DE102010021182B4 - Electromagnetic relay - Google Patents

Abstract

Electromagnetic relay with one or more sets of contacts (15) which can be actuated by a first drive system, which has an electromagnet with locking magnets (11), whose armature is connected to the active contact spring of the sets of contacts (15) via a slide, with an armature return spring (14) serves to reset the active contact springs to the starting position when the drive system is not energized, with a locking mechanism (25, 26, 26a, 19, 19a, b) locking the drive system with its locking magnet (11) after the excitation has ceased, and with a second drive system with an unlocking magnet (30) for releasing the locking, characterized by an actuating frame (20) which is operatively connected at one end via webs to the active contact springs, the actuating frame (20) having a locking spring (25) at the other end a locking lug (26) which is connected to a fixed latching hook (1st 9) after the excitation of the locking magnet (11) has taken place, the unlocking magnet (30) unlocks the locking spring (25) when it is excited.

Description

The invention relates to an electromagnetic relay with one or more, in particular forcibly guided contact sets of the type mentioned in the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such a relay is off WO 2005/059939 A1 known. Other electronic relays are off AT 256968B , DE 100 25 335 A1 and DE 1 614 063 A known.

A relay of this type, for example equipped with forcibly guided contacts, is off DE 102 44 147 B4 known. This is a relay with monostable switching behavior in which the switching position of the contacts is only maintained when the drive system is energized.

For certain applications, e.g. railway applications such as controlling interlockings, railway signal systems, network switching in metro stations, relays with bistable switching behavior are required, which retain their switching position even in the event of a power failure. Due to their use in signaling, these relays are also referred to as signal relays.

Relays with bistable switching behavior include so-called toggle relays or bistable, polarized relays, such as those described in DE 28 30 390 C2 and WO 81/03578 are described. Such relays have one or two coils in which the bistability is achieved by the permanent magnets integrated in the iron circuit. The contact sets of these relays are not mechanically forced.

The disadvantage of the two-coil systems is that undefined switching positions of the contacts can occur if both coils are energized at the same time.

In a two-terminal, single-coil system, the current direction must be reversed to switch the contacts.

The invention is based on the object of further developing the known relay in such a way that a bistable switching behavior can be implemented with it.

This object is essentially achieved in that the relay is equipped with two drive systems, which have two separately controllable electromagnets, namely a locking magnet and an unlocking magnet, with a locking mechanism being provided for mechanically locking and storing the switching positions, with the one end via combs with the active contact springs in operative connection actuating frame has at the other end a locking spring with a locking lug which latches with a fixed latching hook after the locking magnet has been energized, the unlocking magnet unlocking the locking spring when it is energized.

According to the proposal according to claim 2, the locking hook has a notch into which the locking lug of the locking spring engages in a locking manner.

Due to its minimized energy consumption, the electromagnetic relay according to the invention can be driven both by impulse and by continuous excitation.

The defined switching position of the contacts is maintained unchanged in the event of a voltage interruption, voltage changeover or voltage failure, since all contacts are assigned to a drive system, namely the drive system with the locking magnet.

The structure of the relay according to the invention ensures that when both drive systems are activated at the same time, the working position of the contacts is retained in a defined manner, with the drive system with its locking magnet to which the contacts being assigned having priority here.

The mechanical locking is canceled by impulse or continuous excitation of the unlocking magnet of the second drive system, whereupon the contacts resume their original switching position.

In many applications, it is very important to be able to manually influence or change the switching position of the relay contacts from the outside.

For this purpose, according to the proposal according to claim 3, a manual operating slide for manual operation of the active contact springs is provided on the operating frame.

The design of the manual override slide is the subject of claims 4 to 6.

To control the manual override slide, an actuator is provided according to claim 7, which passes through the cover and is connected to the manual override slide.

The special design of the actuator is specified in claim 8. The actuator on the outside of the cover also has the function of indicating the switch position.

In the construction according to the invention, the manual actuation always has priority over the electrical actuation of the drive systems in both switching directions.

A particularly inexpensive production of the actuating frame, with which the receiving element, the locking spring, the locking lug and the cantilever are connected, is proposed with claim 10, according to which this element is produced using insert technology.

The features and measures proposed with the invention make it possible to produce a very compact, machine-solderable, electromagnetic printed circuit board relay with bistable switching behavior, which can be soldered into a printed circuit board with its contact pins penetrating the underside of the carrier block. According to the proposal according to claim 11, the drive systems with the sets of contacts and the locking mechanism are arranged in a common carrier block which is covered by the hood.

