Relay, electronic apparatus, and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model relates to a relay, electronic equipment and a vehicle. The relay comprises a relay base body and a shell, and the relay base body is installed in the shell. The relay further comprises a heat conduction layer located in the shell, the heat conductivity of the heat conduction layer is larger than or equal to that of a contact in the relay base body, and the area of the heat conduction layer is larger than that of the contact. According to the technical scheme, the heat conduction layer is arranged in the relay, the heat conductivity of the heat conduction layer is larger than or equal to that of the contact in the relay base body, and the area of the heat conduction layer is larger than that of the contact, so that moisture entering the shell is preferentially frozen on the heat conduction layer, and frosting caused by too low temperature of the contact area is prevented; according to the utility model, reliable conduction of the contact in a low-temperature environment is ensured, poor contact caused by frosting is avoided, the reliability of the relay is improved, the problem of contact failure caused by condensation of organic gas on the contact can be effectively avoided, and the reliability of the relay in an organic gas environment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more particularly to relays, electronic devices, and vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] In the automotive industry, relays are core components of the vehicle's low-voltage power distribution system, and their contact reliability directly affects the normal operation of the vehicle's electronic equipment. As vehicles become increasingly intelligent, the reliability requirements for relays are also rising.

[0003] In cold regions or environments with sudden temperature changes, the air inside a relay cools down rapidly. Relay contacts are typically made of silver, while other components are made of copper or iron. Silver has better thermal conductivity than copper or iron, causing the contacts to cool down even faster during sudden temperature changes. Moisture condenses on the contacts, forming frost and ice crystals. Frosted contacts cannot conduct electricity properly, preventing the relay from functioning correctly after it engages, thus affecting the normal operation of the related system. Utility Model Content

[0004] To solve, or at least partially solve, the above-mentioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a relay, electronic device, and vehicle that prevents the relay contacts from freezing and improves the reliability of relay operation.

[0005] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a relay, comprising:

[0006] A relay base and a housing, wherein the relay base is mounted inside the housing;

[0007] It also includes a thermally conductive layer located inside the housing, wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer is greater than or equal to the thermal conductivity of the contacts in the relay substrate, and the area of ​​the thermally conductive layer is greater than the area of ​​the contacts.

[0008] Optionally, the thermally conductive layer is disposed on the relay substrate.

[0009] Optionally, the thermally conductive layer is located on the outer surface of the relay substrate.

[0010] Optionally, along a plane parallel to the thermally conductive layer, the distance between the thermally conductive layer and the contact point is greater than or equal to 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0011] Optionally, the contacts include: a moving contact and a stationary contact, and the relay base further includes: a moving spring and a stationary spring;

[0012] The heat-conducting layer is provided on the side of the movable spring facing the outer casing; and / or,

[0013] The thermally conductive layer at least covers the side of the stationary spring facing the housing.

[0014] Optionally, the moving reed is linked to the armature in the relay base, the stationary reed is located on the base of the relay base and is configured corresponding to the moving reed, the moving contact is disposed on the moving reed, and the stationary contact is located on the stationary reed and is configured corresponding to the moving contact.

[0015] Optionally, the thermal conductivity of the thermal conductive layer is equal to the thermal conductivity of the contact point, and the ratio of the area of ​​the thermal conductive layer to the area of ​​the contact point is greater than or equal to 10.

[0016] Optionally, the thermally conductive layer is also disposed on the inner surface of the housing facing the contact point.

[0017] Optionally, the thermally conductive layer includes a silver plating layer.

[0018] Secondly, this disclosure also provides an electronic device, including a relay as provided in the first aspect.

[0019] Thirdly, this disclosure also provides a vehicle including electronic equipment as provided in the second aspect.

