Contact assembly and contactor having same

Abstract

The present application provides a contact assembly, which is used for being mounted in a housing of a switch device. The contact assembly comprises a return spring, two contact bridges and a contact support. One end of the return spring is connected to a bottom face. The contact support is arranged between the return spring and the two contact bridges, the contact support comprising a support body, a spring mounting part and at least two limiting protrusions, the spring mounting part being connected to the other end of the return spring, and the limiting protrusion being formed by a portion on the support body near a side wall extending in a sliding direction. Under the action of a return force of the return spring, the contact support abuts the contact bridges and provides an action force to the contact bridges toward a top face. The contact assembly of the present application can prevent the contact support thereof from turning over when transported or falling, improving the reliability of the products that the contact assembly is used in. The present utility model also provides a contactor that is provided with the contact assembly.

Description

[0001] TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of low-voltage electrical equipment, and in particular to a contact assembly and a contactor having the same. Background Art: AC contactors can be divided into main and auxiliary circuits based on the current they carry. The auxiliary circuit primarily relies on dynamic and static auxiliary contacts to connect and disconnect the auxiliary circuit current. Because the auxiliary circuit current is generally very low, if the dynamic and static auxiliary contacts have foreign matter on their surfaces or are exposed to air for a long time, causing oxidation or sulfurization, their contact resistance becomes very high, making it difficult to connect the auxiliary circuit current. This reduces the reliability of the auxiliary circuit connection, resulting in the inability of the device terminals to receive signals transmitted by the auxiliary contacts, which may ultimately cause the device to alarm or malfunction. Therefore, research on improving the reliability of the auxiliary contacts is extremely important. Currently, the main method for improving the reliability of the auxiliary circuit connection is to use a dual contact bridge solution. The two contact bridges are independent of each other. Because the two contact bridges are independent of each other, even if foreign matter or oxidation occurs on the silver point of one contact bridge, the other contact bridge can still connect the auxiliary circuit current, thus greatly improving the auxiliary circuit's connection reliability. However, due to the constraints of the combined suction and reaction force characteristics of the entire product, the initial pressure of the auxiliary contact assembly's return spring is generally very low. During transportation or dropping of the contactor, the spring seat can easily flip within the mounting cavity of the switchgear housing, causing the contact bridge in the auxiliary contact assembly to flip. Furthermore, the contact bridge itself can also easily flip within the mounting cavity. This can ultimately lead to functional failure of the contactor product. SUMMARY OF THE UTILITY MODEL This utility model aims to provide a contact assembly that prevents the contact support of the contact assembly from flipping during transportation or dropping, thereby improving the reliability of the product in which the contact assembly is used. This utility model provides a contact assembly for installation in a switchgear housing. The housing is provided with a mounting cavity comprising two side walls and opposing bottom and top surfaces. The contact assembly comprises a return spring, two contact bridges, and a contact support. One end of the return spring is connected to the bottom surface. The contact support is disposed between the return spring and the two contact bridges. The contact support comprises a support body, a spring mounting portion, and at least two position-limiting protrusions. The spring mounting portion is connected to the other end of the return spring. The position-limiting protrusions extend from a portion of the support body near the side wall along the sliding direction. The contact bridges and contact support are capable of sliding along the side walls in the sliding direction. Under the restoring force of the return spring, the contact support abuts against the contact bridges and applies a force to the contact bridges toward the top surface.The contact support of the present invention is provided with a limiting protrusion. During the contact support's sliding process, the limiting protrusion cooperates with the sidewall of the switchgear housing mounting cavity, preventing the contact support from tipping over. In another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, each sidewall is provided with a slide rail, and two protrusions are provided on the side of the support body proximate to the sidewall. The two protrusions cooperate to form a slide groove corresponding to the slide rail. The limiting protrusion is positioned at the location of the protrusions, or positioned near the slide groove. This contact support design further prevents the contact support from tipping over. In yet another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, each sidewall is provided with a slide groove, and a protrusion is provided on the side of the support body proximate to the sidewall. The protrusions form a sliding portion corresponding to the slide groove. The limiting protrusions are positioned at the sliding portion, or positioned on both sides of the sliding portion. This contact support design further prevents the contact support from tipping over. In another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, the contact bridge is provided with a limiting structure that cooperates with the sidewall. The limiting structure can abut against the sidewall to limit movement of the contact bridge in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction, thereby restricting movement of the contact bridge in the sliding direction. In another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, the limiting protrusion extends toward the bottom surface along the sliding direction; alternatively, the limiting protrusion extends toward the top surface along the sliding direction; alternatively, the limiting protrusion extends toward both the top surface and the bottom surface along the sliding direction. In another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, at least two limiting protrusions are symmetrically distributed on the bracket body with the spring mounting portion as the center. Due to this symmetrical design, this contact assembly has greater stability and increased anti-flip reliability. In another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, each contact bridge is provided with a position-limiting connection portion, the position-limiting connection portion protruding from the contact bridge toward the support body; the support body is provided with a connecting groove corresponding to the position-limiting connection portion, the position-limiting connection portion being at least partially received within the connecting groove. The contact assembly of the present invention, provided with the position-limiting connection portion and the connecting groove, enables the contact support to limit the position of the contact bridge in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction, thereby preventing the contact bridge from flipping. In another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, each contact bridge is provided with a side projection on a surface facing the other contact bridge; the support body is provided with two position-limiting blocks, the two side projections being disposed between the two position-limiting blocks.The contact assembly of the present invention uses a stopper on the support body and a side protrusion on the contact bridge to prevent the contact bridge from falling off the support body. In another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, the stopper connection portion is a stamped protrusion structure, located near the side protrusion. This approach is easy to implement and low-cost. In another exemplary embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention, the stopper connection portion is formed by bending the side protrusion toward the support body. This approach is simple in structure and easy to implement. The present invention also provides a contactor comprising a housing. The contactor further comprises any of the above-described contact assemblies, the contact assembly being disposed within the housing. This contactor prevents the contact support of the contact assembly within the housing from tipping over during transport or dropping, thereby improving the reliability of the contactor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following figures are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating one embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a contact support and contact bridge of a contact assembly according to the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the contact support and contact bridge shown in Figure 2 from another perspective. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a contact support and contact bridge in another embodiment of a contact assembly according to the present invention. The reference numerals are as follows:

