This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/CN2015/099753, filed on Dec. 30, 2015, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201510224939.0, filed on May 5, 2015, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
The present disclosure relates to contactors, and more particularly, to a contactor for use in a place in which both operation frequency and operation number of the contactor are low. The contactor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applicable to a control circuit of an electric motor. Embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to a contactor system including the contactor.
A contactor, as a widely used control component, is mainly used in a control circuit to switch on/off a circuit remotely and control start/stop of an electric motor, and may constitute a motor starter with an appropriate thermal relay or an electric protection device to protect a circuit in which overloading may occur. The contactor may be used in light industrial, metallurgical, chemical, coal mine, mechanical, hoisting, railway, shipbuilding and communication industries.
CN Utility Patent Application CN2091028U (Patent Document 1) discloses a vacuum magneto control point contactor comprising a vacuum seal cavity and a coil outside the vacuum seal cavity.
CN Utility Patent Application CN2342458Y (Patent Document 2) discloses a three-phase AC three-pole single-break point direct-driving contactor having three movable contacts and three fixed contacts corresponding to the three movable contacts in position.
CN Invention Patent Application CN101017740A (Patent Document 3) discloses a relay comprising a body, a movable contact and a fixed contact on the body, and an iron grating sheet for arc-extinguishing between the movable contact and the fixed contact nearby a moving direction line of the movable contact.
An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a contactor comprising: a fixed contact; a movable contact capable of moving towards or away from the fixed contact; two arc ignition sheets for the movable contact, being positioned respectively at two sides opposite to each other of the movable contact in a first direction and fixed and electrically connected to the movable contact; two arc ignition sheets for the fixed contact, being positioned respectively at two sides opposite to each other of the fixed contact in the first direction and fixed and electrically connected to the fixed contact; and two arc-extinguishing chambers being arranged respectively on extension lines extending from the movable contact to the two arc ignition sheets for the movable contact in the first direction, wherein the two arc ignition sheets for the movable contact form an incomplete encirclement for the movable contact and the incomplete encirclement has a gap in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a contactor comprising: a fixed contact; a movable contact capable of moving towards or away from the fixed contact; two arc ignition sheets for the movable contact, being positioned respectively at two sides opposite to each other of the movable contact in a first direction and fixed and electrically connected to the movable contact; two arc ignition sheets for the fixed contact, being positioned respectively at two sides opposite to each other of the fixed contact in the first direction and fixed and electrically connected to the fixed contact; two arc-extinguishing chambers being arranged respectively on extension lines extending from the movable contact to the two arc ignition sheets for the movable contact in the first direction; and a contact support provided with a cavity therein, the movable contact and the fixed contact being arranged in the cavity.
A yet another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a contactor system comprising the contactor and a control device for controlling the contactor to be closed or opened.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be illustrated in detail below in combination with accompany drawings and specific embodiments.
As shown in
In order to ensure that there is good electrical conductivity between the movable contact 3 and the movable contact wiring terminal 7 and the movable contact 3 may move up and down along with the contact support 12, according to the embodiment, the soft connection line 6 may be used as a current path, wherein one terminal of the soft connection line is connected to an end of the movable contact-contact plate 8 via for example, riveting or welding and the other terminal of the soft connection line is connected to the movable contact wiring terminal 7 via for example, riveting or welding.
A cavity is provided within the contact support 12, the movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10 may be placed within the cavity, and a guide groove provided within the cavity may ensure that the movable contact 3 moves towards or away from the fixed contact 10 within the contact support 12. The arc ignition sheets 5 for the movable contact and the arc ignition sheets 11 for the fixed contact may introduce electrical arcs produced when the movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10 are disconnected from each other into the left arc-extinguishing chamber 2 and the right arc-extinguishing chamber 9 respectively to extinguish the electrical arcs. The left arc-extinguishing chamber 2 and the right arc-extinguishing chamber 9 are provided with an exhaust port in a direction deviating from the movable contact 3 (or the fixed contact 10).
As shown in
The movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10 of the contactor 100 are placed within the cavity of the contact support 12. When the control coil 14 is not energized, due to the function of the reaction spring 15, there is a distance between the movable core 16 and the fixed core 13 and the contact support 12 connected with the movable core 16 also maintains a distance, which is a contact distance of the contactor 100, between the movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10.
