JP2012199137A - Relay device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a relay device in which arc generated in a contact part is made easy to be extinguished by suppressing increase in device size.SOLUTION: The relay device includes: a contact part 2 having a first contact 5 and a second contact 7 which comes into contact with and is separated from the first contact 5; a wall surrounding the contact part 2; and a drive part 14 by which the second contact 7 is moved to come into contact with and be separated from the first contact. Then, the wall 30 has an uneven part 31 formed by arranging irregularities in the moving direction of the second contact 7, on one surface facing the contact part 2.

Description

  The present invention relates to a relay device including a contact portion and a drive portion.

  Conventionally, as a relay device having a sealing contact portion and a drive portion, the sealing contact portion has a sealing container, and a fixed terminal provided with a fixed contact and a movable contact are provided in the sealing container. There is a sealed contact device that houses a movable contact (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the above-described sealed contact device, a gas mainly composed of hydrogen is hermetically sealed in the sealed container, for example, at about 2 atm, and by sealing the gas, the cooling effect is improved, and the fixed contact and the movable contact It is easy to extinguish arcs generated during the period.

JP-A-10-162676

  However, in the relay device having the above-described configuration, the arc extinguishing performance may be insufficient when the voltage applied to the contact portion becomes a high voltage. In particular, when trying to maintain the size of a general relay device, it is difficult to improve the arc extinguishing performance because the space between the contacts is limited.

  In view of this situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a relay device that can easily extinguish an arc generated between the contacts of the contact portion while suppressing an increase in the size of the device.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a relay device according to the present invention includes a contact portion having a first contact and a second contact contacting and separating from the first contact, a wall surrounding the contact portion, and the second contact. A drive unit that moves and contacts and separates the first contact, and the wall has an uneven part in which uneven parts are arranged in the moving direction of the second contact on one surface facing the contact part. And

  As the relay device, the one surface has a gap between the contact portion, the first contact and the second contact are arranged along the one surface, and the first contact and the second contact It is preferable to further include a magnetic field generator that extends an arc generated between the two surfaces to the one surface side within the gap by a magnetic field.

  Preferably, the relay device further includes a case that accommodates the contact portion, and the wall is a part of the case.

  It is preferable that the relay device further includes a case that accommodates the contact portion and an insulating member that is accommodated in the case and forms the wall.

  By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to easily extinguish an arc generated between the contacts of the contact portion while suppressing an increase in the size of the device as compared with the conventional relay device.

It is sectional drawing of the relay apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the principal part of a relay apparatus same as the above. It is sectional drawing of the principal part of the relay apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the principal part of the relay apparatus of a comparative example.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 1, the relay device 1 of this example includes a contact portion 2 that switches between energization and interruption when the contact 3 comes into contact with or leaves (contacts and separates), and a drive that makes the contact 3 contact and separate. Part 14, case 10 for accommodating contact part 2, and arc extinguishing magnetic field generating part 32.

  The drive unit 14 includes a cylindrical movable shaft 15, an electromagnet unit 21 that drives the movable shaft 15 along the axial direction Ax of the movable shaft 15, and a fixed plate 18 that fixes the electromagnet unit 21. Yes. Hereinafter, the axial direction Ax of the movable shaft 15 is simply referred to as the axial direction Ax, and the description will be made with reference to the axial direction Ax.

  The movable shaft 15 is inserted into the electromagnet portion 21, the first end portion 16 protrudes from the electromagnet portion 21, and is attached to the contact pressure portion 8 (details will be described later) of the contact portion 2, and the second end portion on the opposite side. 17 is attached to the movable iron core 24 (details will be described later) of the electromagnet portion 21. The movable shaft 15 is linearly driven along the axial direction Ax by the electromagnet portion 21, and the contact / separation operation of the contact 3 is performed with this driving.

  The fixed plate 18 is formed of a conductive material in a plate shape, serves also as a yoke for the electromagnet portion 21, and is disposed with its plate surface substantially orthogonal to the axial direction Ax. And the plate-shaped insulating board 20 is attached to one board surface which faces the contact part 2 side among this board surface, and the electromagnet part 21 is being fixed to the other board surface. Further, the fixed plate 18 has a through hole 19 through which the movable shaft 15 is inserted substantially in the center of the plate. The movable shaft 15 projects the first end portion 16 toward the contact portion 2 side and penetrates the second end portion 17 side. The electromagnet part 21 is inserted through the hole 19.

  The electromagnet portion 21 includes two cylindrical iron cores arranged in the axial direction Ax, a bottomed cylindrical portion 22 that accommodates both iron cores, a coil bobbin 27 that is disposed on the outer periphery of the bottomed cylindrical portion 22 and has a coil 28 wound thereon, The main body is composed of a return spring 26 that is elastically biased in the direction of separating both iron cores.

