ELECTROMAGNETIC RELAY

Abstract

Electromagnetic relay (1) comprising: a housing (10) with a first compartment (111) and a second compartment (112) separated from each other by an insulating wall (12); a first fixed contact terminal (20) which is attached to the housing (10) and extends from outside the housing (10) to the first compartment (111), wherein the first fixed contact terminal (20) has a first fixed contact point (21) in the first compartment (111); a second fixed contact terminal (30) which is attached to the housing (10) and extends from outside the housing (10) to the first compartment (111), wherein the second fixed contact terminal (30) is electrically insulated from the first fixed contact terminal (20) and has a second fixed contact point (31) in the first compartment (111); a movable contact (40) arranged in the first compartment (111) comprising a first movable contact point (41) and a second movable contact point (42), wherein the first and second movable contact points (41, 42) face the first and second fixed contact points (21, 31), which in turn are arranged between the first and second movable contact points (41, 42) and the insulating wall (12); wherein the first and second movable contact points (41, 42) are configured to move in a direction of movement of the contact in which the first and second movable contact points (41, 42) touch the first and second fixed contact points (21, 31) and separate from the first and second fixed contact points (21, 31); a movable shaft (50) extending from the first compartment (111) to the second compartment (112) in the direction of contact movement, wherein one end (51) is arranged in the direction of extension in the first compartment (111) and the other end (52) is arranged in the direction of extension in the second compartment (112) via a through-hole (121) passing through the insulating wall (12) in the direction of contact movement, wherein one end (51) is connected in the direction of extension to the movable contact (40) in the first compartment (111) and is arranged to move together with the movable contact (40) in the direction of contact movement; and a solenoid (60) in the second compartment (112) which is configured to drive the movable shaft (50) in the direction of movement of the contact; wherein the solenoid (60) comprises the following: a coil (64) comprising: a through hole (642) extending in the direction of movement of the contact and receiving the other end (52) of the movable shaft (50), a winding (643) and a drum (641), wherein the winding (643) is wound around the drum (641) in the direction of movement of the contact; a fixed anchor (65) which is fixed in the through-hole (642) at the far end of the through-hole (642) relative to the insulating wall (12) in the direction of movement of the contact; a movable armature (66) arranged in the through-hole (642) between the fixed armature (65) and the insulating wall (12), and attached to the other end (52) of the movable shaft (50), wherein the movable armature (66) is arranged to move together with the movable shaft (50) in the direction of movement of the contact between the operating position and the return position; the housing (10) comprising: an alignment part (123) which is provided in the second compartment (112) on the insulating wall (12), wherein the alignment part (123) defines the return position of the movable anchor (66), and the alignment part (123) includes a positioning mound (124) which projects from the insulating wall (12) in the direction of movement of the contact towards the movable anchor (66) and touches the movable anchor (66) when the movable anchor (66) is in the return position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electromagnetic relay. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Japanese Patent No. 6110109 discloses a contact device provided with a pair of fixed contacts and a movable contact. The fixed contacts are electrically insulated from each other, and the movable contact forms a square plate that contacts and separates from the pair of fixed contacts. Each of the fixed contacts of the pair provided on the contact device includes a conductive support portion and a C-shaped portion. The conductive support portion is fixed to a fixed insulating base plate in a device housing. The C-shaped portion is connected to the end of the conductive support portion within the device housing. Each C-shaped portion consists of an upper portion, a lower portion, and an intermediate portion.The lower section faces the upper section, which is connected to the supporting conductive section, and the middle section connects the upper and lower sections. A contact point is provided on the surface of the lower part, facing the upper part. Both longitudinal ends of the movable contact are seated between the upper and lower plates of the C-shaped sections, which face the contacts.

[0003] The contact device also includes a connecting shaft connected at its center in the longitudinal direction of the movable contact. The connecting shaft extends in the closing and disconnecting direction for the pair of fixed contacts; at one end of this extending direction, the connecting shaft penetrates an insulating tube provided opposite the fixed-contact insulating base plate from the inside to the outside of the device housing. The movable piston of an electromagnet unit is attached to the end of the connecting shaft outside the device housing. The movable piston moves along the closing and disconnecting direction based on the excitation state of the electromagnet unit. Further prior art is provided by EP 3 410 459 A1 and CH 517 373 A. Technical problem

[0004] An auxiliary yoke is provided between the insulating tube and the movable plunger in the contact device. The auxiliary yoke determines the return position of the movable plunger. In other words, the auxiliary yoke determines the position of the movable plunger when the movable contact is farthest from the contacts. However, since the insulating tube, as well as the dimensional accuracy or the position of the auxiliary yoke, also affect the return position of the movable plunger in the contact device, it is difficult to accurately control the position of the movable plunger relative to the storage container.

[0005] The object underlying the invention is therefore to provide an electromagnetic relay that enables highly precise positioning of the movable armature with respect to the housing. This object is achieved by an electromagnetic relay according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims. SUMMARY

[0006] An electromagnetic relay according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising: An electromagnetic relay comprising, among other things: a housing having a first compartment and a second compartment separated by an insulating wall; a first fixed contact terminal attached to the housing and extending from outside the housing to the first compartment, the first fixed contact terminal having a first fixed contact point in the first compartment; a second fixed contact terminal attached to the housing and extending from outside the housing to the first compartment, the second fixed contact terminal being electrically insulated from the first fixed contact terminal and having a second fixed contact point in the first compartment; a movable contact disposed in the first compartment and comprising a first movable contact point and a second movable contact point, the first and second movable contact points facing the first and second fixed contact points, respectively, which in turn are disposed between the first and second movable contact points and the insulating wall; the first and second movable contact points being configured to move in a contact movement direction in which the first and second movable contact points touch and separate from the first and second fixed contact points; a movable shaft extending from the first compartment to the second compartment in the direction of movement of the contact, one end in the direction of extension being arranged in the first compartment and the other end in the direction of extension being arranged in the second compartment via a through-hole passing through the insulating wall in the direction of movement of the contact, the one end in the direction of extension being connected to the movable contact in the first compartment and being adapted to move together with the movable contact in the direction of movement of the contact; and a solenoid in the second compartment configured to drive the movable shaft in the direction of movement of the contact; wherein the solenoid comprises: a coil comprising: a through hole extending in the direction of movement of the contact and receiving the other end of the movable shaft, a winding and a drum, the winding being wound around the drum in the direction of movement of the contact; a fixed armature fixed in the through-hole at the distal end of the through-hole relative to the insulating wall in the direction of movement of the contact; a movable armature disposed in the through hole between the fixed armature and the insulating wall and fixed to the other end of the movable shaft, the movable armature being configured to move in the direction of movement of the contact between the operating position and the return position together with the movable shaft; the housing, comprising: an alignment part which is arranged in the second compartment 112 on the insulating wall ( Fig. 3), wherein the alignment part defines the return position of the movable armature. Effects