[0002] 100 contact assembly

[0003] 110 return spring

[0004] 120 contact bracket

[0005] 121 bracket body

[0006] 1211 Bump

[0007] 1212 Chute

[0008] 1213 connection slot

[0009] 122 Spring mounting portion

[0010] 123 Limiting convex part

[0011] 124 limit block 130 contact bridge

[0012] 131 side bulge

[0013] 132 Limiting structure

[0014] 133 raised structure

[0015] 200 shell

[0016] 210 mounting cavity

[0017] 211 Bottom

[0018] 212 sidewall

[0019] 2121 Slide Rail

[0020] A. Specific Implementation Methods of Sliding Direction: To provide a clearer understanding of the technical features, objectives, and effects of the present invention, specific implementation methods of the present invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Identical reference numerals in the various figures indicate components with identical or similar structures and identical functions. As used herein, "schematic" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any illustration or implementation method described herein as "schematic" should not be construed as a preferred or advantageous technical solution. For simplicity, the figures schematically illustrate only portions relevant to the present invention; they do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for simplicity and ease of understanding, in some figures, only one component with the same structure or function is schematically depicted or labeled. "One" herein refers not only to "only one" but also to "more than one." Terms such as "first" and "second" are used herein solely to distinguish one from another, and do not indicate importance or order. Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating one implementation method of a contact assembly according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the contact support and contact bridge of the contact assembly of the present invention. Referring to Figure 1 , a contact assembly 100 is shown. The contact assembly 100 can be installed in a housing 200 of a switch device. The housing 200 of the switch device includes a mounting cavity 210 comprising two opposing sidewalls 212, two opposing bottom surfaces 211, and a top surface. The contact assembly 100 is mounted in the mounting cavity 210 and can slide along the sidewalls 212 in a sliding direction A. The contact assembly 100 includes a return spring 110, a contact support 120, and two contact bridges 130. The contact support 120 is disposed between the return spring 110 and the two contact bridges 130. Mounting portions for securing the ends of the return spring 110 are provided on the bottom surface 211 of the mounting cavity 210 and on the contact support 120, respectively. The mounting portion on the contact holder 120 is a spring mounting portion 122, which can be configured as a boss, recess, or other form. In the non-operating state, under the reset force of the reset spring 110, the contact holder 120 abuts against the contact bridge 130 and applies a force toward the top surface of the contact bridge 130, forcing the contact bridge 130 to abut against the top surface of the mounting cavity 210. In the operating state, the contact holder 120 and the contact bridge 130 compress the reset spring 110, causing the contact bridge 130 to slide toward the bottom surface 211.The contact holder 120 also includes a holder body 121 and a limiting protrusion 123. The limiting protrusion 123 is formed by extending a portion of the holder body 121 near the side wall 212 along the sliding direction A. The number of limiting protrusions 123 can be two, four, or another number. Because the limiting protrusions 123 are formed by the extension of the holder body 121, the limiting protrusions 123 can abut against the side wall 212 during transportation or when the contact holder 120 is dropped, preventing the contact holder 120 from flipping toward the side wall 212, thereby improving the reliability of the contact assembly 100. The limiting protrusion 123 can be designed in various ways. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , the limiting protrusion 123 can extend toward the bottom surface 211 along the sliding direction A; the limiting protrusion 123 can also extend toward the top surface along the sliding direction A; or the limiting protrusion 123 can extend toward both the top surface and the bottom surface 211 along the sliding direction A. To further improve the reliability of the contact assembly, the multiple limiting protrusions 123 can be designed to be symmetrically distributed on the bracket body 121 with the spring mounting portion 122 as the center. If the sliding structure on the sidewall 212 of the mounting cavity 210 is designed in a different manner, the contact assembly can be designed with a corresponding structure that matches the sliding structure, and the placement of the limiting protrusions 123 can be further designed based on the corresponding structure. For example, taking the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 as an example, a slide rail 2121 is provided on each of the two sidewalls 212 of the mounting cavity 210. Accordingly, two protrusions 1211 (as shown in Figure 3) can be provided on the side of the bracket body 121 near the sidewall 212. The two protrusions 1211 cooperate with each other, and the area between them forms a slide groove 1212 corresponding to the slide rail 2121. When the bracket body 121 is assembled into the mounting cavity 210, the slide rail 2121 falls into the slide groove 1212. In this manner, the limiting protrusion 123 can be provided at the location of the protrusion 1211, that is, the limiting protrusion 123 can be formed by extending the protrusion 1211 along the sliding direction A. Furthermore, the limiting protrusion 123 can also be provided on the bracket body 121 at a location near the slide groove 1212, that is, it can be formed by extending the edge portion of the bracket body 121 near the slide groove 1212 along the sliding direction A. For example, in another optional exemplary embodiment, a slide groove can be provided on each of the two sidewalls 212 of the mounting cavity 210. Accordingly, a protrusion can be provided on one side of the bracket body 121 near the sidewall 212, with the protrusion forming a sliding portion corresponding to the slide groove.When the