Patent Grant
7358839
The invention relates to a heavy duty relay through which a current of at least 40 A and up to about 1 kA can be switched, and more particularly to a relay with a changeover spring that can be resiliently deflected by means of a switching force and with at least one normally-open contact against which a contact point of the changeover spring is electrically conductively pressed in a switch position.
Heavy duty relays are used when a very high inrush current between 40 A and 1 kA has to be produced. In the prior art, at this high inrush current, starter relays are used with a tungsten contact. For switching, firstly the tungsten contact is closed, so that the high current peak flows over it. Only after this an AgSnO contact closes which conducts the current in the contact point. In this embodiment it is avoided that, with closed relays, the current flows exclusively via the tungsten contact which has poor conductive properties.
The switching force is produced in the heavy duty relay by electromagnetic means, such as a switching current conducted by a coil. An electromagnetic force results therefrom which pulls a movable armature, the armature movement being transmitted to a changeover spring which is resiliently deflected from its resting position by the switching force. If the switching force is discontinued, the changeover spring springs back again into the resting position. The changeover spring is provided with a changeover contact which is pressed in the contact position against the normally-open contact which is arranged on a rigid support and produces a conductive connection. The compressive force is either produced by the resilient return force of the changeover spring or by the switching force. With a heavy duty relay with a tungsten contact and an AgSnO contact, the two changeover contacts are arranged on the changeover spring; corresponding normally-open contacts made from tungsten and AgSnO are associated with these contacts on a rigid support.
This construction is problematical in that the tungsten contact is very expensive due to the material costs and in that the tungsten is hard to machine due to its hardness. Moreover, the additional AgSnO contact is required. As a result, the solutions known from the prior art for switching high current in the region of between 40 A and 1 kA are complex and expensive.
A relay is disclosed in EP-B-0691667 with a normally-open contact arranged on a rigid contact support which is not deflected in the contact position. It has been established in tests that with the relay of EP-B-0691667 only a very low number of switching operations can be achieved at high currents, i.e. the relay is irreparably damaged after a number of switching processes which is too low to be practical.
A further relay for switching current considerably below 40 A is known. With this relay a fixed and a movable spring contact are constructed identically to one another in the form of a changeover spring and a normally-open spring contact and they are used mirror inverted in a plane in a base of the relay. Due to their identical construction the two spring contacts have, by necessity, identical spring stiffness, which at inrush currents of between 40 A and 1 kA leads to only a low number of switching operations, which in practice does not allow use for inrush currents over 40 A.
The object of the invention therefore is to create a heavy duty relay which is of simple construction, can be manufactured at a low cost and can be marketed at a low price.
This object is achieved according to the invention for a relay of the aforementioned type in that the normally-open contact is arranged on a resiliently deflectable normally-open spring contact, of which the spring stiffness is greater than the spring stiffness of the changeover spring and which in the switching position is resiliently deflected out of its resting position and in that the changeover spring and/or the normally-open spring contact comprises a deflection region at least partially surrounded by a weakened zone, and of which the spring stiffness is reduced relative to the region surrounding the weakened zone of the changeover spring and/or the normally-open spring contact.
This solution is of simple construction and has the advantage that high current can be safely switched with a large number of switching operations, i.e. repeatedly after one another, without damage or failure. The number of switching operations which can be achieved with the solution according to the invention at 170 A, for example, is in the region of 15,000. With conventional relays such a number of switching processes at high inrush currents cannot be achieved.
Only by arranging the normally-open contact on a resiliently deflectable normally-open spring contact with higher spring stiffness than the changeover spring and the weakened region, can a higher number of switching operations be reached than with the two relays of EP-B-0691667 and DE-C-19718935, without a tungsten contact or a tungsten starter relay being necessary.
The spring stiffness of the deflection region is reduced relative to the other spring contacts by means of the weakened zone. As a result, the deflection region deforms more easily than the other spring contact and allows a stepped or progressive spring characteristic, as under the action of the switching force the deflection region is first deflected and only then is the rest of the contact field in the region of the clamping deflected. In this manner a gradual, more flexible switching process can be achieved, where sparking is largely avoided.
In an advantageous embodiment the spring stiffness of the normally-open spring contact corresponds at least to the spring stiffness of the changeover spring. In particular the spring stiffness can be at least 1.5 times or at most approximately 8 times the spring stiffness of the changeover spring. By means of the more flexible embodiment of the changeover spring, smaller switching forces are required for its deflection, so that smaller designs of relays can be manufactured. If the ratio of the spring stiffness of the changeover spring to the normally-open spring contact is in the aforementioned region, the normally-open spring contacts are only slightly deflected by the switching force. Chatter of the normally-open contact and the ensuing sparking at high current is reliably avoided with the indicated spring thickness.