[0007] An alignment part is provided on the insulating wall in the second compartment in the electromagnetic relay housing; the alignment part determines the return position of the movable armature. This means that the movable armature can be precisely positioned relative to the housing by maintaining the dimensional accuracy of the insulating wall in the housing. Compared to Japanese Patent No. 6110109, in which the dimensional accuracy or positioning of the insulating tube and the auxiliary yoke also affects the return position of the movable plunger, the movable armature can be positioned in the housing with high accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an electromagnetic relay according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II; Fig. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the first compartment in the Fig. 2 shown cross-section; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable contact and the movable shaft in the electromagnetic relay in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a partially enlarged view of the movable contact in a cross section along VI-VI in Fig. 1. Fig. Fig. 7 is a first perspective view showing the operation of the movable contact and the movable shaft in the electromagnetic relay in Fig. 1 describes; Fig. Fig. 8 is a second perspective view showing the operation of the movable contact and the movable shaft in the electromagnetic relay in Fig. 1 describes; Fig. Fig. 9 is a third perspective view showing the operation of the movable contact and the movable shaft in the electromagnetic relay in Fig. 1 describes; Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first compartment showing a first example of changing the electromagnetic relay in Fig. 1 shows; Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the movable armature showing a second example of changing the electromagnetic relay in Fig. 1 shows; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the movable contact, the movable shaft, the movable armature and the fixed armature showing a third example of changing the electromagnetic relay in Fig. 1 shows; and Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first compartment showing a fourth example of changing the electromagnetic relay in Fig. 1 shows. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that while the following description uses terms representing specific directions and positions (such as terms like "top," "bottom," "right," and "left"), the use of these terms is merely for the purpose of understanding the invention with reference to the drawings. The meaning of these terms is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. The following description is merely an example and is not intended to limit the present invention, the scope of application of the invention, or the use of the invention. Furthermore, the drawings provided are schematic and are not intended to represent a scale for actual measurements.

[0009] An electromagnetic relay according to an embodiment of the present invention is as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with a housing 10, a first fixed contact terminal 20, and a second fixed contact terminal 30. The first and second fixed contact terminals 20, 30 are mounted in the housing 10 and electrically insulated from each other.

[0010] Inside the housing 10 there is a chamber 11 as shown in Fig. 2. A movable contact 40 having a first movable contact point 41 and a second movable contact point 42, a movable shaft 50 connected at one end to the movable contact 40, and a solenoid 60 driving the movable shaft 50 are all located in the chamber 11.

[0011] The housing 10 comprises a truncated box-like rectangle ( Fig. 1), wherein an insulating wall 12 divides the chamber 11 along the length of the housing 10. That is, the insulating wall 12 separates the chamber 11 along the length of the housing 10 to create a first compartment 111 and a second compartment 112 parallel to each other.

[0012] The flat first fixed contact terminal 20 is arranged in a direction connecting the first movable contact point 41 and the second movable contact point 42 in the housing 10 ( Fig. 2, ie, from left to right and hereinafter referred to as the arrangement direction). The first fixed contact terminal 20 extends from outside the housing 10 into the first compartment 111 and is fixed to a first wall 101 extending along the length of the housing 10. The end of the first fixed contact terminal 20 near the first compartment 111, ie, the right end in Fig. 2, comprises a first fixed contact point 21 arranged in the first compartment 111.

[0013] The flat second fixed contact terminal 30 is arranged along the arrangement direction in the other direction in the housing 10 ( Fig. 2). The second fixed contact terminal 30 extends from outside the housing 10 into the first compartment 111 and is attached to a second wall 102 extending along the length of the housing 10. The second fixed contact terminal 30 is electrically insulated from the first fixed contact terminal 20. The end of the second fixed contact terminal 30 near the first compartment 111, i.e., the left end in Fig. 2, comprises a second fixed contact point 31 arranged in the first compartment 111.

[0014] The first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 face the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 of the movable contact 40 within the first compartment 111. The first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 are also arranged between the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 and the insulating wall 12. The first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 are arranged substantially perpendicular to the first and second walls 101, 102 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10 (i.e., vertically, FIG. 2). The first and second walls 101, 102 are substantially equidistant from a third wall 103; the first, second, and third walls 101, 102, 103, together with the insulating wall 12, form the first compartment 111.

[0015] As in Fig. 2, the movable contact 40 is configured to move along the length of the housing 10 between the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 and the third wall 103 of the housing 10. The movable contact 40 includes a substantially rectangular contact body 401, a coil spring 44 connected to the contact body 401, and a coil spring retainer 45 for retaining the coil spring 44.

[0016] The contact body 401 comprises a first flat surface 402, which lies opposite the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31, and a second flat surface 403, which lies opposite the third wall 103 of the housing 10. The first and second movable contact points 41, 42 are separated from each other on the first flat surface 402 along the length of the movable contact 40 and face the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31, respectively. The contact body 40 comprises a through-hole 43 (which is an example of a connection hole) located substantially centrally in the longitudinal direction of the movable contact 40, i.e., laterally in Fig. 2, in the thickness direction, ie vertically in Fig. 2. One end of the movable shaft 50 is connected to the contact body 401 and passes through the through hole 43. One end of the movable shaft 50 moves relative to the contact body 401 along its thickness.

[0017] The coil spring retainer 45 includes a first rim-like retainer 451 between the contact body 401 and the insulating wall 12 in the direction in which the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 contact and separate from the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 (i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10, hereinafter referred to as the contact movement direction); the first retainer 451 is connected to the contact body 401. The flat surface of the first retainer 451 faces the contact body 401 and is orthogonal to the movable shaft 50.