bracket body 121 is assembled into the mounting cavity 210, the two protrusions of the bracket body 121 slide into the two sliding grooves of the two sidewalls 212 of the mounting cavity 210. In this manner, the limiting protrusion 123 can be provided at the location of the sliding portion, that is, the limiting protrusion 121 can be formed by the sliding portion extending along the sliding direction A. In addition, the limiting protrusions 123 are provided on both sides of the sliding portion, that is, they can be formed by portions of the bracket body located on both sides of the sliding portion extending along the sliding direction A. Referring to Figure 2, to prevent the contact bridge 130 from escaping from the mounting cavity 210, the contact bridge 130 can also be provided with a limiting structure 132 that cooperates with the sidewalls 212. The limiting structure 132 can abut against the sidewalls 212 to limit the movement of the contact bridge 130 in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction A, thereby limiting the movement of the contact bridge 130 in the sliding direction. For example, the limiting structure 132 may be a groove corresponding to the slide rail 2121 described in FIG1 (see structure 132 shown in FIG3 ). FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of the contact support and contact bridge shown in FIG2 from another perspective. To prevent the contact bridge from flipping, cooperating limiting structures may be provided on the contact bridge 130 and the contact support 120. Specifically, each contact bridge 130 may be provided with a limiting connection portion that protrudes from the contact bridge 130 toward the support body 121. The support body 121 may be provided with a connecting groove 1213 corresponding to the limiting connection portion, and the limiting connection portion is at least partially accommodated within the connecting groove 1213. By providing the limiting connection portion and the connecting groove, the contact support can limit the contact bridge in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction, thereby preventing the contact bridge from flipping. To facilitate positioning of the two contact bridges 130 when assembled on the contact support 120, a side protrusion 131 can be provided on the surface of each contact bridge 130 facing the other contact bridge 130. Two stoppers 124 are provided on the support body 121, with the two side protrusions 131 positioned between the two stoppers 124. During assembly, the two side protrusions 131 are positioned facing the other contact bridge 130 and arranged sequentially along the length of the contact bridge 130. Referring to Figure 3 , the position-limiting connection portion on the contact bridge 130 can be a protrusion structure 133 stamped and formed on the contact bridge 130. This protrusion structure 133 can be positioned near the side protrusion 131 to fully utilize the space within the contact bridge 130. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a contact support and contact bridge in another embodiment of the contact assembly of the present invention. Figure 4 illustrates another implementation of the position-limiting connection portion.Each of the two contact bridges 130 is provided with a side protrusion 131, which bends toward the bracket body 121 to form a position-limiting connection. The position-limiting connection can be at least partially accommodated in a connection groove 1213 on the bracket body 121. During assembly, the two position-limiting blocks 124 shown in Figure 4 are positioned toward the contact bridge 130, with the two contact bridges positioned between the two position-limiting blocks. The present invention also provides a contactor comprising a housing 200. The contactor also includes a contact assembly as described above, disposed within the housing 200. This contactor prevents the contact bracket within the contact assembly from tipping over during transport or dropping, thereby improving the reliability of the contactor. The various embodiments of the contactor have the same effects and functions as their corresponding contact assemblies 100 and are not further described here. It should be understood that although this specification describes various embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This description is provided for clarity only. Those skilled in the art should consider this specification as a whole. The technical solutions in the various embodiments can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that are understandable to those skilled in the art. The series of detailed descriptions listed above are merely specific illustrations of feasible embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent implementations or modifications that do not depart from the technical spirit of the present invention, such as the combination, division, or repetition of features, are intended to be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A contact assembly, for installation in a housing (200) of a switch device, wherein the housing (200) is provided with an installation cavity (210), wherein the installation cavity (210) comprises two side walls (212) and a bottom surface (211) and a top surface that are arranged opposite to each other, and wherein: The contact assembly comprises: a return spring (110), one end of which is connected to the bottom surface (211); two contact bridges (130); and a contact support (120), which is arranged between the return spring (110) and the two contact bridges (130), the contact support (120) comprising a support body (121), a spring mounting portion (122) and at least two limiting protrusions (123), the spring mounting portion (122) being connected to the other end of the return spring (110), the limiting protrusion (123) being formed by extending a portion of the support body (121) close to the side wall (212) along a sliding direction (A); wherein the contact bridge (130) and the contact support (120) are capable of sliding along the side wall (212) in the sliding direction (A), and when the return spring (110) Under the action of the resetting force, the contact support (120) abuts against the contact bridge (130) and provides a force acting on the contact bridge (130) in a direction towards the top surface.