[0020] This disclosure provides a relay, electronic device, and vehicle. The relay includes a relay base and a housing, with the relay base mounted inside the housing. It also includes a thermally conductive layer located inside the housing. The thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer is greater than or equal to the thermal conductivity of the contacts in the relay base, and the area of ​​the thermally conductive layer is larger than the area of ​​the contacts. Therefore, by providing a thermally conductive layer inside the housing, with a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to the thermal conductivity of the contacts in the relay base, and an area larger than the area of ​​the contacts, moisture entering the housing preferentially freezes on the thermally conductive layer, preventing frost formation at the contact area due to excessively low temperatures. This ensures reliable conductivity of the contacts even in low-temperature environments, avoids poor contact caused by frost, improves the reliability of the relay, and effectively prevents organic gases from condensing on the contacts, thus preventing contact failure. This improves the reliability of the relay in organic gas environments, and utilizes an existing relay structure, eliminating the need for redesigning the relay structure. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a relay provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a relay provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a side view of a relay structure provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Among them, 1. Relay base; 2. Housing; 3. Contact; 4. Base; 5. Yoke; 6. Armature; 7. Coil; 8. Coil frame; 9. Iron core; 10. Heat-conducting layer; 11. Stationary spring; 12. Moving spring; 13. Stationary spring terminal; 14. Moving spring terminal; 15. Coil terminal; 31. Stationary contact; 32. Moving contact. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure, the solutions disclosed herein will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.

[0028] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this disclosure, but this disclosure may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only some, and not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0029] In related technologies, one solution to address the issue of icing at relay contacts is to encapsulate the relay substrate to reduce the chance of moisture entering the relay. However, during the reflow soldering process, the encapsulating material is subjected to high temperatures, leading to a decline in its physical and sealing properties. This compromises the seal, making it easier for moisture to enter the relay. To address this seal failure, wave soldering is used to mitigate the impact; however, wave soldering requires dedicated equipment and is time-consuming. Another solution involves drying the relay during production and before encapsulation to remove internal moisture. This solution requires additional drying equipment and time, increasing manufacturing costs.

[0030] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a relay. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a relay provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a relay according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 This is a side view of a relay structure provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, combined with... Figures 1 to 3The relay includes: a relay base 1 and a housing 2, with the relay base 1 installed inside the housing 2; it also includes: a heat-conducting layer 10, which is located inside the housing 2, and the thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer 10 is greater than or equal to the thermal conductivity of the contacts 3 in the relay base 1, and the area of ​​the heat-conducting layer 10 is greater than the area of ​​the contacts 3.

[0031] Specifically, in combination Figures 1 to 3 The relay includes a relay base 1 and a housing 2. The housing 2 is located outside the relay base 1 and is used to prevent the relay from being mechanically damaged, prevent foreign objects from entering the relay base 1 and affecting the electrical performance of the relay, and also to isolate high temperature and some moisture, thereby improving the relay's corrosion resistance.

[0032] The relay base 1 may include, for example, a base 4, a yoke 5 mounted on the base 4, a coil frame 8 and an armature 6 mounted on the yoke 5, a coil 7 wound on the coil frame 8, and an iron core 9 disposed within the coil 7. The relay base 1 also includes a reed and contacts 3, which control the circuit's on / off state based on electromagnetic effects and mechanical action. The specific working principle of the relay is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0033] In cold regions or environments with sudden temperature changes, although the outer casing 2 can effectively isolate moisture and reduce the chance of moisture entering the relay base 1, a small amount of moisture can still enter the relay base 1 through the outer casing 2. The relay contacts 3 are usually silver contacts, while other components of the relay are mostly copper or iron components. The thermal conductivity of copper and iron is lower than that of silver. The thermal conductivity of silver is 429 W / m·K, that of copper is 401 W / m·K, and that of iron is 80 W / m·K. In addition, the contact area of ​​3 is small, and the contact 3 will cool down faster when the temperature drops suddenly. Moisture will condense on the silver contact 3 and form a layer of ice crystals. The frozen contact 3 cannot conduct electricity normally, causing the relay to fail to work properly after it is engaged, thus affecting the normal operation of the related system.

[0034] To address this issue, this embodiment of the present disclosure includes a heat-conducting layer 10 inside the housing 2. The thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer 10 is greater than or equal to that of the contacts 3 in the relay base 1, and the area of ​​the heat-conducting layer 10 is larger than the area of ​​the contacts 3. The surface temperature of the heat-conducting layer 10 rapidly decreases below the dew point / freezing point, causing moisture entering the housing 2 to preferentially freeze on the large area of ​​the heat-conducting layer 10. Meanwhile, because the thermal conductivity of the contacts 3 in the relay base 1 is lower than that of the heat-conducting layer 10, and the area of ​​the contacts 3 is smaller, the temperature of the contacts 3 decreases more slowly, making it less likely for a small amount of moisture inside the housing 2 to freeze on the contacts 3.

