Relay Insulation Wall and Armature Segmentation for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing relays face challenges in maintaining insulation distance between the electromagnet and contacts while minimizing the relay's size, as conventional designs often result in increased dimensions to accommodate insulation requirements.
Innovation Solution
The relay design incorporates a wall to separate the coil and contact terminal areas, with a pressing member affixed to the armature's second portion, enhancing creepage distance and reducing the pressing member's dimensions, thus maintaining insulation without increasing the relay's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an insulating wall surrounds the electromagnet and armature to secure insulation distance, then the insulation distance between movable terminal and fixed terminal is improved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base block is divided into functionally distinct first and second areas separated by a wall. The first area houses the electromagnet components (coil and iron core) while the second area accommodates the contact terminal and pressing member. This segmentation provides electrical insulation between high-voltage and low-voltage components without requiring a complete surrounding insulating enclosure, thus reducing overall device size while maintaining necessary insulation distances.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing insulation distance in all directions with a complete insulating wall, the design uses a partial wall structure that provides insulation in the critical dimension between the electromagnet and contact terminal areas. The pressing member is positioned in the second area to maintain insulation distance through spatial arrangement rather than adding thickness in all dimensions, effectively using dimensional optimization to reduce overall relay size.
2Reliability
If a pressing member is attached to the armature to secure insulation distance, then the insulation distance between movable terminal and armature is improved, but the pressing member dimensions and relay size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The armature is segmented into a first portion in the first area and a second portion extending into the second area. The pressing member is attached only to the second portion, which is positioned in the insulation-critical zone. This segmentation allows the pressing member to be compact while still providing the necessary insulation distance, as it only needs to cover the area where insulation is required rather than the entire armature length.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing member provides insulation protection locally at the critical interface between the armature and contact terminal in the second area, rather than requiring uniform insulation coverage throughout the entire armature structure. This localized approach reduces the pressing member's dimensions while maintaining insulation distance where it is most needed for electrical safety.
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 configuration effectively maintains insulation distance while preventing size increments, ensuring reliable contact operation and reduced voltage drop, even at high currents, by uniformly distributing stress and preventing deformation.
Implementation Method 1
an armature which moves by excitation of the coil
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a relay, with which an insulation distance can be maintained while preventing an increase in size of the relay. The relay has a coil, an iron core, an armature which moves by excitation of the coil, a contact terminal which displaces in accordance with the movement of the armature, a pressing member which is attached to the armature and which presses the contact terminal, and a base block having a wall arranged between a first area in which the coil and the iron core are arranged, and a second area in which the contact terminal and the pressing member are arranged, wherein the armature comprises a first portion arranged in the first area and a second portion extending from the first portion and arranged in the second area, and the pressing member is affixed to the second portion.