• 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht des erfindungsgemäßen elektromagnetischen Relais im entriegelten Zustand,
• 2 Darstellung des Relais gemäß 1 im verriegelten Zustand,
• 3 perspektivische, vergrößerte Teilansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Relais gemäß 2 mit den beiden Antriebssystemen und dem dazwischen liegenden Verriegelungsmechanismus,
• 4 Teilansicht eines Relais gemäß 3 mit Handbetätigungsschieber und seitlich angeordnetem Betätiger,
• 5 Teilansicht eines Relais gemäß 4 mit oben angeordnetem Betätiger,
• 6 perspektivische Darstellung des Betätigungsrahmens mit eingespritzter Arretierfeder,
• 7 Aufsicht des Betätigungsrahmens gemäß 6,
• 8 Seitenansicht des Betätigungsrahmens gemäß 7,
• 9 perspektivische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Relais mit Haube und seitlich angeordnetem Betätiger,
• 10 perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Relais mit auf seiner Oberseite angeordnetem Betätiger,
• 11 vergrößerte perspektivische Teilansicht des Betätigungsrahmens gemäß 6, 7 und 8,
• 12 vergrößerte perspektivische Ansicht der im Betätigungsrahmen eingespritzten Arretierfeder,
• 13 perspektivische vergrößerte Ansicht des Handbetätigungsschiebers mit seitlich angeordnetem Betätiger,
• 14 perspektivische Untenansicht des Handbetätigungsschiebers mit oben angeordnetem Betätiger und
• 15 perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung der Einzelteile des erfindungsgemäßen Relais.

The object of the invention is explained in detail below using a preferred exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the drawings. Show in the drawings

• 1 a perspective view of the electromagnetic relay according to the invention in the unlocked state,
• 2 Representation of the relay according to 1 in the locked state,
• 3 perspective, enlarged partial view of the relay according to the invention 2 with the two drive systems and the locking mechanism in between,
• 4 Partial view of a relay according to 3 with manual override slide and laterally arranged actuator,
• 5 Partial view of a relay according to 4 with top mounted actuator,
• 6 perspective view of the actuating frame with injected locking spring,
• 7 Supervision of the operating frame according to 6 ,
• 8th Side view of the operating frame according to 7 ,
• 9 Perspective view of the relay according to the invention with hood and laterally arranged actuator,
• 10 Perspective view of a relay according to the invention with an actuator arranged on its upper side,
• 11 enlarged partial perspective view of the actuating frame according to FIG 6 , 7 and 8th ,
• 12 enlarged perspective view of the detent spring injected in the actuating frame,
• 13 Perspective enlarged view of the manual override slide with the actuator arranged on the side,
• 14 Perspective view from below of the manual override slide with the actuator arranged at the top and
• 15 perspective exploded view of the individual parts of the relay according to the invention.

As the representations according to 1 and 2 together with the exploded view according to 15 show, the electromagnetic relay according to the invention essentially consists of a locking magnet 11 for actuating the forcibly guided contact sets 15, an unlocking magnet 30 and a locking mechanism arranged between the locking magnet 11 and the unlocking magnet 30, the structure and function of which is explained in detail below.

Locking magnet 11, unlocking magnet 30, locking mechanism with locking spring 25 and associated latching hook 19 and the contact sets 15 are embedded in the common support block 10, like the 9 , 10 and 15 show, is covered with a hood 50 or 50'. Contact pins 13, 16 and 33 penetrating the undersides of the carrier block 10 are used for the electrical connection of the relay. The relay can be mounted on a printed circuit board with these contact pins and soldered manually or automatically in a soldering bath.

The active contact springs of the contact sets 15 are mechanically connected to the hinged armature 12 of the locking magnet 11 via a slide which is formed from the actuating frame 20 and the actuating combs 17 . The actuating frame 20 has on its side facing the sets of contacts 15 hooking lugs 21 into which the actuating combs 17 on both sides are hooked. For the linear guidance of the actuating frame 20, guides 22 are provided on the same side between the hanging lugs 21, which grip the central web 18 located between the sets of contacts 15.

A prestressed armature return spring 14 resting on the hinged armature 12 ensures that the hinged armature 12 and thus the active contact springs are returned to the starting position after unlocking.