[0035] Therefore, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides a heat-conducting layer 10 within the relay, located inside the housing 2. The heat-conducting layer 10 has a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to that of the contacts 3 in the relay substrate 1, and its area is larger than that of the contacts 3. This allows moisture entering the housing 2 to preferentially freeze on the heat-conducting layer 10, preventing the contacts 3 from freezing due to excessively low temperatures. This ensures that the contacts 3 can reliably conduct electricity even in low-temperature environments, avoiding poor contact caused by icing and improving the reliability of the relay. Furthermore, during vehicle use, the load contains organic gases, which can condense on the contacts 3 in low-temperature environments. The heat-conducting layer 10 provided in this embodiment effectively prevents organic gases from condensing on the contacts 3, thus preventing contact 3 failure and improving the reliability of the relay in organic gas environments. Moreover, this embodiment uses an existing relay structure, eliminating the need for redesign. While continuing to use the reflow soldering process, it simultaneously avoids the risks of contact failure due to relay sealing failure and organic gas condensation, adapting to a wider range of process environments.

[0036] Optionally, combined Figures 1 to 3 The heat-conducting layer 10 is located on the outer surface of the relay substrate 1.

[0037] Specifically, in combination Figures 1 to 3 The heat-conducting layer 10 can be disposed on the base of the relay, for example. Since the contact 3 is disposed on the base of the relay 1, when both the heat-conducting layer 10 and the contact 3 are located on the base of the relay 1, the heat-conducting layer 10 can absorb the moisture around the contact 3 more quickly and better prevent the contact 3 on the base of the relay 1 from freezing and frosting.

[0038] When moisture in the environment enters the housing 2, it first surrounds the outer surface of the relay base 1. The outer surface of the relay base 1 is more prone to freezing. Therefore, the heat-conducting layer 10 is placed on the outer surface of the relay base 1 so that the heat-conducting layer 10 can come into contact with moisture more quickly and freeze, thus preventing the contact 3 from freezing because the heat-conducting layer 10 is placed on the inside of the relay base 1 and cannot absorb moisture.

[0039] Alternatively, the heat-conducting layer 10 and the contact 3 in the relay base 1 can be located on the same side. The relay base 1 can absorb the moisture around the contact 3 more quickly, preventing the heat-conducting layer 10 and the contact 3 in the relay base 1 from being located on different sides. In this case, the heat-conducting layer 10 will preferentially absorb the moisture on the side where the heat-conducting layer 10 is located, but will not be able to absorb the moisture on the side of the contact 3, which would cause the contact 3 to freeze and frost.

[0040] Optionally, combined Figures 1 to 3 Along the plane parallel to the thermally conductive layer 10, the distance L between the thermally conductive layer 10 and the contact point 3 is greater than or equal to 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0041] Specifically, in combination Figures 1 to 3 Along the plane parallel to the heat-conducting layer 10, the distance L between the heat-conducting layer 10 and the contact 3 should be greater than or equal to 5 mm. This is to prevent the heat-conducting layer 10 from being too close to the contact 3, causing the temperature of the contact 3 to drop along with the heat-conducting layer 10, resulting in the contact 3 freezing and frosting. The distance L between the heat-conducting layer 10 and the contact 3 should also be less than or equal to 10 mm. This is to prevent the heat-conducting layer 10 from being too far from the contact 3, preventing it from being unable to absorb moisture around the contact 3 in time, thus also preventing the contact 3 from freezing and frosting.

[0042] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the contact 3 includes a moving contact 32 and a stationary contact 31, and the relay base 1 also includes a moving spring 12 and a stationary spring 11; a heat-conducting layer 10 is provided on the side of the moving spring 12 facing the housing 2; and / or, the heat-conducting layer 10 at least covers the side of the stationary spring 11 facing the housing 2.

[0043] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, contact 3 may include, for example, a moving contact 32 and a stationary contact 31. The heat-conducting layer 10 may be disposed on the side of the moving spring 12 facing the housing 2. The moving spring 12 may include a first part and a second part. Contact 3 is disposed on the first part, and the heat-conducting layer 10 is disposed on the second part, so that a certain distance is maintained between contact 3 and the heat-conducting layer 10, preventing the heat-conducting layer 10 from causing contact 3 to cool down together. Furthermore, to reduce manufacturing difficulty, the heat-conducting layer 10 may be configured to completely cover the second part, thereby reducing the manufacturing difficulty of forming the heat-conducting layer 10.

