High Voltage Relay Vacuum Sealing and Getter Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high voltage relays suffer from minimal shock and vibration capability, leading to gas molecule leaks through weld joints and metal walls, which degrade their high voltage performance and result in early failure due to outgassing and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A sintered metal getter is used within a stainless steel mesh enclosure to absorb gas molecules and prevent particle release, combined with a heating element to enhance vacuum levels and survive shock and vibration, while hermetically sealing the coil assembly to prevent contamination of the switch compartment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional relays enclose the entire coil and contact assembly in one compartment without separate sealing, then manufacturing is simpler, but gas molecules leak through weld joints and metal walls degrading high voltage capability
Solution Approach 1:
The relay is divided into two separately sealed compartments: a coil compartment and a contact assembly compartment. This segmentation allows each compartment to be independently sealed, preventing gas molecule leakage that would degrade high voltage capability, while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil assembly is extracted and separately enclosed in its own sealed compartment, isolated from the contact assembly compartment. This extraction eliminates the need for complex weld joints between compartments and prevents outgassing from the coil from contaminating the high voltage switching area.
2Reliability
If a sintered metal getter is used to absorb gas molecules, then vacuum levels improve, but the getter may release particles under shock and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
A mesh screen is introduced as an intermediary component between the sintered metal getter and the switch cavity. The mesh screen allows gas molecules to pass through to the getter for absorption while physically blocking solid particles from entering the switch cavity, thus resolving the contradiction between vacuum stability and particle contamination prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh screen utilizes its porous structure to selectively permit gas molecules to pass through while blocking larger solid particles. This porous material approach enables the getter to maintain vacuum levels without the risk of particle release into the high voltage switching area.
3Use of energy by moving object
If permanent magnets are used to hold the armature in position, then power consumption is reduced, but the relay requires larger size to accommodate two magnets
Solution Approach 1:
One permanent magnet is extracted from the traditional dual-magnet configuration and replaced with a spring mechanism. This extraction reduces the relay size while the spring provides the necessary mechanical force to hold the armature in the open position without requiring constant power, achieving energy efficiency with a more compact design.
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 effectively prevents outgassing and contamination, enhancing the reliability and longevity of high voltage relays by maintaining a stable vacuum and withstanding shock and vibration without releasing particles, thus improving their high voltage capability.
Implementation Method 1
a sintered metal getter...absorb gas molecules
Implementation Method 2
a heating element configured to heat the sintered metal getter
Implementation Method 3
a stainless steel mesh configured to permit the entry of gas and configured to prohibit the release of fragments
Data Source
AI summary
Various high voltage systems may benefit from a suitable relay system. For example, a relay box may be provided with a shock and vibration resistant arrangement including a sealed coil box within the sealed relay box. For example, an apparatus can include a coil box containing coils, inside pole pieces, and permanent magnets, wherein the coils, inside pole pieces, and permanent magnets can be configured to actuate an armature assembly external to the coil box. The apparatus can also include outside pole pieces configured to move a relay armature of the armature assembly responsive to energizing of the coils. Moving the relay armature can include overcoming a latching of at least one of the permanent magnets.