Contactor design configuration with improved short-circuit and switch-off functions

Abstract

This invention provides an electromagnetic contactor that offers enhanced short-circuit protection, improved switch-off capability, and minimized contact resistance. [Solution] The contact system comprises a movable contact that moves along the closing direction and a pair of stationary contacts that are positioned opposite each other along the longitudinal direction that crosses the closing direction. Each stationary contact has a C-shaped body having a first leg and a second leg positioned facing the center of the contact system and spaced apart along the closing direction. The movable contact has a first movable contact portion positioned between the first and second legs of the first stationary contact and a second movable contact portion positioned between the first and second legs of the second stationary contact. The first stationary contact and the second stationary contact each have a terminal portion extending from their respective second legs in a direction that makes a non-zero angle with the longitudinal direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a contact mechanism based on fixed and movable contacts that can operate to cut off a circuit path when a high discharge current or a short circuit occurs. More specifically, the present invention relates to a contact mechanism having a design of fixed and movable contacts that leads to influencing (leveraging) the repulsive form force generated between contacts when the contact mechanism is cut off with a high current, and an electromagnetic contactor including such a contact mechanism.

Background Art

[0002] Electromagnetic switching devices such as contacts and relays are generally used to protect high-voltage circuits and electrical equipment against overload and / or high-current discharge in a wide range of applications in industrial plants and the electric vehicle industry (e.g., batteries).

[0003] Particularly due to the continuous demand for power devices operable under increasingly higher voltages in the electric vehicle industry, there is a need for a highly short-circuit-resistant high-voltage contact that can withstand a high current of up to 21.8 kA without the risk of explosion or ignition. Also, for example, there is a need for a contact having a high switching-off ability at a current exceeding 2500 A with respect to a load voltage of 1000 V. Furthermore, due to size limitations imposed by specific applications such as an electrical box (E-box) for an electric vehicle, a contact design that can surely operate under the above-mentioned high-current and high-voltage requirements while minimizing the occupied volume is required.

[0004] Conventional contactor mechanisms include at least one stationary contact fixed to the contactor body and a movable contact that, through the operation of a contact force, remains pressed against the opposing stationary contact. This contact force is conventionally generated by the operation of an electromagnetic drive system (often an energized electromagnetic coil coupled to a movable magnetic core) and maintains the contactor mechanism closed under normal operating conditions. If a short circuit or high-current discharge occurs in the contactor mechanism, the electromagnetic drive system stops energizing, and the contact mechanism opens.

[0005] A common drawback of such conventional contactors is that when the contactor mechanism interrupts very high currents, a strong repulsive force (commonly known as the Holm force) is generated at the contact between the stationary and movable contacts. These Holm forces are associated with the actual contact area between the stationary and movable contacts, which is generally smaller than the apparent contact area, and tend to pull the movable and stationary contacts apart, thus resisting the contact force that keeps the contactor closed under normal operating conditions. The strength of the repulsive Holm force increases with the strength of the current flowing through the closed contactor, and at current discharges of 15 kA or more, it becomes very strong, which can lead to several undesirable effects. For example, a repulsive Holm force may cause the contact mechanism to open unintentionally at a lower current than desired, reducing the contact force that keeps the contact mechanism closed. Furthermore, if a short circuit occurs and the high current is interrupted, the repulsive Holm force becomes very strong, significantly increasing the speed at which the movable and stationary contacts open, and potentially causing them to be strongly pulled apart. This effect could destroy the contact mechanism and render it inoperable for future use.

[0006] The negative effects of the repulsive Holm force can be minimized by increasing the contact force, for example, by increasing the actuation force generated by the electromagnetic drive system. However, increasing the contact force requires the use of larger magnetic coils and / or a higher current supply, making this not a practical solution in many applications, especially those requiring smaller contactors.

[0007] Several contactor mechanisms have been proposed to mitigate the adverse effects associated with the repulsive Holm force.

[0008] For example, U.S. Patent No. 8,816,801(B2) proposes a contactor mechanism in which a fixed contactor is arranged in an L-shape or C-shape to generate a Lorentz force that can resist electromagnetic repulsion in the contactor opening direction when current flows through the contact mechanism. However, this design presents a new challenge: the arc extinguishing between the fixed and movable contactors is adversely affected by the Lorentz force, causing the arc to expand in a direction perpendicular to the closing direction. For this reason, the contact mechanism includes magnetic materials placed on the fixed and / or movable contactors to suppress the driving force acting on the arc. Consequently, this contactor mechanism has the disadvantage of an increased number of parts and the resulting increase in the size and manufacturing cost of the contactor mechanism.

[0009] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021093277 aims to provide an electromagnetic contactor that can improve the interruption performance by preventing the arc generated between the stationary contact and the movable contact from moving in the longitudinal direction into the movable contact element (which can cause a short circuit with metal parts inside the electromagnetic contactor). This electromagnetic contactor includes a C-shaped fixed contact and a movable contact, and the movable contact is designed with an elongated middle section so that it can generate a Lorentz force in the arc current flowing through the fixed and movable contacts and suppress the Lorentz force generated by the C-shaped fixed contact. Furthermore, the magnetic plate can be attached to the inner surface of the fixed contact, thereby shielding the magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the fixed contact and reducing the Lorentz force acting on the arc. However, the proposed design still has the drawback of being considerably larger overall, particularly due to the configuration of the input and output terminals located above the fixed contact, and / or requiring the use of additional magnetic components.

[0010] Therefore, there is still a need for compact contactor mechanisms and electromagnetic contactors that can provide reliable switch-off protection, especially under the aforementioned operating requirements, while minimizing the need for additional components such as magnetic parts. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] This invention has been made in view of the shortcomings and drawbacks of the prior art, and its objective is to provide a contactor mechanism and an electromagnetic contactor having a similar contactor mechanism that provides enhanced short-circuit protection, improved switch-off capability, and minimizes contact resistance in an optimized compact size. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] This objective is resolved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Specific embodiments of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claim.

[0013] The fundamental concept of the solution provided by the present invention is to provide a contactor mechanism configured such that at least one of the stationary contacts and the movable contacts has a specific design that enhances the overall effective contact force in the event of a short circuit by effectively utilizing the recirculation of the current flowing through the contactor mechanism to influence the repulsive Holm force generated between the stationary and movable contacts.

[0014] In particular, the contactor mechanism provided by the present invention is designed so that the current carried by at least one of its stationary contacts recirculates around the contact portion of the movable contact, thereby generating a Lorentz force between the stationary and movable contacts, capturing the contact force generated by the electromagnetic drive system, and keeping the contact system closed. As a result, the recirculating current itself tends to separate the movable and stationary contacts, making it possible to influence the repulsive action associated with the Holm force, which can cause the contact system to collapse in the event of a short circuit.

[0015] Furthermore, the stationary contacts are designed so that their respective input and output terminals are positioned along a direction of rotation of a non-zero angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the movable contacts, for example, a 90° rotation. This 90° rotation increases the overlapping length of the current paths along the stationary and movable contacts. In addition, this provides additional space perpendicular to the movable contacts, facilitating the expansion of the "volume" required to extend the length of the electric arc generated between the contacts when the switch-off occurs. The expansion of available "volume" achieved by rotating the input and output terminals by 90 degrees makes it possible to incorporate one or more arc chutes to enhance switch-off capability, or even reduce the overall size of the contactor.

[0016] As a result, the present invention makes it possible to manufacture compact contactor mechanisms (hereinafter also called contact systems) and electromagnetic contactors that can withstand very high current discharges, especially on the order of 15A or more, without collapsing.

