JP2012199142A - Contact device and electromagnetic switching device using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A contact device capable of reducing the cost and maintaining the function of a three-point contact at the time of opening / closing between contacts and an electromagnetic switching device using the contact device are provided.
A first contact portion configured by a first fixed contact and a first movable contact; and a first fixed contact and a dummy fixed contact that are contacted and separated from each other; A second contact portion including a first movable contact 12A and a dummy movable contact 12C and a movable element 12 provided with the movable contacts 12A to 12C of the contact portions are provided. The dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C are provided. Were made of a non-conductive material having a lower hardness than other contacts.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a contact device and an electromagnetic switching device using the contact device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electromagnetic relay that opens and closes an electric circuit is known. For example, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1. The electromagnetic relay described in Patent Document 1 includes a coil that generates an electromagnetic force when energized, a movable member that is driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil, a first fixed contact holding member that has a first fixed contact, and a second fixed member. A second fixed contact holding member having a contact and a third fixed contact. The movable member includes a movable core, a shaft, and an insulator. Further, the electromagnetic relay energizes the movable element in a direction in which the fixed contact and the movable contact come into contact with each other, the movable element having the first movable contact, the second movable contact, and the third movable contact that are in contact with and away from each fixed contact. And a return spring that urges the movable element in a direction in which the fixed contact and the movable contact are separated from each other.

  The electromagnetic relay is configured such that when the movable core or the like is driven by the electromagnetic force of the coil, the fixed contact and the movable contact come into contact with each other and the movable member and the movable element are separated from each other. Here, when the movable core or the like is driven by electromagnetic force, the contact portion between the first fixed contact and the first movable contact, the contact portion between the second fixed contact and the second movable contact, and the third fixed contact and the first Three-point contact is made at the contact portion with the three movable contacts. Therefore, the swing of the movable element when the three movable contacts collide with the three fixed contacts is prevented.

JP 2010-257923 A

  However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, since the three fixed contacts and the three movable contacts are all formed of a metal material, compared with the conventional two-point contact type electromagnetic relay using two movable contacts and two fixed contacts. There was a problem that the cost increased.

  Further, in the above conventional example, it is desirable that the contacts of the three contact portions simultaneously come into contact with each other when the contacts are opened / closed. . When this slight difference occurs, an arc may be generated at the time of contact between the contact points of the three contact portions at the end of contact, and the contact portion between the contact points first at the time of separation. When an arc is generated, the contact is consumed at the contact where the arc is generated, so that the thickness dimension of the contact is reduced. Therefore, if the contact wear due to the generation of the arc is repeated, the thickness of the contact at each contact portion varies, so that the three-point contact function is not maintained and the swinging of the mover cannot be prevented. There was a problem. Further, if the function of three-point contact is not maintained, there is a problem that the contact performance between the contacts at the time of opening and closing between the contacts may be deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a contact device capable of reducing the cost and maintaining the function of three-point contact at the time of opening and closing between the contacts, and an electromagnetic switching device using the contact device. The purpose is to do.

  The contact device of the present invention includes a first contact portion including a set of fixed contacts and a movable contact contacting and separating from each other, a second contact portion including two sets of fixed and movable contacts contacting and separating from each other, A movable element provided with each movable contact of each contact portion, and either one of the two fixed contacts in the second contact portion or one of the two movable contacts in the second contact portion One is a dummy contact formed of a non-conductive material having a lower hardness than the other contacts.

  In this contact device, it is preferable that the fixed contact or the movable contact that comes in contact with and separates from the dummy contact is a dummy contact formed of a nonconductive material having a lower hardness than the other contacts.

  In this contact device, the dummy contact preferably has a thickness dimension larger than that of other contacts in the second contact portion.

  An electromagnetic switching device of the present invention includes any one of the contact devices described above, and a driving unit that drives the movable element of the contact device to bring the movable contacts into and out of contact with the fixed contacts. .

