High-Voltage Relay Contact Structure Against Instantaneous Current Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high voltage relays struggle with instantaneous high-current impacts, leading to contact separation, electric arcs, and limited mechanical and electrical life due to insufficient resistance to impulse currents, which restricts their voltage withstand level and reliability in high-voltage direct current power supply systems.
Innovation Solution
A high voltage relay design featuring an electromagnet system, control system, and contact system that generates a magnetic field to offset electric repulsion forces between contacts, allowing for rapid current breaking and increased contact distance for improved voltage withstand, using a magnetic yoke, coil framework, movable and static iron cores, transmission shaft, contact springs, and retractile springs to manage contact opening and closing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the distance between movable contact and static contact is increased to improve voltage withstand level, then insulation performance is improved, but mechanical structure complexity increases and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay is divided into independent functional modules: electromagnet system, control system, and contact system. Each module can be designed and manufactured separately, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while allowing the contact distance to be optimized for voltage withstand requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
A magnetic yoke is introduced as an intermediary component to guide and concentrate magnetic flux between the electromagnet and armature. This allows for improved voltage withstand through optimized magnetic circuit design without proportionally increasing mechanical structure complexity.
2Force
If spring plate deformation is used to exert contact pressure, then contact force is achieved, but resistance to impulse current is insufficient and breaking speed is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional purely mechanical spring plate system is replaced with an electromagnet-driven system. The electromagnet generates electromagnetic force to drive the armature, which then actuates the contact system. This substitution enables much faster response speed and higher impulse current resistance compared to spring-only mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving mechanism changes from elastic deformation (spring) to electromagnetic force generation. This parameter change allows for controlled contact pressure through electromagnetic field strength while achieving rapid breaking speed through electromagnetic actuation, significantly improving impulse current resistance.
3Reliability
If electromagnetic force is generated to offset electric repulsion force during instantaneous high current, then contact stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnet system serves dual functions: it drives the contact closing operation and simultaneously generates electromagnetic force to counteract electric repulsion during high current. This merging of functions improves contact stability without adding separate components, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnet and its magnetic circuit are designed to perform multiple functions: actuating the armature for contact closure, maintaining contact pressure, and generating counter-force during impulse current. This multi-functionality improves reliability while avoiding the need for additional specialized components.
4Speed
If miniaturized relay design is implemented to improve power supply reliability, then response speed is improved, but voltage withstand capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coil framework is nested within the magnetic yoke structure, and the armature is positioned within the magnetic circuit. This nested arrangement maximizes space utilization, allowing for compact dimensions that enable fast response while maintaining sufficient contact distance for voltage withstand through optimized magnetic flux distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic flux path is designed to utilize three-dimensional space efficiently within the compact relay structure. By optimizing the magnetic circuit geometry in multiple dimensions, the relay achieves miniaturization for fast response while maintaining the electrical clearance and creepage distance needed for voltage withstand capability.
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
The solution enables rapid current breaking, enhanced voltage withstand, and extended mechanical and electrical life with improved resistance to impact and vibration, while maintaining a compact and cost-effective design suitable for batch production.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnet system, a magnetic yoke 1, a coil framework 2, a movable iron core 9, and a static iron core 10... configured to generate a magnetic field to provide a driving force for the control system
Implementation Method 2
The contact system generates an electromagnetic force when an instantaneous high current passes the high voltage relay, to offset an electric repulsion force between the contacts
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A high voltage relay resistant to instantaneous high-current impact is disclosed, and includes an electromagnet system, a control system, a contact system, and a base support. In the present solution, an electromagnetic force generated by the contact system is used to resolve a problem of contact separation caused by an electric repulsion force generated by an instantaneous high-current.