[0017] According to the present invention, a contact system for an electromagnetic contactor is provided, comprising a movable contact configured to move along the closing direction of the contact system, and a first stationary contact and a second stationary contact arranged opposite to each other along the longitudinal direction transverse to the closing direction, wherein each of the first stationary contact and the second stationary contact has a C-shaped body having a first leg and a second leg positioned spaced apart along the closing direction and facing the center of the contact system, the movable contact having a first movable contact portion positioned between the first leg and the second leg of the first stationary contact, and a second movable contact portion positioned between the first leg and the second leg of the second stationary contact, and each of the first stationary contact and the second stationary contact has a terminal portion extending from its respective second leg toward an alignment direction that makes a non-zero angle with the longitudinal direction of the contact system.

[0018] In a further development, the alignment direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal and closing directions of the contact system, and / or the terminal portion of the first stationary contact is positioned opposite the terminal portion of the second stationary contact with respect to the longitudinal direction of the contact system.

[0019] In a further development, the first stationary contact and the second stationary contact each include an intermediate portion between their respective first and second legs, and each second leg includes an extension portion that extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction toward the center of the contact system, and has an edge to which a terminal portion is connected, the edge being inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction, and the edges being arranged to face opposite sides of the contact system.

[0020] In a further development, each of the first and second extensions extends longitudinally toward each other over a length approximately half the length of the movable contact in the longitudinal direction.

[0021] According to a further development example, the contact system is closed by moving the movable contact to a closed state position where the first movable contact portion contacts the first leg of the first stationary contact and the second movable contact portion contacts the first leg of the second stationary contact.

[0022] According to a further development example, each terminal portion is configured as a flat plate arranged to face parallel to both the alignment direction and the longitudinal direction, and each terminal portion is provided with a through hole for connecting to an input terminal or an output terminal of an external load.

[0023] According to a further development example, the movable contact extends in the longitudinal direction and is composed of one or more movable contact elements arranged adjacent to each other. Each of the one or more movable contact elements includes a first movable contact portion disposed between the first leg and the second leg of the first stationary contact, and a second movable contact portion disposed between the first leg and the second leg of the second stationary contact. When the contact system is closed, each of the first movable contact portions is configured to contact the first leg of the first stationary contact, and each of the second movable contact portions is configured to contact the first leg (130a; 430a; 530’a, 530”a; 630a) of the second stationary contact.

[0024] According to a further development example, each of the one or more movable contact elements is configured as a flat bar extending in the longitudinal direction, or each of the one or more movable contact elements is configured as an inverted U-shaped bar having an intermediate portion protruding in the closing direction through a separation region between the first stationary contact and the second stationary contact.

[0025] According to a further development example, the contact system further includes one or more permanent magnets disposed in a space surrounded by the U-shaped intermediate portion of the movable contact.

[0026] According to a further development example, the contact system further comprises a support structure for fixing the drive shaft to the middle part of the movable contact, and the support structure is configured to support the drive shaft arranged to face the outside of the contact system along the closing direction. The present invention also provides an electromagnetic contactor comprising the contact system according to the present invention and an electromagnetic drive system configured to operate the contact system to switch between a closed state and an open state.

[0027] According to a further development example, the electromagnetic drive system comprises an electromagnetic coil and a movable core configured to be coupled to the drive shaft. When the movable core is actuated by the electromagnetic actuating force generated by the electromagnetic coil, it moves the drive shaft in the closing direction, moves the movable contact towards the first stationary contact and the second stationary contact, and is configured to close the contact system.

[0028] According to a further development example, the electromagnetic drive system further comprises a return spring coupled to the movable core on the side opposite to the side coupled to the drive shaft. When the electromagnetic coil is energized to maintain the contact system in a closed state, the return spring is compressed in the closing direction by the movable core. When the energization of the electromagnetic coil is stopped to open the contact system, the return spring extends and moves the movable core and the drive shaft in the direction opposite to the closing direction.

[0029] According to a further development example, the electromagnetic contactor is formed as an assembly of a first module unit and a second module unit. The first module unit comprises a first housing half and a contact system housed inside the first housing half. The first housing half includes a through hole for passing a part of the drive shaft coupled to the contact system to the outside of the first housing half. The second module unit comprises a second housing half and an electromagnetic drive system housed inside the second housing half. The second housing half includes a through hole for inserting a part of the drive shaft protruding from the first housing half for coupling to the electromagnetic drive system.

[0030] In a further development, the electromagnetic drive system further comprises a movable contact and one or more arc chutes positioned near the contact area between the first stationary contact and the second stationary contact, respectively.

[0031] Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to address overcurrent protection without increasing the power consumed by the electromagnetic drive system. Furthermore, since an additional Lorentz force is generated in proportion to the strength of the overcurrent, effective compensation for repulsive forces is always achievable.

[0032] A further technical advantage of the present invention is that impact resistance is improved by the additional attractive force between the contacts. This also increases the contact force, resulting in a reduction in contact resistance.

[0033] The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the present invention and form part of this specification. The drawings should not be construed as limiting the present invention to examples illustrating and illustrating how the present invention is made and used.

[0034] Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following more detailed description of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0035] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a contactor mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which the contactor mechanism is shown in a closed state with the side of the movable contact coupled to the drive shaft facing upward. [Figure 2] This is a further perspective view of the contactor mechanism according to the first embodiment, in which the contactor mechanism is shown with the input and output terminals facing upwards. [Figure 3]This graph shows the simulation results for the magnetic induction B generated by a current circulating in the direction of the horizontal arrow in a contactor mechanism having the configuration shown in Figure 1, as well as the direction of the repulsive Lorentz force F1 applied to the movable contact of the contactor mechanism and the direction of the repulsive Lorentz force F2 applied to the stationary contactor of the contactor mechanism. [Figure 4] (a) A schematic diagram showing the direction of current flow along a contactor mechanism having a C-shaped design as shown in Figure 1, which closes in the reverse direction, i.e., in the direction of the downward solid arrow toward the electromagnetic drive system, as well as the direction of the additional Lorentz forces F1 and F2 generated, and (b) the direction of current flow along a conventional contactor mechanism that closes in the standard direction, i.e., in the direction of the upward solid arrow toward away from the electromagnetic drive system. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electromagnetic contactor equipped with a contactor mechanism having the configuration shown, where the electromagnetic contactor is shown in a cross-section along the closing direction of the contactor mechanism with the input and output terminals facing upwards. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the electromagnetic contactor. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of a contactor mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the contactor mechanism is shown with the side coupled to the drive shaft facing upward. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of a contactor mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention (viewed from the side connected to the drive shaft in an upward-facing orientation). [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of a contactor mechanism according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which the contactor mechanism is shown in an open state with the side coupled to the drive shaft facing upward. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0036] The present invention will now be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so as to give thoroughness and completeness to this disclosure and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Similar reference numerals refer to similar elements throughout.

[0037] Figure 1 shows a contact system 100 according to a first embodiment. The contact system 100 comprises a movable contact 110 and a pair of stationary contacts 120, 130 (hereinafter referred to as the first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130), the stationary contacts 120, 130 being configured to have a specific design that influences the repulsive Holm force generated between the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120, 130. The movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120, 130 are made of a conductive material.