[0018] The coil spring 44 is located in the first compartment 111 between the movable contact 40 and the insulating wall 12 in the direction of contact movement to bias the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 toward the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31. The coil spring 44 is held by the first holder 451 in the coil spring holder 45 for the movable contact 40 and a second holder 53 described later on the movable shaft 50. In this embodiment, the coil spring 44 is held compressed.

[0019] The movable shaft 50 is a substantially circular column extending from the first compartment 111 to the second compartment 112 in the direction of contact movement. A first end 51 of the movable shaft 50 in the extending direction is located in the first compartment 111, while another second end 52 in the extending direction is located in the second compartment 112 via a through hole 121 in the insulating wall 12. The first end 51 of the movable shaft 50 is connected to the movable contact 40 in the first compartment 111 and is configured to move with the movable contact 40 in the direction of contact movement.

[0020] The second holder 53, which is also rim-like, is provided at the first end 51 of the movable shaft 50. The second holder 53 is arranged between the contact body 401 of the movable contact 40 and the first holder 451 in the coil spring holder 45. The second holder 53 extends in a direction that intersects with (i.e., orthogonal to) the extending direction of the movable shaft 50 and, together with the first holder 451, holds the coil spring 44.

[0021] The solenoid 60 consists of an electromagnet 61 extending in the direction of movement of the contact, a substantially rectangular and flat first yoke 62, a substantially U-shaped second yoke 63, a fixed armature 65 and the movable armature 66 ( Fig. 2). The first yoke 62 extends in the arrangement direction along the insulating wall 12; the second yoke 63, together with the first yoke 62, encloses the electromagnet 61 in a direction orthogonal to the contact movement and the arrangement directions (ie, a direction defined by Fig. 2). The fixed armature 65 is connected to the second yoke 63, and the movable armature 66, which is connected to the second end 52 of the movable shaft 50, is configured to move relative to the fixed armature 65 in the direction of movement of the contact. The solenoid 60 drives the movable shaft 50 in the direction of movement of the contact when the electromagnet 61 is energized.

[0022] The electromagnet 61 extends in the direction of movement of the contact and includes a coil 64. The coil 64 includes a drum 641 with a through hole 642 that can receive the second end 52 of the movable shaft 50. The drum 641 in the coil 64 has a coil 641 wound around the drum in the direction of movement of the contact.

[0023] The fixed armature 65 is fixed in the through-hole 642 of the drum 641, with its end portion remote from the insulating wall 12 along the direction of movement of the contact, which is connected to the second yoke 63. The movable armature 66 is arranged between the fixed armature 65 in the through-hole 642 in the drum 641 and the insulating wall 12; the second end 52 of the movable shaft 50 is connected to the movable armature 66 so that the movable armature 66 moves with the movable shaft 50 in the direction of movement of the contact. In addition, a return spring 67 is provided between the fixed armature 65 and the movable armature 66 in the through-hole 642; the return spring 67 biases the movable armature 66 toward the insulating wall 12 along the direction of movement of the contact.

[0024] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, when the electromagnet 61 is de-energized, the return spring 67 biases the movable armature 66 in the direction of contact movement, so that the movable armature 66 approaches the insulating wall 12, and the insulating wall 12 limits the movement of the movable armature 66 in the direction of contact movement. The movable contact 40 is also farthest from the insulating wall 12 in the direction of contact movement when the movable armature 66 is in the return position, and the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 are oppositely separated from the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31.

[0025] Once the electromagnet 61 is energized, the movable armature 66 moves toward the fixed armature 65 along the direction of contact movement, counter to the biasing force of the return spring 67. The movable contact 40 moves with the movement of the movable armature 66 along the direction of contact movement toward the insulating wall 12, and the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 contact the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 opposite them. At this point, the movable armature 66 is in an operating position in which the movable armature 66 is limited in how far it moves away from the insulating wall 12 in the direction of contact movement.

[0026] That is, the solenoid 60 in the electromagnetic relay 1 is configured so that the movable armature 66 can move between a return position and an operating position along the direction of movement of the contact. The solenoid 60 is also configured so that the direction in which the movable contact 40 approaches the solenoid 60 is the same as the direction in which the movable armature 66 moves from the operating position to the return position (i.e., the direction in which the separated movable contact points 41, 42 approach and touch the corresponding fixed contact points 21, 31).

[0027] The first compartment 111 in the housing 10 also includes a pair of permanent magnets 71, 72 sandwiching the movable contact in the arrangement direction 40. The permanent magnets 71, 72 are arranged between the first wall 101 and the first fixed contact terminal 20 and the second wall 102 and the second fixed contact terminal 30 in the housing 10.

[0028] Next, the first fixed contact terminal 20, the second fixed contact terminal 30 and the movable contact 40 are described with reference to Fig. 3 described in more detail.

[0029] As in Fig. 3, the first fixed contact terminal 20 and the second fixed contact terminal 30 each comprise a contact arrangement portion 22, 32, an external contact 23, 33, and an intermediate portion 24, 34. The contact arrangement portion 22, 32 is arranged in the first compartment 111 of the housing and holds a fixed contact point 21, 31. An external terminal 23, 33 is arranged outside the housing 10 in a direction that intersects with the moving direction of the contact (in this embodiment, in the arrangement direction); the intermediate portion 23, 33 connects the contact arrangement portion 22, 32 and the external contact 23, 33. It should be noted that the fixed contact terminals 20, 30 are made of a single conductive material, and the contact arrangement portions 22, 32, the external terminals 23, 33, and the intermediate portions 24, 34 are integrally formed.

[0030] In particular, the contact arrangement sections 22, 32 each extend in the arrangement direction with the first fixed contact points 21 where the second fixed contact 30 is arranged on 31; the contact arrangement sections 22, 32 each include a contact arrangement surface 221, 321 facing the first flat surface 402 on the movable contact 40, and a support surface 222, 322 opposite the contact arrangement surface 222, 322 along the contact movement direction.

[0031] As in Fig. 2, the electromagnetic relay 1 has a symmetrical internal structure around the movable shaft 50 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the contact movement direction and the arrangement direction (a direction defined by Fig. 2). This means that the support surface 222, 322 on the contact arrangement sections 22, 32 is located in substantially the same position in a plane orthogonal to the movable shaft 50.