  The present invention has the effect of reducing the cost and maintaining the function of three-point contact during opening and closing between the contacts.

It is a figure which shows embodiment of the contact device which concerns on this invention, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a side view. It is a figure which shows the other structure of a contact apparatus same as the above, (a) is a perspective view which shows the other structure of a movable contact, (b) is a perspective view which shows the other structure of a fixed contact. It is sectional drawing which shows embodiment of the electromagnetic switch which concerns on this invention. (A) is a figure which shows the needle | mover of an electromagnetic switching device same as the above, (b) is a figure which shows each fixed terminal of the electromagnetic switching device same as the above.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a contact device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the up and down directions in FIG. 1B are defined as the up and down direction, the front side of the page as the front direction, and the back side of the page as the back direction. As shown in FIG. 1A, the contact device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a first fixed terminal 10 having a first fixed contact 10A and a dummy fixed contact 10C, and a second fixed contact 10B. 2 fixed terminals 11. Further, in the present embodiment, the movable element 12 having the first movable contact 12A and the second movable contact 12B that contact and separate from the fixed contacts 10A and 10B, respectively, and the dummy movable contact 12C that contacts and separates from the dummy fixed contact 10C. Is provided.

  In the following description, a contact portion composed of the second fixed contact 10B and the second movable contact 12B is referred to as a “first contact portion”. Further, a contact portion composed of the first fixed contact 10A and the dummy fixed contact 10C, and the first movable contact 12A and the dummy movable contact 12C is referred to as a “second contact portion”.

  Each of the fixed terminals 10 and 11 is formed in a rectangular plate shape from a conductive metal material. On the upper surface of the first fixed terminal 10, a first fixed contact 10A formed of a conductive metal material and a dummy formed of a nonconductive material having a lower hardness than the first fixed contact 10A. The fixed contact 10C is fixed along the front-rear direction at a predetermined interval. A second fixed contact 10B formed of a conductive metal material is fixed to the upper surface of the second fixed terminal 11.

  The mover 12 is formed in a rectangular plate shape from a conductive metal material, and on the lower surface thereof, the first movable contact 12A, the second movable contact 12B, a dummy are formed so as to face the fixed contacts 10A to 10C. Each of the movable contacts 12C is fixed. Similar to the first fixed contact 10A and the second fixed contact 10B, the first movable contact 12A and the second movable contact 12B are formed of a conductive metal material. The dummy movable contact 12C is formed of a non-conductive material with low hardness, like the dummy fixed contact 10C.

  The fixed contacts 10A and 10B and the movable contacts 12A and 12B are formed of a material having a lower electrical resistance than the material forming the fixed terminals 10 and 11 and the movable element 12 in order to reduce the contact resistance. Is desirable. The dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C are preferably formed of an elastic material such as rubber.

  The contact pressure spring 13 is composed of a coil spring that can be bent in the vertical direction (contact and separation direction of the contact), and its lower end is fixed to the upper surface of the movable element 12 and its upper end is a space in which the contact device 1 is accommodated. It abuts against the wall surface (not shown). Therefore, when the urging force of the contact pressure spring 13 works, the movable element 12 is urged in a direction (downward) toward the fixed contacts 10A to 10C.

  Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the following description, the mover 12 is driven in the vertical direction by a driving means (not shown). As this driving means, for example, the electromagnet device 2 in an embodiment of an electromagnetic switching device described later is used.

  When the contact is open, the position of the mover 12 is fixed by the driving means, so that the downward displacement of the mover 12 is restricted. Next, when the restriction of the downward movement of the movable element 12 is released by the driving means, the movable element 12 is displaced downward (in the direction toward the fixed contacts 10A to 10C) by the urging force of the contact pressure spring 13. . And each movable contact 12A-12C contact | abuts to each fixed contact 10A-10C, and between contacts is closed. And if the needle | mover 12 is displaced upwards against the urging | biasing force of the contact pressure spring 13 with a drive means, it will return to an initial position. Thereby, each movable contact 12A-12C leaves | separates from each fixed contact 10A-10C, and between contacts is opened. In the present embodiment, since the dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C are formed of a non-conductive material, the contact is actually caused by the contact and separation between the fixed contacts 10A and 10B and the movable contacts 12A and 12B. The space opens and closes.