[0038] The movable contact 110 is provided as a single flat bar extending longitudinally 140 over a length L (for example, along the X-axis direction as shown in Figure 1). The movable contact 110 is movable toward the stationary contacts 120 and 130 in a closing direction 150 across the longitudinal direction 140, thereby filling the separation gap between the contact portions 120a and 130a of the stationary contacts 120 and 130, respectively, and closing the contact system 100. Electrical contact with each of the stationary contacts 120 and 130 is made via the contact portions 110a and 110b (hereinafter referred to as the first movable contact portion and the second movable contact portion) at both ends of the movable contact 110 in the longitudinal direction L.

[0039] The first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130 are both designed to have a C-shaped body when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 140 (for example, along the Z-axis direction in Figure 1), and each is spaced apart in the closing direction 150 and has a pair of legs that extend toward the center of the contact system 100 along the longitudinal direction 140. As shown in Figure 1, the movable contact 110 is movable in the closing direction 150 within the internal space defined by the first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130, with the first movable contact portion 110a positioned between the first leg portion 120a and the second leg portion 120c of the first stationary contact 120, and the second movable contact portion 110b positioned between the first leg portion 130a and the second leg portion 130c of the second stationary contact 130. The first legs 120a and 130a form a contact area into which the movable contact 110 makes electrical contact when the contact system 100 is closed. The C-shaped bodies of the first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130 cause the current flowing through the closed contact system 100 to circulate around the movable contact 110, generating a repulsive Lorentz force. This repulsive Lorentz force contributes to pressing the movable contact 110 against the legs 120a and 130a of the first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130, as will be described later.

[0040] The contact portions 110a and 110b of the movable contact 110 are connected by a projecting mechanism, for example, an intermediate central region 110c provided with a flange, which extends from both sides in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal length L, in order to fix the support structure 200 to the movable contact 110. The support structure 200 carries a drive shaft 210 coupled to a contact spring 220, and the contact spring 220 is positioned to contact the upper side of the intermediate portion 110c in order to apply a contact force to the movable contact 110. The drive shaft 210 is movable along the closing direction 150, for example, along the Y-axis as shown in Figure 1, and drives the movement of the movable contact 110 along this direction between two positions corresponding to the closed and open states of the contact system 100. In the closed state position as shown in Figure 1, the movable contact 110 is displaced in the closing direction 150 until the contact portions 110a and 110b of the movable contact 110 electrically contact the corresponding contact portions 120a and 130a of the stationary contacts 120 and 130, respectively, thereby closing the electrical path between the first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130. In the open state position, the movable contact 110 is displaced in the opposite direction away from the contact portions 120a and 130a, thereby interrupting the electrical path between it and the stationary contacts 120 and 130.

[0041] As shown in Figure 5, the support structure 200 is designed to be mounted on the upper side of the movable contact 110, which faces the electromagnetic drive system 310 when attached to the electromagnetic contactor 300. Because the support structure 200 is located outside the contact system 100, it is possible to reduce the internal space between the movable contact 110 and the second legs 120c, 130c of the stationary contacts 120, 130, and consequently, to shorten the distance between the currents flowing along these parts. This has the advantage of increasing the strength of the repulsive Lorentz force generated and reducing the overall size of the contactor mechanism 100 in the closing direction 150. The contact spring 220 makes it possible to maintain good contact between the movable contact 110 and the drive shaft 210 at all times and to compensate for the oscillation of the movable contact 110 caused by unbalanced repulsive Holm forces generated on the left and right sides of the movable contact 110.

[0042] The first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130 are each positioned on both sides of the movable contact 110 in the longitudinal direction 140, for example, to the left and right of the movable contact 110 when viewed from the side shown in Figure 1, with the contact portions 120a and 130a positioned opposite each other above the contact portions 110a and 110b of the movable contact 110.

[0043] Specifically, the stationary contact 120 is configured with an intermediate portion 120b whose upper and lower parts are bent at approximately 90° toward the movable contact 110. The first contact portion 120a (or first leg portion) is formed as a flat portion extending from the upper part of the intermediate portion 120b and therefore extends in a direction parallel to the upper side of the movable contact 110, overlapping with the contact portion 110a of the movable contact 110. On the opposite side of the C-shaped body, the stationary contact 120 has an extended portion 120c as a second leg portion, extending from the lower part of the intermediate portion 120b, parallel to the lower side of the movable contact 110, over a portion of its longitudinal length L. For approximately half (L / 2) of the longitudinal length of the movable contact 110, the extended portion 120c has a curved shape with an edge 120e that deviates toward the alignment direction 160, which crosses the closing direction 150 of the contact system 100 and deviates toward the alignment direction 160, which forms a non-zero angle with the longitudinal direction 140, for example, a 90° angle as shown in Figure 1.

[0044] Furthermore, the stationary contact 120 is configured to have a terminal portion 120d for connecting the contact system 100 to the terminals of an external load (not shown), such as an output terminal. Since the terminal portion 120d of the stationary contact 120 is connected to the inclined edge portion 120e of the extended portion 120c, the terminal portion 120d is not positioned below the movable contact 110, but is offset from it by a given non-zero angle, for example, 90°, in the alignment direction 160. The terminal portion 120d is designed as a flat plate positioned to face a plane (for example, plane XZ in Figure 1) that crosses the closing direction 150 of the contact system 100 in order to connect to the load terminal from the vertical direction.

[0045] The second stationary contact 130 is also constructed with a C-shaped body similar to that of the first stationary contact 120. As shown in Figure 1, the C-shaped body of the second stationary contact 130 has an intermediate section 130b at the top which is bent at approximately 90° toward the movable contact 110, and the contact section 130a (first leg) extends from the intermediate section 130b in a direction parallel to the upper side of the movable contact 110, so it overlaps with the contact section 110b of the movable contact 110 located below it. The intermediate section 130b is also bent at the bottom, and the second leg, including the extended section 130c, extends from the bottom downwards toward the center of the contact system 100 along the longitudinal direction 140 toward the center of the contact system 100, beneath the lower side of the movable contact 110. Both the contact portion 130a and the extension portion 130c are configured as flat plates oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the closing direction 150. Furthermore, the extension portion 130c is also designed to have a curved shape with an edge 130e that deviates by a non-zero angle, such as -90°, in the opposite direction to the direction in which the inclined edge portion 120e of the extension portion 120c of the first stationary contact 120 deviates, that is, in the direction across the closing direction 150 of the contact system 100.

[0046] The terminal portion 130d of the stationary contact 130, to which the other terminal of the load (not shown), such as the input terminal, may be electrically connected, extends from the inclined edge portion 130e of the extending portion 130c and is therefore also deviated away from the longitudinal direction 140. As a result, the terminal portion 130d is not positioned below the movable contact 110, but is rotated from there by a given non-zero angle, for example -90°, with respect to the alignment direction 160.

[0047] Therefore, in this configuration, the terminal portions 120d, 130d extending from the second legs 120c, 130c of the stationary contacts 120, 130 are deviated in the opposite direction, away from the longitudinal direction 140, so that they are positioned along the alignment direction 160 which makes a non-zero angle with the longitudinal direction 140 of the contact system 100.

[0048] Figure 2 shows the movable contact 110 and stationary contacts 120, 130 of the contact system 100 without the support structure 200, viewed from below, on the side where the terminals 120d, 130d are connected to the load terminals (not shown). As shown in Figure 2, the specific design of the first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130 results in a contact system 100 in which the terminal portions 120d and 130d to which the output and input terminals of the load are connected are aligned along an alignment direction 160 that is rotated by an inversion angle, for example, 90°, with respect to the other branch portion of each stationary contact 120 and 130 (i.e., along the Z-axis direction in Figure 1). This alignment direction 160 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 140 of the movable contact 110 and the closing direction 150 of the contact system 100, and therefore differs from the alignment of terminals in the longitudinal direction 140 of the movable contact 110 used in the prior art.