[0044] The heat-conducting layer 10 may at least cover the side of the stationary spring 11 facing the housing 2. Since the stationary spring 11 is fixed on the base 4 of the relay base 1 and serves to provide a stable connection point for the circuit, the area of ​​the stationary spring 11 is usually smaller than the area of ​​the moving spring 12. When the stationary spring 11 is completely covered by the heat-conducting layer 10, if the area of ​​the heat-conducting layer 10 cannot meet the area requirements for the preferential contact 3 to freeze or frost, the heat-conducting layer 10 can also be set on other components. The specific setting position can be set according to the actual use of the relay, and this embodiment does not limit it.

[0045] In some embodiments, a heat-conducting layer 10 may be provided on both the side of the moving spring 12 facing the housing 2 and the side of the stationary spring 11 facing the housing 2 to increase the area of ​​the heat-conducting layer 10. The heat-conducting layer 10 can cool down faster so that it can absorb moisture around the contact 3 and freeze.

[0046] Optionally, such as Figure 2As shown, contact 3 includes a moving contact 32 and a stationary contact 31. The relay base 1 also includes a moving spring 12 and a stationary spring 11. The moving spring 12 is linked with the armature 6 in the relay base 1. The stationary spring 11 is located on the base 4 of the relay base 1 and is set corresponding to the moving spring 12. The moving contact 32 is set on the moving spring 12, and the stationary contact 31 is located on the stationary spring 11 and is set corresponding to the moving contact 32.

[0047] The relay base 1 also includes a stationary reed terminal 13, a moving reed terminal 14, and a coil terminal 15. The coil terminal 15 is the interface connecting the coil 7 to the external circuit. When the coil terminal 15 is connected to the power supply, current flows into the coil 7, causing it to generate a magnetic field, providing power for the relay's operation and controlling its engagement and disengagement. The stationary reed terminal 13 is typically connected in the controlled circuit and is a fixed part, providing electrical connection and mechanical support for the stationary reed 11. The stationary reed terminal 13 and the moving reed terminal 14 work together to determine the circuit's on / off state based on the relay's status, thereby controlling the operating state of the external load circuit. One end of the stationary reed 11 is connected to the stationary reed terminal 13, and the other end cooperates with the moving reed 12 to achieve circuit on / off. One end of the moving reed 12 is connected to the moving reed terminal 14, and the other end can contact or separate from different stationary reeds 11 depending on the relay's operation. The moving reed terminal 14 provides electrical and mechanical connection to the moving reed 12, connecting it to other mechanical transmission parts of the relay. The moving spring terminal 14 moves along with the movement of the moving spring 12, allowing the moving spring 12 to accurately contact or separate from the corresponding stationary spring 11, ensuring that the relay can reliably control the on / off state of the circuit. For example, when the relay coil 7 is energized and generates a magnetic field, the moving contact 32 moves under the action of electromagnetic force and contacts the stationary contact 31, thus making the circuit conductive; when the coil 7 is de-energized, the magnetic field disappears, and the moving contact 32 returns to its initial position under the action of a return spring, separating from the stationary contact 31, thus breaking the circuit.

[0048] Optionally, combined Figures 1 to 3 The thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer 10 is equal to that of the contact 3, and the ratio of the area of ​​the heat-conducting layer 10 to the area of ​​the contact 3 is greater than or equal to 10.

[0049] For example, combined Figures 1 to 3 For example, both the heat-conducting layer 10 and the contact 3 can be made of silver. When the thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer 10 is equal to that of the contact 3, the area of ​​the heat-conducting layer 10 should be greater than or equal to 10 times the area of ​​the contact 3, so that the temperature of the heat-conducting layer 10 can drop rapidly to the freezing point / dew point.

[0050] Optionally, the thermally conductive layer 10 is also disposed on the inner surface of the housing 2 on the side facing the contact 3.