  Here, when the contacts are closed, the fixed contact and the movable contact with the longest contact gap come into contact last, and when the contacts are opened, the fixed contact and the movable contact with the longest contact gap are separated first. The “contact gap” indicates “the shortest distance between the fixed contact and the movable contact at the time of opening between the contacts”. For this reason, when opening and closing between the contacts, an arc may occur between the fixed contact and the movable contact having the longest contact gap. If an arc is generated between the contacts of the second contact portion, at least one of the first fixed contact 10A and the first movable contact 12A of the second contact portion is consumed and the thickness dimension varies, so that the second There is a possibility that a step is generated between each contact of the contact portion. At this time, the step can be absorbed by twisting the mover 12 when opening and closing the contacts, but the mover 12 is difficult to twist along the short direction. Therefore, when a step is generated in the second contact portion, it is difficult to absorb the step between the fixed contacts 10A and 10B or the step between the movable contacts 12A and 12B by the twist of the movable element 12.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C formed of a non-conductive material with low hardness are provided. Since the dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C have low hardness, the dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C can be easily deformed when coming into contact with each other.

  On the other hand, if an arc is generated between the contacts of the first contact portion, at least one of the second fixed contact 10B and the second movable contact 12B of the first contact portion is consumed and the thickness dimension varies. There may be a step between each contact of the second contact portion. At this time, since the movable element 12 is easily twisted along the longitudinal direction, when a step is generated between each contact of the second contact portion, the step (for example, each fixed contact 10A, 10C and the second contact) The step between the fixed contact 10B and the fixed contact 10B can be absorbed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the one fixed contact and the one movable contact in the first contact portion are the dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C formed of a non-conductive material having low hardness, respectively. . Accordingly, it is not necessary to form all the contacts with a metal material as in the conventional example, and the choice of materials for forming at least one of the contacts (two in the present embodiment) can be increased. For example, if the dummy fixed contact 10 </ b> C and the dummy movable contact 12 </ b> C are formed of an inexpensive rubber material, the cost can be reduced compared to the case where the contact is formed of a metal material. Of course, when the contacts are opened and closed, the two fixed contacts 10A and 10B and the dummy fixed contact 10C and the two movable contacts 12A and 12B and the dummy movable contact 12C are brought into contact with and separated from each other. Can be fulfilled.

  Further, even if the arc is generated and the contact is consumed as described above, the step caused by the contact consumption can be absorbed by the deformation of the dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C or the twist of the movable element 12. it can. Therefore, the three-point contact function by the three movable contacts 12A to 12C and the three fixed contacts 10A to 10C can be maintained. For this reason, the effect which prevents the rocking | fluctuation of the needle | mover 12 by three-point contact is hard to be impaired, and the fall of the contact performance between the contacts at the time of opening and closing between contacts does not occur easily.

  In the present embodiment, both the dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C are provided. However, only the dummy fixed contact 10C or only the dummy movable contact 12C may be provided. Even in this case, the dummy contact can be deformed or the step caused by the contact wear due to the twist of the mover 12 can be absorbed, so that the same effect as described above can be obtained.