[0032] The external terminals 23, 33 are closer to the second compartment 112 in the contact movement direction than the contact arrangement sections 22, 32; the external terminals 23, 33 extend in opposite directions from the first and second walls 101, 102 of the housing 10.

[0033] The intermediate portions 24, 34 are L-shaped, and both curve near the second compartment 112 relative to a virtual line L1, L2 connecting both ends in the direction in which the intermediate portions 24, 34 extend. That is, an intermediate portion 24, 34 consists of a vertical portion 241, 341 (or a first vertical portion and a second vertical portion) and a horizontal portion 242, 342 (or a first horizontal portion and a second horizontal portion). The vertical portion 241, 341 extends from the distal end of the contact arrangement portion 22, 32 relative to the movable shaft 50 in the arrangement direction and away from the movable contact 40 in the contact movement direction. Note that the housing 10 holds the intermediate portions 24, 34 in the electromagnetic relay 1.

[0034] That is, the pair of permanent magnets 71, 72 are located between the first and second walls 101, 102 in the housing 10, and the vertical parts 241, 341 of the intermediate sections 24, 34 are located in the arrangement direction, and between the third wall 103 and the horizontal parts 242, 342 of the intermediate sections 24, 34 are located in the contact movement direction. In other words, the permanent magnets 71, 72 are located between the housing 10 and the intermediate section 24 of the first fixed contact terminal 20, and between the housing 10 and the intermediate section 34 of the second fixed contact terminal 30, respectively.

[0035] It should be noted that the first and second fixed contact terminals 20, 30 may be fixed to the housing 10 using a method such as insert molding; alternatively, the housing 10 may be formed with a groove into which the fixed contact terminals 20, 30 can be press-fitted, and the fixed contact terminals 20, 30 may be press-fitted. A through hole may be provided along the thickness of the fixed contact terminals 20, 30 and the intermediate portions 24, 34 when the fixed contact terminals 20, 30 are embedded in the housing 10; this allows the contact terminals 20, 30 to be more reliably secured to the housing 10.

[0036] The insulating wall 12 of the housing 10 extends in the arrangement direction between the first wall 101 and the second wall 102 with a through hole 121 in the middle ( Fig. 3).

[0037] The insulating wall 12 comprises a pair of supports 122 near the first compartment 111. The supports 122 each carry a contact arrangement section 22, 32 for the first or second fixed contact point 21, 31 of the first or second fixed contact terminals 20, 30, respectively. The supports 122 are located midway between the through-hole 121 in the insulating wall 12 and the first wall 101 and midway between the through-hole 121 in the insulating wall 12 and the second wall 102. The supports 122 extend along the vertical parts 241, 341 of the intermediate sections 24, 34 for the fixed contact terminals 20, 30 up to the support surfaces 222, 322 on the contact arrangement sections 22, 32, in order to substantially cover the entire support surfaces 222, 322 of the contact arrangement sections. 22, 32. That is, a support 122 supports the first or second fixed contact point 21, 31 on the contact arrangement section 22, 32.

[0038] As in Fig. 4, the supports 122 are designed so that the width W1 is orthogonal in the direction of movement of the contact and the arrangement direction, ie the length from left to right in Fig. 4 is smaller than the width W2 of the contact arrangement portion 22, 32 of the first or second fixed contact terminal 20, 30; in other words: W1 <W2. Es sei angemerkt, dass nur die Kontaktanordnungsabschnitte 22 für den ersten festen Kontaktanschluss 20 in Fig. 4. This reduces damage to the supports 122 due to the arc created when the movable contact points 41, 42 touch or separate from the fixed contact points 21, 31.

[0039] An alignment part 123 is provided in the second compartment 112 on the insulating wall 12 ( Fig. 3); the alignment member 123 determines the return position of the movable armature 66. The alignment member 123 is disposed between the pair of supports 122 surrounding the through-hole 121 in the insulating wall 12; the alignment member 123 is substantially orthogonally flat to the movable shaft 50 to allow the movable armature 66 to contact it. That is, the alignment member 123 is a flat surface that is part of the housing 10 and is provided near the second compartment 112 created by the insulating wall 12.

[0040] Note that the movable armature 66 is in contact with the alignment part 123 but does not cover the through hole 121 in the insulating wall 12 when it is in its return position ( Fig. 3) in the electromagnetic relay 1. This means that the first compartment 111 and the second compartment 112 are fluidly connected even when the movable armature 66 touches the alignment part 123.

[0041] The coil spring holder 45 and the contact body 401 in the movable contact 40 are provided separately, as shown in Fig. 5. The contact body 401 and the first holder 451 in the coil spring holder 45 are connected by a pair of substantially rectangular plate-like connecting pieces 452. In other words, the coil spring holder 45 appears U-shaped when viewed along the length of the contact body 401. The connecting pieces 452 appear to be arranged midway along the length of the contact body 401 and extend from each end along the width (i.e., each end of the short side) of the contact body 401 toward the insulating wall 12 (i.e., toward the second end 52 of the movable shaft 50), with their flat surfaces parallel to each other. It should be noted that the width of the contact body 401 intersects the arrangement direction. The ends 454 of the connecting piece 452 near the contact body 401 along the moving direction of the contact curve away from each other in the width direction of the contact body 401.

[0042] The contact body 401 includes hooks 404 extending along the widthwise ends of the contact body 401 in opposite directions; the pair of connecting pieces 452 each includes a cutout 453, each connected to a hook 404. It should be noted that only one set of hooks 404 and one cutout 453 are used in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 6, the surfaces of the hooks 404 opposite the third wall 103 of the housing 10 in the direction of movement of the contact are located on the same plane as the second flat surface 403 of the contact body 401. The surfaces of the hooks 404 opposite the insulating wall 12 in the direction of movement of the contact include an inclined surface 405; the inclined surface inclines closer to the movable shaft 50, toward the insulating wall 12.

[0043] The beveled surfaces 405 on the hooks 404 allow the curved end 454 of the connector 452 to contact the hooks 404 when the contact body 401 and the coil spring retainer 45 are connected. Thus, the structure facilitates the connection of the contact body 401 and the coil spring retainer 45.