[0051] Specifically, the heat-conducting layer 10 is also disposed on the inner surface of the housing 2 (not specifically shown in the attached drawings). When moisture enters the interior of the housing 2, the heat-conducting layer 10 disposed on the inner surface of the housing 2 can also absorb the moisture, rapidly cool down, and thus freeze and frost, preventing the contact 3 from freezing. Furthermore, the heat-conducting layer 10 is disposed on the side of the housing 2 facing the contact 3, so that the heat-conducting layer 10 can quickly absorb the moisture around the contact 3, preventing the contact 3 from freezing.

[0052] In some embodiments, the housing 2 and the base 4 of the relay base 1 are sealed with an adhesive layer, which can effectively prevent moisture from entering the relay base 1. Even if a small amount of moisture enters the relay base 1, the present disclosure can absorb the moisture around the contact 3 in a timely manner by setting the heat-conducting layer 10, preventing the contact 3 from freezing and frosting, improving the reliability of the relay. It realizes the combination of the heat-conducting layer 10 and the molding process, providing double protection for the relay, enabling the relay to better adapt to various harsh environments, including high temperature, low temperature, high humidity, etc.

[0053] Optionally, the thermally conductive layer includes a silver plating layer.

[0054] Specifically, the heat-conducting layer 10 can be, for example, a silver-plated layer. When the thermal conductivity of the silver-plated layer is equal to that of the silver contact 3, the area of ​​the heat-conducting layer 10 should be greater than or equal to the area of ​​the contact 3, so that the temperature of the heat-conducting layer 10 can drop rapidly to the freezing point / dew point.

[0055] This disclosure also provides an electronic device, which includes a relay as described in the above embodiments. Therefore, the electronic device provided in this disclosure has the beneficial effects of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated here.

[0056] This disclosure also provides a vehicle that includes electronic devices as described in the above embodiments. Therefore, the vehicle provided in this disclosure has the beneficial effects of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated here.

[0057] In addition, the vehicle in this embodiment of the disclosure can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a pure electric vehicle, or a hybrid electric vehicle, etc., and this embodiment of the disclosure does not specifically limit it.

[0058] The relays, electronic devices, and vehicles provided in this disclosure, by providing a heat-conducting layer in the relay, the heat-conducting layer being located inside the housing, having a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to the thermal conductivity of the contacts in the relay substrate, and having an area larger than the contact area, allow moisture entering the housing to preferentially freeze on the heat-conducting layer, preventing frost formation in the contact area due to excessively low temperatures. This ensures that the contacts can still reliably conduct electricity in low-temperature environments, avoiding poor contact caused by frost, thus improving the reliability of the relay. It also effectively prevents organic gases from condensing on the contacts, leading to contact failure, thereby improving the reliability of the relay in organic gas environments. Furthermore, it uses an existing relay structure, eliminating the need to redesign the relay structure.

[0059] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0060] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement it. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A relay, characterized in that, include: A relay base and a housing, wherein the relay base is mounted inside the housing; It also includes a thermally conductive layer located inside the housing, wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer is greater than or equal to the thermal conductivity of the contacts in the relay substrate, and the area of ​​the thermally conductive layer is greater than the area of ​​the contacts.

2. The relay according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermally conductive layer is located on the outer surface of the relay substrate.

3. The relay according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along a plane parallel to the thermally conductive layer, the distance between the thermally conductive layer and the contact point is greater than or equal to 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.

4. The relay according to claim 1, characterized in that, The contacts include: a moving contact and a stationary contact; the relay base also includes: a moving reed and a stationary reed. The heat-conducting layer is provided on the side of the movable spring facing the outer casing; and / or, The thermally conductive layer at least covers the side of the stationary spring facing the housing.

5. The relay according to claim 4, characterized in that, The moving reed is linked to the armature in the relay base. The stationary reed is located on the base of the relay base and is configured corresponding to the moving reed. The moving contact is located on the moving reed, and the stationary contact is located on the stationary reed and is configured corresponding to the moving contact.

6. The relay according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal conductivity of the thermal conductive layer is equal to the thermal conductivity of the contact point, and the ratio of the area of ​​the thermal conductive layer to the area of ​​the contact point is greater than or equal to 10.

7. The relay according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermally conductive layer is also disposed on the inner surface of the outer casing on the side facing the contact point.

8. The relay according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The thermally conductive layer includes a silver plating layer.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, Including the relay as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Including the electronic device as described in claim 9.

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