When the control coil 14 is energized, with magnetic excitation produced by the control coil 14, an electromagnetic attraction force is produced between the movable core 16 and the fixed core 13, the movable core 16 overcomes a counter force of the reaction spring 15 and moves downwards and brings the contact support 12 to move downwards, and the contact support 12 brings the movable contact 3 to move downwards, so that the movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10 are connected with each other. Then, the movable core 16 continues to bring the contact support 12 to move downwards, and the movable contact 3 slides along the guide groove in the cavity of the contact support 12 until the movable core 16 and the fixed core 13 are completely connected with each other.
As elastic deformation occurs in the movable contact spring 4 when the movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10 are connected with each other, a pressure (i.e., a final pressure) and an over stroke are produced between the movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10.
Through the above process, the contactor 100 switches on a circuit from the fixed contact wiring terminal 1 to the movable contact wiring terminal 7, so that an electrical equipment, for example, a motor is switched on and starts operating.
When the control coil 14 is deenergized, the magnetic excitation of the control coil 14 disappears, the electromagnetic attraction force between the movable core 16 and the fixed core 13 disappears, the movable core 16 pushes the contact support 12 to move upwards under the function of the reaction spring 16, and the movable contact 3 slides along the guide groove in the cavity of the contact support 12, so that the movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10 are disconnected from each other. After the contact support 12 moves upwards a certain distance (i.e., the contact distance), the movable contact and the fixed contact return to the disconnected state shown in
Through the above process, the contactor 100 switches off the circuit from the fixed contact wiring terminal 1 to the movable contact wiring terminal 7, so that the electrical equipment, for example, the motor is switched off and stops operating.
When the movable contact 3 and the fixed contact 10 are disconnected from each other, the electric arcs may be produced and then may be introduced to the left arc-extinguishing chamber 2 and the right arc-extinguishing chamber 9 quickly via the arc ignition sheets 5 for the movable contact and the arc ignition sheets 11 for the fixed contact to be cooled and extinguished.
With respect to arc-extinguishing effect and electrical life of the contactor, the inventor researches various structure combinations of the arc ignition sheets and the arc-extinguishing chambers and verifies six arc-extinguishing solutions. The arc-extinguishing effect and electrical life of the contactor in the six arc-extinguishing solutions under a same rated voltage, current, frequency and power factor are the following:
{circle around (1)} More than 500 thousands of experiments are performed for the contactor including the left and right arc ignition sheets and the left and right arc-extinguishing champers according to the embodiment shown in
{circle around (2)} Sixty thousands of experiments are performed for the contactor in which the arc ignition sheet and the arc-extinguishing chamber on one side as shown in
{circle around (3)} Forty thousands of experiments are performed for the contactor in which the arc-extinguishing chamber on one side as shown in
{circle around (4)} Ten thousands of experiments are performed for the contactor in which the arc-extinguishing chambers on both sides shown in
{circle around (5)} Eight thousands of experiments are performed for the contactor in which the arc ignition sheets on both sides shown in
{circle around (6)} Five thousands of experiments are performed for the contactor in which all the arc ignition sheets and all the arc-extinguishing chambers shown in
As indicated by the above experiments, the contactor with the arc ignition sheets and the arc-extinguishing chambers on both sides has great advantages in the electrical life and the arc-extinguishing effect.
According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the movable contact and the fixed contact of the contactor are placed within the cavity of the contact support, and the cavity moves along with the contact support. As compared with the contactor disclosed in Patent Document 1, the contactor according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has a smaller volume, so the manufacturing materials are saved and the manufacturing cost is reduced.
According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the movable contact of the contactor moves in the cavity of the contact support. As compared with the contactor disclosed in Patent Document 2, the moving trail of the movable contact is more exact, and the contact position between the movable contact and the fixed contact when they are connected with each other is closer to a central area in theory, so the center deviation is reduced when the movable contact and the fixed contact are connected with each other, a maximum contact are is ensured, and the contact resistance, the temperature increase and the power consumption are reduced.
Furthermore, usually, the contact support and the contacts are designed in clearance fit with each other in the contactor. As abrasions are inevitable in the use of the contactor, the gap between the contact support and the contacts will become larger and larger as the action number of the contactor increases. The gap between the contact support and the contacts and influences of gravity and the reaction spring will lead to an uncertainty of the contact position between the movable contact and the fixed contact when they are connected with each other, i.e. uncertainties in arc root position and act motion direction of the electric arcs produced when the movable contact and the fixed contact are disconnected from each other.