[0044] As in Fig. 6, the hooks 404 are provided on the surface opposite the third wall 103 in the housing 10, which extends in the arrangement direction. The hooks 404 receive the edge 455 of the cutout 453 along the contact movement direction and include a retaining groove 406 that prevents a hook 404 and a cutout 453 from coming loose. In particular, the coil spring holder 45 is connected via the coil spring 44 to the second end 52 of the movable shaft 50 (ie, downwards in Fig. 6) when the edge 455 of the cutout 453 is seated in the retaining groove 406. This prevents the edge 455 of the cutout 453 from slipping out of the retaining groove 406 in the hook 404, which prevents the hook 404 and the cutout 453 from becoming detached.

[0045] A through hole 456 is also provided approximately in the middle of the first holder 451 along its thickness ( Fig. 6). The peripheral edge of the through-hole 456 opposite the contact body 401 has a protrusion 457. The protrusion 457 more reliably holds the coil spring 44 between the first holder 451 and the second holder 53.

[0046] Next, the operations of the movable contact 40 and the movable shaft 50 will be explained with reference to the Fig. 7 to 9. Specifically, the operations of the movable contact 40 and the movable shaft 50 when the solenoid 60 moves the movable shaft 50 in the contact moving direction will be described.

[0047] Fig. Figure 7 illustrates the movable contact 40 when no current flows through the electromagnet 61. As in Fig. 7 (and similar in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3), the contact body 401 in the movable contact 40 is in a return position in which the contact body 401 is away from the contact arrangement sections 22, 32 of the respective first and second fixed contact terminals 20, 30; here, the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 are separated from the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31. It should be noted that the movable shaft 50 is assumed to be in the return position when the contact body 401 is in the Fig. 7 shown return position.

[0048] The movable shaft 50 moves in the direction of movement of the contact and approaches the insulating wall 12 when the electromagnet 61 is energized; here, the contact body 401 moves with a movement of the movable shaft 50 in the direction of movement of the contact from a return position to a first operating position. In this first operating position, each of the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 contacts the opposite first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 ( Fig. 8).

[0049] The contact body 401 stops moving in the direction of movement of the contact toward the insulating wall 12 when the contact body 401 moves from the return position to the first operating position. In contrast, after this movement of the contact body 401, the movable shaft 50 continues to move in the direction of movement of the contact toward the insulating wall 12 to a second operating position ( Fig. 9). Further movement of the movable shaft 50 toward the second operating position causes the second retainer 53 to approach the first retainer 451, compressing the coil spring 44. That is, when the movable shaft 50 is in the second operating position, the second retainer 53 of the movable shaft 50 presses the coil spring 44 on the first retainer 451 into the coil spring retainer 45; the movable shaft 50 in this position biases the coil spring retainer 45 against the insulating wall 12 in the direction of contact movement. The bias of the coil spring 44 also biases the contact body 401 against the insulating wall 12 in the contact movement direction, pressing the movable contact points 41, 42 onto the opposite fixed contact points 21, 31. This increases the contact pressure between the movable contact points 41, 42 and the opposite fixed contact points 21, 31.

[0050] When the electromagnet 61 is energized, the bias of the return spring 67 causes the movable shaft 50 to move away from the insulating wall 12 in the direction of movement of the contact (upwards, Fig. 7 to 9), and the movable shaft 50 moves from the second operating position to the return position. As the movable shaft 50 moves from the second operating position to the return position, the second holder 53 contacts the contact body 401, causing the contact body 401 to move away from the insulating wall 12 in the direction of contact movement. That is, the contact body 401 moves from an operating position to a return position in the direction of contact movement with the movement of the movable shaft 50 away from the insulating wall 12 in the direction of contact movement.

[0051] In the above-mentioned electromagnetic relay 1, the pair of supports 122 are each arranged in the first compartment 111 relative to the insulating wall 12 in the housing 10; the supports 122 support the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 in the first and second fixed contact terminals 20, 30, respectively. That is, the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 can be accurately positioned with respect to the pair of supports 122 simply by maintaining accurate dimensions for the contact arrangement portions 22, 32 for the first and second contact terminals 20, 30 and the pair of supports 122. Therefore, the fixed contact points 21, 31 can be positioned more easily compared to the corresponding supports 122 than, for example, the device in Japanese Patent No. 6110109, which requires precise dimensions for the supporting conductive portions, the C-shaped portions, the fixed contact carrier insulating base plate and the insulating tube in the device housing.

[0052] The intermediate sections 24, 34 each include a vertical part 241, 341 extending from the distal end of the contact arrangement section 22, 32 relative to the movable shaft 50 in the arrangement direction and away from the movable contact 40 in the direction of contact movement. This makes it possible to achieve an electromagnetic relay 1 that allows for easier arrangement of internal components, for example, by adding a space between the housing 10 and the intermediate sections 24, 34.

[0053] An alignment part 123 is provided in the second compartment 112 on the insulating wall 12 of the housing 10 of the electromagnetic relay 1; the alignment part 123 determines the return position of the movable armature 66. This means that the movable armature 66 can be accurately positioned with respect to the housing 10 by maintaining the dimensional accuracy of the insulating wall 12 in the housing 10. Compared to Japanese Patent No. 6110109, in which the dimensional accuracy or positioning of the insulating tube and the auxiliary yoke affects the return position of the movable plunger, the movable armature 66 can be positioned with high accuracy in the housing 10.

[0054] The alignment member 123 is also a flat surface that is part of the housing 10 and is provided near the second compartment 112 created by the insulating wall 12. Thus, the movable armature 66 can be positioned very accurately in the housing 10, compared to Japanese Patent No. 6110109.

[0055] In the electromagnetic relay 1, the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 are arranged in the first compartment 111 between the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 and the insulating wall 12; and the coil spring 44 is arranged between the movable contact 40 and the insulating wall 12. The first and second fixed contact terminals 20, 30 each include: a contact arrangement portion 22, 32, an external terminal 23, 33, and an intermediate portion 24, 34. The first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 are fixed to a contact arrangement portion 22, 32; the external terminal 23, 33 extends in a direction that overlaps the direction of movement of the contact outside the housing 10.The insulating wall 12 supports the intermediate portion 24, 34 connecting the contact arrangement portion 22, 32 and the external terminal 23, 33; the intermediate portion 24, 34 curves near the second compartment 112 relative to a virtual line L1, L2 connecting both ends thereof in the extending direction. This means that if there is no coil spring 44 between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the contact movement direction, at least no consideration is given to how to ensure space for a coil spring 44 between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the contact movement direction. As a result, this requires less space between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the contact movement direction, enabling a more compact electromagnetic relay 1.