With a spring stiffness of the normally-open spring contact which lies between approximately 3.5 and 5.5 times the spring stiffness of the changeover spring, an even higher number of switching operations appears to be achievable than in the above-mentioned range of stiffness ratios. In this connection, the spring stiffness appears to be fundamental in determining the deflection of the contact points. Different levels of spring stiffness can for example be achieved when the material thickness of the normally-open spring contact is, relative to the material thickness of the changeover spring, preferably at most 6 times, more preferably approximately double to approximately 1.5 times the material thickness of the changeover spring. According to the invention a normally-open spring contact is provided with a material thickness of between 0.2 and 0.3 mm, preferably in the region of 0.25 mm. The changeover spring contact can have a material thickness of approximately 0.15 mm.
The changeover spring and/or the normally-open spring contact can both be constructed in the form of leaf springs, of which one end facing away from the respective contact point is held or anchored in the relay, so that the spring bends resiliently in the region between the clamped end and the contact point when the contact point is deflected. In particular, with the changeover spring the switching force can be introduced into the spring at the free end, so that lower switching forces are required due to the more advantageous lever conditions for deflecting the spring and for pressing the changeover contact onto the normally-open contact. The force introduction into the changeover spring preferably takes place symmetrically, for example by means of two levers acting level with the contact point and spaced the same distance apart from the central axis of the spring.
The switching force can be produced by electromagnetic means by an electromagnetic coil which when actuated pulls an armature with the switching force. The movement of the armature can be transmitted to the changeover spring by means of a coupling element.
In order to be able to build the relay compactly, the coil is preferably arranged between the armature and the changeover spring, and a movable coupling part may be provided parallel to the coil core, in order to transmit the movement of the armature to the changeover spring.
A further series of further advantageous embodiments is concerned with the configuration of the deflection region which is at least partially surrounded by the weakened zone. Thus in the deflection region a contact point or contact bead can be arranged. The weakened zone can for example be constructed in the form of material erosion, such as a thinned area or a slot.
Preferably the weakened zone is arranged between the point or points of introduction of the switching force into the changeover spring and the contact point.
The weakened region can be constructed by means of local material erosion, such as for example locally reducing the wall thickness or a slot extending through the spring.
During the switching process, during the deflection of the changeover spring and the normally-open spring contact, in order to achieve a self-cleaning action of the contact points, at least one of the contact points can be constructed as a substantially spherical contact bead and the weakened region arranged asymmetrically on the changeover spring and/or the normally-open spring contact. The spherical construction of the contact bead leads to a rolling movement during the switching process which is reinforced by the asymmetrical arrangement of the weakened region and the asymmetrical deformation of the changeover spring and/or the normally-open spring contact resulting therefrom.
With a weakened region in the form of a slot, the slot can be arranged asymmetrically to produce a rolling movement of the contact bead, for example with a large part of its length, solely on one face of the contact bead. By this measure the spring stiffness of the spring contact is distributed asymmetrically, so that the deflection region relative to the contact bead is deformed asymmetrically in the switching position.
A particularly flexible switching process can be achieved when the slot of the weakened region extends as far as the edge, so that the freedom of movement of the contact bead is increased. In this embodiment the deflection region forms a more easily adjustable tab.
By means of the deflection region the further movement of the spring which is held fast can be absorbed in a particularly advantageous manner. By “further movement” it is understood that a movement is introduced into the changeover spring which would move it out over the position of the normally-open spring contact. The further movement is absorbed by the deformation of the changeover spring and the normally-open spring contact. By the further movement the life of the relay is extended, as the material in the region of the contact points or contact beads is equally eroded.
The contact bead is preferably made from AgSnO. The changeover spring and the normally-open spring contact preferably each have a single contact bead.
Different embodiments of the heavy duty relay according to the invention will, for example, be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings. In this connection the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar elements relative to the construction and/or the function. The different features of the different embodiments can be combined with one another in any desired manner.
The changeover springs 3 and the normally-open spring contacts 4 are manufactured from an electrically conductive material, such as for example a copper plate. The spring stiffness of the changeover spring 3 is lower than the spring stiffness of the normally-open spring contact 4. Preferably, the spring stiffness of the normally-open spring contact 4 is at least approximately 1.5 times and at most approximately 8 times the spring stiffness of the changeover spring, and more preferably approximately 3.5 to 5.5 times the spring stiffness of the changeover spring. This is achieved in the embodiment of
The changeover spring 3 is electrically conductively connected to terminal contacts 7 and the normally-open spring contact 4 to terminal contacts 8. The terminal contacts 7, 8 protrude outwardly out of the relay from a base plate of the base 2 and allow the connection of electrical conductors which are connected to one another or separated depending on the switching position of the heavy duty relay. The changeover spring 3 and/or the normally-open spring contact 4 is in electrically conductive contact with the respective terminal contact 7, 8 associated therewith at terminal points 9. The conductors (not shown) to be switched by the heavy duty relay 1 are connected to the terminal points 7, 8, which conductors are electrically conductively connected to one another in the switching position.