  By the way, in this embodiment, although each contact of each contact part is formed with the same thickness dimension, as shown to Fig.2 (a), the thickness dimension H1 has the thickness dimension H1 of the dummy movable contact 12C. You may form so that it may become larger than the dimension H2. In this configuration, the dummy movable contact 12C comes into contact with the dummy fixed contact 10C before the first movable contact 12A comes into contact with the first fixed contact 10A when the contacts are closed. Is more easily deformed and can absorb the step more effectively. As shown in FIG. 2B, the dummy fixed contact 10C may be formed such that its thickness dimension H1 is larger than the thickness dimension H2 of other contacts. Even with this configuration, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an electromagnetic switching device provided with the contact device 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the vertical and horizontal directions in FIG. 3 are defined as the vertical and horizontal directions.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, in the hollow box-shaped housing 3, the contact device 1 and the movable element 12 of the contact device 1 are driven so that the movable contacts 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> C are connected to the fixed contacts 10 </ b> A to 10 </ b> A to 10 </ b> C, respectively. An electromagnet device 2 (drive means) that is brought into contact with and separated from 10C (see FIG. 4) is housed. The housing 3 is made of a resin such as PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), for example, and is formed by integrally combining two upper cases 30 and a lower case 31 as shown in FIG.

  The contact device 1 is disposed in a space covered by the upper case 30 and the lower case 31. Here, the upper end of the contact pressure spring 13 is fixed to the upper surface inside the upper case 30. As shown in FIG. 4A, the dummy movable contact 12C is disposed at a position shifted from a line passing through the centers of the first movable contact 12A and the second movable contact 12B. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the dummy fixed contact 10C is arranged at a position shifted from a line passing through the centers of the first fixed contact 10A and the second fixed contact 10B.

  The fixed terminals 10 and 11 are integrally formed with load terminals 100 and 110 protruding from the right surface of the housing 3, respectively. One of the load terminals 100 and 110 is connected to an external power source (not shown), and the other is connected to an external load (not shown). In addition, since each other part of the contact apparatus 1 has already been demonstrated in the said embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted here.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the electromagnet device 2 includes an excitation winding 20 wound around a coil bobbin 21, and a pair (one in the figure) of coil terminals 22 to which both ends of the excitation winding 20 are connected. Is provided. The electromagnet device 2 includes a fixed iron core 23 that is disposed and fixed in the coil bobbin 21, a movable iron core 24, and a return spring 25.

  The coil bobbin 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape from a resin material, and flanges 21A and 21B are formed on the upper end and the lower end, respectively. As described above, the excitation winding 20 is disposed in the cylindrical portion 21C between the flange portions 21A and 21B.

  The exciting winding 20 is connected to a pair of terminal portions (not shown) provided on the flange portion 21A of the coil bobbin 21 at both ends, and is connected to the coil terminals 22 through the terminal portions. Each coil terminal 22 is formed from a conductive metal material such as copper, and is provided so as to protrude from the right surface of the housing 3. The exciting winding 20 is energized by passing an exciting current through each coil terminal 22.

  The cylindrical portion 21 </ b> C of the coil bobbin 21 is provided with a fixed iron core 23 made of a magnetic material at the inner lower end. Here, a yoke 21D formed of a magnetic material is disposed below the coil bobbin 21. And the fixed iron core 23 is being fixed to the yoke 21D through the hole which is not shown provided in the lower end part of the coil bobbin 21. As shown in FIG. The upper end portion of the fixed iron core 23 is provided with a recessed portion 23 </ b> A that is recessed downward in which the lower end portion of the movable iron core 24 is fitted. A movable iron core 24 made of a magnetic material is movably disposed above the fixed iron core 23 inside the cylindrical portion 21 </ b> C of the coil bobbin 21. The lower end portion of the movable iron core 24 is provided with a storage recess 24A that is recessed upward, and a part of the return spring 25 is stored in the storage recess 24A.

  The return spring 25 is formed of a coil spring and is held between the upper surface in the housing recess 24 </ b> A of the movable iron core 24 and the lower surface in the recess 23 </ b> A of the fixed iron core 23. The return spring 25 is compressed when the movable iron core 24 is displaced downward, and biases the movable iron core 24 upward.