If the locking magnet 11, to which all contact sets are assigned directly, is driven by pulsed or continuous excitation, the hinged armature 12 is pushed against the pole of the locking magnet 11, not shown, in the 2 Pivoted position shown closing the working air gap, whereby the forcibly guided contacts 15 change their switching positions. This means that all previously closed contacts are opened and previously opened contacts are closed. To maintain this switching state, a locking mechanism is provided, which essentially consists of the locking spring 25 connected to the receiving element 23 of the actuating frame 20 and the latching hook 19 provided on the carrier block 10 .

The arrangement and design of the locking spring 25 is more precisely from the 6 until 8th visible, in which the actuating frame 20 is shown with the elements connected to it. At the front end of the locking spring 25 there is a locking lug 26 with a locking edge 26a. A notch 19a of the latching hook 19 is assigned to this locking edge 26a. When the locking magnet 11 is not excited, the locking lug 26 rests on the upper side 19b of the latching hook 19 . When the locking magnet 11 is excited, the hinged armature 12 is attracted, as a result of which the actuating frame 20, together with the locking spring connected to it, moves to the left in the illustration according to FIG 1 is postponed. The locking lug 26 slides off the upper side 19b of the locking hook 19 and reaches with its locking edge 26a in the notch 19a of the locking hook 19, as in 2 is shown. The locking spring 25, together with the latching hook 19, thus locks the relay in the in 2 shown position. 3 shows the arrangement of the locking mechanism in the locked position in an enlarged view.

For unlocking, the unlocking magnet 30, which has no associated contacts, can be driven by pulsed or continuous excitation, whereby the hinged armature 31 is attracted by electromagnetic force and, as shown in FIGS 1 until 3 is pivoted counterclockwise. The switching arm 32 connected to it lifts the locking lug 26, as a result of which the locking edge 26a disengages from the notch 19a and the frame 20 is returned to the starting position under the action of the tensioned contact springs 15 and the armature return spring 14. The first drive system with its locking magnet 11 is thus returned to the starting position. The locking lug 26 is again slightly biased downwards on the upper side 19b of the latching hook 19 and thus assumes the neutral, unlocked position.

The arrangement is such that when the locking magnet 11 and the unlocking magnet 30 are energized simultaneously, the first drive system having the locking magnet 11 has priority.

To manually influence the switching position of the relay contacts 15, a manually operated slide 40 is provided, the arrangement and structure in the 4 , 5 , 13 , 14 and 15 are shown. The manually operated slide 40 is inserted with vertically projecting webs 43 into the receiving element 23 which is firmly connected to the operating frame 20 . In this way, the actuating frame 20 and the actuating combs 17 for the manual adjustment of the contact sets 15 can be displaced with the manual actuating slide 40 . This switching position is also locked in the end position in the manner explained above by means of the locking lug 26 and the locking hook 19 . In order to manually unlock this locking mechanism again, the manual operating slide 40 must be moved in the opposite direction against the latching hook 19. In doing so, its control cam 41 reaches the area of the cantilever arm 27 connected to the locking lug 26 and engages under its cantilever lug 28, as a result of which the locking lug 26 is disengaged from the notch 19a of the locking hook 19. The result is that the actuating frame 20 is returned to the starting position with the actuating combs 17, as a result of which the contact sets 15 are switched over.

In order that the manual operating slide 40 can be displaced relative to the receiving element 23 connected to the operating frame 20 for the purpose of unlocking, it is inserted with snap lugs 42 into retaining lugs 24 provided on the receiving element 23 so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction. The webs 43 of the manual override slide 40 pass through the free space 29 located between the retaining lugs 24 and lie against the bent spring leg 25a of the locking spring 25. These spring legs ensure that when the relay is actuated electrically, the manually operated slide 40 that moves along always maintains its defined position.

To adjust the manually operated slide 40, an actuator 45 or 45' is provided which positively engages with coupling bolts 47 or 47' in these corresponding receptacles of the manual operated slide 40. According to the arrangement 13 is the actuator 45 'on the side in the Manual override slide 40 used. In the representation according to 14 the actuator 45 is inserted into the manual override slide 40 from above. In doing so, it penetrates either the side wall 53 of the hood 50 (cf 9 ) or the top 54 of the hood 50' (cf 10 ). To guide and hold the actuator 45, the latter has holding and guiding lips 46 on its underside, which are inserted into these corresponding slots in the hood 50 so that they can be displaced longitudinally but cannot be lost. The opening 51 located between the slots 52 serves to accommodate the coupling bolt 47. If the actuator 45' is arranged on the side, corresponding retaining and guide lips 46' are provided on the underside of the actuator 45' or on the side of the coupling bolt 47'.