[0056] The pair of permanent magnets 71, 72 are arranged between the housing 10 and the intermediate portions 24, 34 of the first and second fixed contact terminals 20, 30, respectively. That is, the pair of permanent magnets 71, 72 are arranged so that they are not located between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the direction of contact movement. This requires less space between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the direction of contact movement. The electromagnetic relay 1 can therefore be made more compact.

[0057] In the electromagnetic relay 1, the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 are arranged in the first compartment 111 between the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 and the insulating wall 12; and the coil spring 44 is arranged between the movable contact 40 and the insulating wall 12. The movable contact 40 includes the contact body 401 and the first holder 451; the first holder 451 is located between the contact body 401 and the insulating wall 12 and is connected to the contact body 401. The movable shaft 50 has a second holder 53 arranged at one end 51 thereof and extending in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the movable shaft 50; the second holder 53 holds the first holder 451 together with the coil spring 44.In other words, there is no need to dispose a coil spring 44 between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the direction of contact movement; this requires less space between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the direction of contact movement. The electromagnetic relay 1 can therefore be made more compact.

[0058] The contact body 401 and the first holder 451 are connected via a pair of plate-like terminals 452; viewed from the contact movement direction, each connecting piece 452 appears to extend in the contact movement direction from the end along the width of the contact body 401 to the insulating wall 12, with the flat surfaces thereof being parallel to each other. Note that the width direction of the contact body 401 intersects the arrangement direction connecting the first and second movable contact points 41, 42. The pair of connecting pieces 452 enables the contact body 401 and the first holder 451 to be connected via a simple structure, thus facilitating the realization of a compact electromagnetic relay 1.

[0059] The first holder 451 and the pair of connecting pieces 452 are also provided separately from the contact body 401. The contact body 401 includes hooks 404 extending along the widthwise ends in opposite directions; the pair of connecting pieces 452 each includes a cutout 453, each connected to a hook 404. The hooks 404 and the cutouts 453 provide a reliable connection between the first holder 451 and the connecting pieces 452, thus enabling the realization of a compact electromagnetic relay 1.

[0060] The hooks 404 extend in the arrangement direction and include a retaining groove 406 that receives the edge 455 from a recess 453 and prevents the hook 404 from disengaging from the recess 453. The retaining groove 406 provides a more reliable connection between the first holder 451 and the connecting pieces 452 and therefore facilitates the realization of a compact electromagnetic relay 1.

[0061] The contact body 401 is also provided with a connecting hole 43 through which one end 51 of the movable shaft 50 can be inserted and moved in the direction of movement of the contact. The connecting hole 43 provides a more stable position for the movable shaft 50 relative to the movable contact 40, thus improving the operating characteristics of the electromagnetic relay 1.

[0062] A busbar 90 ( Fig. 2) may be provided on the first fixed contact terminal 20 or on the second fixed contact terminal 30 and extend in the arrangement direction outside the housing 10 along the third wall 103; this is a possible method for improving the contact reliability of the electromagnetic relay 1. In this method, the current through the movable contact 40 and the current through the bus bar 90 flow in opposite directions to each other. Therefore, the electromagnetic repulsion generated due to the currents in the movable contact 40 and the bus bar 90 presses the movable contact points 41, 42 in the movable contact 40 against the opposite fixed contact points 21, 31 and increases the contact pressure between the movable contact points 41, 42 and the fixed contact points 21, 31. The contact reliability of the electromagnetic relay 1 is thereby improved.

[0063] The electromagnetic repulsion generated due to the currents flowing in the movable contact 40 and the bus bar 90 increases as the movable contact 40 and the bus bar 90 approach each other. There is no need to dispose a coil spring 44 between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the contact moving direction. This requires less space between the movable contact 40 and the housing 10 in the contact moving direction in the electromagnetic relay 1. The contact device in Japanese Patent No. 6110109 includes a pair of fixed contacts and a contact spring disposed between the movable contact and the housing. In contrast, the distance between the movable contact 40 and the bus bar 90 can be reduced to increase the electromagnetic repulsion generated due to the current flowing in the movable contact 40 and the bus bar 90.In other words, an electromagnetic relay 1 with higher contact reliability can be realized compared with the contact device in Japanese Patent No. 6110109.

[0064] It should be noted that the support pair 122 is not limited to supporting almost the entire support surfaces 222, 322 of the contact arrangement sections 22, 32. For example, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 10, the support pair 122 may be configured to support the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31 via the distal ends of the contact arrangement portions 22, 32 away from the intermediate portions 24, 34 in the arrangement direction (i.e., the support surfaces 222, 322 at the ends of the contact arrangement portions 22, 32 near the movable shaft 50). This reduces the space occupied by the supports 122 in the first compartment 111, thus providing an electromagnetic relay 1 with a simpler layout.

[0065] The alignment part 123 is also a flat surface that is a part of the housing 10 and is provided near the second compartment 112, which is created by the insulating wall 12. For example, the alignment part 123 may be all or part of a corrugated surface. The alignment part 123 may also include a positioning bump 124 ( Fig. 11) that protrudes from the insulating wall 12 along the direction of movement of the contact toward the movable armature 66 and that contacts the movable armature 66 at the return position of the movable armature 66. Thus, a positioning bump 124 may be provided on the alignment part 123 to more precisely define where the alignment part 123 contacts the movable armature 66. The positioning bump 124 may be a single round bump at the edge of the through-hole 121 or a plurality of bumps provided at predefined intervals surrounding the through-hole 121 (e.g., three bumps provided at 120°). Note that a positioning bump 124 may be provided on the movable armature 66 instead of on the alignment part 123. The positioning bump may be provided on the movable armature 66 extending therefrom in the direction of movement of the contact toward the insulating wall 12.In this case, the positioning bump contacts the alignment member 123 when the movable armature 66 is in the return position.