[0049] The 90° inversion alignment of terminals 120d and 130d provides several advantages over the standard longitudinal alignment of input and output terminals used in conventional technologies, such as the electromagnetic contactor discussed in the background technology section above.

[0050] Firstly, the 90° reversal alignment makes it possible to maximize the length of the extended portions 120c and 130c, allowing them to extend over approximately half the length L of the movable contact 110. This maximizes the overlap between the current path along the longitudinal length of the movable contact 110 and the current path along the stationary extended portions 120c and 130c on both sides of the movable contact 110, and consequently maximizes the Lorentz force generated between the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120 and 130. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the input current (I_in) input to the stationary terminal portion 130d first circulates parallel to the movable contact 110 along the extended portion 130c, wraps around the movable contact portion 110b of the movable contact 110, flows along the C-shaped stationary contact 130, then reaches the stationary contact portion 130a, and from there flows to the movable contact 110. Subsequently, the input current I is transported toward the stationary contact 120 along the longitudinal direction 140 of the movable contact 110, which is substantially parallel to the current path of the opposing extended portion 130c, and the stationary contact 120 receives this current from the contact portion 120a. The received current then circulates along the C-shaped stationary contact 120, wraps around the movable contact portion 110a of the movable contact 110, is transported along the extended portion 120c along a current path parallel to the current direction I in the movable contact 110, and then exits from the terminal portion 120d (I_out). As a result, because the C-shapes of the stationary contacts 120 and 130 surround the movable contact 110 at least partially, the current paths along the extended portions 120c and 130c generate a repulsive Lorentz force F1 on the movable contact 110, as these currents flow in the opposite direction to the current flow I in the movable contact 110. Similarly, the circulation of current flowing through the contact system 100 generates a repulsive Lorentz force F2, i.e., a force directed in the opposite direction to the Lorentz force F1, applied to each of the extended portions 120c and 130c of the stationary contacts 120 and 130. Figure 4(a) shows a simplified diagram of the current paths (solid arrows) along the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120 and 130 when the contact system 100 is closed, as well as the directions of the respective Lorentz forces F1 and F2.

[0051] Figure 3 shows the simulation results for the direction of magnetic induction B and the repulsive Lorentz forces F1 and F2 generated by the current circulating through the upper branch sections of the stationary contacts 120 and 130 and the movable contact 110 (along the direction of the solid arrows).

[0052] The repulsive Lorentz force F1 applied to the movable contact 110 and the Lorentz forces F2 applied to each of the stationary contacts 120 and 130 act in opposite directions, creating an additional force that compensates for the contact force applied to the movable contact 110 by the drive shaft 210, keeping the contact system 100 closed under normal operating conditions. Therefore, if the contact system 100 operates to interrupt a very high current in the event of a short circuit, the repulsive Holm force generated by the discharge current flowing through the contact area between the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120 and 130 can be counteracted by the repulsive Lorentz force generated by the circulating effect of the current flowing through the closed contact system 100.

[0053] Secondly, by reversing the position of the terminal portions 120d and 130d by 90°, the length of the extended portions 120c and 130c can be maximized, and consequently, the strength of the repulsive Lorentz force of the movable contact 110 over a given length can be increased. Therefore, this design is advantageous for realizing a contact system 100 with a compact size in the longitudinal direction 140. Furthermore, by designing the terminal portions 120d and 130d as flat plates arranged parallel to the extended portions 120c and 130c, that is, perpendicular to the closing direction 150, it is also possible to reduce the size of the contact system 100 in the closing direction 150.

[0054] Thus, the C-shaped configuration of the stationary contacts 120 and 130, each with its extended portions 120c and 130c, and the 90° inverted alignment of the output terminal 120d and input terminal 130d, respectively, allows for an influence on the repulsive force between the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120 and 130. This increases the effective contact force when interrupting high current during a short circuit. Consequently, it also affects the speed at which the contact system 100 opens during a short circuit. Furthermore, this ensures that the contact system 100 does not accidentally open at currents below a desired threshold. In this sense, the design of the contact system 100 achieves effective short-circuit prevention.

[0055] Electrical contact between the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120 and 130 is established via sets of contact islands 112 and 114, each located on at least one of the opposing sides. For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 1, a pair of adjacent contact islands 112 are formed on the upper side of the movable contact portion 110a, opposite the stationary contact portion 120a, dividing the current flow into two branches. Similarly, the right-side movable contact portion 110b includes a pair of adjacent contact islands 114 positioned above and opposite the stationary contact portion 130a. Each of the stationary contact portions 120a and 130a may also be provided with a corresponding pair of contact islands (not shown) positioned on the side opposite the movable contact 110 and aligned with the corresponding contact islands 112 and 114 of the opposing movable contact portions 110a and 110b. Therefore, the contact islands 112 and 114 form a single region in which the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120 and 130 of the contact system 100 can establish mechanical and electrical contact with each other, thereby ensuring that the current carried by the movable contact 110 circulates along the C-shaped path established in the first stationary contact 120 and the second stationary contact 130, thereby improving contact stability.

[0056] An exemplary electromagnetic contactor 300, comprising a contact system 100, is shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0057] The electromagnetic contactor 300 is mechanically coupled to the movable contact 110 via a drive shaft 210 and includes an electromagnetic drive system 310 that generates a contact force to hold the movable contact 110 in the closed position, i.e., pressed against the stationary contacts 120 and 130, under normal operating conditions. For example, the electromagnetic drive system 310 includes a movable magnetic core 312 (e.g., an iron core) and an electromagnetic coil 315 configured to generate an electromagnetic actuation force that acts on the movable magnetic core 312 when an energizing current is supplied. With an appropriate energizing current, the generated electromagnetic force causes the movable magnetic core 312 to be displaced in the closing direction 150 of the contact system 100. Next, the movable magnetic core 312 is pushed into the electromagnetic coil 315, thus moving the drive shaft 210 coupled to it in the closing direction 150, and pressing the return spring 318 housed in the internal cavity 319 of the movable magnetic core 312. As a result, the movable contact 110 is pressed against the stationary contacts 120, 130, and the contact system 100 is closed. When the electromagnetic coil 315 is de-energized, the electromagnetic actuation force disappears, and the movable magnetic core 312 is pushed back in the opposite direction to the closing direction 150 together with the drive shaft 210 by the release force of the return spring 318. As a result, the movable contact 110 separates away from the stationary contacts 120, 130, and the contact system 100 opens.

[0058] In other words, the contact system 100 closes when the electromagnetic coil 315 generates sufficient actuation force to keep the contacts 110, 120, and 130 closed, and opens when the coil 315 stops energizing (for example, due to a short circuit).

[0059] The contact system 100 is mounted inside the housing 340 of the electromagnetic contactor 300. The stationary contacts 120 and 130 are fixed to the housing 340 and are fitted with terminal sections 120d and 130d located outside the housing 340 for connection to the output and input terminals of a load or power circuit (not shown) protected by the contact system 100. The terminal sections 120d and 130d may be provided with through holes 170 for receiving or inserting load terminals.

[0060] The electromagnetic contactor 300 may be provided with arc chutes 350 located inside the housing 340, adjacent to the contact area 360 between the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120 and 130, respectively, in order to dissipate arc currents that may be generated when the contact system 100 suddenly opens and interrupts a high-current discharge.