Since the manual operating slide 40 and with it the actuators 45 and 45' necessarily run along when the relay is actuated electrically, the actuators 45 and 45' also serve as a visual position indicator for the relay.

To simplify production and reduce production costs, the actuating frame 20 is produced with hanging lugs 21, guides 22, receiving element 23 with an injected locking spring as a multifunctional part using plastic-metal composite technology, the so-called insert technology. Here, the locking spring 25 is placed in an injection mold, whereupon the actuating frame 20 on the contact side and the locking lug 26 on the locking side and the cantilever arm 27 are molded from the same plastic material in a single-stage injection molding process.

Reference List

10

carrier block

11

locking magnet

12

Hinged armature of locking magnet 11

13

contact pin

14

armature return spring

15

forcibly guided contact sets or contacts

16

Contact pins for contact sets

17

operating comb

18

center bar

19

latch hook

19a

score

19b

top

20

operating frame

21

hanging lugs

22

guides

23

receiving element

24

holding lug

25

locking spring

25a

feather leg

26

locking lug

26a

locking edge

27

cantilever

28

cantilever nose

29

free space

30

unlocking magnet

31

Hinged armature for unlocking magnet 30

31a

Retaining spring for hinged armature 31

32

shift arm

33

Contact pin for release magnet 30

40

manual override slide

41

control cam

42

snap nose

43

webs

44

recording

45, 45'

actuator

46, 46'

retaining and guiding lips

47, 47'

coupling bolt

50, 50'

Hood

51

Breakthrough for coupling pin 47

52

Slots for retaining and guiding lips 46

53

Side wall

54

top

Claims (11)

Electromagnetic relay with one or more sets of contacts (15), which can be actuated by a first drive system, which has an electromagnet with locking magnets (11), whose armature is connected to the active contact spring of the sets of contacts (15) via a slide, with an armature return spring (14) the provision of the active contact springs in the absence of excitation of the drive system in the starting position is used, with a drive system with locking mechanism (25, 26, 26a, 19, 19a, b) which locks its locking magnet (11) after the excitation has ceased, and with a second drive system with an unlocking magnet (30) for releasing the locking, characterized by an actuating frame (20) which at one end The actuation frame (20) has a locking spring (25) with a locking lug (26) at the other end, which connects to a fixed latching hook (19) after the locking magnet (11 ) latches, with the release magnet (30) unlocking the locking spring (25) when it is excited. relay after claim 1 , characterized in that the locking hook (19) has a notch (19a) into which the locking nose (26) of the locking spring (25) engages in a locking manner. relay after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that a manual operating slide (40) for manual operation of the active contact springs (15) is provided on the operating frame (20). relay after claim 3 , characterized in that the hand-operated slide (40) has a control cam (41) and the locking spring (25) has a cantilever arm (27) attached thereto with a cantilever arm nose (28) associated with the control cam (41), wherein for manual unlocking of the locking mechanism ( 25, 26, 26a, 19, 19a) the control cam (41) engages under the cantilever nose (28). relay after claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that a receiving element (23) is provided on the operating frame (20), in which the manual operating slide (40) is captive, but slidably inserted. relay after claim 5 , characterized in that the locking spring (25) has spring legs (25a) which rest under prestress on webs (43) provided on the manual actuation slide (40) and the non-positive connection of the manual actuation slide (40) with the receiving element (23) of the actuating frame (20 ) to serve. Relay with a cover covering the drive systems and the sets of contacts according to one of claims 3 until 6 characterized by a displaceable actuator (45, 45') which passes through the hood (50, 50') from above or from the side and is connected to the manual actuating slide (40). relay after claim 7 , characterized in that on the underside of the actuator (47, 47') holding and guiding lips (46, 46') which engage in these corresponding slots (46) of the hood (50, 50'), and an opening ( 51) coupling bolts (47, 47') penetrating the hood (50, 50') are provided for connection to the manual operating slide (40). relay after one of claims 2 until 8th , characterized in that the actuating frame (20) with receiving element (23), injected locking spring (25), locking lug (26) and cantilever arm (27) is made in plastic-metal composite technology (insert technology). relay after one of Claims 1 until 8th , characterized in that the drive systems with locking magnet (11) or unlocking magnet (30), the contact sets (15) and the locking mechanism (25, 26, 19) are arranged in a common carrier block (10), the underside of which is covered by the contact pins ( 13, 16, 33) and which is covered by a common hood (50, 50'). relay after one of Claims 1 until 10 , characterized in that the one or more sets of contacts are constrained.

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