EP2457245B1 - Switching relay having contact ripping device - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to a switching relay, in particular for a starting device for starting an internal combustion engine, with a contact device, a relay coil, an armature, a switching rod, wherein the switching rod moves when energized, the relay coil of the armature and the contact device is actuated via the switching rod, and a contact ripper through which the armature and the shift rod are coupled together.

The invention also relates to a starting device with such a switching relay and also to an assembly and a dismantling method for such a switching relay.

With the switching relay, a starter motor of the starting device is switched on and off. It is known in a switching relay to move the switching rod by energizing the relay coil with the armature and to actuate the contact device via the switching rod.

In the case of interruptions or other disturbances of the power supply during the energization of the relay coil, so-called fluttering contacts may occur at the contact device, with the result that at least two adjoining contacts enter into a mutual connection, thus virtually sticking to one another. This connection, which is caused by a flow of current when fluttering, is referred to as contact welding. Due to the lack of coupling between the armature and the shift rod returns to a switch relay without Kontaktaufreißeinrichtung the armature the energization of the relay coil back to its rest position, in which case, however, actuates the contact means, so the contacts remain closed, since the second spring does not separate the adherent contacts, so the contact welding can not tear, as they do not apply a corresponding Kontaktaufreißkraft. Consequently, a switching relay without Kontaktaufreißeinrichtung disturbed after a contact welding in its switching function. The starter motor is energized further or longer, resulting in damage to the starting device, overheating, especially a cable fire, or destruction of the starter motor, unless timely a vehicle battery is disconnected as a source of power.

The risk is reduced with known contact tearing devices which, when the relay is turned off, apply a contact tearing force to the shift rod if contact welding occurs.

The DE 199 51 116 A1 describes a switching relay for a starting device, wherein a coupling element is provided to take the shift rod with a limited movement in a return movement of the armature only when occurring under unfavorable conditions contact welding occurs, so that the contact welding is torn open by a restoring force of the armature.

The US 6,552,638 B2 describes a relay with a spring-supported anchor, in which a shift rod is mounted with a head. The switching rod is moved axially by the armature when energized against a spring force to close a contact bridge. To release the contact bridge, in addition to the spring force in the case of contact welding, the head of the shift rod is pulled along by a shoulder as an abutment in the guide in the armature.

The DE 102 60 843 A1 describes a relay, in particular in a particular embodiment, a switching relay for a starter. In order to rupture bonded or welded contacts, a sufficient kinetic energy is built up by a pulse-like acceleration of the magnet armature via a path of Abbrandreserve, so that a shift rod is retracted via a head back to the starting position when a path b) in an annular groove of

Go through the headboard. A relay coil is enclosed in a housing that holds the magnet armature cup-shaped.

The DE 67 51 537 U describes an electromagnetic switch for starter motors of internal combustion engines. The anchor has a longitudinal bore in which a bolt is secured by a semicircular groove in a bead in the longitudinal bore. From the point of view of assembly is provided here, first to positively connect the bolt with the anchor to then secure the bolt in the contact device.

It is an object of the invention to develop a switching relay of the type mentioned and an assembly and disassembly process for such a switching relay so that the assembly and disassembly simplified and the structure of the switching relay is simplified.

Disclosure of the invention

According to the invention the object is achieved by the subject matter of claims 1, 10 and 11. The dependent claims define preferred embodiments of the invention.

The object is achieved with a switching relay in that the armature is formed as part of a releasable latching device for the contact ripping device and the relay coil and the contact device are designed as an assembly slidably mounted on the armature. The shift rod has at least one latching lug as an abutment and the anchor at least one shoulder as a bearing, wherein the shoulder forms a stop surface, in particular for an end face of a leg end of the latching nose. Then, the armature and the at least one locking lug of the shift rod can be mounted by merely pressing against each other by the locking lug is moved over the shoulder with a certain latching force.

Preferably, the armature is biased with a first spring, so that it is deflected when energizing the relay coil for actuating a contact device by acting on the shift rod and moved back to a rest position after switching off the energization of the spring. Furthermore For example, the shift rod may be biased with a second spring to move it to a rest position to hold the contactor, or to hold it in that rest position when it is no longer urged by the armature.

In a preferred embodiment, the switching axis is not fixedly coupled to the armature with respect to an opening, in particular axial, movement of the switching relay. If the relay coil is no longer supplied with current, the armature and decoupled from the switching rod respectively by the first and the second spring in their rest positions, namely for opening the contact device, moves and held there.

