wall member extended from the bottom to a position further away from the bottom than at least a position where the plurality of fixed contacts are located, with respect to a moving direction of the movable contact member, and arranged to part the plurality of chambers from each other, wherein

the respective fixed contacts are placed in the respective chambers in the air-tight space.

12. The relay according to claim 11, wherein

the partition wall member is extended from the bottom to a position further away from the bottom than at least a position where the plurality of movable contacts are located, with respect to the moving direction of the movable contact member, wherein

the respective movable contacts are placed in the respective chambers in the air-tight space.