Reluctance-Boost Rotary Segment for Direct 45° Relay Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary electromechanical systems require additional mechanical parts for direct rotational actuation of an armature, leading to reduced robustness and increased precision demands, which are not always feasible in practice.
Innovation Solution
A rotary-segment electromechanical system with a magnetic system comprising a rotating member and pole members designed with reluctance-boost shape contours, allowing for direct rotating actuation of the armature with a limited maximum rotation angle, thereby minimizing additional mechanical parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If additional mechanical parts (balls, curved grooves, inclined planes) are used to convert linear motion to rotational motion, then rotational actuation is achieved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing precision requirements become extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical ball-and-groove conversion system with a magnetic field-based system. The coil assembly generates a magnetic field that directly acts on the magnetic armature, eliminating the need for balls, curved grooves, and inclined planes. This substitution of mechanical components with electromagnetic components achieves rotational actuation while significantly reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using magnetic field strength and coil current control to achieve rotational motion. Instead of relying on mechanical geometry (curved grooves, ball radii), the system uses electromagnetic parameters (current, magnetic flux density) to control the armature's rotation, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements.
2Ease of operation
If additional mechanical parts (balls, curved grooves) are used to achieve rotational motion, then rotation is enabled, but manufacturing precision demands become extremely high and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces precision-critical mechanical components (balls requiring spherical precision, curved grooves requiring accurate profiling) with electromagnetic components. The coil assembly and magnetic armature can be manufactured with standard tolerances, eliminating the need for extremely high manufacturing precision while still achieving controlled rotational motion through magnetic field interaction.
3Ease of operation
If conventional rotary electromechanical systems with additional mechanical parts are used, then rotational actuation is achieved, but system robustness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical components prone to wear and failure (balls that can lose position, grooves that can wear) with electromagnetic components. The magnetic field-based actuation has no moving mechanical contact parts, eliminating wear, friction, and positional drift issues, thereby significantly improving system robustness and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the additional mechanical parts (balls, curved grooves, inclined planes) from the system, retaining only the essential magnetic circuit components (coil assembly, magnetic armature, pole pieces). This simplification eliminates potential failure points and improves overall system robustness while maintaining rotational actuation capability.
4Ease of operation
If a high gear rate is used to convert linear core movement to armature rotation, then rotational motion is achieved, but extremely precise components are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the mechanical gear conversion mechanism entirely by using direct electromagnetic actuation. The coil assembly generates a magnetic field that creates torque on the magnetic armature, producing rotational motion without any intermediate mechanical conversion stages. This eliminates the need for high gear rates and the associated precision requirements.
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
The system achieves robust torque performance suitable for contact systems of electromechanical relays, such as DC power switches, with reduced complexity and increased reliability by limiting the rotation angle to a predetermined value, typically up to 45°.
Implementation Method 1
an energizing coil responsible for applying a magnetic flux onto the magnetic circuit under supply of an energizing current
Implementation Method 2
the magnetic flux generated by the energized coil is directed through the magnetic circuit to exert an attractive force onto a respective side of the armature
Implementation Method 3
pole members designed with reluctance-boost shape contours, allowing for direct rotating actuation of the armature
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to an rotary-segment electromechanical system and an electrical switching device comprising the same, which is capable of performing a direct rotating motion limited by a rotation angle of up to 45°, offering hereby a torque performance suitable for contact systems of electromechanical relays. The electromechanical system includes a pair of pole members having respective first end portions arranged outside respective first and second coils and a rotation member arranged between the pole members. The rotating member has a pair of lobes which can rotate around a central axis aligned along the intersection of a plane parallel to the first end portions with a plane transverse to the first coil axis under magnetic actuation exerted by the pole members. The pole members and rotating member are constructed with a reluctance-boost shape contour which enhances the actuating magnetic force onto the rotating member.