Preferably, the contact device comprises at least one contact plate with at least two electrical contacts, which is fastened in particular on the front side of the shift rod. Thus, the contact plate can be moved to close and open the contacts by an axial movement of the shift rod.

Preferably, the shift rod in the armature with a, in particular in the de-energized state axial clearance of the relay coil can be latched, so that the armature and the shift rod are mutually coupled by a certain way, in particular axially, movably or mutually displaceable and simultaneously. Thus, as explained later, the armature can build up a pulse for the contact ripper.

The object is also achieved by a mounting method in which the relay coil and the contact device are pushed as an assembly on the anchor and the shift rod is partially inserted with its opposite end of the contact device in the anchor and snapped into this unlocked. Thus, the assembly, especially with respect to the mentioned US 6,552,638 B2 be simplified, since the shift rod does not have to be completely passed through the anchor.

Furthermore, the object is also achieved by a disassembly method in which the shift rod is pulled out in the direction of the contact device from the armature, wherein it is unlocked and pulled out with a Kontaktaufreißkraft exceeding Entrastekraft for unlatching a locking device, which is part of the armature and the relay coil and the contact device are removed as an assembly from the anchor.

By the mounting method according to the invention, the armature and the shift rod can be assembled or disassembled with the same movements with which they are moved during operation of the switching relay, so that their mutual assembly can also be carried out at their installation position, both the shift rod with respect to an already mounted anchor or the armature with respect to an already mounted shift rod can be mounted or dismounted. Thus, in particular, a complicated, complete passage of the shift rod through the armature or an additional coupling element, as described in the prior art, avoided. An advantage is therefore a simple installation, which is as usual, without significant changes in the assembly process, executable. In addition, the disassembly method according to the invention enables a non-destructive separation of the armature and the shift rod to be performed by an intuitive movement, namely by merely pulling apart with a single handle.

Preferably, the switching relay is composed of, preferably two, assemblies, wherein the shift rod and the armature are assigned to two different assemblies, which are mutually mounted by the shift rod is only partially inserted axially into the armature and engaged.

In particular, to easily disassemble two such assemblies, the shift rod from the anchor with the Entrastekraft can be unlocked, which is greater than the contact tearing force.

In a preferred embodiment, a housing component, the relay coil, the shift rod and at least one contact plate with at least two contacts is preassembled as an assembly and is pushed and engaged with the shift rod on the anchor.

Preferably, the latching device comprises as a bearing a shoulder and an interlocking counter bearing. In particular, the latching device is formed by a corresponding shape of the armature and / or the shift rod. Thus, the anchor and the shift rod by mutual positive connection directly engage each other and are particularly easy to assemble, as advantageously another component, such as a coupling element according to the prior art, is avoided, which is to be connected as a locking device with both the armature and the shift rod.

A bearing and an abutment can both be a component of the contact-tearing device and the detent device, wherein preferably the two functions, namely the contact tearing device and the detent device are realized by different, previously and subsequently described forces on the same bearing or thrust bearing. This reduces the manufacturing and assembly costs.

In a preferred embodiment, the armature and the shift rod can also be separated by pulling apart, for which disassembly the catch is moved away with a Entrastekraft in the reverse direction over the shoulder. In the locked state, the shoulder thus forms the abutment surface for the latching lug, wherein this mutual abutment can preferably be overcome only with a defined unlatching force.

The locking device can also be designed so that their, assigned in this description of the shift rod, parts are associated with the anchor and vice versa. In particular, the bearing, in particular the shoulder, that is on the switching rod and the counter bearing, in particular the latching lug, may be formed on the armature.

Incidentally, the locking device may also have a plurality, preferably two, three or four locking lugs and a band as a shoulder. Likewise, the locking device can be realized by both the armature, and the shift rod each have at least one shoulder and at least one latching lug.

Preferably, the bearing, in particular the shoulder, made of elastic material, so that a suitable Entrastekraft is determined, in which the bearing is elastically deformed so that the counter bearing, in particular the locking lug, is released during disassembly, so a simple unlatching is possible , In addition, but preferably as an alternative, the counter bearing, in particular the latching lug, is elastic and, in particular, the latching device can be latched or even unlocked by an elastic deformation of the counter bearing, in particular the latching lug.