  Here, the outer diameter dimension of the movable iron core 24 is smaller than the outer diameter dimension of the fixed iron core 23, and a gap is generated between the cylindrical portion 21 </ b> C of the coil bobbin 21 and the movable iron core 24. In this gap, there is disposed a plate 26 formed of a magnetic material in a cylindrical shape and having a flange at the upper end. The fixed iron core 23, the movable iron core 24, the plate 26, and the yoke 21D form a magnetic circuit. A metal shaft 24B is fixed to the movable iron core 24 so as to penetrate therethrough. The shaft 24 </ b> B extends through the lower case 31 to the upper case 30, and a cap 24 </ b> C formed of an insulating resin material is disposed at the upper end portion of the shaft 24 </ b> B.

  Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, when the exciting winding 20 is energized, the movable iron core 24 is attracted to the fixed iron core 23, whereby the shaft 24B fixed to the movable iron core 24 is displaced downward. Then, the cap 24C is also displaced downward in conjunction with the shaft 24B, so that the restriction of the downward displacement of the movable element 12 by the cap 24C is released, so that the movable element 12 is moved downward by the urging force of the contact pressure spring 13. It is displaced to. And each movable contact 12A-12C contact | abuts to each fixed contact 10A-10C, and between contacts is closed.

  At this time, the movable contacts 12A to 12C and the fixed contacts 10A to 10C come into contact with each other at three points, so that the movable element 12 is prevented from swinging when the contacts collide with each other. For this reason, generation | occurrence | production of the noise by the rocking | fluctuation of the needle | mover 12 and the wear by friction of each movable contact 12A-12C and each fixed contact 10A-10C can be prevented.

  On the other hand, when the energization to the excitation winding 20 is interrupted, the movable iron core 24 is displaced upward by the urging force of the return spring 25, and the shaft 24B is also displaced upward. Then, the cap 24C is displaced upward in conjunction with the shaft 24B, so that the upper end of the cap 24C comes into contact with the lower surface of the mover 12. The cap 24C displaces the mover 12 upward against the biasing force of the contact pressure spring 13, and returns to the initial position. Thereby, each movable contact 12A-12C leaves | separates from each fixed contact 10A-10C, and between contacts is opened.

  As described above, the contact device 1 is also used in this embodiment. For this reason, cost can be reduced compared with the case where all the contacts are formed with a metal material like a prior art example. Further, even if the arc is generated and the contact is consumed, the step due to the consumption of the contact can be absorbed by the deformation of the dummy fixed contact 10C and the dummy movable contact 12C or the twist of the movable element 12. Therefore, the three-point contact function by the three movable contacts 12A to 12C and the three fixed contacts 10A to 10C can be maintained. For this reason, the effect which prevents the rocking | fluctuation of the needle | mover 12 by three-point contact is hard to be impaired, and the fall of the contact performance between the contacts at the time of opening and closing between contacts does not occur easily.

1 Contact Device 10 First Fixed Terminal 11 Second Fixed Terminal 10A First Fixed Contact 10B Second Fixed Contact 10C Dummy Fixed Contact (Dummy Contact)
12 mover 12A first movable contact 12B second movable contact 12C dummy movable contact (dummy contact)
2 Electromagnet device (drive means)

Claims (4)

  A first contact portion composed of a set of fixed and movable contacts that come in contact with and away from each other, a second contact portion composed of two sets of fixed and movable contacts that come in and out of contact with each other, and each of the movable portions One of the two fixed contacts in the second contact portion, or one of the two movable contacts in the second contact portion is the other contact. A contact device characterized in that it is a dummy contact made of a non-conductive material having a lower hardness than that of the contact device.   2. The contact device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed contact or the movable contact that contacts and separates from the dummy contact is a dummy contact formed of a non-conductive material having a lower hardness than the other contact. .   The contact device according to claim 1, wherein the dummy contact has a thickness dimension larger than a thickness dimension of other contacts in the second contact portion.   A contact device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and drive means for driving the movable element of the contact device to bring the movable contacts into and out of contact with the fixed contacts. Electromagnetic switchgear.

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