Relay Test Hole for Stroke Confirmation and Hermeticity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing relay designs make it difficult to confirm characteristics such as stroke amount of the movable touch piece during assembly, leading to potential contact failures due to accessibility issues and the risk of foreign matter entry.
Innovation Solution
A relay design with a test hole in the case allows easy access to the drive shaft, enabling confirmation of characteristics like stroke and urging force without complicating the structure, while maintaining hermeticity through a second case and elastic member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the movable touch piece is stored in the case during assembly, then the structure is compact, but it becomes difficult to access the movable touch piece for characteristic confirmation
Solution Approach 1:
The case is segmented by providing a dedicated test hole that separates the functional enclosure from the testing access point, allowing the movable touch piece to remain enclosed while providing a specific access path for characteristic confirmation without requiring full case disassembly
Solution Approach 2:
The test hole acts as an intermediary access point between the external testing environment and the internal movable touch piece, enabling characteristic confirmation while maintaining the sealed structure of the case
2Ease of operation
If the case is opened to access the movable touch piece for characteristic testing, then the movable touch piece becomes accessible, but foreign matter may enter and adhere to the contacts causing contact failure
Solution Approach 1:
The case structure is segmented with a dedicated test hole that provides a localized access point, allowing testing to be performed without opening the entire case and exposing the contacts to foreign matter
Solution Approach 2:
The test hole serves as an intermediary access point that enables characteristic confirmation while maintaining the sealed environment of the case, preventing foreign matter from entering during testing operations
3Power
If the drive shaft protrudes from the case to the drive device side, then the drive force can be transmitted, but a latching portion needs to be provided on the drive shaft making the structure complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The latching portion is extracted from the drive shaft and relocated to the test hole structure, simplifying the drive shaft design while maintaining the ability to hold and test the movable touch piece characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The test hole structure acts as an intermediary that provides the latching function previously required on the drive shaft, enabling characteristic confirmation without complicating the drive shaft design
4Ease of operation
If the test hole is provided in the first case, then the drive shaft becomes accessible for characteristic confirmation, but the hermeticity of the case may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible seal member is installed at the test hole to maintain hermeticity while allowing access to the drive shaft, preventing foreign matter from entering through the test hole during characteristic confirmation
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member acts as an intermediary element at the test hole, enabling access to the drive shaft while maintaining the hermetic barrier of the case structure
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
Facilitates easy confirmation of relay characteristics, preventing contact failures and improving hermeticity by allowing access to the drive shaft without compromising the internal sealing.
Implementation Method 1
The drive device generates a driving force for moving the movable touch piece
Implementation Method 2
a spring for biasing the movable touch piece in the separation direction
Data Source
AI summary
A relay has a first fixed contact, a second fixed contact, a movable touch piece including a first movable contact that is disposed facing the first fixed contact, and a second movable contact that is disposed facing the second fixed contact, the movable touch piece being disposed so as to be movable in a contact direction in which the first movable contact and the second movable contact come into contact with the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact and a separation direction in which the first movable contact and the second movable contact separate from the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact, and a drive device disposed in the contact direction with respect to the movable touch piece and configured to generate a driving force for moving the movable touch piece.