Silent Electromagnetic Relay Spring Housing Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional silent electromagnetic relays require changes in the armature's bending angle and elastic member shape to maintain silencing effect with customer specifications, complicating parts control and increasing manufacturing costs, and struggle to achieve high silencing due to metal-to-metal contacts.

Innovation Solution

The use of first and second silent springs with fixed shapes, positioned to maintain constant distance between the moving iron and magnetic pole, allowing them to contact non-metallic housing components, reducing noise absorption and simplifying manufacturing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the bending angle of the armature is changed to adapt to customer specifications, then the relay can meet different operating voltage and return voltage requirements, but the shape of the elastic member must also be changed to maintain silencing effect, which complicates parts control and increases manufacturing cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecification adaptabilityVSAvoidparts control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The armature is separated into two independent components: the main armature body and the elastic member (silent spring). The elastic member is designed as an independent component with a standard shape that can be easily replaced or adjusted without changing the main armature structure. This segmentation allows different armature configurations for different specifications while maintaining a standardized elastic member design, thereby simplifying parts control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic member is designed with a universal shape and mounting structure that can be used across different relay specifications. By standardizing the elastic member design (making it universally applicable), the patent enables adaptation to various customer specifications without requiring custom elastic members for each specification, thus reducing parts complexity and manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the bending angle of the armature is changed to adapt to customer specifications, then the relay can meet different operating voltage and return voltage requirements, but the shape of the elastic member must also be changed to maintain silencing effect, which increases manufacturing cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecification adaptabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The armature is separated into two independent components: the main armature body and the elastic member (silent spring). The elastic member is designed as an independent component with a standard shape that can be easily replaced or adjusted without changing the main armature structure. This segmentation allows different armature configurations for different specifications while maintaining a standardized elastic member design, thereby simplifying parts control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic member is designed with a universal shape and mounting structure that can be used across different relay specifications. By standardizing the elastic member design (making it universally applicable), the patent enables adaptation to various customer specifications without requiring custom elastic members for each specification, thus reducing parts complexity and manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If metal armature contacts metal core or metal yoke, then the structure is simple, but it is not easy to obtain high silencing effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidcollision noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a resin layer as an intermediary material between the metal armature and the metal core/yoke. This resin layer acts as a mediator that absorbs collision noise while allowing the metal-to-metal structural simplicity to be maintained. The silent spring presses the armature against the resin-coated surface, creating a metal-resin-metal contact sequence that reduces noise without significantly complicating the structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite structure combining metal and resin materials. The resin layer is applied to the core or yoke surface, creating a composite contact interface (metal armature + resin layer + metal core/yoke). This composite material approach reduces collision noise by utilizing the damping properties of resin while maintaining the structural integrity and simplicity of metal components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 approach maintains a predetermined silencing effect across specification changes, reduces manufacturing costs, and achieves a higher silencing effect by using springs with the same shapes and contacting resin molded products, resulting in a quieter electromagnetic relay.

Implementation Method 1

a silent spring, the other end of which is in pressure contact with the magnetic pole portion or the housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP1895560B1Silent Electromagnetic Relay
Publication Date: 2014.11.19 OMRON CORP
  • EP1895560B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1895560B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1895560B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a silent electromagnetic relay in which a predetermined degree of silencing effect can be maintained irrespective of a change to the specification, higher silencing effect can be obtained at the time of return, the parts control is easy, and the cost of manufacturing is low. A first silent spring is mounted in a position of an inward face of a moving iron to be attracted to an iron core of an electromagnet portion, an L-shaped moving iron turning based on excitation and demagnetization of the electromagnet portion housed in a housing that is a resin molded product. Furthermore, a second silent spring for coming in contact with an inner face of the housing is mounted to an outward face of the moving iron and on an opposite side to the first silent spring.