[0061] The housing 340 protects the contact system 100 from the external environment (e.g., moisture) and prevents anything that could interfere with the operation of the contact system 100. The housing 340 may be a modular housing formed by a first half 342 configured to house the contact system 100 and a second half 344 configured to house the contact system 100, such as those shown in Figures 5 and 6. The first housing half 342 and the second housing half 344 may be provided as self-contained, closed units that can be assembled together to form the housing 340 of the electromagnetic contactor 300. For example, the first half 342 may be configured as a closed housing unit having a through hole on the side facing the second half 344, and the drive shaft 210 can be coupled to an electromagnetic drive system 310 located inside the second half 344 via the through hole to form the first module unit 300a. Similarly, the second half 344 may be configured as a closed housing unit having a through hole on the side facing the first half 342, and the drive shaft 210 coupled to a contact mechanism 100 located inside the first half 342 can protrude through the through hole and be coupled to an electromagnetic drive system 310 located inside the second half 344 to form the second module unit 300b. Thus, the electromagnetic contactor 300 can be designed in a modular manner, allowing for easy configuration with various coil configurations and contact mechanism options. Furthermore, the modular design also simplifies the assembly of the electromagnetic contactor 300.

[0062] As described above, the recirculation of high current along the C-shaped current path surrounding the movable contact 110 from the left and right sides generates a repulsive Lorentz force between the extended portions 120c, 130c and the movable contact 110. These repulsive Lorentz forces tend to press the movable contact 110 against the contact portions 120a, 130a, thus adding to the contact force that keeps the contact system 100 closed. Furthermore, it should be noted that the recirculation of current also includes parallel current paths established along the stationary contact portions 120a, 130a and the movable contact portions 110a, 110b, which carry current in the same direction. These currents, while exhibiting attractive characteristics here, also generate additional Lorentz forces that tend to push the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120 and 130 against each other, thereby adding to the contact force that keeps the contact system 100 closed.

[0063] Therefore, the contact force generated by the electromagnetic coil 315 to maintain the contact system 100 in a closed state is automatically supplemented by an additional force generated solely by the circulation of current along the contact system 100, without the need to add additional magnetic components to the contact system 100 or increase the current supplied by the electromagnetic drive system 310.

[0064] Furthermore, since the Lorentz force increases with the strength of the circulating current, the length of the parallel current paths, and the reduction in the separation distance between the parallel current paths, the dimensions of the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120, 130, as well as the separation distance between them, may be set according to the specific application of the contactor, thereby generating an additional force of appropriate strength. For example, the additional repulsive Lorentz force can be increased by extending the overlapping length of the longitudinal parallel current paths along each of the movable contact 110 and the stationary contacts 120, 130. In particular, the length of the extensions 120c, 130c is preferably equal to or close to half the longitudinal length L of the movable contact 110 in order to maximize the additional repulsive Lorentz force.

[0065] As will be explained below with reference to Figures 7 to 9, the fundamental principle underlying the effects realized by the specific shapes of the stationary contacts 120 and 130 described with reference to the first embodiment is also advantageously applicable to other configurations of the contact system.

[0066] Figure 7 shows a contact system 400 according to a second embodiment. The contact system 400 comprises a movable contact 410 and a pair of stationary contacts 420 and 430 (hereinafter referred to as the first stationary contact 420 and the second stationary contact 430). Similar to the contact system 100 described above, the movable contact 410 moves relative to the stationary contacts 420 and 430 along the closing direction 450, i.e., along the Y direction in Figure 7, and can be switched between a closed state and an open state by the operation of a drive system, such as the electromagnetic drive system 310 described above with reference to Figures 5 and 6. The stationary contacts 420 and 430 are configured with the same design as the stationary contacts 120 and 130 described above. Specifically, both stationary contacts 420, 430 are designed to have a C-shaped body (viewed from the Z-axis direction in Figure 7), each having a pair of legs 420a, 420c and 430a, 430c that extend toward the center of the contact system 400 along the longitudinal direction (the X-axis direction in Figure 7) across the closing direction 450, separated by their respective intermediate portions 420b, 430b, and 420a, 430c respectively. Also, similar to the first embodiment, each of the stationary contacts 420, 430 also includes terminal portions 420d, 430d that extend from the legs 420c, 430c of the stationary contacts 420, 430 and are located on either side of the longitudinal direction along the alignment direction (the Z-axis direction in Figure 7) which makes a non-zero angle with the longitudinal direction of the contact system 400. Therefore, the effect on the repulsive Holm force at the contact point between the movable contact 410 and the stationary contacts 420 and 430 is the same as in the first embodiment and will not be described again below.

[0067] Similar to the first embodiment, the movable contact 410 establishes electrical contact with each of the stationary contacts 420 and 430 via contact portions 410a and 410b (hereinafter referred to as movable contact portions) located at both ends along the longitudinal direction of the movable contact 410 and facing the corresponding contact portions 420a and 430a of the first legs of the stationary contacts 420 and 430, respectively. However, the movable contact 410 differs from the first embodiment in that its central intermediate portion 410c is raised in the closing direction 450 of the contact system 400 by lateral branch portions 410d and 410e connected to the contact portions 410b and 410a, respectively, forming an inverted U shape (viewed from the Z-axis direction in Figure 7). The U-shaped opening is oriented downward, i.e., in the opposite direction to the closing direction 450. The intermediate region 410c to which the support structure 200 is attached has a fixed flange similar to that described above with reference to Figure 1. In the contact system 400, the connection with the support structure 200 that supports the drive shaft 210 is still made from the upper side of the intermediate portion 410c, as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the opening and closing operation of the contact system 400 is the same as the operation described above for the first embodiment.

[0068] The inverted U-shaped configuration of the movable contact 410 provides additional space between the movable contact 410 and the stationary contacts 420, 430, which can be used to house additional components within the contact system 400, such as a permanent magnet 440 to enhance arc extinguishing capabilities. For example, the magnetic induction introduced by the permanent magnet 440 may add an additional force to counteract arc deflection, which may be formed across the contacts between the movable contact 410 and the stationary contacts 420, 430 toward the center of the contact system 400 by a Lorentz force generated by a current circulating along the vertical sections 420b, 430b of the stationary contacts 420, 430. Furthermore, although the intermediate section 410c rises in the direction of the drive shaft 210, i.e., toward the electromagnetic drive system, the contact system 400 does not represent a significant compromise in terms of the volume occupied inside the electromagnetic contactor, such as the electromagnetic contactor 300 described above. For example, the length of the drive shaft 210 may be shortened to compensate for the increased height of the contact system 400 in the closing direction 450.

[0069] Therefore, the contact system 400 still utilizes the specific C-shaped design of the stationary contacts 420 and 430 to achieve the effect of influencing the repulsive Holm force via the Lorentz force generated by the circulation of current in the C-shaped contacts 420 and 430, while allowing for the incorporation of additional components within the contact system 400, such as the permanent magnet 440, without compromising the compact size of the contactor.

[0070] Figure 8 shows a contact system 500 according to a third embodiment. The contact system 500 differs from the second embodiment in that it comprises a pair of stationary contacts 520 and 530 (hereinafter referred to as the first stationary contact 520 and the second stationary contact 530) and a pair of separate movable contact elements 510' and 510'' as movable contacts to establish a contact bridge between the stationary contacts 520 and 530. The stationary contacts 520 and 530 are constructed with the same design as the stationary contacts 120 and 130 described above. Specifically, each stationary contact 520, 530 is designed to have a C-shaped body (viewed, for example, from the Z-axis direction in Figure 8), each having a pair of legs 520a, 520c and 530a, 530c that extend toward the center of the contact system 500 along the longitudinal direction (the X-axis direction in Figure 8), separated in the closing direction 550 of the contact system 500 by their respective intermediate portions 520b, 530b. Also, similar to the first embodiment, each of the stationary contacts 520, 530 also includes respective terminal portions 520d, 130d that extend from the second legs 520c, 530c of the stationary contacts 520, 530 and are positioned on both sides along the longitudinal direction, along the alignment direction (for example, along the Z-axis direction in Figure 8) which makes a non-zero angle with the longitudinal direction of the contact system 500. Therefore, the effect on the repulsive Holm force at the contact point between the movable contact 510 and the stationary contacts 520 and 530 is the same as in the first embodiment and will not be described again below.