  The coil bobbin 27 is fixed to the fixed plate 18, and the coil 28 wound around the coil bobbin 27 is electrically connected to an external excitation power source, excitation control means, etc. via a conductive member 28a.

  The bottomed cylindrical portion 22 is formed of a nonmagnetic metal material such as stainless steel, the opening-side end is fixed to the fixing plate 18, the coil bobbin 27 is located on the outer periphery of the tube, and both iron cores are substantially disposed on the inner periphery of the tube. Concentric and accommodated side by side along the axial direction Ax. The iron core is mainly composed of a fixed iron core 23 fixed to the bottom of the bottomed cylindrical portion 22 and a movable iron core 24 which is close to and away from the fixed iron core 23 in the axial direction Ax, and is movable on the inner periphery of both iron cores. The shaft 15 is inserted.

  The fixed core 23 is inserted such that the second end 17 of the movable shaft 15 is slidable in the axial direction Ax, one end is fixed to the bottom of the bottomed cylindrical portion 22, and the other end is opposed to the movable core 24. The return spring 26 is disposed between the fixed iron core 23 and the movable iron core 24, and elastically biases the movable iron core 24 in the direction away from the fixed iron core 23 along the axial direction Ax.

  The movable iron core 24 is disposed substantially concentrically on the other end side of the fixed iron core 23, and moves in the axial direction Ax in a direction approaching the fixed iron core 23 as the coil 28 is excited. The movable iron core 24 has an attachment portion 25 for attaching the movable shaft 15 to the inner peripheral surface. The movable shaft 15 is attached to the attachment portion 25, and the movable iron core 24 moves in the axial direction Ax, whereby the movable shaft 15 is moved. Are driven in the axial direction Ax. The mounting position of the movable shaft 15 with respect to the mounting portion 25 can be adjusted in the axial direction Ax, and by adjusting the mounting position, the movable shaft 15 protrudes from the fixed plate 18 of the first end portion 16. Can be adjusted.

  The contact portion 2 is provided on each of the fixed terminal 4 fixed to the case 10, the flat movable contact 6 moved in the axial direction Ax by the drive portion 14, and the fixed terminal 4 and the movable contact 6. The main body is composed of the provided contact 3 and the contact pressure portion 8 that elastically biases the movable contact 6.

  The fixed terminal 4 is formed of a conductive member in the shape of a bottomed cylinder, and is arranged with the axis of the cylinder along the axial direction Ax and the bottom end of the cylinder protruding into the case 10, and is fixed to the case 10. ing. The bottom end of the fixed terminal 4 has a flat surface facing the fixed plate 18, and the contact 3 (first contact 5) is fixed to the flat surface. In addition, two fixed terminals 4 are provided with their axial centers arranged substantially in parallel, and the bottom ends of the two fixed terminals 4 are positioned at substantially the same height in the axial direction Ax.

  The movable contact 6 is made of a conductive material and is formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape in plan view. The plate surface is arranged substantially parallel to the fixed plate 18 and the longitudinal direction L is arranged substantially parallel to the direction in which the two fixed terminals 4 are arranged. Has been. Of these plate surfaces, one plate surface faces the first contact 5 side, contacts 3 (second contacts 7) are fixed to both ends in the longitudinal direction L of the plate surface, and the second contact 7 is in the axial direction. It faces the first contact 5 at Ax. The movable contact 6 has a plate surface on the opposite side to which the second contact 7 is not fixed facing the fixed plate 18, and a pressure contact portion 8 is attached to the plate surface on the opposite side. To the first end 16 of the movable shaft 15. Hereinafter, the direction of the movable contact 6 in the longitudinal direction L is simply referred to as the longitudinal direction L and will be described as a reference.

  The contact pressure part 8 is mainly composed of a contact pressure spring 9 that elastically biases the movable contact 6 and a movable contact holder 8a on which the contact pressure spring 9 is compressed and suspended via the movable contact 6. The contact holder 8a is fixed to the first end 16 of the movable shaft 15 at the approximate center in the longitudinal direction L. Then, the contact pressure unit 8 elastically biases the movable contact 6 toward the first contact 5 and applies a contact pressure to the second contact 7. The contact pressure portion 8 is driven in the case 10 along with the movable contact 6 along the axial direction Ax by the drive portion 14, and the second contact 7 is brought into contact with and separated from the first contact 5 with this drive. Therefore, the moving direction of the second contact 7 with respect to the first contact 5 is the axial direction Ax, and the second contact 7 is connected to and separated from the first contact 5 between the movable contact 6 and the fixed terminal 4. It has an interval (contact gap) for making it.

