Electromagnetic relay

• US 9,082,575 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Yamashita, Tsukasa, Shinkai, Tetsuo, Masui, Yasuyuki, Noda, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ismail, Shawki S
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOMZA, LISA NHUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/982,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 335/201, 335/202
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/04 Mounting complete relay or separate parts of relay on a base or inside a case
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/24 Parts rotatable or rockable outside coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/443 using permanent magnets

Abstract

An electromagnetic relay including a contact switching unit having a pair of contacts. An electromagnet block drives the contact switching unit to open and close the contacts. An arc-extinguishing member includes a connection member and permanent magnets. The connection member is formed by connecting, via a middle part, opposing walls arranged in a direction perpendicular to the touch/separation direction of the contacts. Permanent magnets are disposed on opposing sections of the opposing walls.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic relay comprising:

a contact switching unit having a contact group comprising a pair of contacts adapted to open and close;

an electromagnet block which drives the contact switching unit to open and close the contacts; and

an arc extinguishing member comprising a connection member, the connection member being formed by connecting, via a middle part, opposing walls arranged in a direction perpendicular to the open/close direction of the contacts, and permanent magnets being disposed on opposing sections of the opposing walls,

wherein each permanent magnet is configured such that a polarity of opposing surfaces of said permanent magnets, and a direction in which an arc current, generated at a time of opening/closing of the pair of contacts, flows, are determined such that a force is generated on the arc current for displacing the arc current towards a middle part of the connection member.

2. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, further comprising:

a base block mounting the contact switching unit and the electromagnet block, and

a case attached to the base block covering the contact switching unit and the electromagnet block,

wherein the case comprises a recessed portion over which the opposing walls and the permanent magnets of the arc extinguishing member are arranged.

3. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 2, wherein the contact switching unit comprises:

a pair of movable touch pieces;

a pair of fixed touch pieces comprising a fixed contact facing, a movable contact of each movable touch piece, the fixed contact is adapted to touch and separate with the movable contact; and

a connection terminal for electrically connecting one of the movable touch pieces and one of the fixed touch pieces.

4. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 3, wherein the base block is configured with a first base section having the touch pieces and the electromagnet block, and a second base having tab terminals respectively connected to the touch pieces and coil terminals of the electromagnet block.

5. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the contact switching unit comprises:

a pair of movable touch pieces;

a pair of fixed touch pieces comprising a fixed contact facing, a movable contact of each movable touch piece, the fixed contact is adapted to touch and separate with the movable contact; and

a connection terminal for electrically connecting one of the movable touch pieces and one of the fixed touch pieces.

6. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 5, wherein the base block is configured with a first base section having the touch pieces and the electromagnet block, and a second base having tab terminals respectively connected to the touch pieces and coil terminals of the electromagnet block.

7. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein each permanent magnet is configured such that a polarity of the opposing surfaces and a direction in which an arc current generated at a time of opening/closing of the contact flows are determined such that a force is generated on the arc current for displacing towards a middle part of the connection member.

8. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 7, wherein the contact switching unit comprises:

a pair of movable touch pieces;

a pair of fixed touch pieces comprising a fixed contact facing, a movable contact of each movable touch piece, the fixed contact is adapted to touch and separate with the movable contact; and

a connection terminal for electrically connecting one of the movable touch piece and one of the fixed touch piece.

9. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 8, wherein the base block is configured with a first base section having the touch pieces and the electromagnet block, and a second base having tab terminals respectively connected to the touch pieces and coil terminals of the electromagnet block.