[0071] Similar to the movable contact 410 of the second embodiment, the movable contact elements 510' and 510'' are each configured as rods having a U-shaped design and are arranged to face the same direction with respect to the closing direction 550 of the contact system 500, that is, they have an inverted U-shape orientation with respect to the Y-axis direction as shown in Figure 8. For example, as shown in Figure 8, the first movable contact element 510' has a central portion 510'c that rises in the closing direction 550 to a height exceeding the stationary contact portions 520a and 530a by lateral vertical branch portions 510'd and 510'e, at least when the contact system 500 is in the closed state. The contact portions 510'a and 510'b of the movable contact 510', which electrically contact the stationary contact portions 520a and 530a of the stationary contacts 520 and 530 respectively, are connected perpendicularly to the lateral branch portions 510'd and 510'e from the left and right sides, respectively, thereby completing the U-shape (viewed from the Z direction) of the first movable contact element 510'. The second movable contact element 510'' is positioned adjacent to the first movable contact element 510' in a direction perpendicular to the closing direction 550, and is configured to have a U-shape of the same size as the first movable contact element 510', and in particular, has a raised intermediate portion 510''c that forms a U-shape by being connected to each contact portion via a vertical branch portion.

[0072] To operate the contact system 500, a support structure for supporting the drive shaft, for example, a support structure 200, may be attached to both the first movable contact element 510' and the second movable contact element 510'' from above the intermediate sections 510'c, 510''c, as described with reference to the second embodiment. The intermediate sections 510'c, 510''c may also include suitable flanges (not shown) for attachment to the support structure 200, similar to the configuration shown in Figure 7.

[0073] Furthermore, the movable contact elements 510' and 510'' are movable as blocks along the closing direction 550, and the left and right contact portions 510'a, 510''b and 510''a, 510''b respectively are brought into contact with the stationary contacts 520 and 530, and the contact system 500 is closed by the operation of a drive system, such as the electromagnetic drive system 310 described above, with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

[0074] By using multiple movable contact elements 510', 510'' to bridge the stationary contacts 520, 530, the current flowing through the contact system 500 can be divided into multiple parallel branches, thereby reducing the contact repulsion force and lowering the contact resistance.

[0075] Furthermore, by employing a plurality of U-shaped movable contact elements 510', 510'' with intermediate sections 510'c, 510''c oriented to rise in the direction of the drive shaft (not shown), the contact system 500 also achieves increased space between the movable contacts 510', 510'' and the stationary contacts 520, 530 to accommodate additional components, such as permanent magnets (not shown), without significantly compromising its compact size. Therefore, the contact system 500 still utilizes the specific C-shaped design of the stationary contacts 520 and 530 to achieve influence on the repulsive Holm force via the Lorentz force generated by the circulation of current in the C-shaped contacts 520 and 530, while allowing for the incorporation of additional components into the contact system 500 without compromising its compact size.

[0076] Figure 9 shows a contact system 600 according to the fourth embodiment. The contact system 600 differs from the first embodiment in that it comprises a pair of stationary contacts 620 and 630 (hereinafter referred to as the first stationary contact 620 and the second stationary contact 630) and includes a plurality of separate movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 as movable contacts that establish a contact bridge between the stationary contacts 620 and 630. The first stationary contact 620 and the second stationary contact 630 are each configured with the same design as the stationary contacts 120 and 130 described above. Specifically, the stationary contacts 620 and 630 are each positioned apart in the closing direction 650 of the contact system 600 by their respective intermediate portions 620b and 630b, and are designed to have a C-shaped body (viewed from the Z-axis direction in Figure 9) with a pair of legs 620a, 620c and 630a, 630c extending toward the center of the contact system 600 along the longitudinal direction (the X-axis direction in Figure 9). Also, similar to the first embodiment, each of the stationary contacts 620 and 630 also includes terminal portions 620d and 630d, respectively, extending from the second legs 620c and 630c of the stationary contacts 620 and 630, and positioned on both sides of the longitudinal direction along the alignment direction (the Z-axis direction in Figure 9) which makes a non-zero angle with the longitudinal direction of the contact system 600. Therefore, the effect on the repulsive Holm force at the contact point between the movable contact 610 and the stationary contacts 620 and 630 is the same as in the first embodiment and will not be described again below.

[0077] Similar to the movable contact 110 of the first embodiment, the movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 each extend along the same longitudinal direction to fill the gap between the contact portions 620a and 630a of the first stationary contact 620 and the second stationary contact 630, and are configured as flat bars arranged adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the closing direction 650 of the contact system 600, i.e., in the Z-axis direction as shown in Figure 9. For example, as shown in Figure 9, the first movable contact element 610-1 is configured to have a central portion 610-1c between the left and right contact portions 610-1a and 610-1b, respectively. When the contact system 600 is closed, the movable contact 610-1 electrically contacts the opposing stationary contact portions 620a and 630a, respectively, via the contact portions 610-1a and 610-1b. The other movable contact elements 610-2 to 610-4 are configured to have the same shape and size as the first movable contact element 610-1.

[0078] Multiple movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 are arranged adjacent to each other in directions perpendicular to both the closing direction 650 and the longitudinal direction L. The movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 are movable as blocks along the closing direction 650 of the contact system 600 by the operation of the drive shaft 612, so that their respective left and right contact portions contact the contact portions 620a and 630a of the stationary contacts 620 and 630, respectively, thereby closing the contact system 600. The contact system 600 may be operated by the operation of a drive system that causes the movement of the drive shaft 612 along the closing direction 650, such as the electromagnetic drive system 310 described above with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

[0079] To simultaneously apply contact force to the four movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4, the drive shaft 612 may be fixed to a plate 615 extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L across the intermediate portions of each of the movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4. Oscillation of the fixing plate 615 due to unbalanced forces or irregularities between the multiple movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 can be prevented by placing contact springs 620', 620'' on the fixing plate 615, one on each side of the drive shaft 612. The contact springs 620', 620'' and the fixing plate 615 may be surrounded by a support structure similar to the support structure 200 shown in Figure 1, which is fixed to the movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 and positioned above each intermediate portion, such as above the intermediate portion 610-1c shown in Figure 9. The movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 may be firmly fixed to one or more sets of fixing rods 660 that extend downward from the lower side of the movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4, thereby allowing these movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 to move as a single unit as a block.

[0080] Although not shown in Figure 9, the electrical contact between the movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4 and the stationary contacts 620 and 630 of the contact system 600 is preferably established via a contact island, which may be formed on the upper side of the contact portions of the movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4, such as on the contact portions 610-1a and 610-1b of the movable contact element 610-1 shown in Figure 9, on the lower side of the contact portions 620a and 630a of the first stationary contact 620 and the second stationary contact 630, or both.