  Further, the case 10 is formed in a box shape having an opening surface at one end by a material having insulating properties and heat resistance such as ceramics, and an end portion on the opposite side of the opening surface of the box is substantially orthogonal to the axial direction Ax. The bottom portion 11 has a surface parallel to the fixed plate 18. The bottom portion 11 is provided with two through holes 11a penetrating along the axial direction Ax. The fixed terminal 4 is inserted into the through hole 11a, and the opening side end portion of the fixed terminal 4 is formed at the edge of the through hole 11a. It is fixed.

  In the case 10, the side wall 12 of the box is erected along the axial direction Ax from the outer periphery of the bottom portion 11, and constitutes a wall 30 surrounding the contact portion 2. The side wall 12 has one surface 13 facing the contact portion 2 side and a gap between the one surface 13 and the contact portion 2. The one surface 13 is provided with a concavo-convex portion 31 in which concavo-convex portions are arranged in the moving direction (axial direction Ax) of the second contact 7.

  The uneven portion 31 is mainly composed of a plurality of grooves formed by cutting one surface 13. The groove is mainly composed of a bottom surface which is substantially parallel to the one surface 13 and is recessed from the one surface 13, and two side surfaces which are substantially orthogonal to the bottom surface and which face each other, as shown in FIG. Is a rectangular (substantially square) indentation. And this groove | channel is formed over the perimeter of the one surface 13 along the outer periphery of the bottom part 11, and it is provided in multiple numbers at substantially equal intervals in the axial direction Ax. For example, the groove preferably has a depth dimension from one surface 13 to the bottom surface of about 1 mm and an interval in the axial direction Ax of about 1 mm.

  A frame-shaped joining member 29 is disposed between the fixing plate 18 and the edge of the opening surface of the case 10 (the standing tip of the side wall 12), and the fixing plate 18 and the case are interposed via the joining member 29. 10 is joined. A space surrounded by the case 10, the joining member 29, and the fixing plate 18 is a substantially airtight space in which gas is difficult to escape. In this substantially airtight space, a gas mainly composed of hydrogen is, for example, about 2 atm. It is filled. Therefore, the contact part 2 contacts and separates in the above-mentioned space filled with gas.

  The relay device 1 configured as described above operates as follows. Before the excitation of the coil 28, the movable iron core 24 and the fixed iron core 23 are opposed to each other with a predetermined distance (contact gap) by the biasing of the return spring 26, and the second contact 7 contacts the first contact 5. Touch. Therefore, the contact portion 2 before exciting the coil 28 is in a conductive state in which the two first contacts 5 are electrically connected via the movable contact 6. The second contact 7 is pressed against the first contact 5 by the elastic bias of the contact pressure spring 9, and the contact state between the second contact 7 and the first contact 5 is maintained.

  Further, when the coil 28 is excited, the movable iron core 24 is attracted to the fixed iron core 23 and moves in the axial direction Ax. With this movement, the movable shaft 15 is driven, and the movable contact 6 is moved to the fixed plate 18 side. Let Therefore, the second contact 7 is separated from the first contact 5 by a predetermined distance (contact gap) after the contact with the first contact 5 is released as the movable shaft 15 is driven. , The electrical connection between the two first contacts 5 is switched to a cut-off state.

  When the coil 28 is de-energized from this excited state, the movable iron core 24 is moved mainly away from the fixed iron core 23 by the urging force of the return spring 26, and is separated from the fixed iron core 23 by a predetermined distance (contact gap). The state before excitation is restored. And the 2nd contact 7 is contact | abutted by the 1st contact 5 by the drive of the movable shaft 15 accompanying the movement of the movable iron core 24, and the contact part 2 returns to a conduction | electrical_connection state.

  Further, when the coil 28 is excited and the second contact 7 is separated from the first contact 5, an arc 50 is interposed between the first contact 5 and the second contact 7 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2. May occur. The arc 50 is stretched in the longitudinal direction L within the gap between the contact portion 2 and the side wall 12 by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating portion 32 disposed outside the box of the side wall 12, and the wall 30 (side wall) surrounding the contact portion 2. 12) It is easy to form along one surface 13.

  For example, the magnetic field generating unit 32 is mainly composed of a permanent magnet and a magnetic member that sandwiches the permanent magnet, and is attached to the outside of the side wall 12 so as to sandwich the first contact 5 and the second contact 7. For this reason, the magnetic field generator 32 applies a magnetic field in a direction substantially orthogonal to the axial direction Ax to the space surrounded by the case 10 and in which the contact 3 is disposed.