It is particularly preferred that the abutment surface of the shoulder and the end face of the latching lug are formed obliquely to the axial direction, in particular in a special angle, for a detent disassembly of the shift rod and the armature. Due to the oblique design of these surfaces act when pulling, so with a force in an axial direction, the surfaces like an inclined plane, so quasi with a wedge effect or as a ramp, so by a resultant force, the locking lug and the shoulder ultimately to unlock each other are passed, and preferably by the locking lug is compressed by the shoulder, so that the armature and shift rod are separated. In this case, the angle can be suitably chosen to control the Entrastekraft.

In addition, the shoulder and / or the locking lug can each have a second, inclined to the axial direction surface, which are adapted to pass the locking lug on the shoulder with little effort when snapping the shift rod and the anchor. These surfaces then act, as described above, like an inclined plane, so to speak, with a wedge effect or as a ramp.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the locking device comprises a spacer bush with at least one locking lug. Such a spacer can be part of the shift rod and allows the use of different materials for the locking device and the other components of the shift rod, for example, to realize the said elasticity of the latch or to increase the life. In addition, the assembly of the switching relay is simplified by the locking device, at least the locking lug with the spacer, is pre-mounted on the shift rod.

In particular, the locking device, in particular the counter bearing, preferably the spacer bush, be made of plastic in order to build the switching relay as inexpensively and weight-saving.

In order to produce a latching device with a long service life, the latching device, in particular the counter-bearing, preferably the spacer bushing, can be made of a resilient, metallic material, for example to form elastic latching lugs.

The object is also achieved by a starting device for starting an internal combustion engine with a previously described or subsequently described switching relay.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

einen Querschnitt durch ein erfindungsgemäßes Schaltrelais,

Fig. 2

eine Detailvergrößerung einer Kontaktaufreißeinrichtung aus der Fig. 1 und

Fig. 3

einen Querschnitt durch eine erfindungsgemäße Rastvorrichtung.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a cross section through a switching relay according to the invention,

Fig. 2

an enlarged detail of a contact tearing of the Fig. 1 and

Fig. 3

a cross section through a locking device according to the invention.

Embodiments of the invention

The Fig. 1 shows a cross section through an inventive switching relay 1 for a starting device for starting an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle, which also latches a starter pinion, not shown, in a ring gear of the internal combustion engine as a starter relay with an armature. The switching relay 1 is formed with a relay coil 2, the prestressed by a first spring 20 anchor 3 and a biased with a second spring 21 shift rod 4, which is mounted coaxially to the armature 3. In this case, the shift rod 4 is coupled with a locking device to the armature 3, not rigidly, but relative to this in the axial direction, ie in the Fig. 1 horizontal, movable. The Latching device in the Fig. 3 is shown comprises at least three locking lugs 9 of a spacer 8 on the shift rod 4 and a shoulder 10 on the armature 3. The shift rod 4 has at its the armature 3 opposite end as a contact means a contact plate 5 with two contacts 6 for electrically connecting contact screws 7 on. Thus, by an axial movement of the shift rod 4 with the switching relay 1, a current for a starter motor of the starting device via the contact screws 7 are switched. A pressure pin 13 is centered on the armature 3 and secured to an assembly with a fork lever of the starting device. Only then the remaining switching relay 1 is mounted, wherein the locking lugs 9, of which only two are shown, engage the spacer bush 8 in the axial opening with the shoulder 10 of the armature 3 with axial play.

In a switched off state, in the Fig. 3 is shown, ie without energizing the relay coil 2, the armature 3 is in a rest position and the contacts 6 are open. In this case, the detents 9 of the spacer 8 are not on the shoulder 10 of the armature 3, so that the life is increased.

In an unillustrated, switched state of the switching relay 1, the relay coil 2 is energized and the armature 3 moves in the relay coil 2, so that an end face of the armature 3 coaxially mounted pressure pin 13 abuts against a head 43 of the shift rod 4 and the contact bridge with the Contact plate 5 closes against the spring force. In this state, a current flows through the contact plate 5 connected to the contact screws 7 for operating the starter motor of the starting device.'In this state, the detents 9 are also not axially on the shoulder 10 of the armature 3, so that the life is increased.

The Fig. 1 shows a state of the switching relay 1 with a so-called contact welding, in which the contacts 6 are closed, so the contact plate 5 virtually sticks to the contact screws 7, although the relay coil 2 is not energized. The contact welding has occurred, for example, due to a momentary disturbance, namely an interruption in the energization of the relay coil 2, which led to a fluttering of the contacts 6 on the contact plate 5. In addition, an increased cycle number due to a start-stop operating function lead to a temperature increase of the switching relay 1 total, so that the occurrence of contact welding is favored.