[0081] By using multiple movable contacts to bridge the stationary contacts 620 and 630, the current flowing through the contact system 600 can be divided into multiple parallel branches, thereby reducing the contact repulsion force and lowering the contact resistance. The contact system 600 is shown as comprising four movable contact elements 610-1 to 610-4. However, the number of movable contact elements in this embodiment is not limited to four.

[0082] Therefore, the contact system 600 also utilizes the specific C-shaped design of the stationary contacts 620 and 630 described with reference to the first embodiment in order to achieve influence on the repulsive Holm force via the Lorentz force generated by the current circulation in the C-shape, without compromising its compact size. This configuration, which includes multiple movable contacts, can be advantageous in applications requiring a contact system that reduces in size along the longitudinal direction but does not necessarily limit the lateral dimensions. In this case, the effect of reducing the longitudinal length of a single movable contact on the additional force generated by the repulsive Lorentz force can be compensated for by the multiplicative effect of multiple adjacent movable contacts. This configuration also makes it possible to reduce contact resistance by dividing the current flowing through the contact system 600 into multiple branches.

[0083] Any of the contact systems described above with reference to Figures 7 to 9 may be implemented in an electromagnetic contactor, such as the electromagnetic contactor 300 described above with reference to Figures 5 and 6. The specific dimensions and separation intervals between contacts in any of the contact systems described above can be optimized by experiment and / or by using simulation methods known in the art, according to specific application and operating parameters, such as the discharge current that the contact system must withstand, the contact force generated by the magnetic coil, the overall size constraints that the contact system must satisfy, and the conductive material used for the contacts (including the cross-sectional area of ​​the contacts that affects the contact resistance). The materials used in the manufacture of the movable and stationary contacts are conductive materials selected based on their ability to withstand erosion and mechanical stress caused by repeated switching and to provide stable resistance under arc discharge.

[0084] In summary, the contact system in any of the above configurations allows for an improvement in the contact force generated by the electromagnetic drive system through the shape of the stationary contacts and their arrangement relative to the movable contacts. This, in turn, allows for the use of the Lorentz force naturally generated by the recirculation of current in the stationary contacts to influence the repulsive Holm force generated by the current flowing through the contacts at high discharge currents of 15 kA or more. Therefore, the present invention provides a compact and reliable contact system and electromagnetic contactor for protecting electrical equipment used in high-voltage applications. This prevents the destruction of the contact system due to the sudden opening of the contacts during a short circuit.

[0085] In the above description, the longitudinal direction is the direction along the X-axis in Figure 1, and the closing direction is the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, i.e., the direction along the Y-axis. Furthermore, in the above description, the terms “upper side” or “upward” are used to refer to the side or direction facing the closing direction of the contact system. In any case, while terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upward,” “downward,” “up,” or “down,” “left,” and “right” have been used to describe certain features of the exemplary embodiments described above, these terms are used merely to facilitate the description of each feature and their relative orientation, and should not be interpreted as limiting the use of the claimed invention to a specific spatial orientation. Furthermore, while the present invention has been described above with reference to electromagnetic contactors for high-current applications, contact systems according to the principles of the present invention are also advantageously applicable to relays and switching devices intended for low-voltage applications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 100 Contact system of the first embodiment 110 Movable Contact 110a, 110b Contact portion of movable contact 110c Intermediate central region of the movable contact 112, 114 Contact island of the contact portion of the movable contact 120 First static contact 130 Second static contact 120a, 130a Contact portion of stationary contact 120b, 130b Intermediate part of stationary contact 120c, 130c Extended portion of stationary contact 120d Static contact terminal (or output section) 130d Static contact terminal (or input) 120e, 130e Inclined edge of the extended portion 140 Longitudinal direction of the contact system 150 Closing direction of the contact system 160 Alignment direction 170 Through hole 200 Support structure 210 Drive shaft 220 Contact spring 300 Electromagnetic Contactor 300a First Module Unit 300b Second Module Unit 310 Electromagnetic Drive System 312 Movable magnetic core 315 Electromagnetic coil 318 Return spring 319 Hollow cavity of magnetic core 340 Housing 342 First housing half of the first module unit 344 Second housing half of the second module unit 350 Arc Shoot 360 contact area 400 Contact system of the second embodiment 410 U-shaped movable contact 410a, 410b Contact portion of movable contact 410c Intermediate part of the movable contact 410d, 410e Vertical part of movable contact 420 First stationary contact 430 Second stationary contact 420a, 430a Contact portion of stationary contact 420b, 430b Intermediate section of stationary contact 420c, 430c Extended portion of stationary contact 420d Static contact terminal (or output section) 430d Static contact terminal (or input) 420e, 430e Inclined edge of the extended section 440 Magnets 450 Closing direction of the contact system 500 Contact system of the third embodiment 510' First movable contact element 510” Second movable contact element 510'a, 510'b Contact portion of the first movable contact element 510'c Intermediate part of the first movable contact element 510"c Intermediate part of the second movable contact element 510'd, 510'e Vertical parts of the first and movable contact elements 520 First static contact 530 Second static contact 520a, 530a Contact portion of stationary contact 520b, 530b Intermediate section of stationary contact 520c, 530c Extended portion of stationary contact 520d Static contact terminal (or output section) 530d Static contact terminal (or input) 520e Inclined edge of the extended section 550 Closing direction of the contact system 600 Contact system of the fourth embodiment 610-1~610-4 Movable Contact Elements 610-1a, 610-1b Contact portion of the first movable contact element 610-1c Intermediate part of the first movable contact element 612 Drive shaft 615 Fixed plate 620', 620" contact spring 620 First static contact 630 Second stationary contact 620a, 630a Contact portion of stationary contact 620b, 630b Intermediate section of stationary contact 620c, 630c Extended portion of stationary contact 620d Static contact terminal (or output section) 630d Static contact terminal (or input) 620e, 630e Inclined edge of the extended section 650 Closing direction of the contact system 660 Set of Fixing Rods

Claims

1. A contact system for electromagnetic contactors, - A movable contact (110; 410; 510', 510''; 610-1 to 610-4) configured to move along the closing direction (150) of the contact system, - First stationary contacts (120; 420; 520; 620) and second stationary contacts (130; 430; 530; 630) are arranged opposite to each other along the longitudinal direction (140) that crosses the closing direction (150) and Equipped with, Each of the first stationary contacts (120; 420; 520; 620) and the second stationary contacts (130; 430; 530; 630) has a C-shaped body having first legs (120a, 130a; 420a, 430a; 520a, 530a; 620a, 630a) and second legs (120c, 130c; 420c, 430c; 520c, 530c; 620c, 630c) arranged to face the center of the contact system and spaced apart along the closing direction (150), The movable contacts (110; 410; 510', 510''; 610-1 to 610-4) are first movable contact portions (110a; 410a; 510'a, 51) positioned between the first legs (120a; 420a; 520a; 620a) and the second legs (120c; 420c; 520c; 620c) of the first stationary contact (120; 420; 520; 620) It has 0"a; 610-1a to 610-4a) and a second movable contact portion (110b; 410b; 510'b, 510"b; 610-1b to 610-4b) positioned between the first leg portion (130a; 430a; 530a; 630a) and the second leg portion (130c; 430c; 530c; 630c) of the second stationary contact (130; 430; 530; 630), A contact system comprising the first stationary contacts (120; 420; 520; 620) and the second stationary contacts (130; 430; 530; 630), each having terminal portions (120d, 130d; 420d, 430d; 520c, 530c; 620c, 630d) extending from their respective second legs (120c, 130c; 420c, 430c; 520c, 530c; 620d, 630d) toward an alignment direction (160) that forms a non-zero angle with the longitudinal direction (140) of the contact system.