  By the way, the longer the arc length (creeping distance) of the arc 50, the easier it is to contribute to the increase of the arc voltage (to be easily extinguished). In the relay device of the comparative example shown in FIG. 4, when the arc 50 is generated between the first contact 74 and the second contact 75 of the contact portion 71, it is stretched to the wall 72 side by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generation portion 76. Therefore, it is easy to form a mold along one flat surface 73 facing the contact portion 71 of the wall 72.

  On the other hand, the relay device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with the uneven portion 31 on the one surface 13 of the side wall 12 so that the one surface 73 of the wall 72 as shown in FIG. In the case 10 having the dimensions, the creeping distance of the arc 50 can be extended as compared with the above-described comparative example. And by extending the creeping distance of the arc 50, it becomes easy to raise an arc voltage in a short time compared with a comparative example, and arc extinguishing performance can be improved.

  For this reason, it is possible to provide a relay device suitable for high-voltage direct current that can easily extinguish the arc 50 when switching the contact portion 2 from the conductive state to the cut-off state and easily switch to the cut-off state. This DC high-voltage relay device is provided in, for example, an electric vehicle or a so-called hybrid-type vehicle, and is mounted between an in-vehicle battery and an in-vehicle motor, or between this battery and an external power source for charging the battery. A vehicle-mounted relay device arranged is preferable.

  Further, by providing the uneven portion 31 on the side wall 12, the number of constituent members of the relay device 1 becomes substantially the same as that of the comparative example, and it becomes easy to suppress an increase in the number of parts. Further, the arc 50 generated between the contacts 3 and stretched in the longitudinal direction L is prevented from touching the fixed plate 18 by the insulating plate 20.

(Second Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 3, the relay device 1 of the second embodiment is provided with an insulating member 40 inside the case 10, the insulating member 40 forms a wall 30, and the insulating member 40 is one surface of the contact portion 2 side. 43 has an uneven portion 31. In addition, the substantially same or equivalent configuration as in the first embodiment described above is denoted by the same reference numeral, and redundant description is omitted.

  In the case 10, one surface 13 of the side wall 12 is flat, and an insulating member 40 that covers the one surface 13 of the side wall 12 is disposed in the case 10. The insulating member 40 is mainly composed of a plate-like portion 41 to be the above-described insulating plate 20 attached to the fixed plate 18 and four rising pieces 42 erected from the plate-like portion 41 along the one surface 13 of the side wall 12. Is configured. The plate-like portion 41 is attached to a recess 18 a formed in the fixed plate 18, and the plate surface faces the bottom portion 11 of the case 10.

  The rising piece 42 has a dimension in the axial direction Ax extending from the plate-like portion 41 to the bottom portion 11 of the case 10 and is continuously formed along one surface 13 of the side wall 12 to cover the entire one surface 13 of the side wall 12. . The rising piece 42 has a gap with the contact portion 2 and constitutes a wall 30 surrounding the contact portion 2.

  Further, the rising piece 42 has a concavo-convex portion 31 in which a plurality of concavo-convex portions are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the axial direction Ax on one surface 43 facing the contact portion 2 side. For this reason, the arc 50 generated between the first contact 5 and the second contact 7 is generated by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating unit 32 in the gap between the rising piece 42 and the contact part 2. It is stretched in the longitudinal direction L along the surface 43.

  As described above, the wall 30 surrounding the contact portion 2 is constituted by the rising piece 42 of the insulating member 40, and the uneven portion 31 is provided on one surface 43 of the rising piece 42, so that the arc 50 can be compared with the comparative example. Creepage distance can be extended. Therefore, the arc extinguishing performance is improved, and it is possible to provide a high-voltage relay device that makes it easy to extinguish the arc 50 when switching the contact portion 2 from the conductive state to the cut-off state, and to easily switch to the cut-off state. it can.

  In addition, by forming the concave and convex portion 31 with the insulating member 40 and making it a separate member from the case 10, it is easier to perform cutting or the like than the case 10, but a material with low airtightness is used for the insulating member 40. It is possible to make it easy to form the uneven portion 31. Further, the arc 50 generated between the contacts 3 and stretched in the longitudinal direction L is prevented from touching the fixed plate 18 by the plate-like portion 41 or the rising piece 42.