[0066] The fixed armature 65 and the movable armature 66 may be formed from a plurality of layers 81, 82, these layers being flat plates arranged in the thickness direction of the armatures ( Fig. 12) are superimposed. The fixed armature 65 and the movable armature 66 may be composed of a single piece of magnetic material. For example, it tends to be easier to ensure that the first compartment 111 and the second compartment 112 are in fluid communication when the movable armature 66 is composed of a plurality of layers 82, even when the movable armature 66 contacts the alignment member 123. This means that an electromagnetic relay 1 configured in this way has greater design flexibility.

[0067] The intermediate portions 24, 34 of the first and second fixed contact terminals 20, 30 can be connected and retained in the housing 10 with the contact arrangement portions 22, 32 and the external terminals 23, 33; however, an intermediate portion 24, 34 is not limited to an L-shape and is not limited to being curved at a location near the second compartment 112 relative to a virtual line L1, L2 connecting both ends in its extending direction. For example, the intermediate portions 24, 34 can directly connect the contact arrangement portions 22, 32 and the external terminal 23, 33. As shown in Fig. 13, the intermediate sections 24, 34 may be curved at several locations relative to a virtual line L1, L2 connecting both ends thereof in an extension direction (e.g., two locations in Fig. 13).

[0068] The intermediate sections 24, 34 of the fixed contact terminals 20, 30 in Fig.13 consist of a first vertical part 241, 341, a horizontal part 242, 342, and a second vertical part 243, 343. The vertical part 241, 341 extends from the distal end of the contact arrangement section 22, 32 relative to the movable shaft 50 in the arrangement direction and away from the movable contact 40 in the direction of contact movement. The horizontal part 242, 342 extends from the distal end of the contact arrangement section 241, 341 relative to the movable shaft 40 in the arrangement direction and away from the movable contact 50 in the direction of contact movement. The second vertical part 243, 343 extends from the distal end of the horizontal part 242, 342 relative to the contact arrangement portions 22, 32 in the arrangement direction to the movable contact 40 in the contact movement direction and is connected to the external terminal 23, 33. In FIG.In Fig. 13, the external terminal 23, 33 is farther away from the second compartment 112 than the contact arrangement portion 22, 32 in the direction of movement of the contact.

[0069] At least a portion of the intermediate sections 24, 34 may be retained within the housing 10. The intermediate sections 24, 34 are not limited to being retained entirely within the housing 10.

[0070] The pair of permanent magnets 71, 72 is not limited to being located between the movable contacts 40 in the arrangement direction (i.e., in the longitudinal direction from the perspective of the movable contact 40 in the direction of movement of the contact). The pair of permanent magnets 71, 72 may be omitted depending on the design of the electromagnetic relay 1; and, for example, the pair of permanent magnets 71, 72 may enclose the movable contact 40 in the transverse direction when the movable contact 40 is viewed from the direction of movement of the contact.

[0071] The movable contact 40 and the coil spring retainer 45 are not limited to being provided as separate materials with respect to the contact body 401. The contact body 401, the first retainer 451, and the pair of connecting pieces 452 may be integrally formed.

[0072] The coil spring retainer 45 is also not limited to having a U-shaped appearance when viewed along the length of the contact body 401.

[0073] The contact body 401 and the screw spring retainer 45 are not limited to being connected by snap hooks 404 with recesses 453. The contact body 401 and the screw spring retainer 45 may be connected by another method according to the design of the electromagnetic relay 1.

[0074] The holding groove 406 may be omitted according to the construction or the like of the electromagnetic relay 1.

[0075] The connection hole in the movable contact 40 is not limited to the through hole 43 passing through the thickness of the contact body 401. The connection hole can have any desired shape as long as it allows one end 51 of the movable shaft 50 (i.e., the first end 51) to move relatively in the thickness direction of the contact body 401. That is, a blind hole may be provided instead of a through hole 43 in the second flat surface 403 of the contact body 401 to allow one end 51 of the movable shaft 50 to connect and move relative thereto in the direction of movement of the contact.

[0076] Note that the contact body 401 and one end 51 of the movable shaft 50 are not limited to being connected via the connection hole. For example, the movable shaft 50 may be fixed to the contact body 401 to connect the contact body 401 and one end 51 of the movable shaft 50.

[0077] The present disclosure is not limited to an electromagnetic relay 1 in which the direction of the movable contact 40 approaches the solenoid 60 and the direction of the movable contact points 41, 42 in contact with the corresponding fixed contact points 21, 31 are the same. The present disclosure also applies to electromagnetic relays 1 in which the direction in which the movable contact 40 approaches the solenoid 60 and the direction in which the movable contact points 41, 42 contact the corresponding fixed contact points 21, 31 are different.

[0078] This concludes the description of various working examples of the invention with reference to the drawings. Finally, various other aspects of the present invention will be described. As an example, the following description includes reference numerals.

[0079] A first embodiment of an electromagnetic relay 1 comprises: a housing 10 having a first compartment 111 and a second compartment 112 separated from each other by an insulating wall 12; a first fixed contact terminal 20 fixed to the housing 10 and extending from outside the housing 10 to the compartment 111, the first fixed contact terminal 20 comprising a first fixed contact point 21 in the compartment 111; a second fixed contact terminal 30 fixed to the housing 10 and extending from outside the housing 10 to the first compartment 111, the second fixed contact terminal 30 being electrically insulated from the first fixed contact terminal 20 and having a second fixed contact point 31 in the first compartment 111; a movable contact 40 arranged in the compartment 111 and comprising a first movable contact point 41 and a second movable contact point 42, the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 facing the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31, respectively; being arranged between the first and second movable contact points 41, 42 and the insulating wall 12, and the second movable contact point 41, 42 touching the first and second fixed contact points 41, 42 and separating from the first and second fixed contact points 21, 31; a movable shaft 50 extending from the first compartment 111 to the second compartment 112 in the direction of movement of the contact, one end 51 in the direction of extension being arranged in the first compartment 111 and the other end in the direction of extension being arranged in the second compartment 112 via a through-hole 121 passing through the insulating wall 12 in the direction of movement of the contact, the one end 51 in the direction of extension being connected to the movable contact 40 in the first compartment 111 and being adapted to move together with the movable contact 40 in the direction of movement of the contact; and a solenoid 60 in the second compartment 112, which is arranged to drive the movable shaft 50 in the direction of movement of the contact; the solenoid 60 includes: a coil 64 comprising: a through hole 642 extending in the direction of movement of the contact and receiving the other end 52 of the movable shaft 50, a winding 643 and a drum 641, the winding being wound around the drum 641 in the direction of movement of the contact; a fixed armature 65 fixed in the through-hole 642 at the distal end of the through-hole 642 relative to the insulating wall 12 in the direction of movement of the contact; a movable armature 66 disposed in the through hole 642 between the fixed armature 65 and the insulating wall 12 and fixed to the other end 52 of the movable shaft 50, the movable armature 66 being configured to move in the direction of contact between the operating position and the return position together with the movable shaft 50; the housing 10 including: an alignment member 123 provided in the second compartment 112 on the insulating wall 12; the alignment member 123 determines the return position of the movable armature 66.

