Relay Leakage Current Reduction via Extended Insulation Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electromagnetic relays in compact designs experience significant leakage currents between the magnetic and contact systems, particularly due to the small distance and thin base plate, which affects their performance in applications like automotive engineering.
Innovation Solution
The relay incorporates strategically placed walls on the base plate and housing to extend the leakage-current path, including a first wall acting as a guide for the actuator and a third wall that overlaps the first and second walls, ensuring a longer leakage path while maintaining a compact design and precise actuator guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the relay design is reduced in size and the base plate is made thin, then the relay becomes more compact and space-efficient, but the leakage current between the magnetic system and contact system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the wall extending from the base plate) between the magnetic system and contact system to block the direct leakage current path. This wall acts as a mediator that physically interrupts the harmful current flow while allowing the compact design to be maintained, as the wall is integrated into the existing base plate structure rather than adding separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the two-dimensional leakage path by extending the blocking structure into a third dimension - the wall extends vertically from the base plate surface. This dimensional transition creates a three-dimensional barrier that effectively blocks leakage current without increasing the horizontal footprint of the relay, thus maintaining compactness while reducing leakage.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If walls are added to extend the leakage-current path, then leakage current is reduced, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the leakage current blocking function with the existing base plate structure by forming the wall as an integral extension of the base plate. This integration combines multiple functions (structural support and leakage blocking) into a single component, reducing overall device complexity while effectively extending the leakage current path.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it blocks leakage current, provides mechanical support, and can be integrated with actuator guidance features. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby extending the leakage current path without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If walls are added to extend the leakage-current path, then leakage current is reduced, but the relay occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a thin wall extension from the base plate to block leakage current. This thin-film approach creates an effective barrier against leakage current while minimizing the volume occupied by the blocking structure. The wall is sufficiently thin that it does not significantly increase the overall relay volume, yet effectively interrupts the leakage path.
4Volume of moving object
If the base plate is made thin for compact design, then the relay is more compact, but the leakage current path becomes shorter and leakage current increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compensates for the short leakage current path caused by the thin base plate by extending the blocking structure into the vertical dimension. The wall extends upward from the base plate, creating a three-dimensional barrier that effectively lengthens the leakage current path without increasing the horizontal dimensions, thus maintaining compactness while addressing the leakage issue.
Data Source
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AI summary
A relay (28) includes a housing (40), a magnetic system (29) with an armature (3), a contact system (30) with a movable second contact (11) and a first contact (9). A base plate (16) is located between the magnetic system and the contact system. An actuator (19) is guided through an opening (24) of the base plate from a side of the armature to a side of the contact system and is in active contact with the armature and the contact system. The second contact is moved by the armature via the actuator to change a switch position of the contacts. A wall (20, 21) protrudes from the housing and is located between the opening and the magnetic system or between the opening and the contact system so that a leakage path for an electrical leakage current between the contact system and the magnetic system is extended by the wall.