It shows the Fig. 1 the switching relay 1 at a time at which a contact tearing acts on the contact welding. The contact ripping device comprises, as well as the locking device, essentially the shoulder 10 on the armature 3 and the spacer bushing 8 with the locking lugs 9 on the shift rod 4. In this embodiment, the contact ripping device and the locking device are thus realized by a single structural design. The spacer 8 is made of a resilient metal.

The Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail of the cross section of Fig. 1 through the contact ripper. After switching off the energization of the relay coil 2, the armature 3, driven by the first spring, not shown, moves away from the shift rod 4 and toward its rest position, in the Fig. 1 and 2 to the left. If there was no contact welding, then the shift rod 4, driven by the second spring 21, would also be in its rest position, in the Fig. 1 and 2 also to the left, move and thus open the contacts 6. The shoulder 10 and the detents 9 do not touch each other during normal operation. However, the spring force of the second spring 21 is not always sufficient to apply a required large Kontaktaufreißkraft tearing open the intervening contact welding.

Therefore, the contact breaker operates as follows. The armature 3 moves, as mentioned above, due to spring force and lack of magnetic effect out of the no longer energized relay coil 2 out. In this case, the armature 3 undergoes an acceleration with a certain mass M. Since the shift rod 4 does not move back due to the contact welding, the armature 3 strikes with the shoulder 10 on the locking lugs 9 and thus transmits the contact tearing force by a pulse to the shift rod 4, so that the contact weld is torn open. To generate the pulse, the armature 3 executes a path S.

The Fig. 3 shows a schematic cross section through the locking device according to the invention according to the Fig. 1 and 2 with the armature 3 and the shift rod 4 each in their rest position at a de-energized relay coil 2 and with open contacts 6. The locking device is both part of the armature 3 and the shift rod 4, wherein it comprises the shoulder 10 of the armature 3 and the locking lugs 9 on the shift rod 4. Thus, the locking device also represents the contact ripping device, both of which are realized with the shoulder 10 and the spacer 8 with the locking lugs 9, so that a simple assembly is achieved.

The shoulder 10 is made by a back turn in an axial opening of the armature 3 and has a stop surface 12 and a chamfer 14. The detents 9 are formed on a, alternatively made of plastic, spacer 8 and have at one leg end in each case an end face 11, wherein the end faces 11 and the stop surface 12 are formed for a mutual abutment of the detents 9 and the shoulder 10 to the Shift bar 4 and the armature 3 both engage as well as to transfer the contact tearing force of the armature 3 on the shift rod 4.

For mounting the switching relay, in particular for mounting the shift rod 4 with the armature 3, the shift rod 4 is partially axially inserted into the armature 3 with its end having the head 43 and the spacer sleeve 8, wherein the latching lugs each at the shoulder 10th be pressed into the axial opening of the armature 3 by the elastic locking lugs 9 are compressed with its conical surface 15 of the shoulder 10 by a wedge effect of the bevel 14. After passing through the shoulder 10, the locking lugs 9 take due to their elastic property back to their original shape, so that the shift rod 4 engages in the armature 3 and upon removal of the armature, the contact tearing acts by the locking lugs 9 each with their end faces 11 against the Stop surface 12 of the shoulder 10 abut. Thus, the shift rod 4 can be easily mounted by merely latching in the armature 3 with this. There are thus two prefabricated assemblies, namely the anchor 3 with the pressure pin 13 and the prefabricated assembly of the starter relay 1 with contact plate 5, as conventionally assembled in one step.

For disassembly, the shift rod 4 is pulled axially in the direction of the contact plate 5 from the armature 3, or the armature 3 is withdrawn in the opposite direction from the shift rod 4, but the end face 11th abuts against the stop surface 12. Both surfaces are formed obliquely with respect to the axial direction, so that a wedging action between the elastic locking lugs 9 and the shoulder 10 is formed and the locking lugs 9 at a sufficiently large disassembly force, which is greater than the contact tearing force, are compressed as soon as the shift rod 4 with a suitable Entrastekraft is applied. Thus, the shift rod 4 can be dismantled by a simple movement of the armature 3, in particular non-destructive, so that a subsequent installation without additional effort is possible.

