Latching Relay Soft Magnetic Core Magnetization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional latching relays require cumbersome magnet level biasing and face difficulties in selecting and placing bias magnets for double-pole relays, especially due to magnetic field interactions, which complicates the activation and deactivation of reed switches.
Innovation Solution
A latching relay design that uses a single pulse of current to magnetize and a degaussing current to demagnetize a permanent magnet, allowing for efficient activation and deactivation of contact switches without the need for opposing polarity pulses, utilizing a coil wound around the permanent magnet to achieve this.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional latching relays use permanent magnets with careful magnet level biasing, then the relay can maintain activated or deactivated states, but the manufacturing process becomes cumbersome and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the permanent magnet from the conventional latching relay design and replaces it with a soft magnetic core. This eliminates the need for careful magnet level biasing and selection, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining the relay's ability to hold states through the soft magnetic core's hysteresis properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the magnetic parameter of the core material from permanent magnetism to soft magnetic properties with appropriate hysteresis. By selecting a soft magnetic core with specific B-H loop characteristics, the relay achieves stable state maintenance without requiring permanent magnets, thereby simplifying manufacturing
2Ease of operation
If conventional latching reed relays use two bias magnets for double-pole relays, then each reed switch can be biased, but magnetic field interaction between magnets complicates the design and placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the biasing function for both reed switches into a single soft magnetic core structure. The soft magnetic core is positioned to provide magnetic coupling to both reeds simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate bias magnets and avoiding magnetic field interactions between multiple magnets
Solution Approach 2:
The soft magnetic core serves multiple functions: it provides magnetic coupling for both reed switches, maintains magnetic flux during switching, and enables both activation and deactivation through coil pulses. This multi-functional design simplifies the overall structure compared to using multiple permanent magnets
3Duration of action of stationary object
If conventional latching relays use permanent magnets, then the activated state is maintained, but the deactivation process requires reverse polarity current pulses to cancel the magnet's field
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the natural hysteresis loop of soft magnetic materials to copy the latching behavior of permanent magnets without their drawbacks. The soft magnetic core retains magnetization after a forward pulse and requires a reverse pulse of opposite polarity to demagnetize, replicating the permanent magnet's bistable behavior while allowing easier control through the reverse pulse mechanism
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid and efficient switching of reed switches with reduced complexity in magnet selection and placement, allowing for reliable operation of double-pole relays by maintaining the switched state through magnetization and deactivating with degaussing, thus simplifying the relay's operation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one coil winding around the at least one permanent magnet
Implementation Method 2
the latching relay consumes power only when the relay is switched... Once the relay switches, an additional magnetic field is not required to sustain the switched state
Data Source
AI summary
A latching relay may be shown and described. The latching relay may use a reed switch, a permanent magnet and a coil. The permanent magnet may be magnetized by pulsing current through the coil, and demagnetized by degaussing current. Also, the magnetized magnet may maintain an activated state of the reed switch, and the demagnetized magnet may maintain a deactivated state of the reed switch.