  In addition, the uneven | corrugated | grooved part 31 of the surface which faces the contact part 2 side of the wall 30 surrounding the contact part 2 is not restricted to an illustrated structure. For example, an uneven portion 31 formed in a wave shape along the axial direction Ax on the surface of the wall 30 on the contact portion 2 side, or an uneven portion 31 formed by a rectangular or arcuate protrusion protruding toward the contact portion 2 side. It may be provided. Further, the uneven portion 31 is not limited to the illustrated configuration provided only on the side wall 12 or the rising piece 42, and may be further provided on the bottom portion 11 of the case 10. Further, in the apparatus in which the wall 30 is constituted by the insulating member 40, the one surface 13 of the side wall 12 is exposed between the rising piece 42 and the axial direction Ax of the bottom portion 11, and the one surface 13 of the side wall 12 exposed to the contact portion 2 side. Alternatively, the uneven portion 31 may be provided.

  In addition, the configuration of the drive unit 14 is not limited to the illustrated configuration, and for example, the movable iron core 24 is attracted to the fixed iron core 23 to drive the movable contact 6 to the fixed terminal 4 side, and the second contact 7 is moved. You may make it contact | abut to the 1st contact 5. In this apparatus, when the coil 28 is excited, the contact portion 2 is switched to a conductive state, and when the coil 28 is de-energized, the return spring 26 moves the movable iron core 24 away from the fixed iron core 23, and the second contact 7 is moved. The contact point 2 is separated from the first contact point 5 and the contact portion 2 is switched to the cut-off state. The drive unit 14 is configured such that the fixed iron core 23 is disposed on the outer periphery of the movable iron core 24, and the return spring 26 is disposed between the movable iron core 24 and the bottom of the bottomed cylindrical portion 22 or between the movable iron core 24 and the fixed plate 18. The movable shaft 15 may be driven in the axial direction Ax.

  Alternatively, the first contact 5 may be provided on the insulating plate 20 side, and the second contact 7 may be provided on the plate surface of the movable contact 6 on the fixed plate 18 side. In this apparatus, the movable contact 6 is moved to the bottom 11 side by the suction of the movable iron core 24 by the fixed iron core 23 or the return by the return spring 26, and the contact portion 2 is switched to the cut-off state.

  Further, the wall 30 is not limited to the illustrated configuration surrounding substantially the entire circumference of the contact portion 2, but only the portion facing the contact portion 2 in the direction (longitudinal direction L) in which the arc 50 is stretched by the magnetic field generating portion, or this portion. Further, it may be provided only in a portion where the arc 50 is easily touched, such as only in the vicinity thereof. The uneven portion 31 is not limited to the illustrated configuration provided on the entire circumference of the surfaces 13 and 43 of the wall 30, and may be provided only in portions where the arc 50 on the surfaces 13 and 43 of the wall 30 is easily touched. Good.

  The configuration of the contact 3 is not limited to the illustrated configuration, and the first contact 5 is integrally provided at the bottom end of the fixed terminal 4, or the second contact 7 is integrally provided on the plate surface of the movable contact 6. Or you may. Further, the contact pressure portion 8 may be provided with the contact pressure spring 9 between the fixed plate 18 and the movable contact 6 and may not include the movable contact holder 8a.

  Further, the insulating plate 20 and the insulating member 40 are preferably made of a low degassing resin that hardly generates a gas upon contact with the arc 50, ceramic or glass that hardly generates a gas, and the like. The insulating plate 20 and the insulating member 40 are not limited to the above-mentioned low degassing resin, ceramic, glass and the like, but generate an arc extinguishing gas such as hydrogen by the arc 50 and supply the arc extinguishing gas into the case 10. It may be a gas supply material.

  The relay device is not limited to a DC high voltage relay device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Relay apparatus 2 Contact part 5 1st contact 7 2nd contact 10 Case 12 Side wall 13 One surface 14 Drive part 30 Wall 31 Uneven part 32 Magnetic field generation part 40 Insulating member 42 Standing piece 43 One surface 50 Arc Ax Axial direction L Longitudinal direction

Claims (4)

A contact part having a first contact and a second contact contacting and separating from the first contact; a wall surrounding the contact part; and a driving unit configured to move the second contact to contact and separate from the first contact. Prepared,
The relay device according to claim 1, wherein the wall has a concavo-convex portion in which concavo-convex portions are arranged in a moving direction of the second contact on one surface facing the contact portion. The one surface has a gap between the contact portion,
The first contact and the second contact are aligned along the one surface,
2. The relay device according to claim 1, further comprising a magnetic field generation unit configured to extend an arc generated between the first contact and the second contact to the one surface side in the gap by a magnetic field.   The relay device according to claim 1, further comprising a case that accommodates the contact portion, wherein the wall is a part of the case.   The relay device according to claim 1, further comprising: a case that accommodates the contact portion; and an insulating member that is accommodated in the case and forms the wall.

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