Electromagnetic Relay Stacked Contact Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional twin contact electromagnetic relays face issues with simultaneous contact making, premature wear due to manufacturing variations, and unstable contact resistance, leading to reduced lifespan and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The electromagnetic relay features a movable contact plate unit with stacked plates that make and break contacts under magnetic force, with distinct configurations for opening/closing and conducting contacts, including apertures and elastically deformable bent portions to control contact pressure, ensuring stable and prolonged operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If contact buttons are made with the same configuration and material to achieve simultaneous contact, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but contact life is reduced due to premature wear from non-simultaneous contact
Solution Approach 1:
The movable contact plate is divided into first and second divided plate portions with different spring constants, creating segmented contact regions that enable different contact sequences for different contact buttons
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the movable contact plate are given different local properties through varying spring constants in different divided plate portions, allowing each contact button to have optimized contact characteristics
2Reliability
If contact buttons are designed to make simultaneous contacts, then contact resistance stability is improved, but contact life is reduced due to arcing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The conducting movable contact makes contact with the conducting stationary contact before the opening/closing contacts engage, preliminarily establishing the current path to avoid arcing during the main contact operation
Solution Approach 2:
The design accepts that arcing may occur between opening/closing contacts but protects the conducting contacts from arcing, converting the potential harm into a controlled phenomenon that does not affect the critical current-carrying contacts
3Duration of action of moving object
If contact buttons are made with different configurations to prevent arcing, then contact life is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring constant parameter is varied in different divided plate portions to achieve different contact characteristics without changing the fundamental contact button structure or material composition
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 design enhances contact life and stability, reducing arcing and wear, thereby providing a long-life, reliable electromagnetic relay with consistent operating characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator plate which moves reciprocatingly by magnetic force generated by an application of electric current to an electromagnetic unit
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided is a long-life electromagnetic relay capable of flowing electric current under a stable contact resistance, in which in which a movable contact plate assembly 50 having a plurality of stacked movable contact plates is moved by an actuator plate 70 which moves reciprocatingly by magnetic force generated by an application of electric current to an electromagnetic unit so that a pair of movable contacts 57, 58 mounted on first and second divided plate portions 55,56 extending in parallel in its longitudinal direction make and break contacts with a pair of stationary contacts mounted on a stationary contact terminal 31, 32, wherein the relay is configured so that one opening/closing movable contact of the pair of movable contacts makes a contact with one opening/closing movable contact 57 of the pair of movable contacts 57, 58 and then the other conducting movable contact 58 of the pair of stationary contacts makes a contact with the other conducting stationary contact 32.