Incidentally, the unlatching force is essentially constructively defined by the elasticity of the latching lugs 9 and by the angle α of the end face 11 or the stop face 12 relative to the axial direction, in particular such that the unlatching force exceeds the contact tearing force. This ensures that the Kontaktaufreißkraft is transmitted from the armature 3 to the shift rod 4 in a contact welding, without detenting the locking device and at the same time a disassembly during disassembly, for example, for maintenance or material separation in a disposal of the switching relay. 1 , is possible.

Overall, the following advantages are achieved by the switching relay 1 according to the invention, in particular in comparison to the prior art: The contact ripping device can be realized without an additional coupling element or further component and is in particular destructively removable and re-demountable. The locking device according to the invention can be mounted in conventional switching relay with the spacer 8 with locking lugs 9 without significant structural changes, especially without a change in the assembly steps, and without changes to the relay coil 2, the spring forces, the contact plate 5 with the contacts 6 or the length of the armature 3 and the shift rod 4. Overall, therefore, a contact-tearing can be cost-effectively combined with the locking device according to the invention.

Another, not shown embodiment provides a starting device for starting an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle with in the Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 All figures show only schematic not to scale representations. Incidentally, in particular referred to the drawings for the invention as essential.

Claims (11)

1. Switching relay (1), in particular for a starting apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine, having a contact device (5), a relay coil (2), an armature (3), an actuating rod (4), with the actuating rod (4) being moved by the armature (3) when current is supplied to the relay coil (2) and the contact device (5) being operated by means of the actuating rod (4), and having a contact breaking device by means of which the armature (3) and the actuating rod (4) are coupled to one another, with the relay coil (2) and the contact device (5) being formed such that they can be pushed onto the armature (3) as an assembly, wherein the armature (3) is in the form of part of an unlatchable latching apparatus for the contact breaking device, and the actuating rod (4) has at least one latching lug (9) as the mating bearing (9) and the armature (3) has a shoulder (10), with the shoulder (10) forming a stop face (12) for an end face (11) of a limb end of the latching lug (9).
2. Switching relay (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the actuating rod (4) can be latched into the armature (3) with play, which is axial in the current-free state, of the relay coil (2).
3. Switching relay (1) according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the actuating rod (4) and the armature (3) can be unlatched with an unlatching force which is greater than a contact breaking force.
4. Switching relay (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the latching apparatus comprises the shoulder (10) and the interengaging mating bearing (9).
5. Switching relay (1) according to Claim 4, characterized in that the stop face (12) of the shoulder (10) and the end face (11) of the latching lug (9) are each formed in an inclined manner with respect to the axial direction, in particular at a specific angle (α), for removing the actuating rod (4) and the armature (3) by unlatching.
6. Switching relay (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the latching apparatus comprises a spacer bushing (8) with latching lugs (9) .
7. Switching relay (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the latching apparatus, in particular the mating bearing (9), is produced at least partially from plastic.
8. Switching relay (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the latching apparatus, in particular the mating bearing (9), is produced at least partially from resilient metal material.
9. Starting apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine having a switching relay according to one of Claims 1 to 8.
10. Mounting method for a switching relay (1), according to one of Claims 1 to 8, or for a starting apparatus according to Claim 9, having a contact device (5), a relay coil (2), an armature (3), an actuating rod (4), with the actuating rod (4) being moved by the armature (3) when current is supplied to the relay coil (2) and the contact device (5) being operated by means of the actuating rod (4), and having a contact breaking device by means of which the armature (3) and the actuating rod (4) are coupled to one another, with the relay coil (2) and the contact device (5) being pushed onto the armature as an assembly, wherein the actuating rod (4) is partially pushed into the armature (3) by way of its end which is opposite the contact device (5) and is latched into said armature (3) such that it can be unlatched.
11. Removal method for a switching relay (1), according to one of Claims 1 to 8, or for a starting apparatus, according to Claim 9, having a contact device (5), a relay coil (2), an armature (3), an actuating rod (4), with the actuating rod (4) being moved by the armature (3) when current is supplied to the relay coil (2) and the contact device (5) being operated by means of the actuating rod (4), and having a contact breaking device by means of which the armature (3) and the actuating rod (4) are coupled to one another, wherein the actuating rod (4) is withdrawn from the armature (3) in the direction of the contact device (5), with said actuating rod being unlatched with an unlatching force, which exceeds a contact breaking force, for unlatching a latching apparatus which is part of the armature (3), and being withdrawn, and the relay coil (2) and the contact device (5) being removed from the armature as an assembly.

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