[0080] An alignment part 123 is provided in the second compartment 112 on the insulating wall 12 of the housing 10 of the electromagnetic relay 1; the alignment part determines the return position of the movable armature 66. That is, the movable armature 66 can be accurately positioned with respect to the housing 10 by maintaining the dimensional accuracy of the insulating wall 12 in the housing 10. Compared to Japanese Patent No. 6110109, in which the dimensional accuracy or positioning of the insulating tube and the auxiliary yoke also affects the return position of the movable plunger, the movable armature 66 can be positioned with high accuracy in the housing.

[0081] In a second embodiment of the electromagnetic relay 1, the alignment member 123 is provided as a part of the housing 10 as a flat surface in the second compartment 112 on the insulating wall 12.

[0082] Thus, in the electromagnetic relay 1 according to the second embodiment, the movable armature 66 will be positioned very accurately in the housing 10 as compared with the contact device in Japanese Patent No. 6,110,109.

[0083] In a third embodiment of the electromagnetic relay 1: the alignment member 123 includes a positioning bump 124 that projects from the insulating wall 12 along the moving direction of the contact toward the movable armature 66 and that contacts the movable armature 66 at the return position of the movable armature 66.

[0084] Thus, according to the third embodiment, a positioning bump 124 may be provided on the alignment member 123 in the electromagnetic relay 1 to more accurately define where the alignment member 123 contacts the movable armature 66.

[0085] In a fourth embodiment of the electromagnetic relay 1: the movable armature 66 consists of a plurality of layers 82 arranged in a direction that intersects the direction of movement of the contact.

[0086] For example, in the electromagnetic relay 1 according to the fourth embodiment, when the movable armature 66 is made of a plurality of layers 82, it tends to be easier to ensure that the first compartment 111 and the second compartment 112 are in smooth communication, even when the movable armature 66 contacts the alignment part 123. This means that an electromagnetic relay 1 configured in this way has greater design flexibility.

[0087] It should be noted that the various embodiments and modification examples described above can be combined as appropriate to obtain the desired results. In addition, the embodiments, working examples, or embodiments and exemplary modifications can be combined; however, various embodiments and working examples with similar features can also be combined. Industrial Applicability

[0088] The electromagnetic relay according to the embodiment can be applied in an electric vehicle

Claims

[1] An electromagnetic relay (1) comprising: a housing (10) having a first compartment (111) and a second compartment (112) separated by an insulating wall (12); a first fixed contact terminal (20) fixed to the housing (10) and extending from outside the housing (10) to the first compartment (111), the first fixed contact terminal (20) having a first fixed contact point (21) in the first compartment (111); a second fixed contact terminal (30) fixed to the housing (10) and extending from outside the housing (10) to the first compartment (111), the second fixed contact terminal (30) being electrically insulated from the first fixed contact terminal (20) and having a second fixed contact point (31) in the first compartment (111); a movable contact (40) arranged in the first compartment (111) and comprising a first movable contact point (41) and a second movable contact point (42), the first and second movable contact points (41, 42) facing the first and second fixed contact points (21, 31), which in turn are arranged between the first and second movable contact points (41, 42) and the insulating wall (12); the first and second movable contact points (41, 42) being configured to move in a direction of movement of the contact in which the first and second movable contact points (41, 42) touch the first and second fixed contact points (21, 31) and separate from the first and second fixed contact points (21, 31); a movable shaft (50) extending from the first compartment (111) to the second compartment (112) in the direction of movement of the contact, one end (51) in the direction of extension being arranged in the first compartment (111) and the other end (52) in the direction of extension being arranged in the second compartment (112) via a through-hole (121) passing through the insulating wall (12) in the direction of movement of the contact, the one end (51) in the direction of extension being connected to the movable contact (40) in the first compartment (111) and being adapted to move together with the movable contact (40) in the direction of movement of the contact; and a solenoid (60) in the second compartment (112) configured to drive the movable shaft (50) in the direction of movement of the contact; wherein the solenoid (60) comprises: a coil (64) comprising: a through hole (642) extending in the direction of movement of the contact and receiving the other end (52) of the movable shaft (50), a winding (643) and a drum (641), the winding (643) being wound around the drum (641) in the direction of movement of the contact; a fixed armature (65) mounted in the through-hole (642) at the distal end of the through-hole (642) relative to the insulating wall (12) in the direction of movement of the contact; a movable armature (66) disposed in the through-hole (642), between the fixed armature (65) and the insulating wall (12), and fixed to the other end (52) of the movable shaft (50), the movable armature (66) being adapted to move in the direction of contact between the operating position and the return position together with the movable shaft (50); the housing (10), comprising: an alignment part (123) provided in the second compartment (112) on the insulating wall (12), the alignment part (123) defining the return position of the movable armature (66), and the alignment member (123) includes a positioning bump (124) which projects from the insulating wall (12) in the direction of movement of the contact toward the movable armature (66) and contacts the movable armature (66) when the movable armature (66) is at the return position. [2] The electromagnetic relay (1) according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member (123) is provided as a part of the housing (10) as a flat surface in the second chamber (112) on the insulating wall (12). [3] Electromagnetic relay (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the movable armature (66) consists of a plurality of layers (82) laminated in a direction overlapping with the direction of movement of the contact.

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