Electromagnetic Relay Card Support via Segmented Protrusions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electromagnetic relays face issues with card portions experiencing play and potential disconnection, especially when the card moves significantly, due to unreliable supporting structures and play at the movable segment position.
Innovation Solution
The electromagnetic relay design incorporates a base with protrusions and holes that allow the card to swing freely, supported by a hinge spring mechanism, ensuring stable operation even during large movements by preventing play and maintaining reliable contact through a fitting protrusion and hole configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the card is supported by a base with groove or cutout shape bearings, then the card can swing freely, but the card portions have play and may come off especially when the card moves greatly
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into multiple protrusions that engage with corresponding holes in the card at different positions. This segmentation provides multiple support points along the card's swing path, ensuring the card remains securely engaged throughout its entire range of motion rather than relying on a single bearing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure transitions from a single-plane groove or cutout bearing to a multi-dimensional array of protrusions and holes. The protrusions are positioned at different locations (including intermediate positions) to constrain the card's movement in multiple dimensions, preventing play and disconnection while maintaining free swinging motion.
2Reliability
If the movable segment pushes the card against the base to prevent displacement, then displacement is prevented at the push position, but the card may have play at positions where the card is not pushed against the base sufficiently
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on a single pushing point from the movable segment, the base incorporates multiple protrusions positioned at different locations including intermediate positions between the movable segment and contact segments. These distributed protrusions provide continuous support and constraint throughout the card's swing path, eliminating play at all positions rather than just at the pushing location.
3Ease of operation
If a rotating shaft formed in a card is inserted in a supporting portion with cutout shape, then the card can be supported, but the rotating axis cannot be maintained reliably
Solution Approach 1:
The single cutout supporting portion is replaced by multiple discrete protrusions positioned at different locations on the base. These protrusions engage with corresponding holes in the card to provide distributed rotational support, maintaining the rotating axis more reliably through multiple constraint points rather than a single cutout bearing.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure evolves from a two-dimensional cutout bearing to a three-dimensional array of protrusions at varying positions. This multi-dimensional arrangement of protrusions and holes provides superior rotational constraint and axis maintenance compared to the planar cutout shape, while still allowing free swinging motion.
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
This design stabilizes the card's movement and prevents disconnection, ensuring reliable operation and reduced noise, even during significant movement, by securely engaging the card and movable piece, thus enhancing the overall performance of the relay.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnet unit, a movable piece movable due to a function of the electromagnet unit
Data Source
AI summary
An electromagnetic relay includes a base, an electromagnet unit, a movable piece movable due to a function of the electromagnet unit, a card that is supported by the base so as to swing freely and is swung by the movable piece, and a contact structure that is opened and closed by swinging of the card, the card and the base respectively having protrusions and holes so that the protrusions fit into the holes to enable the card to swing freely.