The changeover spring 3 is rigidly connected via a preferably bar-shaped, longitudinally movable coupling part 11 to a movable armature 12. In the deflection direction between the armature 12 and the changeover spring 3, below the coupling part 11, a coil 13, indicated only diagrammatically in
In order to minimize magnetic losses, a ferromagnetic core passes through the coil 13 and (on the armature side) continues in a yoke 15. Between the yoke 15 and the armature 12 a working air gap A is formed, so that the armature can tilt toward the yoke by the spacing of the working air gap. On its lower end, not visible in
If a switching current is conducted through the switching terminals 14, it flows through the coil 13 which produces a magnetic field and as a result pulls the armature 12 on the yoke 15 with a switching force C. The armature 12 tilts under the action of the switching force C toward the yoke 15, so that the working air gap A becomes smaller. Via the coupling part 11 held substantially translationally movably in the heavy duty relay 1, the movement of the armature 12 is transmitted to the changeover spring 3. In order to load the armature as evenly as possible and to guide the movement of the changeover spring 3 precisely, the coupling part 11 is fork-shaped on its end facing the changeover spring 3, the two fork ends 16, 17 introducing the switching force C into the changeover spring 3 approximately level with the contact 5 of the changeover spring 3 on both sides in the vicinity of the edge of the changeover spring 3.
By means of the fork-shaped construction, the switching force C is symmetrically conducted into the changeover spring 3, so that the switching movement is carried out without torsion. The coupling part 11 is preferably guided free of rotation in the heavy duty relay 1, so that possible rotational movements of the armature 12 and/or the changeover spring 3 cannot lead to a wedging of the coupling part 11 and a blocking of the heavy duty relay.
During the movement of the coupling part 11, under the action of the switching force C, the contact 5 of the changeover spring 3 is pressed into the switching position against the corresponding opposite contact 6 of the normally-open spring contact 4. In this state, the terminals 7 and 8 are conductively connected to one another via the changeover spring 3, the contact 5, the contact 6 and the normally-open spring contact 4. In the switching position the changeover spring 3 is resiliently deflected, so that when the inrush current ceases at the switching terminals 14, the coupling part 11 is pushed away from the yoke 15 together with the armature 12, due to the resilient return force of the changeover spring 3, and the working air gap A develops again in the resting position.
The size WA of the working air gap A in the direction of movement B of the coupling part 11 is greater than the spacing WK between the two contacts 5, 6 in this direction, so that a material erosion on the contacts 5, 6 occurring after many switching processes and an enlargement of the spacing between the contacts 5, 6 resulting therefrom cannot influence the function of the heavy duty relay 1. By means of the additional movement (WA-WK) such a material erosion is equalised. The heavy duty relay 1 of
On the changeover spring 3 a weakened zone 18a is provided by which the spring stiffness is asymmetrically reduced in a deflection region 18b. The construction and function of the weakened zone 18a are now disclosed with reference to
The deflection region 18b is shown shaded in
The weakened zone 18a extends partially between the contact point 5 and at least one point of application 20, at which the switching force C is passed into the changeover spring 3. As can be seen in
The changeover spring 3 and the normally-open spring contact 4 are constructed such that in the switching position, when the changeover spring 3 is pressed against the normally-open contact under the action of the switching force C, the changeover spring in the deflection region undergoes greater resilient deflection in the region of the contact point 5 than the normally-open spring contact in the region of the normally-open contact 6. In particular, the normally-open spring contact is deflected less than the changeover spring by between ⅛ and ½, preferably by ⅕.
Moreover, the function of the heavy duty relay 1 of
In
Although, the embodiments of
By means of the contact bead 5 arranged asymmetrically relative to the centerline M in the embodiment of
In the arrangement of
In the embodiment of
In
In the embodiment of
In the embodiments of
Naturally, modifications are possible in the construction of the heavy duty relay shown. The heavy duty relay can therefore have an asymmetrically constructed coupling part 11 or a coupling part 11 without fork-shaped ends. The armature 12 and the changeover spring 3 can also be located on the same side of the coil.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04001861 | Jan 2004 | EP | regional |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5719541 | Mader | Feb 1998 | A |
| 6606018 | Takano et al. | Aug 2003 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 0691667 | Jan 1996 | EP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20050190026 A1 | Sep 2005 | US |