According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the contactor includes the arc ignition sheets on both side (i.e. the arc ignition sheets for the movable contact and the arc ignition sheets for the fixed contact), wherein: the two arc ignition sheets for the movable contact are positioned respectively at both sides of the movable contact, and the two arc ignition sheets for the movable contact do not entirely encircle the movable contact, i.e., there is a gap on each side near the contact support, and the arc ignition sheets for the movable contact form a whole structure with the movable contact; the two arc ignition sheets for the fixed contact are positioned respectively at both side of the fixed contact, and the two arc ignition sheets for the fixed contact do not entirely encircle the fixed contact, i.e., there is a gap on each side near the contact support, and the arc ignition sheets for the fixed contact form a whole structure with the fixed contact. As compared with the relay disclosed in Patent Document 3, the electric arcs produced when the movable contact and the fixed contact are disconnected from each other may be introduced to the arc-extinguishing chambers quickly and effectively to be cooled and extinguished.
According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the arc ignition sheets are made of magnetic materials, so that the magnetic resistances between the movable contact and the arc ignition sheet for the movable contact and between the fixed contact and the arc ignition sheet for the fixed contact are much smaller than those at the gaps. In one embodiment, simulation indicates that the latter is more than 3000 times of the former. When the movable contact and the fixed contact are disconnected from each other so that the electric arcs are produced, the electric arcs move towards the arc ignition sheet having smaller magnetic resistance under Ampere force. Introducing the electric arcs to the arc ignition sheets may reduce the duration in which the electric arcs stay on the movable and fixed contacts. Setting the gap between the arc ignition sheets for the movable contact may effectively avoid introducing the electrical arcs to the contact support and thus mitigate burnout of the contact support. The structure including the arc ignition sheets on both sides and the arc-extinguishing chambers on both sides (i.e., the left arc-extinguishing chamber and the right arc-extinguishing chamber) may introduce the electric arcs into the arc-extinguishing chambers quickly and effectively via the arc ignition sheets to cool and extinguish the electric arcs.
An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing the contactor 100, the method including steps S1-S4.
In step S1, the movable contact 3 and the two arc ignition sheets 5 for the movable contact are fixed together to form a movable contact body, wherein the two arc ignition sheets 5 for the movable contact are positioned respectively at left and right sides of the movable contact 3, and they do not entirely encircle the movable contact 3, i.e. the arc ignition sheet 5 for the movable contact has a gap near the contact support 12. For example, the arc ignition sheets 5 for the movable contact may be fixed on the movable contact-contact plate 8, which may be fixed to the movable contact 3. The movable contact-contact plate 8 may be connected with the movable contact wiring terminal 7 via the soft connection line 6.
In step S2, the fixed contact 10 and the two arc ignition sheets 11 for the fixed contact are fixed together to form a fixed contact body, wherein the two arc ignition sheets 11 for the fixed contact are positioned respectively at left and right sides of the fixed contact 10 and they do not entirely encircle the fixed contact 10, i.e., the arc ignition sheet 11 for the fixed contact has a gap near the contact support 12. For example, the arc ignition sheets 11 for the fixed contact may be fixed on the fixed contact wiring terminal 1, which may be fixed to the fixed contact 10.
In step S3, the movable contact body and the fixed contact body are placed within the cavity of the contact support 12, and a predetermined distance, i.e. the contact distance is remained between the movable contact body and the fixed contact body.
In step S4, the left arc-extinguishing chamber 2 and the right arc-extinguishing chamber 9 are fixed respectively on both sides opposite to each other of the movable and fixed contact bodies, and a predetermined distance is remained between the arc-extinguishing chambers and the arc ignition sheets 5 for the movable contact and the arc ignition sheets 11 for the fixed contact.
Through the above method, the contactor 100 shown in
Objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure are described in detail in the above specific embodiments. It should be appreciated that the above described contents are merely specific embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Any modifications, alternatives and improvements, which are made to the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and principle of the present disclosure, will fall within the scopes of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2015 1 0224939 | May 2015 | CN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/CN2015/099753 | 12/30/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2016/177009 | 11/10/2016 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3555471 | Mitskevich et al. | Jan 1971 | A |
4039983 | Terracol | Aug 1977 | A |
4421959 | Chen et al. | Dec 1983 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
101217076 | Jul 2008 | CN |
104779120 | Jul 2015 | CN |
204632678 | Sep 2015 | CN |
Entry |
---|
PCT International Search Report for PCT/CN2015/099753, dated Mar. 14, 2016, 13 pages. |
First Office Action dated Jun. 3, 2016 and first Search Report in Chinese Patent Application No. 201510224939.0, and concise English-language summary thereof, 6 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20180061591 A1 | Mar 2018 | US |