2. The alignment direction (160) is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (140) and the closing direction (150) of the contact system, and / or The contact system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal portions (120d; 420d; 520d; 620d) of the first stationary contact (120; 420; 520; 620) are arranged on the opposite side of the terminal portions (130d; 430d; 530d; 630d) of the second stationary contact (130; 430; 530; 630) with respect to the longitudinal direction (140) of the contact system.

3. The first stationary contact (120; 420; 520; 620) and the second stationary contact (130; 430; 530; 630) each include an intermediate portion (120b, 130b; 420a, 430a; 520a, 530a; 620a, 630a) between the respective first leg portion (120a, 130a; 420a, 430a; 520a, 530c; 620c, 630c) and the second leg portion (120c, 130c; 420c, 430c; 520c, 530b; 620b, 630b), Each second leg portion (120c, 130c; 420c, 430c; 520c, 530c; 620c, 630c) is an extension portion that extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (140) toward the center of the contact system, and includes an extension portion having an edge portion (120e, 130e; 420e, 430e; 520e; 620e, 630e) to which the terminal portions (120d; 420d; 520d; 620d) are connected. The contact system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the edges (120e, 130e; 420e, 430e; 520e; 620e, 630e) are inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction (140), and the edges (120e, 130e; 420e, 430e; 520e; 620e, 630e) are arranged to face opposite sides of the contact system.

4. The contact system according to claim 3, wherein each of the first extended portion (120c; 420c; 520c; 620c) and the second extended portion (130c; 430c; 530c; 630c) extends toward each other in the longitudinal direction (140) over a length of approximately half the length of the movable contact (110; 410; 510', 510''; 610-1 to 610-4) in the longitudinal direction (140).

5. The contact system allows the movable contacts (110; 410; 510', 510''; 610-1 to 610-4) to contact the first movable contact portion (110a; 410a; 510'a, 510''a; 610-1a to 610-4a) with the first leg portion (120a; 420a; 520a; 620a) of the first stationary contact (120; 420; 520; 620). The contact system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second movable contact portion (110b; 410b; 510'b, 510"b; 610-1b to 610-4b) is moved to a closed position in which it contacts the first leg portion (130a; 430a; 530a; 630a) of the second stationary contact (130; 430; 530; 630), thereby closing the system.

6. Each terminal portion (120d, 130d; 420d, 430d; 520d, 530d; 620d, 630d) is configured as a flat plate arranged parallel to both the alignment direction (160) and the longitudinal direction (140), and each terminal portion (120d, 130d; 420d, 430d; 520d, 530d; 620d, 630d) is provided with a through hole (170) for connecting to an input terminal or output terminal of an external load, according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The movable contacts (110; 410; 510', 510''; 610-1 to 610-4) are composed of one or more movable contact elements that extend in the longitudinal direction (140) and are arranged adjacent to each other, and each of the one or more movable contact elements (110; 410; 510', 510''; 610-1 to 610-4) is the first leg portion (120a; 420a; 520a; 620a) and the second leg portion (120c; 420) of the first stationary contact (120; 420; 520; 620) It comprises a first movable contact portion (110a; 410a; 510'a, 510"a; 610-1a to 610-4a) positioned between the first leg portion (130a; 430a; 530a; 630a) and the second leg portion (130c; 430c; 530c; 630c) of the second stationary contact (130; 430; 530; 630), and a second movable contact portion (110b; 410b; 510'b, 510"b; 610-1b to 610-4b) positioned between the first leg portion (130a; 430a; 530a; 630a) and the second leg portion (130c; 430c; 530c; 630c), The contact system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the contact system is closed, each of the first movable contact portions (110a; 410a; 510'a, 510"a; 610-1a to 610-4a) is configured to contact the first leg portions (120a; 420a; 520'a, 520"a; 620a) of the first stationary contact (120; 420; 520; 620), and each of the second movable contact portions (110b; 410b; 510'b, 510"b; 610-1b to 610-4b) is configured to contact the first leg portions (130a; 430a; 530'a, 530"a; 630a) of the second stationary contact (130; 430; 530; 630).

8. Each of the one or more movable contact elements (110; 610-1 to 610-4) is configured as a flat bar extending in the longitudinal direction (140), or The contact system according to claim 7, wherein each of the one or more movable contact elements (410; 510', 510") is configured as an inverted U-shaped rod having intermediate portions (410c; 610-1c to 610-4c) that protrude in the closing direction (150) through a separation region between the first stationary contact (420; 520) and the second stationary contact (430, 530).

9. The contact system according to claim 8, further comprising one or more permanent magnets (440) disposed within the space surrounded by the U-shaped intermediate portions (410c; 510'c, 510''c) of the movable contacts (410; 510', 510'').

10. The device further includes a support structure (200) for fixing the drive shaft (210) to the intermediate portion (110c; 410c; 510', 510''; 610-1 to 610-4c) of the movable contacts (110; 410; 510'c, 510''c; 610-1c to 610-4c), The contact system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the support structure (200) is configured to support the drive shaft (210) which is positioned toward the outside of the contact system along the closing direction (150).

11. A contact system according to any one of claims 1 to 10 (100; 400; 500; 600), An electromagnetic drive system (310) configured to operate the contact system (100; 400; 500; 600) to switch between a closed state and an open state, and An electromagnetic contactor equipped with the following features.

12. The electromagnetic drive system (310) comprises an electromagnetic coil (315) and a movable magnetic core (312) configured to be coupled to a drive shaft (210). The electromagnetic contactor according to claim 11, wherein the movable magnetic core (312), when actuated by an electromagnetic operating force generated by the electromagnetic coil (315), moves the drive shaft (210) in the closing direction (150), moving the movable contacts (110; 410; 510'; 510''; 610-1 to 610-4) toward the first stationary contacts (120; 420; 520; 620) and the second stationary contacts (130; 430; 530; 630), thereby closing the contact system (100; 400; 500; 600).

13. The electromagnetic drive system (310) further comprises a return spring (318) coupled to the movable magnetic core (312) on the opposite side of the side coupled to the drive shaft (210), When the electromagnetic coil (315) is energized and the contact system (100; 400; 500; 600) is kept closed, the return spring (318) is compressed in the closing direction (150) by the movable magnetic core (312). The electromagnetic contactor according to claim 12, wherein when the electromagnetic coil (315) stops energizing and opens the contact system (100; 400; 500; 600), the return spring (318) extends, moving the movable magnetic core (312) and the drive shaft (210) in the opposite direction to the closing direction (150).

14. The electromagnetic contactor is formed as an assembly of a first module unit (300a) and a second module unit (300b), The first module unit (300a) comprises a first housing half (342) and the contact system (100;400;500;600) housed inside the first housing half (342), the first housing half (342) includes through holes for passing a portion of the drive shaft (210), which is coupled to the contact system (100;400;500;600), through to the outside of the first housing half (342). The electromagnetic contactor according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the second module unit (300b) comprises a second housing half (344) and the electromagnetic drive system (310) housed inside the second housing half (344), the second housing half (344) includes a through hole for inserting the portion of the drive shaft (210) that protrudes from the first housing half (342) to couple with the electromagnetic drive system (310).

15. The electromagnetic contactor according to any one of claims 10 to 14, further comprising one or more arc chutes (350) disposed near the contact area (360) between the movable contacts (110; 410; 510', 510''; 610-1 to 610-4) and each of the first stationary contacts (120; 420; 520; 620) and the second stationary contacts (130; 430; 530; 630).

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