2. The contact assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the side walls (212) is provided with a slide rail, and two protrusions are provided on a side of the bracket body (121) close to the side wall (212), and the two protrusions cooperate to form a slide groove corresponding to the slide rail; the limiting protrusion (123) is arranged at the position of the protrusion, or the limiting protrusion (123) is arranged at a position close to the slide groove.

3. The contact assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the side walls (212) is provided with a slide groove, and a protrusion is provided on a side of the bracket body (121) close to the side wall (212), and the protrusion forms a sliding part corresponding to the slide groove; the limiting protrusion (123) is arranged at the position of the sliding part, or the limiting protrusion (123) is arranged on both sides of the movable part.

4. The contact assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The contact bridge (130) is provided with a limiting structure (132) cooperating with the side wall (212), and the limiting structure (132) can abut against the side wall (212) to limit the movement of the contact bridge (130) in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction (A), thereby limiting the movement of the contact bridge (130) in the sliding direction (A).

5. The contact assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting protrusion (123) extends along the sliding direction (A) toward the bottom surface (211); or, 7 The limiting protrusion (123) extends along the sliding direction (A) towards the top surface; or, the limiting protrusion (123) extends along the sliding direction (A) towards the top surface and the bottom surface (211).

6. The contact assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least two of the limiting protrusions (123) are symmetrically distributed on the bracket body (121) with the spring mounting portion (122) as the center.

7. The contact assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: A limit connection portion is provided on each of the contact bridges (130), the limit connection portion protruding from the contact bridge (130) in the direction of the bracket body (121); a connection groove (1213) corresponding to the limit connection portion is provided on the bracket body (121), and the limit connection portion is at least partially accommodated in the connection groove (1213).

8. The contact assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the contact bridges (130) is provided with a side protrusion (131) on a surface facing the other contact bridge (130); two limit blocks (124) are provided on the bracket body (121), and the two side protrusions (131) are arranged between the two limit blocks (124).

9. The contact assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: The limiting connection portion is a protruding structure (133) formed by stamping, and the protruding structure (133) is arranged at a position close to the side protrusion (131).

10. The contact assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: The limiting connection portion is formed by bending the side protrusion (131) in the direction of the bracket body (121).

11. A contactor, comprising a housing (200), characterized in that: The contactor further comprises a contact assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the contact assembly is arranged in the housing (200). 8

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